Harvey: Soundtracs Topaz question...

[DamnYankee]

Hi Harvey,

I know you usually track dry, but on the occasion that you needed to EQ during tracking, did you prefer to use the Topaz's EQ or did you use an outboard eq?

I have a piece of music where I want to get a really deep, low end yet soft thump in my kick (e.g., the sound of the kick during the intro to Styx's Renegade).

As always, thanks in advance!

DY

(by the way, I asked you several months ago about the pronounced 60 cycle buzzing in my Topaz; after I took 'er apart, the 3 internal ground wires that were supposed to be affixed to the Ground screw were free floating! Tightened 'em down and VOILA! Easiest repair EVER!)

[Harvey Gerst]

I use whatever eq I have that'll give me the sound I'm looking for.

Having said that, try the board's low parametric; that'll go down lower than that bottom bass control.

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by Harvey Gerst

I use whatever eq I have that'll give me the sound I'm looking for.

Having said that, try the board's low parametric; that'll go down lower than that bottom bass control.

I tried the parametric; didn't get the ultra low thump I was looking for...hmmm...I have an old eq with a bottom slider frequency of 30 - I'll add that in and see I get the sound I hear in my head.

I have a full appreciation what you pros do: when you're on the clock, those years of experience of getting "that" sound out of "that" instrument on a particular style of music really pays off - and what separates the men from the boys in the control room.

Anyway, thanks as always, Harvey - I hope you realize how appreciated you are on these boards. We should start callin' ya Uncle Harv (as we Michiganders call Ted Nugent, "Uncle Ted")!

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally Posted by DamnYankee

I have a full appreciation what you pros do: when you're on the clock, those years of experience of getting "that" sound out of "that" instrument on a particular style of music really pays off - and what separates the men from the boys in the control room.

Anyway, thanks as always, Harvey - I hope you realize how appreciated you are on these boards. We should start callin' ya Uncle Harv (as we Michiganders call Ted Nugent, "Uncle Ted")!

Does that mean I hafta buy a Glock or an AK47?

[ausrock]

I can think of numerous things Ted Nugent should be called....................."uncle" ain't one of them

[RawDepth]

Originally Posted by DamnYankee

I tried the parametric; didn't get the ultra low thump I was looking for...hmmm...

If your EQ's cannot bring it out then maybe it's not there to begin with.

Is your mic inside the drum? (This can help)
Is it a large diaphragm mic? (These usually go deeper with less distortion)
Is the drum tuned deep? (Try tuning it just above the point of loose waffling but tight enough to ring)
Is there a front head on the drum? (It helps if it is tuned the same as beater head with only a hole for the mic)
Is it full of pillows or blankets? (It should not be...only minimal muffling to stop ringing will sound better. The wooden shell needs to vibrate with the heads)

Try tracking again with some of these suggestions and with the mic in a few different spots. Try some different mics too until one gets closer to what you want to hear.

I think kick drum mics are maybe hyped a little around 80Hz or so. That is where I would push it harder to begin with, (like 50 to 90.)

Experiment more! Learn more!

Good luck,
RawDepth

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by Harvey Gerst

Does that mean I hafta buy a Glock or an AK47?

*hahaha!* You should ask him since he lives in your neck of the woods now (I'm sure he won't challenge you to a duel). He moved down your way after he and his family were progressively getting sick with migraines & neurological problems; one morning he crawled under the house and found black mold everywhere. After getting it checked, black mold was throughout the entire house and it had to be torn down. So he built a new Nuge ranch in Texas...and come to think of it, I think he's one of President Bush's neighbors. (Who needs the Secret Service?!!!)

Uncle Ted is well loved up here in Michigan and when he lived up here, he did ALOT for the community; he was very active in his Kamp for Kids program as well as D.A.R.E. and I think he was still functioning as Deputy Sheriff up until the time he moved. His stage persona aside, he's a solid individual, a great guy, and probably one of the most motivated human beings you'll ever meet.

[DamnYankee]

I used an RE-20 as the mic...and you may be right about the track might not be there as there were pillows in there.

Thanks MUCH for the tips!!!

Originally Posted by RawDepth

If your EQ's cannot bring it out then maybe it's not there to begin with.

Is your mic inside the drum? (This can help)
Is it a large diaphragm mic? (These usually go deeper with less distortion)
Is the drum tuned deep? (Try tuning it just above the point of loose waffling but tight enough to ring)
Is there a front head on the drum? (It helps if it is tuned the same as beater head with only a hole for the mic)
Is it full of pillows or blankets? (It should not be...only minimal muffling to stop ringing will sound better. The wooden shell needs to vibrate with the heads)

Try tracking again with some of these suggestions and with the mic in a few different spots. Try some different mics too until one gets closer to what you want to hear.

I think kick drum mics are maybe hyped a little around 80Hz or so. That is where I would push it harder to begin with, (like 50 to 90.)

Experiment more! Learn more!

Good luck,
RawDepth

[RawDepth]

Originally Posted by DamnYankee

I used an RE-20 as the mic...and you may be right about the track might not be there as there were pillows in there.

Thanks MUCH for the tips!!!

Yeah, the pillows will completely kill the low end. All you'll hear is mids, mostly click and head slap.

Get all those pillows out of there and only muffle an inch or two at the bottom of each head. I fold up a hand towel or real small blanket and lay it at the bottom of the drum shell (inside) so the ends of the towel just touches each head enough to stop the ring. Then get that big mic in there about half way between the two heads. Make sure your low end roll-off switch is not on. I tilt my mic off-axis a tiny bit too, but that is optional.

Try tuning the drum to a few slightly different pitches. One certain pitch will make the shell resonate better than others. (You may not notice much difference with only your ears from outside the drum, but the mic will pick it up on the inside.) Once you get that shell resonating, you should have lots of rich low end.

RD

[RawDepth]

BTW, that RE-20 is junk. You better send that straight over to my house and I'll make sure it never bothers you again.

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by RawDepth

BTW, that RE-20 is junk. You better send that straight over to my house and I'll make sure it never bothers you again.

*LOL* I tell ya, I REALLY like this mic. Vocals sound good on it too. Thanks for the expertise on the kick; I had some pillows in there to set the mic on. I'll redo the track with the towel trick. Thanks again!

[TexRoadkill]

lol, buy a mic stand too. Mic placement is critical for a good kick sound.