Removing crack from a snare

Nola

Well-known member
Hey all.

I really don't like the "crack" in sampled snares. They sound abrasive.
Is there any precedent of an engineer lowering the crack? All I can find online are articles how to increase it.
I don't want to make my mix objectively bad by lowering it (i.e. everyone wants to hear the crack that isn't there), but it really annoys me. I'm even thinking of using toms to replace the snare. Is this train of thought blasphemy?

Thanks!
 
I'd start with a limiter. Maybe something like a very fast de-esser would do it. The ReaFIR plugin might get it done nicely.
 
You can try a transient plugin...something like this:
SPL Transient Designer Plus - Plugin Alliance

It's a bit pricy at the moment, most of their sales prices happened over the holidays...but you can download a full-function demo version and use it free for 2 weeks. That should be enough time to get what you need with the snare...and then just bounce it out before the plugin demo expires. :)
 
You can try a transient plugin...something like this:
SPL Transient Designer Plus - Plugin Alliance

It's a bit pricy at the moment, most of their sales prices happened over the holidays...but you can download a full-function demo version and use it free for 2 weeks. That should be enough time to get what you need with the snare...and then just bounce it out before the plugin demo expires. :)

Yep. +1 to that answer. I use Transient Monster myself. It allows you to do some things that simple compression is hard to achieve by itself. I use it pretty much on every project to some degree.


KVR: Transient Monster by Stillwell Audio - Dynamics (Compressor / Limiter) VST Plugin, Audio Units Plugin, VST 3 Plugin, RTAS Plugin and AAX Plugin
 
Cool, I always saw transient designers but associated them with electronic music.
When I use the TD, it seems to kill the transient so much you wind up having to turn up the snare. I wonder if EQing out the harsh sound is better. I'll futz with it some more.
Do engineers ever radically EQ snares to get rid of all the highs? For whatever reason my ear really dislikes 6k and above. Super sensitive up there. It would be cool to hear some examples of pros who have radically EQd a snare's highs, if anyone knows some examples.
 
Radically eq snares? sure. Waves Smack Attack is designed for drum use. Using samples can be a bit tricky , layering different tones can also work or a dynamic eq/multiband compressor or a de-esser with a suitable frequency response.
 
"Samples" as in audio samples. If you are using a digital sampler it's using audio files of some type. If they are standard WAV you can import them two separate audio tracks and use them that way or if you prefer to use the midi , then yes you render sample a and sample b to different audio tracks, bus them together, set up eqs on both channels and a comp on the bus for glue. Blend to taste. If desired the bused output can be rendered or tracked to it's own audio track to reduce clutter. Plus if you do that to a combination you really dig you can save individual hits as audio files that can be imported into your sampler as your own "personal" snare sound that can be used as a new starting point/known good sound for other projects.
 
To be honest, if you don't get the recording you want from a live drum recording, then you may resort to enhancing with drum samples.

If you start from samples, well then you missed the fundamental goodness of what a 'live drummer' gives.

Then you go to a point where you decide what is best for the recording and the type of music it is.

If a live drummers kit does not sound good, then you enhance with samples.

It the same ole thing... Shit in is shit out. But there are things you can do. Not the best option, but it happens...


I know at least 3 drummers that are plumbers by trade. So the crack thing hits home for me. lol
 
Crack and snap tends to come from the snares themselves: try adding a bottom snare mic as well, or get more of the sound from more distant mics such as overheads which capture a fuller picture of the whole drum.

Having to EQ and compress a lot is normal, and not necessarily a problem. Compression is a big part of modern drum sounds: if you're slamming it, and it sounds good, you're doing it right!
 
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