Make room for the kick.

In a heavy mix the kick and the bass both want the bottom. When they land together the low end gets bigger on the meter and smaller in your ears, because the two are masking each other.

Pick a winner for the deepest weight

Decide which one owns the thump (the 40 to 60 Hz range). If the kick owns it, let the bass speak a little higher, where the note and the string attack live. If the bass owns it, give the kick the beater click and the punch above it, and keep the sub out of the way.

Make small, opposite moves

A boost on both at the same frequency is just a louder collision. Give the one that owns the spot a few dB, take a few dB from the other at the same spot, then judge them together, not solo.

Let timing do some of the work

An EQ cut is on all the time. A sidechain duck, timed to the tempo, lets the bass step aside only when the kick hits. If they still smear, check note lengths, edits and polarity before reaching for more EQ.

Check it small

Listen on small speakers and on headphones. The pulse should stay clear even when the deepest sub disappears. Starting points, not our measurement: every kick and every bass is different.

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