should i compress drums when recording?
- Thread starter xerxes
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J
Jeff Dunne
Guest
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
I don't usually compress my OH's at all - EQing takes care of that, maybe if they need to be smoothened out, I'll apply them, but otherwise it kills the dynamics.
For the snare, compression is a must, really.
What are you using on the kick? I always soundreplace that, but with a natural sound, you might need a bit of compression.
I don't usually compress my OH's at all - EQing takes care of that, maybe if they need to be smoothened out, I'll apply them, but otherwise it kills the dynamics.
For the snare, compression is a must, really.
What are you using on the kick? I always soundreplace that, but with a natural sound, you might need a bit of compression.
vinterland
New member
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
There's no reason to compress anything if you don't want to. If they sound good leave it.
I hate compressed drums except for some very very soft compression to just get a little more thump out of the kick drum or or just a very slight amount on the snare. Nothing sounds worse than some snare compressed to hell cause some speed beater can't play with any dynamics or volume.
There's no reason to compress anything if you don't want to. If they sound good leave it.
I hate compressed drums except for some very very soft compression to just get a little more thump out of the kick drum or or just a very slight amount on the snare. Nothing sounds worse than some snare compressed to hell cause some speed beater can't play with any dynamics or volume.
Last edited:
J
Jeff Dunne
Guest
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
Oh sweet. I assume you have your OH's setup more as room mic's than traditional OH's, to get the kick?
Oh sweet. I assume you have your OH's setup more as room mic's than traditional OH's, to get the kick?
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
I always compress and EQ the bejeezus out of the kick mic, and squeeze the snare a bit too, though not as much as most people. The most important thing on the overheads is to EQ until they blend with the drum mics nicely, and above all else make sure they are positioned perfectly in phase with each other!
I usually do a high pass EQ on overheads, but since you don't have a kick drum mic I wouldn't do that. Just play with the EQ until you hit the sweet spot. If your drummer hits really hard, a limiter may be necessary, but no compression.
I always compress and EQ the bejeezus out of the kick mic, and squeeze the snare a bit too, though not as much as most people. The most important thing on the overheads is to EQ until they blend with the drum mics nicely, and above all else make sure they are positioned perfectly in phase with each other!
I usually do a high pass EQ on overheads, but since you don't have a kick drum mic I wouldn't do that. Just play with the EQ until you hit the sweet spot. If your drummer hits really hard, a limiter may be necessary, but no compression.
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
You should have mic'd the kick.
Oh, and also something else that would have been a good idea - you should have mic'd the kick.
Have you started recording everything else yet, or do you just have drum tracks as of right now?
You should have mic'd the kick.
Oh, and also something else that would have been a good idea - you should have mic'd the kick.
Have you started recording everything else yet, or do you just have drum tracks as of right now?
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
Also, you shouldn't be running all kinds of processing all over your overheads - I don't know if you are or not, but those tracks are your kit. The rest (with exception of the kick/snare) are really there to augment and reinforce what you're getting from the O/H mics.
Also, you shouldn't be running all kinds of processing all over your overheads - I don't know if you are or not, but those tracks are your kit. The rest (with exception of the kick/snare) are really there to augment and reinforce what you're getting from the O/H mics.
J
Jeff Dunne
Guest
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
I'd say mic the kick, HPF the OH's at anywhere form 500-700.
Also, a dip at about 2k-2.5khz really can help the cymbals pop out, gives the aureal illusion of them being boosted in the highs.
:banana:ratherdashing said:
I'd say mic the kick, HPF the OH's at anywhere form 500-700.
Also, a dip at about 2k-2.5khz really can help the cymbals pop out, gives the aureal illusion of them being boosted in the highs.
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
oo, ive allready finished roughly 10 songs (everything done), i was mixing some new ones and the idea popped in my head.....on the other songs i love the drum sounds (only 3 mics), they really sound good....and the drummer hits with good dynamics, i realy dont know why i even thought of it! hehe
oo, ive allready finished roughly 10 songs (everything done), i was mixing some new ones and the idea popped in my head.....on the other songs i love the drum sounds (only 3 mics), they really sound good....and the drummer hits with good dynamics, i realy dont know why i even thought of it! hehe
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
My question for you is this:
How are you going to turn up/down the bassdrum in the mix without screwing up your entire drum sound now?
My question for you is this:
How are you going to turn up/down the bassdrum in the mix without screwing up your entire drum sound now?
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
Oh. Well, I guess you'll know for next time, then. I actually am interested in hearing some final mixes.
xerxes said:
Oh. Well, I guess you'll know for next time, then. I actually am interested in hearing some final mixes.
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
well, we have 2 songs on our myspace, however, the quality diminishes on the site....so everything isnt as bright, loud, etc. but check em (both are drastically different so check em both out.....)
also, those 2 songs arent are best by any means, they just happen to be 2 that are done and that i put up
www.myspace.com/xerxesbandmusic
well, we have 2 songs on our myspace, however, the quality diminishes on the site....so everything isnt as bright, loud, etc. but check em (both are drastically different so check em both out.....)
also, those 2 songs arent are best by any means, they just happen to be 2 that are done and that i put up
www.myspace.com/xerxesbandmusic
innerdreamrecords.co
TrippyVinylologist
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
"When the Levee Breaks" was recorded with two mics in a stair well then compressed. Do what ever sounds good for your tracks, there are no rules.
"When the Levee Breaks" was recorded with two mics in a stair well then compressed. Do what ever sounds good for your tracks, there are no rules.
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: should i compress drums when recording?
Without a kick mic, you might do well by using band sensitive compression on the whole mix. (drum mix) In other words, apply 2:1 or 3:1 compression to everything below 300hz for example. (find your own sweet spot based on your kit) That way all the low end will be more omnipresent while the rest of the kit sound is unaltered. Those are the kinds of things you need to do in multitrack mode where you can hear how it impacts the overall mix. I like an uncompressed drum sound usually, because then when you're mastering, the drums can occupy more room without being too loud. The cracks of the hits push out in front of the program because in a 2:1 mastering situation for example, the compression will knock the program down with each hit. Also in a hard limit situation during mastering, the hit will still be at the top of the program. Sometimes I like to compress the snare mic, but that's more of a "different player/different song" based decision than an ideology.
Without a kick mic, you might do well by using band sensitive compression on the whole mix. (drum mix) In other words, apply 2:1 or 3:1 compression to everything below 300hz for example. (find your own sweet spot based on your kit) That way all the low end will be more omnipresent while the rest of the kit sound is unaltered. Those are the kinds of things you need to do in multitrack mode where you can hear how it impacts the overall mix. I like an uncompressed drum sound usually, because then when you're mastering, the drums can occupy more room without being too loud. The cracks of the hits push out in front of the program because in a 2:1 mastering situation for example, the compression will knock the program down with each hit. Also in a hard limit situation during mastering, the hit will still be at the top of the program. Sometimes I like to compress the snare mic, but that's more of a "different player/different song" based decision than an ideology.
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