Gating the snare drum . . .

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remo_marbleblue

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I'm trying to gate my snare so I don't pick up toms and high-hat, but once I get the gate to do this, I lose all of my ghost notes on the snare. I understand why - too much gate - but I'd still like a clean signal from the snare mic.

Can someone give me some advice on gating the snare? I'm using a SM-57 about an inch or two into the batter surface, about an inch up. I'm pointing it away from the hats as much as possible.

(oh, I have Berringer Pro compresser/gate/limiter units.)

My overhead R0DE NT3 picks up enough hat by the way. Don't need snare leak for hat sound.

Thanks!!
 
remo_marbleblue said:
I'm trying to gate my snare so I don't pick up toms and high-hat, but once I get the gate to do this, I lose all of my ghost notes on the snare. I understand why - too much gate - but I'd still like a clean signal from the snare mic.

Can someone give me some advice on gating the snare? I'm using a SM-57 about an inch or two into the batter surface, about an inch up. I'm pointing it away from the hats as much as possible.

(oh, I have Berringer Pro compresser/gate/limiter units.)

My overhead R0DE NT3 picks up enough hat by the way. Don't need snare leak for hat sound.

Thanks!!
Click to expand...


Does tht unit allow for an external key to control the gate?
if so, you can out a trigger on the snare, and plag that into the key, so that the trigger is opening the gate, and not the sound hitting the microphone.

Normally I don't sugget gating the snare while tracking, and I don't suggest it if you are after any kind of light playing-such as ghost notes.

But the triggered Key trick will work.


Tim
 
Does your gate have a hold, decay and Range option? - take a look and use them to control the gate for better results.

I wouldn't expect with ghost notes a pure clean snare.
 
I also agree that when playing ghost notes gating can be touchy
You may need to ask the drummer to move the high hat a little
bit further away also some thing that sounds strange but can work is taking a winter hat and puting it over a popper stopper and getting it between the hat and snare as best you can blocking the mic over the snare from the Hi hat
 
I also agree that when playing ghost notes gating can be touchy
You may need to ask the drummer to move the high hat a little
bit further away also some thing that sounds strange but can work is taking a winter hat and puting it over a popper stopper and getting it between the hat and snare as best you can blocking the mic over the snare from the Hi hat
 
Ok Blink 182 is recording there new album now... For like 6 months they have been working on it and they always have vidoes on there website of them in the studio. And on the 2 Newest Videos the drummer is finishing up the last of the drum tracks. So they show him playing and all the mics set up.. I cant tell what mic is on the snare but its wraped in foam. So I just guess that is to help block more of the other instruments out. so that the snare is more by itself on that track. It may be something to try, I'm thinking about trying it too then u hopefully you wont need as much of a gate and it may not block out ur ghost notes...

That might not even be the reason for the Foam but if it is and it works its a cool little trick to know..

Let me know if u try it and it works.
matt
 
thats a possible reason also, there arent that many ghosts played in punk so it'll only be recording the full strokes.
 
personally I just don't like gating... but maybe I've never had a good enough gate... it just sounds weird because all the excess noise is there anyway so when the gate opens it all comes in... the only remedy is to lower the noise floor by playing louder...and ...well... just like everyother instrument a snare played moderately has different characteristics than one that is getting the shit beat out of it.

...and it almost always cuts off the ring...might as well use an electronic set.
 
I personally love gatting the toms, the snare all depends on style
of the song like when there using ghost notes.
The main reason for gating is because if you got a good sounding room and good overhead mics and maybe a good room mic you
then can rely more on them for the breath and character of the kit
but the close mics are used for the impact hits, if mixed right with the overheads you would never even be able to tell they were gated.
but there are situations where I dont gate them such as a church
group I'm recording, the drummer has a lot of songs where he plays very light
 
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