Please critique my Drum tone

M

metalj

New member
Hello.

Could you please give me some feedback on this drum mix.

- Is the kit balanced?
- good tone ?
- could you rank it by either beginner, amateur, semi-pro or soon to be pro, or full pro tone?


I know it is tough to tell as it is JUST the drums, but any experienced studio guys out there here any future mix and mastering issues once the other instruments are added in?

Also this is for a very heavy metal band, so the kick is pretty deep.

Thanks. Feel free to rip it apart. No hurt feelings here. This is a big learning process for me so I welcome the critique.

There should be an attachment here to listen to

Thanks for taking the time
 

Attachments

  • DRUMS EZ MIX2 sample.mp3
    741.8 KB · Views: 34
I'm not liking the snare. It's very small and weak. No body to it. It's also leaning way to the left and that's annoying. I do like the kick and toms, although the toms are too isolated. There's like no overhead glue holding it all together. Everything is very stark and isolated. Too much so for me. It would probably work for metal.

And why do only the snare's ghost notes show up in the right channel? That's weird. You've either got the overheads way out of phase or there's trickery involved.
 
What's up with the massive reverb over all the drums? Why is greg_l asking about overheads on a clip with EZ in the name?
 
I think the kick sounds great. It is super isolated sounding as greg mentions, but maybe in a full on metal mix that will be just right?
 
Greg_L said:
I'm not liking the snare. It's very small and weak. No body to it. It's also leaning way to the left and that's annoying. I do like the kick and toms, although the toms are too isolated. There's like no overhead glue holding it all together. Everything is very stark and isolated. Too much so for me. It would probably work for metal.

And why do only the snare's ghost notes show up in the right channel? That's weird. You've either got the overheads way out of phase or there's trickery involved.
Click to expand...

I am full of trickery :)

I had to add to the overall snare sound by cutting out the snare hits from one of the tom mic's just to achieve the tone it has, otherwise you'd really be bothered by just the snare close mic by itself. I panned one left and one right, so you are hearing the tom mic in the right side, but that is weird that it shows up on that side only.

Regarding the snare tone, I did that on purpose to make sure it cut and would smack nice with the reverb since it is a slower tempo song. I thought once the other instruments are in the mix then I could add more warmth or body to it then.

I will play with the overheads and room mic a bit more, but I have those EQ'd pretty much just for symbols. Maybe that is why it is stark sounding. I shelved all the low end on the overheads and room mic.

Thanks for the comments, please reply back with any other suggestions.
 
metalj said:
I am full of trickery :)

I had to add to the overall snare sound by cutting out the snare hits from one of the tom mic's just to achieve the tone it has, otherwise you'd really be bothered by just the snare close mic by itself. I panned one left and one right, so you are hearing the tom mic in the right side, but that is weird that it shows up on that side only.

Regarding the snare tone, I did that on purpose to make sure it cut and would smack nice with the reverb since it is a slower tempo song. I thought once the other instruments are in the mix then I could add more warmth or body to it then.

I will play with the overheads and room mic a bit more, but I have those EQ'd pretty much just for symbols. Maybe that is why it is stark sounding. I shelved all the low end on the overheads and room mic.

Thanks for the comments, please reply back with any other suggestions.
Click to expand...

I suggest you not do any of that.

I think your thinking is backwards. On a slower song, a snare with more body sounds way more powerful. Save the quick cracky snare for the fast songs.

And that's a ridiculous amount of editing you've done, and it sounds like it.

And yeah, things will change when you get these drums in a full mix. Play with it more then.
 
Greg_L said:
I suggest you not do any of that.

I think your thinking is backwards. On a slower song, a snare with more body sounds way more powerful. Save the quick cracky snare for the fast songs.

And that's a ridiculous amount of editing you've done, and it sounds like it.

And yeah, things will change when you get these drums in a full mix. Play with it more then.
Click to expand...

I agree on the snare having more body, but I was going to add that in once I know how the entire mix sits. I don't feel it was that much editing, also it was an experiment to see how it all the tracks worked together. So in that regard Im glad I did it. I learned a lot.

Would you have any suggestions based on listening to my track of what frequencies you would cut or boost on the snare?

Also, just out of curiosity what kind of speakers are you (other posters) listening on? Each brand and style seem to have their own characteristics that can effect a mix. I personally have M-Audio BX-8's and then I listen back on several desk top stereo systems/boom boxes and then also many different mp3 players with different types of home use headphones and earbuds since that seems to be a preferred listening device for a lot of people.
 
chuckduffy said:
What's up with the massive reverb over all the drums? Why is greg_l asking about overheads on a clip with EZ in the name?
Click to expand...

This artist wants big verb on this song as it is called "In the Palace of the Dead" It is a really cool old school type songs that has a modern day Black Sabbath type vibe to it. They want big drums as if you are in the palace. I personally love verb on drums and think its time for metal to bring back that big produced sound. The in your face dry mixes of todays metal is getting old to me. Of course the verb you hear in this sample is just that a sample to help determine where they want to go with the verbage, and it will get better and song appropriate by the final stage of this recording. Thanks for the comment.
 
metalj said:
I agree on the snare having more body, but I was going to add that in once I know how the entire mix sits. I don't feel it was that much editing, also it was an experiment to see how it all the tracks worked together. So in that regard Im glad I did it. I learned a lot.

Would you have any suggestions based on listening to my track of what frequencies you would cut or boost on the snare?

Also, just out of curiosity what kind of speakers are you (other posters) listening on? Each brand and style seem to have their own characteristics that can effect a mix. I personally have M-Audio BX-8's and then I listen back on several desk top stereo systems/boom boxes and then also many different mp3 players with different types of home use headphones and earbuds since that seems to be a preferred listening device for a lot of people.
Click to expand...

I'm listening on KRK Rokit 8's in a well treated room.

I don't know what you will need to cut or boost on the snare without the music around it. For now I would undo whatever you did and get some body into it. You put the cart waaaaayyyy before the horse. You've mangled the drums before you even know what they need. Have you heard Black Sabbath? I'm not a fan, but I don't recall their snare sound being a tiny little crack. I don't recall their drums sounding like a bunch of isolated hits popping in and out of nowhere. Know what I mean? Post up the drum tracks before you chopped, edited, and killed them with EQ and reverb. Let's go from there. :)
 
metalj said:
This artist wants big verb on this song as it is called "In the Palace of the Dead" It is a really cool old school type songs that has a modern day Black Sabbath type vibe to it. They want big drums as if you are in the palace. I personally love verb on drums and think its time for metal to bring back that big produced sound. The in your face dry mixes of todays metal is getting old to me. Of course the verb you hear in this sample is just that a sample to help determine where they want to go with the verbage, and it will get better and song appropriate by the final stage of this recording. Thanks for the comment.
Click to expand...

Well - I have no problem with reverb, as my shit is practically drowning in it. It's just that the verb sounded like it was over the entire kit, which tends to make a big muddy, far-away sound in the mix, especially if you are going to compress/limit the stereo bus later. I also agree with Greg's cart before horse type comments after suffering through several days of trying to get a good drum mix in isolation. Other than getting the basic sound, level balance and panning right drums need to be addressed in the context of the entire mix. A good friend and drummer of 30+ years has been hammering this home to me over the past couple weeks in email exchanges. My comment about the overheads is meaningless. I saw the EZ in the title and assumed it was an EZ kit played with a controller.
 
Here is an attachment of the dry drums

Thanks for taking the time.
 

Attachments

  • dry drum mix.mp3
    741.8 KB · Views: 12
chuckduffy said:
Well - I have no problem with reverb, as my shit is practically drowning in it. It's just that the verb sounded like it was over the entire kit, which tends to make a big muddy, far-away sound in the mix, especially if you are going to compress/limit the stereo bus later. I also agree with Greg's cart before horse type comments after suffering through several days of trying to get a good drum mix in isolation. Other than getting the basic sound, level balance and panning right drums need to be addressed in the context of the entire mix. A good friend and drummer of 30+ years has been hammering this home to me over the past couple weeks in email exchanges. My comment about the overheads is meaningless. I saw the EZ in the title and assumed it was an EZ kit played with a controller.
Click to expand...

You're an idiot. stop assuming and trying to be a smartass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top