Hat bleed in snare

[Stefan Elmblad]

There is only one way to eliminate hat bleed in snare. That is to mic them in separate rooms. If that creates more problems then it solves, the other option is to learn to live with the bleed.

IMO, mic bleed is often what makes it easy to glue channels together in a mix.

 

[xstatic]

When you run an expander, it does not expand just one instrument. It expands the whole track when the threshold settings are triggered. This means that on your snare track you set a threshold just like a compressor. The difference is that the expander will actually boost the signal when the threshold is hit rather than compressing it (reducing it) when the threshold is hit. If the signal that triggers the expander includes hi hat bleed, than that will also be boosted. Depending on the amount of bleed you have, this could net completely different results. Expanders are great when you are trying to minimize backround noise that is consistently below the signal level on the track that you want expanded. With hi hat bleed, there is a distinct possibility that the perceived volume of the hat to snare on the snare mic can be equal. If that is the case, expansion may just amplify the very problem you are trying to solve. The only REAL solution is to either take a little more care and be creative in the tracking process, or learn how to use that bleed to enhance your mix instead of trying to cover it up and work around it.

Think of an expander as the exact opposite of a compressor. Compressors will reduce the amount of dynamics on a track, while an expander will increase the dynamics on a track. In general that is. What you need is completely dependent on taste.

 

[Han]

I wonder why you guys think so complicated, the main problem lies in the drummer, hat bashers will never get a good sound.

The second problem is the hi hat, bigger hats sound less loud than smaller hats. My favorite hi hat is a 15" zildjian, if it's too loud put a number of coins in the bell of the lower hat, that'll make it softer sounding. (this is a Steve Albini trick)

The third problem is the snare mic, the SM57 is a decent mic but it has a nasty off axis response, so the hat bleed will sound bad, really bad. A Beyerdynamic M201 is much more rejective and has a nice off axis response, this mic can solve your problems.

Don't even think of recording the hat separately, this is how you'll kill the groove.

Forget about gates and expanders, it'll make your snare sound bad, sometimes they will work on toms.

The best advice I can give you: get a Beyer M201.

 

[giraffe]

I wonder why you guys think so complicated, the main problem lies in the drummer, hat bashers will never get a good sound.

not always an option

 

[ecktronic]

The best advice I can give you: get a Beyer M201.

Ta for the advice. I am pretty skint (im a musician!) so I canny buy any mics.
Im gonna try and keep is simple and play about with micing techniques.