Kick sound design

How to Make a Psytrance Kick in Serum 2

By Psiger · Updated July 2026

Watch the full breakdown

Building a kick in Serum 2 feels hard until you know that it is really just two envelopes. The pitch envelope shapes the click and the tuned thump, and the amp envelope shapes how long the kick rings. Everything else is refinement.

In the video Psiger builds a psytrance kick from a single oscillator and dials in those two envelopes step by step. Here is the same process, chapter by chapter.

Key takeaways

A kick in Serum 2 is really just two envelopes: pitch and amp.
Start with a single sine oscillator tuned low. That is the body you feel.
The pitch envelope makes the click. A fast deep drop then settle to the fundamental.
A steeper pitch envelope gives a tight clicky kick, a longer one gives a boomier thump.
The amp envelope sets the length. Keep it short in psytrance so the bass has room.

Oscillator A setup

▶ Play from 0:14

Start with one oscillator producing a clean tone, usually a sine, tuned low. That tone is the body of the kick, the part you feel in your chest. Get it sitting at a sensible pitch for your track before you shape anything.

Keep it simple. A kick is a shaped sine at heart, so resist the urge to stack oscillators before the envelopes are doing their job.

The pitch envelope shapes the click

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The pitch envelope is the most important part. A fast, deep pitch drop at the very start creates the click and the punch, then it settles to the tuned fundamental for the body. A short, steep envelope gives a tight clicky kick, a longer one gives a boomier thump.

This single envelope defines the attack and character of the whole kick. Spend your time here.

The amp envelope sets the length

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The amp envelope controls how long the kick sounds. A short decay gives a punchy, tight kick that leaves room for the bass. A longer decay gives a fuller, sustained kick that fills more of the low end.

For psytrance you usually want it on the shorter side so the offbeat bass has room to breathe between kicks. Tune the length to how busy your low end is.

Common questions

Psytrance production FAQ

How do I make a kick in Serum 2?

Start with a single sine oscillator tuned low for the body, then add a fast pitch envelope that drops steeply at the start and settles to the fundamental. That pitch drop creates the click and punch. Finally set the amp envelope decay to control how long the kick rings. Two envelopes do most of the work.

Why does my kick sound weak or clicky but with no body?

Usually the pitch envelope is doing all the work and the fundamental is too quiet or mistuned. Make sure the tone settles to a solid low pitch after the click, and give the amp envelope enough decay to let the body ring. Balance the click against the sustained tone rather than chasing one at the expense of the other.

How long should a psytrance kick be?

On the shorter, punchier side. Psytrance runs a busy offbeat bass between the kicks, so a long, boomy kick swallows the space the bass needs. Keep the amp decay short enough that the kick punches and gets out of the way, then let the bass fill the gaps.