What are your Kick Drum Settings?

J

joswil44

New member
I am wondering what EQ and Compression settings are being used for Kick Drums.

I am primarily working with Metal bands.

Lets say I am using Drumagog and know I am working with a good Kick drum Sample.

I tend to Boost lightly around 50-60Hz, Cut -12-16dB with a mid Q setting around 350-400Hz, Boost around 4-5dB in 3kHz with a low Q setting and Boost 4-5dB in the 5-7kHz range.

I find the low end or punch lacking and am generally affraid of turning up the low end.

I am wondering what others are setting their Kick EQ and Compression settings at.

Is the low EQ best with a Shelving or set to a certain Q range?
 
It would depend on the sound of the drumsample vs. the sound you are looking for. Normally, I just pick the sample that fits the mix. No need to EQ and compress it further.

With a real kick, getting that metal sound will depend a lot on the drummer. The things I tend to do are add a bunch of high shelf set somewhere between 3k and 8k. Suck out somewhere around 400hz (give or take) and I usually don't have to add any low end.

The compressor tends to have a medium attack and fast release at about 4/1 with about 2-4db gain reduction.

All of these setting vary wildly with the source (size and tuning of the drum), which mic I use, the bass and guitar tone, etc...
 
joswil44 said:
I am wondering what EQ and Compression settings are being used for Kick Drums.

I am primarily working with Metal bands.

Lets say I am using Drumagog and know I am working with a good Kick drum Sample.

I tend to Boost lightly around 50-60Hz, Cut -12-16dB with a mid Q setting around 350-400Hz, Boost around 4-5dB in 3kHz with a low Q setting and Boost 4-5dB in the 5-7kHz range.

I find the low end or punch lacking and am generally affraid of turning up the low end.

I am wondering what others are setting their Kick EQ and Compression settings at.

Is the low EQ best with a Shelving or set to a certain Q range?
Click to expand...

WoW! I don't know the sample you're working with and don't know Drumagog either, so I'm not saying it's wrong by any means.

But that sounds like pretty drastic EQ'ing for something that's supposed to already be a good drum sample. If you're lacking low end, without hearing it I would guess that cutting 12-16db (!!!!) at about 350-400hz might be the culprit. While those frequencies tend to be very boxy, by cutting them that much, even at a medium Q, you've got to be affecting frequencies you want to keep. Like I said, I'm just guessing based on the info you gave.

As far as shelving or bell, I usually use a shelf on the low end myself.
 
Interesting enough, I used to leave the settings alone and they did sound pretty decent.

I guess I thought they sounded better when I changed them a bit.

But I will have to go back and check older recordings.

Maybe they were heavier before when it actually went to Cd.

I wasnt quite sure if they were supposed to be left alone or EQ'd to personal taste.

I figured they were mostly supposed to be a well recorded sample ready to be adjusted to taste.

The Drumagog Samples I have been using are actually from Andy Sneap.

Definately known for having great sounding metal recordings.

Those EQ settings were based off of one Drumagog Kick Sample and what sounded best in my headphones.

I tryed to cut the low mids according to what felt the most punch to it.

Im kinda wondering if I might get more of what I am after through Compression.

I think I am lacking a good compressor.
 
if you are looking for it to hit harder, some limiting might help

usually the only way to get a better low end is use a different sound, you could boost more but i think it might just sound like mud

Theres also a waves plugin called RBass that does cool stuff to the low end

but again, if you are working with samples just use another sample i say
 
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