Snare drum Comp+EQ etc.

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

nobody here using SPL transient designer or waves trans-X? i just love the way it makes the attack pop out without making the highhat louder. it gives that instant "expensive" feel to a snare drum

i often do something like this with snare top:

waves trans-X: 8-10 db's of boost on the attack phase
waves R-channel: compression attack 40-50 ms, release 20-25 ms, ratio 1:4-1:6, about 4-5 db's of compression, make it up with the output gain and hit the limiter slightly on the louder hits.
eq wise i usually roll off everything below 80 Hz, boost quite a lot around 160 for the bottom smack, notch a bit around 600 Hz to cut out some ring (if necesarry), boost around 5K with a narrow Q, so you actually hear the rim smack and sometimes a slight high shelf from 8K up

this added with a snare bottom of wich i gate and limit the hell out off, just to add a little crisp of the snare on each hit. then send kick, snare and all toms to a bus with Rcomp with pretty fast attack and release times (att 4 ms, rel 15 ms), ratio around 1:3, compress abot 3 db's, gives me a nice overal punch in the drums, blend in some dry uncompressed signal to taste

usually does the trick for me

 

[AudioPhile777]

...usually does the trick for me

Damn... I need to get me a "usually"... I haven't been doing this long enough...

 

[greyskull]

holy shit...
why have i never used transx on snare before!
instant smack, and no fucking hi hat
genius

 

[joeymusicguy]

every snare i record goes through the same thing, because im cool like that

SSL E-Channel
TOP SNARE
threshold : -20 db
attack (leave fast attack off)
release : .100
ratio : 3 or 4

+9db at 8 no bell
+9db at 200 no bell

use expander to cut a little ambience if you need to, gate if its a live kit

BOTTOM SNARE
turn this one up 6 decibels LOUDER than the top snare
threshold: 0
attack (fast attack on!)
release: .100
ratio: 8:1

+3 at 8 no bell (bell if you want a rock sound)
+6 at 200 no bell

then just use Q1 mono on each track to cut the particular head's "ring tone", a Q of 50 or 100 will do it, -18db of cut wherever the ring is (there might be many, find the one that sticks out in the track while its left flat eq, find it, and cut it)

i usually use RVERB for drum verb, but i've been toying with plate 140 from UAD to save my cpu's ass

the RVERB gives the snare body in the mix, because it produces a wide tail

the UAD can do the same, and it will be wider, but you'll need to know how to compress the reverb so it doesnt stick out like a sore thumb

this is just what i do to my actual snare tracks, much of the snare sound comes from the room mic's, and the agressive compression applied to them

 

[joeymusicguy]

p.s.

a trick for kick drums that dont pack enough low end punch

waves transx multi mono

load that on a kick track, load the preset "bass amp"

change the first gain to 6, the second to -6, the third to -6, and leave the 4th alone

dont adjust volume or total make up gain or you'll lose your power

pump that sucker into your master bus compressor for thump

 

[sincethefailing]

joey, you saviour! thanks for the awesome posts! now we just need to get colin and andy to post some of their favourite "go to" settings!