Drum mix question/advsie time

[liv_rong]

I have been pretty happy, overall, with my drum sounds as of late. I still kind of struggle with the kick. I know this is out of context since there is no song hear, and you can hear some bleed on the first one, but what are your thoughts? Do I need to tune my kick differently do you think? Or is it the mix part that needs work? Just looking for ideas I guess. BTW, the sanre may sound like it has too much verb but in a mix I think it wokrs, Ive found it heps cut a little better in my case.

The first one is me playing over a loop in the room, one version as it was recorded and the other without fx,

The second one is from the last recording challenge. I did a ton of verbs and stuff on separate tracks to get these sounds. Even going as far as copying the snare tracks and using different verbs for different accent hits.

[Farview]

It sounds like you are using a felt beater on the kick. If you can, switch to a hard beater (some you can turn around)

Also, it sounds like you are cutting lower mids and boosting lows, but you aren't boosting the upper mids to get the attack and balance the lows. Depending on the type of kick sound you are trying to get, you need to boost 1k, 3k or a high shelf at 8k to give it some attack.

The snare and toms sound good.

[Greg_L]

I think you could tune the kick lower. Plastic/wood beaters are a good idea, but not totally necessary. Tune the kick lower - as low as you can get it and still have it make some tone - and play with different muffling.

I'd also suggest you try to get more snare wire snap. The attack of the snare is pretty good, but it has no body whatsoever.

[liv_rong]

Thanks for listening and advice guys.

It sounds like you are using a felt beater on the kick. If you can, switch to a hard beater (some you can turn around)

Also, it sounds like you are cutting lower mids and boosting lows, but you aren't boosting the upper mids to get the attack and balance the lows. Depending on the type of kick sound you are trying to get, you need to boost 1k, 3k or a high shelf at 8k to give it some attack.

The snare and toms sound good.

The beater is plastic with a felt pad but I can switch it around, maybe I will try that.

For the eq Im actually cutting the lows and boosting a curve a tiny bit at 400 then more at 1K and a little at 3K and a little less at 8k.

I think you could tune the kick lower. Plastic/wood beaters are a good idea, but not totally necessary. Tune the kick lower - as low as you can get it and still have it make some tone - and play with different muffling.

I'd also suggest you try to get more snare wire snap. The attack of the snare is pretty good, but it has no body whatsoever.

A little lower makes sense, Ill give it a shot. You mean tune the beater head lower, right? The reso it already prey low.

What do you mean by more snap? I was actually considering going down to a lower strand, right now Im using a 30. I think since I like both heads tighter for more responsiveness that the heavy strand is chocking it out a bit. Plus I'm using a Genera Dry head, maybe time to try something else there too. But, probably just start with the snares for now.

[Greg_L]

A little lower makes sense, Ill give it a shot. You mean tune the beater head lower, right? The reso it already prey low.

Yeah, batter head tuned low...just tight enough to get the wrinkles out.

What do you mean by more snap? I was actually considering going down to a lower strand, right now Im using a 30. I think since I like both heads tighter for more responsiveness that the heavy strand is chocking it out a bit. Plus I'm using a Genera Dry head, maybe time to try something else there too. But, probably just start with the snares for now.

By more snap I mean more snare wire sound. More body and tone from the snare. You got all the crack you could want, no problem there, but there's not much else there. Your music and drum style has enough room for more tone from the snare drum besides just a quick crack and nothing else. Those little ghost accents will really pop with the drum being able to breathe more.

If your snare wires are choking the snare, that's a tuning problem. Changing the number of wires won't do anything to cure a tuning problem. I think if you're already using a 30-strand wire set and you're not getting all kinds of snare snap, that's definitely a tuning problem. Less wires will be even less snappy. You might as well just throw the snares off and play it like a super tight tom.

You know there are three parts to tuning a snare - batter, reso, and wires. They all gotta work together. It's not enough to just crank the heads tight and hope for the best. A really tight reso head works against the snare wires because the whole point of the reso head is to resonate, which activates the snare wires. If the reso head is table-top tight then it won't resonate like it should. That's fine if you just want it to sound like that, to each their own. But if you want more response from the snare with all the intricate diddling you like to do, then getting the snare to behave like a snare will do you a lot of good.

[liv_rong]

Thanks [mention]Greg_L[/mention], Im going to mess around a little today. I think my first step will be to lower the tension on that reso head and go form there.

[liv_rong]

[mention]Greg_L[/mention]

Alright, I de-tuned both the snare and the kick. Just raw audio here. Definitely more overtones in the kick, the snare still needs to work but i think sounds better, breathes more at least it seems.

[Greg_L]

@Greg_L

Alright, I de-tuned both the snare and the kick. Just raw audio here. Definitely more overtones in the kick, the snare still needs to work but i think sounds better, breathes more at least it seems.

Yup, it's subtle but I think both snare and kick are a little better. Better tone in the snare to me. You can fine tune the kick with a little muffling against the batter head. It will tighten up and thud better. It also kind of sounds like you have a lot of sympathetic ringing from the toms. Post up a track with no tom mics. Just kick snare and overheads and let's see how they sound.

[liv_rong]

It also kind of sounds like you have a lot of sympathetic ringing from the toms. Post up a track with no tom mics. Just kick snare and overheads and let's see how they sound.

Would have done this sooner but I did not save that project.

Just did another.

Here is only kick, snare and overheads. I changed the dampening in the kick ever so slightly as well.

[Greg_L]

Would have done this sooner but I did not save that project.

Just did another.

Here is only kick, snare and overheads. I changed the dampening in the kick ever so slightly as well.

Not bad. Definitely cleaner without the toms ringing. I think you could get away with more kick/snare close mics in the mix.

[liv_rong]

Thanks for the listen. Next time I mix a project I’ll play around more. Overall not too much changed but I’m pretty happy with how it sounds.

[WhiskeyJack]

I will give this thread a going over when i am near my monitors again. I don't think this is an exercise for ear buds with the drone of a failing server off in in the next room lol.