Drum Track Processing, Part 6: Additional Equalization Guidelines by Thai Long Ly
This is the sixth installment of my article series focusing on the processing of drum tracks. Today’s focus is on equalization of overheads, toms, hi-hats, and rooms.
First lets talk overheads. Lets see, where do I begin? Applying EQ to an overhead track depends on the artistic approach you’re employing for your song and their respective drum tracks (I suppose this is true for anything, but stay with me here). If you’re primarily using the overheads as cymbal mics, then you’ll want to roll out most of the bottom end by using a Hi Pass Filter. Simply jettison everything below 500Hz or so and sneak the track up in level so that the cymbals sit in a proper place (with the drum tracks and the song in general) when struck. You might want to boost above 10kHz for some “air” as well.
If you’re looking for the overheads to convey location of the individual elements of a kit, as well as to capture the kit overall, then a fairly broad cut centered around 400Hz-500Hz is all that’s needed to pull some honk out of the kit to make room for the rest of the drum tracks and other instruments. Again, a bit of lifting above 10kHz is nice to bring out some sparkle and presence and you may want to dip down towards 7kHz for more snap out of your snare drum track.
Now lets talk toms. Does your song have “System of a Down”-type toms? Kill the bloom and resonance (below 250Hz) and boost the stick hit and attack (1kHz – 4kHz) of the tom tracks. Modern R and B? Bring up the resonance of the shell and let it ring. Find the resonant frequency and boost 'em until they're wailing. Now fit that in with the Overheads and see what happens with the drum tracks in relation to the song. What seems like overkill when soloed now feels right when the rest of the track is playing, does it not? Good. That’s what it’s all about to begin with! Always take this into consideration regarding your drum tracks.
Next lets discuss hi-hats. Dump below 500Hz unless you want the sound of the session drummer’s foot thumping away. Adding a bit of air above 10kHz can also work. Just don’t overdo it and end up with excessively sizzly-sounding hats. That sounds awful, and can jack up your drum tracks (and therefore your song).
Lastly, lets talk about rooms. Just mangle the snot out of these. Or, don't. Filter 'em. Effect 'em. Or, don't. Make them dull. Or don’t. Make ‘em bright. Or, don't. You probably can see where I'm going with this? Good. Use your ears to judge what is best for your drum tracks.
So there you have it: a basic set of concepts to get you up and rolling towards amazing sounding drum tracks. And as if I haven't said this in my articles enough by now… EXPERIMENT and have fun! Find your own voice and signature sound while mixing drum tracks. Copying someone else’s sound is cool for about a minute… but ultimately what will set your project apart is what you discover on your own. Remember, the drum sounds you create in a mix will greatly affect the presence and power of a recording. What sets a master apart from a demo? Drum sounds of course! Good luck processing your drum tracks, and have fun doing so.