Snare

[Matt Smith]

I swear, I've found that the snare is BY FAR the hardest thing for me to get right in my mixes. It drives me crazy. Even mixing with a sample, it sounds pretty good but doesn't have that jump-out-of-the-speakers and hit you in the chest SMACK. I gate it and compress it, which helps bring out a nice smack for sure, and I usually end up adding somewhere around 4.5K-ish and a bit around 200 or so for more smack and thump, respectively. But I still can't get THAT sound. You know, the one where even when the song's turned way down you can still almost feel it.
Granted, I've been recording a piccalo snare, so it's not going to have the same meat, but it's by far the best sounding piccalo I've heard and it sounds great in the room. *sigh* I don't know, I'll keep experimenting, and if nothing else, try some different snares.

Do you guys struggle with your snare sounds as well? Any tips?

 

[Andy Sneap]

are you compressing your stereo buss??? I always found the SSL comp had that character. Try dialing in your snare comp by setting the ratio to max, then opening the attack till you get a real pop, then back the ratio back down to 2:1 or 4:1, quick release, then see how its sitting

 

[Matt Smith]

OK, thanks for the tip, I'll try that. Haven't played around with stereo buss compression for awhile, but I plan to do that as well. Hopefully that will help. I wish Metric Halo would release the channel strip for PC...

Have you ever been able to get a good snare sound for Metal with a piccalo, or am I fighting a losing battle from the start?

 

[Exsanguis]

I'm not sure what type of metal you're recording, but I've not had much luck with piccolos as far as primary snares(as secondary snares, they're fantastic) with most genres of metal. For technical death metal, though, piccolos cut through the chaos really well. For example, Sean Yeung from a billion different bands uses a piccolo snare, and although he often triggers everything, the times taht he has miced it, it has sounded really good.

 

[NathanSoulfracture]

dave from machine head uses a picillo snare, im not sure but i think the lamb of god drummer does or used to use a picillo snare.

 

[Barth]

I use the piccalo snare from the D4, add some 140 –180 and compress it. If you have to much ring, then make the release longer. Hope this helps

 

[Matt Crooks]

Matt - for Theocracy's style I would think that a piccalo is goign to be a losing battle. I've recorded several of them and they never seem to get a good traditional or power metal sound. To my ears there's just not enough body to the sound to drive a metal song.

Off topic - you going to be at ProgPower this weekend?

 

[Simon_Empyrios]

and so... what's the FINAL D4 Snare for power metal?
that's the dilemma....

 

[Matt Smith]

Here's a short MP3 sample so you guys can see what it sounds like as of now. Let me know what you think:

http://www.theocracymusic.com/clip.mp3

Matt, I'll be there (assuming the hurricane allows it...). See ya there?

 

[Matt Smith]

and so... what's the FINAL D4 Snare for power metal?
that's the dilemma....

On the clip I posted, the natural snare is mixed with a sample I made from Fat City and Rim Center from the D4, as well as the "Sad But True" snare and a couple of others. The sample sounds pretty good to me, but who knows.

 

[Matt Crooks]

Matt, I'll be there (assuming the hurricane allows it...). See ya there?

Yep, flying in Wednesday night.

 

[Matt Smith]

Andy, do you usually EQ snare to disk? I record everything flat. Maybe I should pick up a decent outboard EQ and try to further sculpt the snare sound on the way in (after I get the best possible mic placement, of course).

 

[Andy Sneap]

no I keep it flat

 

[Matt Smith]

Maybe I just suck, then.

Guess it's time to try some different mics (been using the 609 lately, seems to get a little more beef than a 57, but maybe I'll go back to 57) and snares. Thanks for your help.