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d(-_-)b-Phones
New member
I tend to lose my kick when Heavy guitars come in, gets swallowed by the mix. Any cool tips of how to stop this from happening without flying the fader?
Thanks
Thanks
S
something cool
New member
For starters, cut everything below about 150Hz or so out of your guitar tracks. In most cases, there's nothing down below there worth keeping. If you have other tracks with stuff going on in the low end that don't need it, cut those too. Cleaning up the low end will go a long way toward defining the instruments that do live in that frequency range (kick, bass).
Another couple things to try: EQ boost(s) to the kick track to accentuate the 'punch' so that it cuts though the mix better. Also, try notching out a 'hole' for the kick to sit in -- make EQ cuts to other tracks that share the same frequencies as your kick, if it doesn't affect the sound of the other instrument/s too much. Lastly, compression can help.
Just some basic stuff to try. I've had some of the same problems with my kick tracks coupled with distorted guitars, and these things have helped, though my mixes will tell you I'm still no expert...
Another couple things to try: EQ boost(s) to the kick track to accentuate the 'punch' so that it cuts though the mix better. Also, try notching out a 'hole' for the kick to sit in -- make EQ cuts to other tracks that share the same frequencies as your kick, if it doesn't affect the sound of the other instrument/s too much. Lastly, compression can help.
Just some basic stuff to try. I've had some of the same problems with my kick tracks coupled with distorted guitars, and these things have helped, though my mixes will tell you I'm still no expert...
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bleyrad
New member
The modern rock kick sound calls for massive 3-4Khz boosting. That and a fair bit of 50-80Hz.
Waves TransX can work wonders on giving a kick extra definition on a mix, too.
Waves TransX can work wonders on giving a kick extra definition on a mix, too.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
Having a fantastic sounding kick drum is a nice place to start also... It requires little or no EQ to sit right. The hard rubber side of a DW batter can give the "click" that you're looking for without the upper mid boost also.
HangDawg
bUnGhOlIo
If you use the right mic in the right spot on a well tuned kick drum, you shouldn't have to do anything. What are you using for a mic?
X
xstatic
New member
For current heavier rock styles, I have NEVER heard a kick drum that does not need some high frequency boosts. What I have noticed is that a well tuned kick may not need to be gated, and does not need the 70hz boost or the 400 hz cut. However, the 3k and 8k boosts still need to be there. It really isn't the drummers fault. Kick drums just don't do those frequencies well. It's more a byproduct of the whole trend of pumping up the RMS levels on the mix. That hf boost allows a kick to stand out better without having to just be cranked up in volume. The reason a good kick still needs those boosts is that those hf boosts that alot of us like is not a natural part of a mick drums sound. It is still important though to leave some sonic space for the low end though by keeping a lid on guitars and bass.
HangDawg
bUnGhOlIo
xstatic said:
My 22" tama granstar custom kick with an Aquarian Super Kick II and a plastic beater miced with an Audix D6 just outside the sound hole has quite a bit of click to it. Not that I would cut any out but it also doesn't need added either. Maybe just a touch if you really wanted.
J
Janesaid2me
New member
boost the lows under 200 but around 400 accent on the 3-4k make sure you boost your bass at 400 and cut at 100-200 that will help seperate the bass and bass drum...also lose anything below 100 on the guitars.
Farview
Well-known member
Send the kick into a limiter.
BTW If you are using the appropriate kick/beater/head combination, you will not need to add 3k to 6k. The kicks that you hear alot in newer music are electronic.
BTW If you are using the appropriate kick/beater/head combination, you will not need to add 3k to 6k. The kicks that you hear alot in newer music are electronic.
X
xstatic
New member
Nah, I work with a lot of those heavier bands all the time, and play drums as well. Heavy stuff is kind of my specialty. Most of them are actually not using fake kick sounds. Just a fair amount of processing
Farview
Well-known member
It depends on your definition of heavy. Dimmu Borgir and their ilk are all using triggered electronic sounds. If you are talking about Black Label or stuff like that, you are correct.
giraffe
i love negative rep
from the steadman thread (don't fry me if i just got his name wrong)
not a quote, but the genral feeling
hi pass at like 30
ripped out the mids (not sure how much)
the click was to hi so he low passed at.... maby 8K??? can't remember
i tried this recently to, well just to try it out cause if it's good enough for him....
with a little tweaking this gave me that sound, click/thump that i'm not sure i like (kiks don't sound like that) but it's easy to mix if nothing else.
i'm not saying this is the way to go, but it's something to try.
btw, the correct answer is......... record it the way you want it to sound
the dollar(coin) behind the beater trick works too
not a quote, but the genral feeling
hi pass at like 30
ripped out the mids (not sure how much)
the click was to hi so he low passed at.... maby 8K??? can't remember
i tried this recently to, well just to try it out cause if it's good enough for him....
with a little tweaking this gave me that sound, click/thump that i'm not sure i like (kiks don't sound like that) but it's easy to mix if nothing else.
i'm not saying this is the way to go, but it's something to try.
btw, the correct answer is......... record it the way you want it to sound
the dollar(coin) behind the beater trick works too
Scrubucket7
New member
maybe you could try doubling the bass track and panning them oppisite, maybe hard left and hard right, or somewhere not so drastic. Ive heard of people doing this alot to leave a good amount of room for the kick. Experiment with that for a little, maybe thatll help out alot.
X
xstatic
New member
Dimmu triggers for a whole different reason though. I have actually mixed for them before. The kick triggers are the only way to keep good definition at that speed
The heavy I was reffering to was not really Death Metal or Black metal heavy. More like Sevendust, Chevelle etc.... and hardcore as well.
The heavy I was reffering to was not really Death Metal or Black metal heavy. More like Sevendust, Chevelle etc.... and hardcore as well.
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DJ Ack
New member
Sorry, but help me on Snare also?
How can I make it stand out more? I can get good kick & snare sounds during tracking but when mixing the snare tends to be masked when heavy guitar sounds come in.
How can I make it stand out more? I can get good kick & snare sounds during tracking but when mixing the snare tends to be masked when heavy guitar sounds come in.
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xfinsterx
New member
something cool said:
WaAa??!!
Man in some rock and metal its those lows that make the guitars whoop ass.
Not trying to be a prick, but what i quoted you on was a bit of a blanket statement, no?
Disposable
New member
I tune my guitar to Drop C…
Thus making my lowest note C2 (at about 65 Hz)
So I have to agree with xfinsterx
Thus making my lowest note C2 (at about 65 Hz)
So I have to agree with xfinsterx
Farview
Well-known member
In general, distorted guitar is more about the harmonics than the fundamental. Most of the time the first harmonic of the note is what is accentuated, the stuff in the 110hz to 200hz range is where all the power is.
bigwillz24
New member
Disposable said:
And when you play that C2 at about 65Hz how many people think its just a note from the bass?
Farview
Well-known member
Nah, the bass is hitting C1 at 32.5Hz. Again, the harmonics are what you are listening to.bigwillz24 said: