Slate Drums 3.0 Cymbal Tweaking Info

[Slate]

I finally got a chance to make a little metal demo to see what all the fuss is about the cymbals... and what it comes down to is the fact that my drum hits are tweaked where as the cymbals are pretty raw..

Here is something I whipped up with Crash16 and the small china:

www.stevenslatedrums.com/demo2/ssdmetal.mp3


I bussed all the cymbals including hat to a group, and used the ParPl 3 band free eq and made two wide bells and slapped down all the lows and low mids, then bumped 10k a bit.

Then I used the UAD 1176 on fast attack and medium release to smooth them out a bit.. and thats it.

The snare is DreamSnare and Snare5, the kick is Kick5 and Black Kick, both of these are bussed to a group and compressed with high ratio, medium attack and release, low gain reduction, and then I pushed some 2k with an eq on both of them.

For 3.5 I might offer a more tweaked version of the cymbals with less low mid and some compression... they sound really good through the Sontec eq.

 

[daveotero]

and used the ParPl 3 band free eq

Sorta OT here, but that EQ sounds so great! Super glad I found it when the 3 band version was still free. BTW, I think it's actually PLPar

Back on topic, I've got two mix projects later this year with no real cymbals. This is pretty much new territory for me so I plan on trying these out for sure. Loving the rest of the kit since I've had it. My "Slate enhanced" mixes should start rolling out pretty soon.

 

[kev]

Nice!

 

[Jaymz]

I followed these tips and mashed some of the new Jerry Lyon grooves together, sounds pretty realistic as far as a real kit in a real room goes IMHO

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/451140/Slate1.mp3

 

[HeadCrusher]

Sorta OT here, but that EQ sounds so great! Super glad I found it when the 3 band version was still free. BTW, I think it's actually PLPar

Can that free version be shared? If so, would you be so kind?

 

[Zombietakeover]

I bussed all the cymbals including hat to a group, and used the ParPl 3 band free eq and made two wide bells and slapped down all the lows and low mids,

Slate can you post a screen shot of that eq

what do you mean slapped down you take it all the way to -12 or -14 on ?

why wouldnt you just hi-pass?

 

[Sacha]

Sounds great!

I really like the bass sound here...care to talk about that a bit?

 

[Mart]

Slate can you post a screen shot of that eq

what do you mean slapped down you take it all the way to -12 or -14 on ?

why wouldnt you just hi-pass?

+1

 

[Erik Monsonis]

why wouldnt you just hi-pass?

+2

 

[Eschatologist]

I've been playing with my SSD3 for the past week, and one thing I would have liked would have been bell hits on the rides....have I missed these somewhere or are they going to be added at some point?

 

[AdamWathan]

They're on F3 in the piano roll, between the splash and the china.

 

[Skaldir]

I really like everything about the Slate samples, except the crashes and chinas.
To me, they are too "short" and not really big and long. I guess they have been screwed very hard on the felt (Don't know how it's called in English) so that they couldn't really settle long enough. Don't think it's because of the missing processing, because when I just mic crashes with a pair of overheads and nothing else they sound different. Longer.
In the riff Slate posted the crash works, cause it's some faster stuff. But when you want to play some slower stuff, atleast for me the crashes are too short sounding.
But I really don't want to complain, because hi-hates and rides and effect cymbals are really top notch!

 

[Eschatologist]

They're on F3 in the piano roll, between the splash and the china.

Right you are, sir!

 

[Sean in Silence]

Definitely gonna have to agree that the chinas are a little..... lacking I guess
I don't really know how to explain it
hahaha
I think I'm just used to the chinas in DFH though
As a side note
the rest of the slate drums are FANTASTIC!!!!

 

[Eschatologist]

Yeah I do prefer Superior's chinas more, and the availability of a real 5th tom (floor, specifically)

Do the snares have flam strokes? If so, what key? I can't find it

 

[Habsburgs]

What type of hi hat do you guys use? open?

 

[black.death]

I really like everything about the Slate samples, except the crashes and chinas.
To me, they are too "short" and not really big and long. I guess they have been screwed very hard on the felt (Don't know how it's called in English) so that they couldn't really settle long enough. Don't think it's because of the missing processing, because when I just mic crashes with a pair of overheads and nothing else they sound different. Longer.
In the riff Slate posted the crash works, cause it's some faster stuff. But when you want to play some slower stuff, atleast for me the crashes are too short sounding.
But I really don't want to complain, because hi-hates and rides and effect cymbals are really top notch!

I'm going to completely agree with this. Additionally, on this clip (listening on laptop speakers) it sounded like the velocity was set exactly the same so this doesn't help the crash to sound more real.

However, I have really liked many of the clips posted on this forum using the Slate samples and, I will likely buy one of his products in the future.

 

[Mart]

I really like everything about the Slate samples, except the crashes and chinas.
To me, they are too "short" and not really big and long. I guess they have been screwed very hard on the felt (Don't know how it's called in English) so that they couldn't really settle long enough. Don't think it's because of the missing processing, because when I just mic crashes with a pair of overheads and nothing else they sound different. Longer.
In the riff Slate posted the crash works, cause it's some faster stuff. But when you want to play some slower stuff, atleast for me the crashes are too short sounding.
But I really don't want to complain, because hi-hates and rides and effect cymbals are really top notch!

absolutely! i hope that the 20" crashes coming with the 3.5 update will be better though i love the rest of the slate drums

i will post a short sample later...i think i've found a pretty decent sound

 

[Slate]

yeah we have some bigger crashes for 3.5 coming. I'll post a sample make sure you guys dig. The little demo I posted is bashing the crash so you won't hear too much velocity difference but I think the spacing and 3D dimension on my crashes is pretty darn nice, the tape harmonics add a lot to them.

As for chinas, if you like the DFH one, go into your manual and tell me what china it is. Then I'll just get one and sample it. Easy.

 

[Charles J]

As for chinas, if you like the DFH one, go into your manual and tell me what china it is. Then I'll just get one and sample it. Easy.

once again, you prove to us all how awesome you are, haha.

thx so much for everything bro! I've been a customer since before SSD 1.0 was even officially released (beta tester)! And to this day, you never cease to amaze me.

btw, I have no problem with the cymbals in SSD 3.0 Just like anything else, they'll take a little EQ tweaking and decision making on which room to send the cymbals to, but this isn't a big deal to me.

We are mixing, yes?