How to Make Zaag Kicks in Serum 2

First I make sure the sub is really at the lowest frequency without it sounding bad. Then I open oscillator A, which is an octave higher than the sub, and remove the fundamental frequencies out of the waveform. The first one, and the second one for half. This way the phase is not going to interfere with the low frequencies.

Oscillator B gets the Serum 1 table 4088, which just works really well in terms of overtones. I take that down an octave too. Then lock in the phase. Remove any phase randomization, so Serum takes the same phase point each time it hits a note.

The first thing I do in the effects is slap on a Zero Square distortion, all the way. The basic idea behind these kicks is an equalizer in front of the distortion. I create a peak around the mids and remove the sub. LFO 1 is an envelope on the gain of that sub. The more we remove the sub, the more the mids come through, and the more you have that tonal zaag kick.

The next equalizer boosts the peak with LFO 2, an envelope with a very nice attack. Make sure it's roughly the same frequency as the first peak. I control the frequency of both peaks with one macro and keep them similar in the matrix, around 22%. A little bit of inconsistency is even better, because it boosts cool harmonics.

Once the effects are set up, go back into the oscillators. This might sound weird, but you're going to detune both of them a little bit. Because the phase randomization is at zero, you can do this. We also removed the sub harmonics, which helps a lot.

To fix this even more, I use a splitter, low and high, after everything. I include a Utility, take the width down and make sure it crosses over at around 300. Then render your kick and just work with that. It's probably the best method to not screw up your phase, and that's pretty important with these kicks.

How this kick blends is shaped just with LFO 1, and that's the beauty of this. LFO 1 is ducking the bass and opening it up. The moment the bass ducks, the mids take over, and that's that zaag sound. Take different shapes and you get different kicks.

If you get a very clean peak that sounds very resonant, the bass is maybe too low, so the peak takes over. Just add a bit more bass to compensate. It's really a play between the mids, the sub and what you drive through it. Mainly oscillator B, the detune and how it's synced.