2 kicks? Why?

[PhillipOrdonez]

I have a maschine MK3, and on several kits (all?) there are two pads, usually pad 1 and pad 5, with a kick drum. Why is this? It happens on MPCs and if I go through Kong kits I'll bet I will find the same...

Does anyone know why this is? What genres use two kicks? Is it so widespread that every kit needs that?

‍♂️

[Boombastix]

It can be to give the user a choice.
It can also be too have an alternative kick for ghost hits.

[guitfnky]

I'm curious about this too. using it for ghost hits sounds like a good idea--but I'm wondering why this became 'a thing' in the first place? like, was using a second sound for ghost notes a super-common thing, to the point where it made sense to include set aside two pads as a rule for separate kick sounds?

[diminished]

different accents and layering

[motuscott]

The kick drum, which happened because of the kick pedal (I blame the Germans in their never ceasing efforts to downsize the orchestra) is not a sampler. Every note out of it is unique and different. It's up to the player or am I off on some esoteric musical philosophic treatise again. Wait, you had a question...

[EdGrip]

It could be as simple as offering 2 different flavours in each kit, since the kick is the foundation most of the time. FWIW I think it's the same in lots of Kong kits.

[jam-s]

It's also useful for variation between A and B parts or verse and chorus. In some kits they are also made so that one is giving more of a click/attack sound while the other is giving weight/body/oomph and you can easily layer both.

[Creativemind]

different accents and layering

I always thought it was for layering purposes.

[enossified]

Actually, all of the above. It allows easily playing rolls, too, if the samples are the same on both pads.

[motuscott]

Bass drum rolls, this is some Buddy Rich territory innit?

[PhillipOrdonez]

Interesting thoughts... I wonder if using two kicks is genre dependent. Maybe for hip hop or something, but for what I know, two kicks sounds weird.

Interestingly, the kick on pad 5 tends to be way beefier, which to me would mean it is the main kick, however being on pad 5 means it cannot be the main kick. Pad 1 is for the main kick only! And ghost notes with a tougher kick make sense to anyone? Ghosts don't have more meat than the living.... Then why put it on pad 5? Layering? I would be hard pressed to trust they are equalized the right way to be layered, otherwise the weak pad one wouldn't sound right on its own but it does.... They are never the same kick either... ‍♂️

[Boombastix]

The mapping can be some old left over mapping derivative from the General Midi days. So they use it but they do not know why and it hasn't anything to do with the modern producers need.

The guy throwing the kits together probably just get a mapping to follow, but doesn't know why.

Most kits I've seen have little to no consideration to layer or to be mix ready.

If the kit maker used saturation, you then introduce low end rumble that you have to filter out, but 95% of the stuff I see leave it in. Amateurs IMO...

So don't expect that kicks or even snares are perfectly pitch matched to avoid phase cancellation. And phase cancellation is not just about pitch it is also about timing of the hits.

[selig]

It's also useful for variation between A and B parts or verse and chorus. In some kits they are also made so that one is giving more of a click/attack sound while the other is giving weight/body/oomph and you can easily layer both.

Thats what I use it for most of the time, and always appreciate having another version of the kit for a break down or what have you.

[dioxide]

Why not? It's electronic music so there are no limits. Why not 3 or 4?

[Oquasec]

Layering is common, sometimes people don't layer on purpose tho.
Depends on how you wanna sculpt.

[Aosta]

I've never really understood producers (especially dance) who insist on using two kicks on their tracks placing one on top of the other for some extra kickness..always reminded of this

[DougalDarkly]

I've never really understood producers (especially dance) who insist on using two kicks on their tracks placing one on top of the other for some extra kickness..

For most modern producers, the kick-layering thing is simply a different way to approach multiband processing - there's nothing about producing dance music that makes you stupid.

[BRIGGS]

Because my workflow calls for one instrument per drum sound, I've made a few 'all kicks' patches for Redrum and Kong. If you need more, go NNXT.

Because variety.

Find your favorites, and load them up! Save it....now all your favorite kicks are super handy.

[bxbrkrz]

[motuscott]

The lizard brain is confused
Perhaps being beat to death by my own foot pedal is the honorable way to go

[motuscott]

Single action
Old skool

[guitfnky]

I’m holding out for a kick with five beaters played by one foot, and then all the other drums are played by pedals also, but with your hands. your left foot just relaxes with a nice quarter note pattern on the hat. the rest of the cymbals are played by a friend named Jerry or Steve. then I will learn how to play the drums.

[motuscott]

Refining my MIDI controlled foreskin attachment
U still on for the user trials?

[motuscott]

DC current was ruled out way too early in the initial trials
IMHO

[guitfnky]

double blind double pedal double trials, right?