drum equalization

This is the sixth installment of my series of articles on the subject of processing drum tracks. Today’s focus is on equalization of overheads, toms, hi-hats, and rooms.

 

First lets talk overheads. Lets see, where do I begin? Applying EQ to an overhead track depends upon the artistic approach for your song and their respective drum tracks (which is true for anything, but stay with me here). If you’re using the overheads primarily as cymbal mics, then you’ll want to roll out most of the bottom end using a Hi Pass Filter. Just jettison everything below 500Hz or thereabouts and sneak the track up in level so that the cymbals sit in a proper place (with the drum tracks and the song in general) when struck. You may also want to try boosting 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, 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. Does your song have “System of a Down”-style toms? Kill the bloom and resonance (below 250Hz) and boost the stick hit and attack (1kHz – 4kHz) of the toms. Doing a Modern R and B thing? Bring up the resonance of the shell and let it ring. Find the resonant frequency and boost them until they’re howling. Now fit that in with the Overheads and listen to what happens with the drum tracks in relation to the song. What seemed like overkill when soloed now feels right when the rest of the track is playing doesn’t it? Good. That’s what it’s all about anyway! You should always take this into consideration regarding your drum tracks.

 

Next lets discuss hi-hats. Dump below 500Hz unless you want the sound of the session drummer’s foot thumping away. Adding air above 10kHz can work as well. Be careful not to overdo it and end up with overly sizzly-sounding hats. That sounds horrible, and can jack up your drum tracks (and therefore your song).

 

Lastly, lets talk about rooms. Just mangle the [insert expletive] out of these. Or don’t. Filter them. Effect them. Or, don’t. Make them dull. Or don’t. Make ‘em bright. Or don’t. I think you can 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 in my articles… EXPERIMENT! Find your voice and signature sound as you mix your drum tracks. Copying someone else’s sound is great for learning purposes… but ultimately what you discover on your own is what will set you apart from the pack. Remember, the drum sounds you create in a mix will greatly affect the presence and power of a recording. What will set a master apart from a demo? Drum sounds! Best of luck to you processing your drum tracks, and have fun.

 

 

Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 6: More Equalization Guidelines

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