Kicks cut each other, or overlap them? (polyphony)

[tarnationsauce2]

Do you guys prefer the sound of overlapping kicks (like a true double bass), or when the hits cut each other (like a double kick pedal sound)? Another way of looking at it is polyphony = 1, vs. polyphony = 2.

I find that with fast double bass parts with them overlapping it can make it sound a lot bigger. But with long double bass parts it is just too much. The individual hits begin to lose definition.

Please, let's hear you thoughts on this issue.

 

[Deus.exe]

Wouldn't it depend on how you setup gates, compressors, etc on the Bass Drums? Generally in (modern) Metal the Bass drum is relatively short sound. So overlapping should not really be an issue unless the drummer is playing at INSANE speeds.

 

[Black neon bob]

Without being helpfull, i read the thread title as "kids cut each other, or overlap them?"

lol?

I like to overlap them just a little bit on blast beats (i am now talking about kicks).

 

[kev]

Though there was some emo stuff going on for a moment there Bob! Ive never thought about this, polyphony two sounds more appealing though!

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I always overlap 100%. Fake/real doesn't matter.

 

[kezspez]

overlap drums?
i'm so out of touch.. please explain?!

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Well here is an easy way to picture it:

You have 2 kicks with 2 mics.

K got that in your head?

sorry didn't mean to sound like a condiscending dick.


Anyhow naturally since the hits of the 2 kicks are not being played that close together since we have 2 kicks the decay of each kick is allowed to sustain longer hence the overlap of the decay over the next kick. In other words kick L will be decaying while kick R will just starting it's attack. See the sounds overlap.

Okay now picture one kick with a double pedal. Each hit is cut off by the next since the pedal interups the sustain the the last note with a new one and therefore the attack of the next note or hit cuts off it's predecesor.


Translating to the sample world as it's more easier to understand IMO:

Hit key on your keyboard it makes a sound and you get a decay. Now lift and hit again the next note will overlap the preceeding or if we are talking mono synth cut off the first. In the world of drum samples you can have the same thing. I ALWAYS prefer to have them overlap as with a sampler it just doesn't sound right.

 

[JBroll]

Well here is an easy way to picture it:

You have 2 kicks with 2 mics.

K got that in your head?

Condescending? That's how I normally sound, isn't it... hmm...

I prefer short kick sounds myself. I'm also used to playing with people who have a double pedal and only one kick.

Jeff

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Yeah I guess when it comes to tracking I take what I got, but when applying sampes it's the whole sample.