Excessive tom mic leakage (Help plz)

[Dimensionless]

So I got these drum tracks, and all 3 of the tom mics seem to have more kick and snare than the toms they are supposed to be micing.. snare is ok, but the kick is being replaced/quanatized... and the natural kick with all the "feeling" is seeping thru pretty bad. The kick track is not the real kick either, its a trigger, so phase canceling it wont work (if thats even a way to do it)

How would you guys deal with this?

 

[egan.]

Strip them out.

 

[aortizjr]

Hmm... usually cymbal bleed is more the problem with toms. Maybe snare on rack toms. Essentially sounds like crazy terrible mic placement.

Basically manually gate the toms, which is what is usually done anyway. So cut out each tom hit.

If the kick/snare is seriously louder than the toms, more than likely you have other problems which probably means you will be triggering/sound replacing the toms anyway.

On top of that, what do your overheads sound like? You are going to have to blend with those at some level.

All doable, but if the drums are that bad, you have quite a bit of work ahead of you.

 

[Dimensionless]

So gut everything except when that tom gets hit..
Thanks egan.!

 

[hurdy]

Probably from poor micing technique and/or not hitting the toms hard enough. Sample replace them

 

[guitarguru777]

Cut the initial hits up manually and sample replace, its probably your only option. If the kick and snare are really that loud you wont be able to use use any of the toms natural decay so it will sound bad if you dont sample replace.

 

[Uros]

not hitting the toms hard enough. Sample replace them

THE main culprit when you hear undefined toms.
Tbh, it's pretty hard to mic toms so badly (even tho the OP has those problems) that you can't hear them in close tracks, so it's either drummers hitting them like pussies, or badly tuned toms, or both.

What I find helpful is to record all tom rolls as separate takes (so the drummer must hit them really hard), and usually I suggest to the drummer not to use floor toms on faster rolls, 'cause more often than not it just sounds like undefined low end rumble and not like a proper tom hit.
Generally, floors are better suited for some slower and groovy stuff, like the bass guitar is simply not suited for shredding (in a band context anyway).

To OP - yeah, you'll most likely have to sample replace, and that will not sound good, but it's your only option.

 

[006]

^ Sample replacing can sound perfectly fine, you just have to do it right.

 

[Uros]

Well, not from my experience (my 'not good' didn't necessarily mean 'bad' tho) . Of course that your mileage may vary.