How to get more high end from drums during tracking

[Sinister Mephisto]

Every single time I go to mix drums I've recorded, I have to add TONS of highs on the snare, and toms =. I'd rather get more of it from the actual drums than EQ because I feel like boosting so much with EQ is really adding noise, not to mention cymbal bleed.

So yeah, any tips for getting more high end out of natural drums, specifically toms and snare? Thanks in advance.

 

[Nebulous]

New skins, a bright sounding room?

 

[colonel kurtz]

you could always use the ol' steve albini trick, and stick room mics on the floor...or even on the walls

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Put plywood on your floor. Seriously.

 

[Let it burn...]

Stillwell audio Transient Monster to cancel out the cymbal bleed, works like a charm
Multiband comp to add some brightness should keep your noisefloor low.

anyway, that's how I (n00b) do it

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

Put plywood on your floor. Seriously.

Done on your advice sir. I've only recorded drums once without it. Set up the whole drum section of my little home studio based on your acoustic drums thread actually.

Cool though. I'll mess around with the placement of my room mics more. Does the angle of the mic have much of an effect on the tone/attack of the drum? I should try it myself obviously but it just occurred to me.

Thanks!

 

[izzyrock]

Put some high end at tracking lol

 

[Sloan]

I usually get most of my highend out of the overheads. Also, if you parallel compress, take that compressed track and eq it to emphasize the highs and lows.

 

[izzyrock]

Seriously, get better mics, if you already have. Maybe the room would help. But raw drums always sound boxy and dark, thats a common factor. I guess you dont play jazz, so heavy EQ is a must for Rock/Metal

 

[JBroll]

Gear list, perhaps?

When I hear snare and toms, I think SM57... and I think honky mess.

Jeff

 

[Metaltastic]

As obvious as it sounds, I find (at least when using a 57) that mic position makes a HUGE difference in the brightness of a snare - toms I've usually been pretty happy with right off the bat following Oz and others' general placement suggestions (4-6" away, pointing at the center, duhhh), but I tend to obsess with the snare. That being said, I still usually have to eq like ca-razy.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

The problem with dull sounding raw drum tracks is often the drummer. Unless you're recording someone with a lot of experience and dedication, chances are pretty fucking huge that he knows jack about tuning his drums. More often than not, they're bringing in kits that sound less than stellar even when tuned. Most of us don't have the resources to buy a drumkit for our recording spaces, so thats why samples are so useful.

don't count on the drummer to make things easier for you.

 

[ElektricEyez]

I wonder what type of results one would achieve by putting (or making DIY) diffusor panels on the walls and putting the drumset close to the walls and then recording, anyone ever try this or know of a recording that has done this?

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Transient designer

 

[izzyrock]

Transient designer

What does have to do dynamics with high end?:Smug:

 

[Daunt]

Try to aim the mics to the area where the stick hits.