a usefull tip for mixing hiphop drums!

Try running your HiHat, Snare and BassDrum through an analog compressor (Tube is highly prefered) if your working with an analog mixing console and adats(or analog multitrack) or if your working with protools or cubase (or similar) and if you dont have an external compressor try sending these three drum tracks to a Group (Sub group) and "Insert" a compressor on this drum mix.
I usually apply a 4:1, 5:1 even 6:1 or 7:10 ratio, a -5 to -20 threshold depending on my levels, very short attack and release time.

This little trick makes your drums sound more alive! Mess with the threshold and ratio first. See what it does to your drums. The hihat. When i hear the hihat very little when the BD is playing and hear the hihat louder when it playes alone i know im there. Make your drums sound pro!

If you're using a tube comp try recording your drum mix from the compressors returns.

This little trick makes your drums tight. Phatter, warmer, alive. Even if you dont have a human feel on your drums , this gives it motion!

Another trick im developing these days is the same but with the BassDrumm and the BassLine! Ill hit yopu up with more tips soon!!!


BRING THE RUCKUS!!

Compress the drums? You're crazy!!!

spectre wrote:Compress the drums? You're crazy!!!

I may be crazy but the resaults sounds HOT!!! Besides youre not compressing the drums one by one, youre compressing them all together. This brings your drums more to front in the mix.

I've hardly ever compressed my drums..

i do most of the time and it really gives the beat a completely different feel and sound...

**** compression


heat that shit up!!

then you'll get life

DjKinetik wrote:i do most of the time and it really gives the beat a completely different feel and sound...

Yeah, thats what im talking about! It sounds dope!

sometimes. u gotta use it when needed. Too much and u squash the shit outta a track. its a tool though just like eq.

oldest concept in the book. Rock engineers have done this for decades.

different effect to just making the drums really hot as the compressor works rhythmically with the beat (if pumped) and gives a sound and feel nothing else can achieve....

greg

I think all drums definateley need a bit of compression. maybe those who say they don't use a compressor are most probably using compressed drums... ask any engineer what they do to bring life to their dums, it'll be
comression and some eq... if you recording live drums on tape without compression... forget it.... even overhead channels are compressed to even out the differences in levels between say a crash and rides... it's just industry standards...

compressors don't squash the sound if you apply the right type of compression and attacks etc... you just got to apply different settings for different drum parts..

When i hear the hihat very little when the BD is playing and hear the hihat louder when it playes alone i know im there. Make your drums sound pro!

compressor on drums why that's just wild but no nothing new is it

but pointing out that using the compressor can give a velocity feel .. nice tip!!!

another one for 4k owners, by putting just a slight radnome lfo on attack of a kick wil bring more life into you drumsl 4/4 kick in a house track, as soon as I applyed the mod the kick jump to life

spectre wrote:Compress the drums? You're crazy!!!

deaf-mute wrote:maybe those who say they don't use a compressor are most probably using compressed drums...

I think that's me. Maybe mine are, I never gave it any real
though, just a passing interest and I go back to makin beats..

just somthing ive been wondering about......

do most of you compress the main melody in your beast along with the vocals or just the vocals?

thanks figured id ask ive been thinkin about it for a while