* If you want a tight, snappy punch that accentuates the beater, try a 5dB boost somewhere between 3kHz and 7kHz.
* If you're going for a thundering boom, try cutting the low-mids (300Hz - 500Hz), but simultaneously boost 100Hz by approx. 10dB (but don't let it get muddy!).
* If you want an aggressive crack, try boosting somewhere in the 2kHz to 8kHz region,...and if you really wanna go for it, try boosting 10kHz by about 5dB.
* Cutting lows may be an even better way to clarify some stuff -- if the snare is too *tubby* try cutting 500Hz - 750 Hz.
* If you're using the [Roland] SPD-11 (or most any sample playback module), the snares will most likely already be compressed to death, so you may not need to do much here with the compressor.
* To accentuate the stick sound, try boosting 7Khz by about 10dB.
* Another clarifying approach is to cut the low-mids and leave the lows and highs as they are (flat).
* If you want tom *cannons*, take a shot at boosting 100 Hz by 10 dB or more.
* Compressing toms can add serious power, but be tasty '-) -- try a 2:1 ratio with a threshold of -5dB.
* For the crash cym, if you wanna put a *point* on it, try a boost of 10dB @ 7-8 kHz.
* To put some *ping* on the ride cym, take a crack at boosting 5dB at around 8kHz.
Having said all that, I've noticed that the more experience I gain in recording and mixing, the more I'm finding that cutting frequencies instead of always boosting them is often the way to really open up the soundstage and let the mix *breathe*. Lastly, if I'm recording real drums, I'll take great mics and generous time spent on mic placement any day over EQ and EFX processors.
Kevin Johnson
jade@iquest.net
Mon, 27 Oct 1997
1997/12