If the drummer is heavy-handed on the cymbals, we may need to use more of the close mics relative to the overheads.Īt this point, we may notice that some mics add very little while hurting the overall sound of the kit. The close mics should bring a crisper attack, more weight, and a clearer place in the stereo field (usually center for kick and snare, off-center for toms). Start with only the overheads active, and bring in the kick, snare, toms, and any other close mics from there. Why is that? Because those mics tend to capture every part of the kit, not just certain elements. There are two main factors to look at here: the balance between the various mics used on the kit and the phase relationship between them.Ī good rule of thumb to follow when balancing drum tracks is that the overall sound of the kit should come primarily from the overhead mics, or in the case of more aggressive modern drum tones, room mics. The best first step to drum mixing is to make sure the tracks sound as good together as possible without any processing.

Be sure to listen to the examples provided on studio monitors or a set of full-range headphones. If you ever find yourself struggling to breathe life into a less than stellar drum recording, but reaching for your sample folder isn’t an option, here are some tips to help you get the best out of the drums you have.įor this article, I cleaned up some drums that were recorded somewhat sloppily in a concrete-walled practice room. Working with a live drum take that was recorded in imperfect conditions - a living room, practice space, basement, etc, can be challenging. Maybe you are simply looking for a challenge! Sample replacement can be a great tool to have at your disposal, but it is by no means a magic bullet. Maybe the drum part involves subtle techniques that are difficult to reproduce with samples. Maybe the artist values authenticity and refuses to use hyped-up samples. It’s not unusual to hear a combination of both - samples and live drumming - or samples being used to reinforce sounds from a live kit.Īs common as drum samples are, situations do arise where working with a live recording of a real kit is necessary, even if the kit wasn’t recorded meticulously. Sampled drums have become increasingly common in music production, and chances are if you listen to the radio or a Spotify playlist, you’ll hear more samples than live drums.

Uad ocean way plugin torrent