Why kick and bass clash
Both the kick and bass live primarily between 40–200 Hz. When they hit at the same time with similar energy in the same frequency range, they fight — resulting in a muddy, undefined low end where neither element punches through.
Frequency carving
Give the kick its fundamental (typically 60–80 Hz for punchy kicks, 40–60 Hz for deep sub kicks) and cut the bass at that frequency. Then give the bass its sustain in the 80–120 Hz range and reduce the kick there. Each element owns a frequency zone — they coexist instead of competing.
Sidechain compression
Route the kick's signal to a sidechain input on the bass compressor. When the kick hits, the bass ducks slightly (2–4 dB, fast attack, fast release). This creates the "pumping" pocket that defines house, techno, and most modern electronic music.
In Ableton: Compressor → Sidechain → External → set to Kick track. Ratio 4:1, attack 1ms, release 80–120ms.
To fix this frequency problem, here are the tools PRISM producers reach for most — each picked for this specific case, not a generic list.