Sep 17, 2005 03:32 am Try micing the rim instead.
Weak Snare :(
Posted on Sep 17, 2005 01:24 am
AndyBell
Member Since: Aug 17, 2005
I've been playing around with my new kit and I'm getting some really nice sounds out of it. I hand picked my new snare (ludwig) and it sounds-amazing- no ring, perfect attack and tone. But when I mic it, it gets really boxy and almost interacts with the guitar midrange freq's. EQing does not fix this. How can I get a better punch out of this snare? Should I mic the bottom too? get a new mic? (pg 48 is on it now help:(
[ Back to Top ]
Sep 17, 2005 09:18 am I get a much better sound on snare miking both top and bottom. Remember to phase reverse one of the tracks, usually bottom when listening to the take. Right around 4 inches away from the heads on both mics. Play with positioning until you get the sound you want. In the mix, allign the two tracks in time right down to the sample if you can. When you eq, make notches in the guitar...whatever is competing not the snare to let the snare 'out' of the mix. You may also have to use a little compression in the mix to get the whole snare sound to ride over the mix. Obviously there are many other things you can do as well, but this technique should give you a good start!
Sep 17, 2005 09:34 am If your happy with the tone you want, then leave it. But if you really want it to cut through, I would tune it up to a higher pitch, so that you get a lot of crack. If that still doesn't do the trick, my favorite compression setting for a snare drum is release and attack time: 25ms, and then 4:1 compression from 18dB. Its a good starting point if you want good presence to it. To get the guitar outta the way, try panning them to opposite sides (double up on the rythm guitar and pan to opposite sides). Then EQ like walt said.
Sep 20, 2005 04:19 pm Hey Andy, I love Ludwig snares...they rule, you should be able to get a killer sound with it.
First thing I would try is a SM57 about 2 to 4 inches above the rim, pointed directly at the point where the drummer hits the snare head (not necessarily the center of the head!)
A compressor always helps get a more consistant level past your converters, this will help when mixing.
I also find if I want to get a REALLY *** kicking pounding snare, I end up using a peak limiter...give this a shot, trust me. The only problem will be if you have high hat bleed, the peak limiter will only make this problem worse, so try to eliminate this when you track.
From there, EQ to taste. If you need more low end in the snare, go for 240hz, if you need more crack, 5000hz is the spot, if you need more presence, try the 1000 - 3000hz area but be careful because this is the area it will conflict most with guitars. I usually also add a touch of 10k to 12k just for some clarity.
Add some nice reverb to it and you'll be rockin.
CHEERZ!
Sep 20, 2005 09:53 pm Do the "duck" with a compressor. Wyd has mentioned it around here multiple times, as have others. It might even be mentioned somewhere in the recording tips section...? I would use a different mic, also...
Sep 21, 2005 02:27 pm I agree with Walt's recommendation to put a mic on both heads (SM57's RULE!). A mix of the top and bottom heads will get that overall sound you're looking for. Then tweak per above! Dontcha love HRC!?
|
Related Forum Topics: |
If you would like to participate in the forum discussions, feel free to register for your free membership.