How to Make Hardstyle Kicks in FL Studio with Kickstyler

Start with the setup

Kickstyler is a preset for FL Studio Patcher for hardstyle, rawstyle and hardcore kick design. It is not a standalone VST instrument.

Before you start: FL Studio 21 All Plugins Edition (v21.1 or later), Misstortion 2 and OTT (latest versions). Install the external plugins before loading the preset.

Check those requirements against your system before buying or opening a project. Install the required external effects and make sure FL Studio can find them. Follow the installation instructions that accompany the download.

If FL Studio reports a missing plugin, note its exact name. Check its installation and version, rescan it in FL Studio and consult the download instructions. Resolve missing dependencies before judging the preset’s sound.

Watch the original product presentation

Watch AUDESIGN’s Kickstyler presentation.

Use AUDESIGN’s original product video to explore the preset before following the comparison below. It does not guarantee that a particular setting will work in every track.

Build a comparison you can trust

Choose a short section of your track with the bassline and main rhythm playing. Keep that section unchanged while comparing kick variations so you can hear what the kick contributes to the arrangement.

Save your starting project and preset. Create three named variations: Starting point, Punch variation and Body variation. Change one aspect at a time. Keep the sequence and other processing consistent so you can identify the cause of the difference.

Adjust the punch and listen to the beginning of each hit. Does it make the rhythm clearer, or dominate the bassline? Then adjust the body and compare how much space the kick occupies between hits. More distortion or weight is not automatically better.

Match the apparent playback level before choosing a favourite. A louder version can seem more impressive even when it makes the arrangement less clear. Keep the monitoring volume consistent.

Listen to the tail in context

A hardstyle kick can have a pitched tail. Listen for how it relates to the bassline and the next kick hit. There is no universal note or duration that fits every track.

If notes blur together, compare a shorter tail in the sound or audio you are working with. If the kick loses impact with the bass playing, compare timing and low-frequency balance before adding more processing. Avoid assigning a fixed frequency or knob value to every source.

Check the selected version with the full arrangement, at a lower listening level and in mono. Save the preset and a short audio render so you can compare it after a break.

Keep a useful result

Write down what changed and what you heard. “More attack, but bass notes became harder to hear” is more useful than “better”. Keep both the selected version and your starting point.

This listening exercise describes the current Kickstyler product. It does not describe a future release or promise a particular sound from unverified settings.

Check Kickstyler’s current product page for requirements, availability and purchase options.