mixing drums question

C

Ctrl_Alt_Dlt

New member
This is what I did for recording drums. Looking for ideas and suggestions for the next mixing. Please keep in mind that I am a total NEWBIE and I dont know crap about recording. I dont know right from wrong when it comes to this. I just did what I felt sounded the best and what was easy to work with.

1. I used 8 tracks total for drums
2. I then doubled the snare and EQ'ed the snare copy.
3. I doubled the kick bass and EQ'ed the KB copy.
4. I leveled all 8 to get a "good sounding" mix.
5. I then mixed in the guitars and bass. I realized that the total mix sounded a bit thin.
6. I then bounced all drum tracks into one stereo track and doubled the guitars until I felt it sounded thick. Sometimes I would copy that drums stereo track and use 2-3trackings of it meaning I doubled or tripled the stereo track. By thick, I kept comparing it to "PRO" recordings. I like bands such as KINGS OF LEON so I tried to compare the thickness of my recording to theirs.
7. If I needed more KB or snare, I would add a single track of snare or KB to the stereo mix to bring it out.


AGAIN, I am a total newbie and dont know anything about mixing/recording. Just doing what I thought would make a good sound.

what can I do differently next time? Thanks!
 
Ctrl_Alt_Dlt said:
I then doubled the snare and EQ'ed the snare copy..............
I doubled the kick bass and EQ'ed the KB copy......................
doubled the guitars until I felt it sounded thick.......................
Sometimes I would copy that drums stereo track and use 2-3trackings of it meaning I doubled or tripled the stereo track. I would add a single track of snare or KB to the stereo mix to bring it out.
Click to expand...

All this "doubling" is doing absolutely nothing but make the tracks louder. Copying a track simply does nothing but make it louder. I know I just repeated myself, but it can't be repeated enough.

I know you're going to say that it makes your track sound "thicker", "bigger", "beefier","warmer", or whatever abstract adjective you're going to want to use. But it's a false perception you get because the track is louder.

No need to ever double drums (unless you want it to sound like 2 drummers, in which case, it needs to actually be 2 drum tracks).

As far as the guitars are concerned, if you want to double them, you have to play it twice on 2 seperate tracks with 2 seperate takes.
 
RAMI said:
All this "doubling" is doing absolutely nothing but make the tracks louder. Copying a track simply does nothing but make it louder. I know I just repeated myself, but it can't be repeated enough.
Click to expand...

Why? All that does is make you louder. :D

In all seriousness, you are right. It might be useful for him to have a doubled track that's got EQ, though, so he can set the EQ levels and then have a chance to mix wet/dry. But that's certainly not going to thicken anything.
 
BrentDomann said:
Why? All that does is make you louder. :D
Click to expand...
I thought it made my post "beefier". :D

might be useful for him to have a doubled track that's got EQ, though, so he can set the EQ levels and then have a chance to mix wet/dry. But that's certainly not going to thicken anything.
Click to expand...

Good point. For A/B'ing, it could be a good time saver. That's about it.
 
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