Recording Kick Drum Tips
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Posted on Jul 24, 2004 06:54 pm
wontdieinPA
Member Since: Apr 27, 2002
my new band just wrapped up recording our drum tracks for our new cd...and we really wanted to try new things, the problem facing most home studios is that people let the fact that they are "home" studios hold them back, but you really dont need to,...we didnt, and let me tell you what, we got some really awesome sounding drums recorded. i gotta tell you guys im psyched to finish this recording...for once, instead of having to tell people it was recorded in my house i can just let them listen to the music without making excuses for the quality...heres how we got the kick drum sound which i think is incredible...
Getting the Sound:
I really wanted a fully sounding kick with plenty of presence. I had the body (read: BOOM!!) right from the get-go by placing my AKG-D112 just about anywhere in the drum, the problem was with the presence (read: beater smack)...it just didnt sound natural. we started noticing the further we moved the mic away from the head...the closer the sound became to what we had been looking for (p.s. it doesnt hurt to have an idea of the kind of sound you are going for)...problem was, we ended up having the mic outside the drum completely at one point...but...gosh-dang - it sounded awesome - i pulled it out further and i loved it more and more the further i pulled it out. but i started to get concerned about leakage...so i grabbed another bass drum from the back room and placed it in front of the other one to create a sorta of "tunnel" and placed the mic in there...by the time i was done...the mic was sitting only about 3 inches inside of the SECOND kick drum...so i draped a heavy sleeping bag over this "tunnel" and it sounded awesome...
Dynamics/EQ:
First i setup my compressor after i recorded all the drum tracks...try to follow me through this process as precisely as possible (p.s. i am using CUBASE SX and the plug-ins within it) First i open up the compressor and turn Ratio, Threshold, Attack and Release to the highest they can go...so essentially nothing is happening to the kick drum track right now...then i pick out a ratio of 3:1...you can really use anything from 3:1 to 5:1...it all depends on taste...but you can mess with that later...so, my ratio is at 3:1...i slowly lower the threshold till i see it's actually working (i can visually see it working by how the nice little blue light on the meter moves up and down a couple two or tree notches everytime the drum is hit). Next, i turn the attack down all the way...then i slowy let it up,...you'll hear it working...go with a fast attack...5-15 milliseconds...then i turn the release down all the way...and let it up slowly...(you'll also want a rather fast speed for this)you'll hear it really start to add PUNCH to your track...try it...i swear this step by step process works...
-I used a 20 band EQ as a directx plug-in from soundforge...first things first...i cut somewhere around 500khZ...alot of people say to cut this to remove the cardboard boxy sound, but this could also be down by cutting any of the lower mids between 300-700hZ...its just that a cut at 500hZ did the trick for me , and they say to cut it out as much as you can - as far as your EQ will let you - and mess around with cutting 400hZ too, on some drums it works, on others...its too much...then add some beater smack at around 2.5khZ or 4hZ (2-5 dB's should be enough, try to never boost by more than 6 dB's when you first start out)...that also all depends on preference, but one of these is bound to sound awesome,...also to add presence, boost slightly (slightly = 3 dB) at around 10-12khZ...but careful on this one...then lastly...you MAY want to add a low end boost at 60 or 100hZ...
try this out and let me know you feel about it...i loved it!
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Jul 24, 2004 10:11 pm man, thanks for that. that was an awesome read and you really explained it well. when you compress, pan, and EQ your guitars, i was wondering if you might want to write up that process as well. *especially* the compression part. thats where i need help and i could use a few step by step recipes/processes where everything is spelled out for me just like in this post, because i'm so bad at it that i dont even really do it anymore. i'd also like to learn multiband dynamics. i would pay someone to teach me. with my almost-no money that i have.
guitwizzNothing doesnt give me gasMember
Since: May 25, 2004
Jul 25, 2004 01:43 am Well, if I knew much about drum recording, I would agree with that...... that I am sure. Nice post and great findings!!!
Jul 25, 2004 01:55 am definitely...after each new part is recorded, i plan on writing up how i did it in just as much detail as i have above...and hopefully ill have the same success with the bass/guitars/piano/keys as i did with the drums...so be expecting it soon...
Jul 25, 2004 04:59 am hey that compressor thing you did by putting all the levels up and than one by one going up might be good for vox right?
than I won't have to guess the levels...
Maybe not dunno though me is sleepy
EdvoMember
Since: Feb 18, 2004
Jul 25, 2004 12:25 pm Hi
Thanks for tips. I also use far micing but instead of other kick drum I use piece of cloth to cover from leakage and I put second mic close to the beater inside drum.
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 25, 2004 12:43 pm thatd make a good article that post...
Jul 25, 2004 01:06 pm well...that method for doing the levels one by one can really work for any instrument...cause alot of times i would read about recommended settings for different instruments...and dont get me wrong...they would work, but i needed to understand why...the only thing you really need to know is what kind of general settings you need for each instrument...generally you can always just mess around with thresholds and ratios...i always start at 3:1 and just go from there after i have dialed in my attack and release. as far as attack and release settings, you just need to understand that for most percussive instruments with alot of attack a fast attack is key, because it starts the compressor working "fast"...and the release should also be moderately fast...this is due to the fact that percussive instruments themselves are fast...in and out real quick...but if you keep it slow...it wont "let-go" fast enough and it'll carry onto the next "hit" or percussive note...however...for guitar and bass...the attack should again be somewhat fast...while the release should be slower this time...by doing this...you're making sure it DOESNT "let go" of the sound...meaning it creates sustain...which for some guitar tracks adds alot...
-i have so much to say on this subject, i really understand this whole compressor/dynamics thing and it seems like alot of people dont (mind you - i've spent hours upon hours reading and practicing this stuff)...i want to help out...is there anyway i could combine this post and the last one and then a little more stuff for an article? if not...ill do it anyways and if you want i can repost it... - let me know
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 25, 2004 01:18 pm you could combine it all and send it to me to pass on to db, or send it to him direct if ya like...
Jul 25, 2004 01:52 pm alrighty...ill get started on that right now...thanks
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 25, 2004 01:53 pm no, thank YOU
Jul 25, 2004 02:58 pm Yeah, bundle all this info up, it'd make a great article.
vdalehubbardLost for words with all to say.Contributor
Since: Sep 12, 2003
Jul 25, 2004 03:20 pm I did that the last time my band got together to record. I place the Audix drum mic outside the opening on the front of the bass drum. Does much better then putting it inside. Also tilting it up somewhere helps to get the aggravating boomness out.
Jul 28, 2004 03:57 am Please do (write it up i mean), and keep it in the same simple english you have used here.
I'm just one of a zillion guys who doesnt understand the technical jargon, the host of knobs, and use the old "trial and error" methods far too much.
Write-ups like these bridge the gap between hopelessness and "reading the manual" perfectly and are really REALLY appreciated.
(P.S. i am someone who always reads the manuals, but come out of it with an even more perplexed expression than when i started ;))
flame...bringing sexy backMember
Since: Jul 01, 2002
Jul 28, 2004 10:42 am manuals? last resort!
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Jul 28, 2004 11:42 am you know, if you cut out too much of those "boxy" freqs in the kick drum, you lose some natural boxiness that should be there, and end up with a hollow-sounding kick. whoever is telling ou to cut as much as your eq will allow isn't really on the program.
the beater smack freqs can be lower than that as well.
that tunnel is a good idea, i will try it out when i get a chance to record drums with more than one mic on the kick. i like the presence of the beater. makes it sound pillowy in conjunction with a felt beater and a well-placed compressor.
try that blockfish compressor on complex mode and stereo mode, just a little bit on the whole bus, with the snare routed to its own bus so it is unaffected. magic. no more dry.
Jul 28, 2004 12:51 pm no...minkus...i didnt say to cut all of those frequencies...those are just the ones that can be messed around with in order to find that boxy sound...however i have heard people doing and do myself cut 500hZ as much as i can...but i, nor anyone i know have ever cut 300-700hZ completely....misunderstanding on both parts i presume...however though i appreciate that though, casue if i did actually do that, and say you caught that...thatd be awesome, also if you read it like,...im sure others did too..so thanks...but oh yah...this "tunnel" technique is awesome...let me know how it works
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Jul 28, 2004 07:03 pm hmm i must have misunderstood. you said that it's a good idea to cut how far your EQ will let you. i only cut a few dB out of that area at any time, and i know that i use an EQ plugin that can cut eq up to -inf dB.
but right on. i'll let you know.
