Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 6: More Equalization Guidelines By Thai Long Ly
This is the sixth installment of my article series on the subject of processing drum tracks. Today’s focus is on equalization of overheads, toms, rooms and hi-hats.
First lets talk overheads. Now, where should I begin? Applying EQ to an overhead track depends upon the artistic approach you’re employing for your song and their respective drum tracks (I suppose this is true for anything, but stay with me here). If you’re simply using the overheads as cymbal mics, then you’ll want to roll most of the bottom end out using a Hi Pass Filter. Simply dump everything below 500Hz or so and sneak the track up in level so that the cymbals sit in a good place (with the drum tracks and the song in general) when struck. You might also want to boost above 10kHz for some “air”.
If you’re looking for the overheads to convey location of the individual elements of a kit, as well as to capture the kit overall, tabs buy cialis then a fairly broad cut centered around 400Hz-500Hz is all that’s needed to pull some honk out of the kit to make room for the rest of the drum tracks and other instruments. Again, some lifting above 10kHz is nice to bring out some sparkle and presence and you may want to dip down towards 7kHz for more snap out of your snare drum track.
Now lets talk toms. Need “System of a Down”-style toms? Kill the bloom and resonance (below 250Hz) and accentuate the stick hit and attack (1kHz – 4kHz) of the toms. Modern R and B? Bring up the resonance of the shells and let them ring out. Find the resonant frequency and boost them until they’re howling. Now fit that in with the Camagra cialis cheap online without prescription buy Overheads and listen to what transpires with the drum tracks in relation to the song. What seemed like overkill when soloed now feels right while the rest of the track is playing doesn’t it? Good. That’s cialis manufacturer what it’s all about anyway! Always take this into consideration regarding buy Plavix online your drum tracks.
Next lets discuss hi-hats. Dump below 500Hz unless you want the sound of the studio drummer’s foot thumping. Adding some air above 10kHz can work as well. Be careful not to overdo it or you could end up with excessively sizzly hats. That sounds horrible, and can ruin your drum tracks (and therefore your song).
Lastly, lets talk about rooms. Just mangle the snot out of these. Or don’t. Filter ‘em. Effect them. Or don’t. Make ‘em dull. Or don’t. Make ‘em bright. Or, don’t. See where I’m going with this? Good. Decide what is best for your drum tracks based on what your ears tell you.
So there you have it: a basic set of concepts to get you up and rolling towards amazing sounding drum tracks. And as if I haven’t said this enough by now… EXPERIMENT! You can find your own voice and signature sound during the process of mixing drum tracks. Copying someone else’s sound is cool for learning purposes… but ultimately what what you discover on your own is what will set your project apart from the pack. Remember, the drum sounds you create in a mix will greatly affect the power and presence of your recording. What can set a master apart from a demo? The drum sounds! Good luck processing your drum tracks, and have fun.
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