I am trying to make some rough mixes before recording a demo of my cover band. I am concerned with the kick drum recordings and that it may not sound the best. I use an ATM25 on the inside of the kick and I think this position sounds best but is still lacking. I have posted an unprocessed clip of the isolated kick. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Needing opinions and advice for kick drum recording...
- Thread starter lttoler
- Start date
Lots of thread views with no replies so I will throw two cents in: How does this track sound in the mix and what do you find lacking? The isolated track really does not help me give advice as a kick drum track that works great within one mix may be completely wrong for another. Further, it is hard to offer advice on how to change the sound of a track if you do not identify what part of it is missing or needs changing in your opinion.
Here are generalities that may or may not apply to your kick issue:
- Start with a kick that sounds good to your ear. Do whatever it takes to make it sound right acoustically before putting up a mic. Towels, blankets, pillows are common things to try, but trust your ears.
- If the low freq sound is important, try the woofer-mic trick: Put a speaker in front of the kick, run the leads into a preamp, as if it were a mic. (Feeding it backwards through a passive direct box also works, but gives you a little different sound. You feed it into the XLR side, then run the 1/4" output into a preamp & to the recorder)
- Use a mic that can pick up the sound you are looking for. If you use an SM57, for example, you're not going to get much bass content, but it'll give you a nice 'slap' sound when the beater hits the skin.
- Start with a kick that sounds good to your ear. Do whatever it takes to make it sound right acoustically before putting up a mic. Towels, blankets, pillows are common things to try, but trust your ears.
- If the low freq sound is important, try the woofer-mic trick: Put a speaker in front of the kick, run the leads into a preamp, as if it were a mic. (Feeding it backwards through a passive direct box also works, but gives you a little different sound. You feed it into the XLR side, then run the 1/4" output into a preamp & to the recorder)
- Use a mic that can pick up the sound you are looking for. If you use an SM57, for example, you're not going to get much bass content, but it'll give you a nice 'slap' sound when the beater hits the skin.
stepXinXtheXmix
New member
IMHO it could use a little something on the low end.
How far in from the front head did you place the mic?
How far in from the front head did you place the mic?
witzendoz
Senior Member
I suggest you start with the
Kick drum tuning, tight skin or loose skin,
Blanket or no blanket inside, front skin no front skin or hole in front skin.
The distance from the beater skin makes a hugh difference,
Where the mic is pointing i.e at the beater or not, makes a hugh difference
After all this, must of the time you need to cut the eq around 250hz, more attack try boosting around 2.4khz or 4khz, compression or no compression? and finally
What type of song is it, metal requires a snappy kick with not too much bottom, a ballad, country song requires a mild kick with body, etc.
Forget sub kicks, different mics, etc, the same principles apply to any mic you use.
Alan.
Kick drum tuning, tight skin or loose skin,
Blanket or no blanket inside, front skin no front skin or hole in front skin.
The distance from the beater skin makes a hugh difference,
Where the mic is pointing i.e at the beater or not, makes a hugh difference
After all this, must of the time you need to cut the eq around 250hz, more attack try boosting around 2.4khz or 4khz, compression or no compression? and finally
What type of song is it, metal requires a snappy kick with not too much bottom, a ballad, country song requires a mild kick with body, etc.
Forget sub kicks, different mics, etc, the same principles apply to any mic you use.
Alan.