important compression on drums or OH's

  • Thread starter Thread starter lbcstudios
  • Start date Start date
L

lbcstudios

New member
hey... i just got the rnc.. thats the only compressor i have.. and i have a band comin in to record.. its a good band... and this is gonna be a big thing for me... i have guitars and basses and ampps.. so im familiar on those compressions and that.. but i dont have a set.. and the band is gonna come and time is tight... so... i dont haev a set to mess around with using compression... i have a delta 66 sound card.. and my behr. board is 4 bus... i usually put the overheads on the sub out.. and the rest on the main out for drums.. then i run one of the outs to the rnc.. then to the 66... and... i can only compress either the OHs or the rest.. i heard OH compression sonuds terrible.. but i cant test it out... now to the ? ... wat should i use compression on'? maybe put snare by itself and compress it? i dunno... try to include a ratio, attack release and wat to compress... well at least a range for the settings.. i will make slight adjustments... thanks...
 
What makes you automatically think you NEED compression?

Just curious...

:)
 
snare

it seems like all of a sudden.. the drums will be low on a part of the song.. then the drummer will start jammin alot louder... o i think compression would help.
 
I usually dont compress the overheads. I dont like the way that sounds. I use a 4 to 1 on the snare (to keep it under control), and I usually overcompress the kick (mostly due to my incosistent foot attacks) on a 6 to 1 even a 8 to 1. Trust your ears.
 
Here, I just got my track notes from my last session with a gospel group to give you the exact compression settings I used. Now of course, this is just what I used, it may not be the right level for you. You have to know your compressors and mics, and what they are capable of, and how they respond, because every one is different.... but maybe this will help....

session #4 tracking drums

Soft knee/rms

Kick-
thres -8db
ratio 3:1
attack 40ms
release 180ms
output 0db
gate thres -25db
gate rate 1.5s

Snare-
thres -10db
ratio 4:1
attack .1ms
release 150ms
output -4db
gate thres -25db
gate rate 1.5s
 
2 buss

ok thx man... but i got one compressor.. rnc.. and 2 outs.. the main and sub.. one for OHs and one for the rest.. how would i pull this off
 
I have to piggy-back off of lbcstudio's question because I only have one compressor, also. I could compress the bass & snare drums but I could only have one setting (they'd be in an effects loop). What would be the best overall setting for both the bass & snare drums?
 
Metal Marc said:
What would be the best overall setting for both the bass & snare drums?
Click to expand...
None - you'll never be able to get that right..... it's like saying "...I want a lot of low-end, but get rid of the bass...!"
 
Why don't you track everything to tape and then when you're mixing you can experiment with the compressor and decide what sounds right instead of 'setting and forgetting?'
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
None - you'll never be able to get that right..... it's like saying "...I want a lot of low-end, but get rid of the bass...!"
Click to expand...

Lots of low end and no bass...PERFECT!

Chris Fallen said:
Why don't you track everything to tape and then when you're mixing you can experiment with the compressor and decide what sounds right instead of 'setting and forgetting?'
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me. I was just hoping to get a "jumping-off" point. I'll just start at a -10db, 4:1 ratio thing and work it from there. I used to record with one of the best drummers ever and I never, ever compressed his signals because his attack was sooooooooooo consistent. Karl Lindgren RULES!!!

Lost in Oklahoma,
Metal Marc
 
Every 'pro' I've seen use a compressor has fiddled with the knobs EVERY time. There are never perfect presets (though there are general ideas of how to set stuff that will come with time).
 
I would sudgest increasing your number of compressors to at least two. That way you can track with some compression. And I dont care how consistent a drummer is, I am not going to risk peaks and possible distortion.
 
ok... i prob will get another somettime.. but for now i have one... if thier is one thing to compress... wat is it.. kick, snare hi hatt?
 
Whatever is the most incsistent attack. You have to listen to your drummer. Plus what do you want to stand out the most in the drum mix. I would probably compress the kick if not anything else. A good solid kick is essential in pop/rock.
 
I usually compress the hell out of the overheads with an RNC in SuperEasy mode at around 10:1. Set attack to fastest and the release to where you have a few lights lit up most of the time and a couple more bump on when the snare hits. Adjust the threshold so about -8db is the most compression you are applying.

I'll usually run the snare and kick into the same compressor but I'll also mix in the uncompressed kick/snare tracks.
 
Hey tex, what does that comp do for your overs? Does it affect the tone of the cymbals?
 
I don't actually use it inline while tracking. I'll have it on a buss for monitoring purposes and then apply it during the mix. I usually record the drums at around -8 to -16 on the Radar to be safe.

The RNC in Really Nice mode (not Really Easy like I miswrote) is pretty damn transparent. The convertors on the Radar have such a smooth high end that I don't need to be as anal about high end preservation as I would with some systems.
 
Metal Marc said:
I have to piggy-back off of lbcstudio's question because I only have one compressor, also. I could compress the bass & snare drums but I could only have one setting (they'd be in an effects loop). What would be the best overall setting for both the bass & snare drums?
Click to expand...

compress one while you are tracking, then the other during mix down. you will have to decide which on first. with rock, i probably would do the snare last, that way i can have more control...
 
ok thanks guys... gig is tommorow... ill prob use the super nice mode for OHS or compress the kick
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top