Dumb question...

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vicevursa

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Is compression the only way to get the kick and snare to have that real in-your-back kick? Whenever I record the drums the levels are all right under clipping. I'v tried and tried (and I'm still trying) eq. But, my drums just don't sound like what I'm after. I'm not recording a live set. I use a DM5, although I have learned something. I now really understand that drums can (and need to be) tuned. Of course, I don't know how to do that. Anyway, is compression the answer?


Vice
 
compression will help a lot.
I'm not a master at this by a long shot, but essentially you want to compress the peaks down and perhaps give it a bit of a sustain (hold the release a short while). This should give a good round thump for the toms & bass drum.
 
If you do employ compression, use a longer attack to allow a punchy transient through. You can actually keep the release fairly short because the punch is what you're after.

If you use the DM5, make sure to use different outputs for the cymbals. Then run the kick and snare through separate compressors, tweaking for each, if possible. Otherwise, your nice kick and snare compression will mess with the cymbal sustain and brightness.
 
Thanks, for the info, I will try the compression route.

Vice
 
If possible, try and incorporate some tube drive somewhere in the signal path. This will give it some natural compression/saturation, provided you have a quality signal processor. This can help give it some extra raw power and make you sound exactly like John Bonham. Seriously! I'm a senior member now so I know this stuff! :) If you have a DAW setup, try using a limiter plugin lik Waves' L1 Ultramaximizer.

I'm also a big fan of using the detune (effect -- not telling you to detune your drums :)). A very short slap-back delay can give you a similar effect and beef up the drum sound a bit.

Still I am a firm believer that . . . with no other instrument is it as crucial to have a good musician and a good-sounding instrument. You simply can't make a bad drummer sound good no matter how good the kit.
 
If I'm correct, and the DM5 is an electronic drummodule, can't you just set all the velocities to 127. That would make the ultimate compressor wouldn't it.
 
BTW, I'm not recommending to do this. Would sound like a right in your face drum though.
 
Even with the velocities set to 127, it still does not give me the sound that I for which I am searching. Which probably means the problem is in the mix of the whole project.


Vice
 
chessrock said:
If possible, try and incorporate some tube drive somewhere in the signal path.
Click to expand...

This is a good idea... i record my Clavia ddrum4 kit by first running it into a PreSonus BlueTube pre-amp, and set the drive about 50-60%

I get a nice natural warm and punchy sound, and also improves the transparency. I have found since doing this that compression isn't really needed... in fact when ever I insert a compressor into the pre... it tends to "muddy" up the mix... or maybe its just me...

;)
 
A tube amp, eh? Ok, So, I have the DM5 going straight into the tube amp and then from there to the inputs on my mixer? This isn't something that goes into the aux sends/rtns is it? As you can tell I have never worked with a tube amp.

Vice
 
They're talking about a tube preamp, not a tube amp. The preamp in this case would be used to warm up the sound a little. But I would try compression instead first, since you're more likely to have access to one as a plugin. Although I don't even know if you're recording to a computer...;)

Anyway, here's my starter settings for drum (kick or snare)compression... 10 ms attack, 100 ms release, pull the threshold down until it sounds good, try a hard knee first... What could be easier?
 
What could be easier?
-----------------------------

Driving the tubes really hard. :)
 
Yes, I am using a computer to record (Sonar). Oops a preamp, then. I will start doing some research into that. And thanks for the compression settings, Charger, I will start off with that.


Thanks,
Vice
 
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