Open your preferred digital audio workstation -- for example, GarageBand or Cubase.
Open the “File” menu and select the relevant song session from the “Recent” sub-menu. This launches the song session.
Open the “Mixer” interface. Methods vary according to which digital audio workstation you use, but you typically have an array of tabs with which you can switch between interfaces. For example, in Logic the “Mixer” tab is next to the “Arrange” tab.
Hit “Play” so you can hear your mix edits in real time. Slide the “Gain” fader on the kick drum channel strip. Listen as you do this. Aim for a level where the impact and resonance of the drum are pronounced, but don’t make the lead vocal inaudible.
Click the “S” icon on the kick drum channel strip. This isolates the sound of the kick drum.
Open the “Effects” menu and select “Compressor.” A compressor lets you cut out volume peaks from a sound. Although the kick drum has a relatively flat dynamic profile to begin with, compression can help add punch.
Set the “Threshold” to around 50 percent. This is a relatively low threshold for audio compression. With this setting, the loudest 50 percent of the kick drum audio is reduced in volume.
Set the “Ratio” parameter to “2:1.” This means any audio breaching the threshold is reduced in volume by half.
Adjust the “Output Gain” on the compressor. Increase it by 100 percent. By doing this you boost the quietest parts of the kick drum to the volume level of the pre-compressed loudest parts. Because you’ve compressed the sound, you can safely boost it without it becoming too dominant.
Open the “Effects” menu and select “Equalizer.” The equalizer has a grid interface with a curve superimposed on top. The vertical axis of the grid represents amplitude; the horizontal axis represents frequency.
Adjust the curve with your cursor. This is an experimental process. By moving the curve around, you enhance and reduce various frequencies. When you hit a “sweet spot” that really brings the kick drum to life, click on the curve to set the frequency at the selected amplitude.