Open your preferred digital audio workstation, for example Pro Tools, Cubase or Reason. Double-click the desktop icon and wait for it to fully load. Typically, the most recent session will reopen automatically when the program is launched. If this isn't the session you want, click "File," "Open" and select the correct session from the drop-down menu.
Click "S" on the bass drum audio channel to solo it. Each channel has a solo button, when pressed all other audio is muted. This allows you to hear your edits in isolation.
Click "Play" so you can hear your edits in real-time.
Click on the channel gain slider dial. The gain represents the output level of the signal. If the output signal is too strong, it will cause distortion, which is undesirable. Push the gain slider dial up with your cursor, as far as it will go before the volume-unit meter flashes. The kick drum will now spike in the mix.
Click "Effects" and select "Compression." This effect limits the decibel range of an audio track by tempering the peaks. Using compression on a spiked audio track will smooth out the harshness of the volume increase, while retaining a large portion of the desired impact.
Set the threshold dial to around 70 percent of the maximum volume. This means only sounds over that threshold will be compressed. The impact will still be there, but it won't sound as abrupt and jarring in the mix.
Adjust the "Ratio" dial to a relatively low setting. This governs the amount amount of attenuation the compression applies to the audio. A low ratio means subtle compression, just sufficient to remove any unpleasantness.
Double-click the bass drum wave form. This opens an automation box with a sound-wave graphic. You'll notice that the sound wave has a series of spikes. The box also features a grid interface. The vertical axis represents volume and the horizontal axis represents time. Automation lets you make individual notes louder than the notes around them.
Click on the top-left corner of the grid. This creates an automation point at the start of the note and sets it at the highest volume.
Click a second automation point in the top-right corner. This creates an automation line. Because the line is high up on the grid, it sets the volume of that particular note higher than previously. When you play back the track, the sound wave graphic will show a spike where you set the volume high.