Removing Bleed in Overheads

[Razorjack]

So, I've been taught a few different ways of removing kit bleed from o/h's (my preffered method being don't record it in the first place, but right now thats not an option).

What methods do you guys use? I personally get good results using the individual drum tracks in reverse phase to remove the majority of the sounds (leaving any ambient noise of course) but I'm sure there is a better way of doing it.

 

[Ermz]

I was always under the impression that the purpose of the OHs was to capture the entire kit. I don't really get pedantic in trying to isolate cymbals.

 

[James Murphy]

I was always under the impression that the purpose of the OHs was to capture the entire kit. I don't really get pedantic in trying to isolate cymbals.

pedantic schmedantic.... in full on metal productions a "whole kit image" in the OH's is as useful as tits on a bull. i use the "whole kit image" approach when recording retro/rock stuff or jazz and the like.

 

[~BURNY~]

Filter with an hi-pass filter up to 700hz or even more. If the snare and toms transcients jump out above the cymbals signal, compress/limit. If this is not enough, use a side-chain on triggered by the snare track... You can also use tools such as stereo imager to cancel the center of the image but that's kind of brutal and can mess the phase... Not recomended. If none of this tricks work, you probably need to re-record.

 

[elmuchoescadawg]

pedantic schmedantic.... in full on metal productins a "whole kit image" in the OH's is as useful as tits on a bull. i use the "whole kit image" approach when recording retro/rock stuff or jazz and the like.

Same as. With metal stuff I keep everything spot miced and as clean as I can.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Filter with an hi-pass filter up to 700hz or even more. If the snare and toms transcients jump out above the cymbals signal, compress/limit.

Like he said (though 700Hz is a bit high I think...).

 

[~BURNY~]

Like he said (though 700Hz is a bit high I think...).

Yep this is an extreme setting example... Agree, I usually don't go above 100-300 hz depending on the source material...

 

[Where She Wept]

Anyone try close micing the cymbals from underneath? Andy mentioned he was experimenting with it once. Probaly eat up alot more tracks depending on the drummer.

 

[evilmanny]

That's a good point actually... I've wondered that myself. Given you want to try and 'block off' bleed by getting the cymbal between the mic and the offending noise, it makes sense to try it directed away from the other drums entirely.
I know it can work with rides...

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Filter with an hi-pass filter up to 700hz or even more. If the snare and toms transcients jump out above the cymbals signal, compress/limit. If this is not enough, use a side-chain on triggered by the snare track... You can also use tools such as stereo imager to cancel the center of the image but that's kind of brutal and can mess the phase... Not recomended. If none of this tricks work, you probably need to re-record.

The side-chain limiter has worked great for me on the snare. I never tried it with the toms.

 

[Liam Thompson]

One thing I tried which worked quite well when doing a rescue mix on a friends demo where they had lots of spill in the overheads was to use Andy's technique of using a high pass at around 650 Hz and then I used an extreme high threshold, ratio and fast attack setting with no make up gain on a multi band compressor from 650 Hz down and that removed a lot of "ambient" bass drum and tom spill that was still present after heavy eq.

 

[acorredor]

Hey everyone...
Regarding mic choosing for OH´s... any reason to choose large diaphragm over small diaphragm mics? Andy...James..anyone?