Industrial Metal Track - how to put some life into drums?

[mrstivi1991]

Hi everyone!

Again, I need your ears, and advices! I'm working on new industial metal "rammstein'y" song, and I have some problems with "plastic" drums. I noticed that the cymbals are a bit harsh, but I will work on it tommorow. My biggest problem is the kick. Sound a bit plastic, and I don't know how to fix it. Do You have some ideas for me? And of course, how do You like all song?

Thanks!
Przemek.

 

[Pinky]

The kick is okay, I thought the snare was the weak point. It doesn't have any variation.

Are you using midi? If so, try randomizing the velocity in a range (from say 100-127). This adds some variation to the hits and if the drum software is any good it will also translate this into a different feel with reverb and the other virtual kit mics picking up/not picking up the snare as the hits are randomly louder/softer.

If you're using samples, not much you can do aside from trying different EQ notches to bring out detail.

I'm a big fan of trying different reverb on the drums from song to song. Maybe tinker with some studio presets and see if anything brings them to life. Avoid using hall and room reverb as it tends to muddy up a kit.

Song sounds fine otherwise.

 

[DM60]

Pinky has a good suggestion, if it is MIDI, velocity changes really make a big difference, especially on snare and cymbals. Many times MIDI timing issues are really velocity issues.

 

[Tobe]

I agree with Pinky and perhaps I have been influenced by his comment.

You have cut out a really nice space for the drums, and the snare has a nice "ripping tissue" quality that suits the metal guitar, but if you are concerned about the drums I think the lack of variation of the snare is the standout issue. The nice space it has adds focus to it. I was also expecting the odd snare fill and syncopations to take advantage of that. A quick fix may be to kill it's focus with a bit of reverb blur, but variation, even if you have to fake it with EQ would be preferable IMO.

 

[ashcat_lt]

The snare is just too tight and too dry and - to my ears anyway - a bit too high pitched. I think some variety to the velocity might help if that actually causes tonal variety, but I think you also might need to look for something with a little more life to it, or open the gates a bit and definitely give it some little bit of verb or something to seat it in the mix.

Beyond that, though, I honestly think that the whole drum part is relatively uninspired and generic. It really doesn't sell me on the "industrial" aspect. In fact, aside from the little breakbeat sections, there isn't really anything to this track that says anything other than straight ahead metal with a rather boring drummer whose drums have all been replaced with rather boring samples. It might be a good start, but you need to build something more in there. Maybe layer in some 808. Maybe add some heavy handed processing to the drums you've got now. Maybe replace all of your drum samples with found sounds. IDK, but I think that trying to make a drum machine sound like real drums is kind of the opposite of what industrial music is all about.

 

[DM60]

IDK, but I think that trying to make a drum machine sound like real drums is kind of the opposite of what industrial music is all about.

I think Ashcat makes a very valid point. Should I add that maybe you use gears for snare, beating metal for cymbals, 10 gallon drum for kick, now that is industrial.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

The drums at the beginning (and the later break) sound a lot like the amen break samples. I assume those aren't what you're using during the rest though, right? If so, I'd consider some different samples. Something with more body.

So you've got a plasticky kick... what kind of EQ are you putting on it? Emphasizing the frequencies that will help it cut through the mix also tends to emphasize the frequencies that make it sound like plastic.

 

[Btyre2013]

try cutting the high end from the cymbals at 16kHz using a high shelf EQ, roll it off and it should still sound natural but without removing too much high end energy, ideally though, just change the cymbal sound where possible, instead of reaching for an EQ to try and fix a sound that can never be made to sound right. I don't think the mix sounds that far out actually, the snare is definitely too dry though and pokes out just a bit too much at times it could be a bit more compressed or just slightly lower in balance, obviously though all these things are subjective but that's my opinion.