Tuning a kick drum sample

[AntonioPetrole]

Hey guys I have a question. If you are mixing a band, lets say a deathcore band for the sake of explaining this in a simple manner, and they place in drop C, do you guys tune the kick drum to the open C note? This idea just came into my head and I don't know why I have never thought of it before. Does this make any sense? I feel like that it would clear up so much muddy interference from the kick drum.

Also, if you do this, what is the best way to adjust the pitch on a sample? Pitch shifting I would imagine would create artifacts and lose the natural state of a kick drum.

 

[amarshism]

Plenty of people tune drums to the key of the song. Sometimes you can even get a note to register on a tuner.

 

[Top Ground Studios]

I was just about to post a thread about the same exact thing! Not only am i wondering about tuning it, but boosting also. Sometimes people use harmonic exciters with bass drops and they add to the frequency of the note thats being played. I was wondering if this also applies to kick drums. I know people do it different and they boost the same areas regardless of the tuning. I was just curious on what would be more effective. But sorry if i was hijacking ur thread lol im in the same boat as you man.

 

[Charles J]

i use pitchshifting DIFFERENT samples all the time, more for using the phase as EQ but also so sit the kick in a register that sounds best to my ear.

i don't consciously think of what the band is tuned to and try to exactly MATCH that key, but I get it in the ballpark to where it FITS to my ear... =D

vague but as always, use your ear. maybe get it dead on then fuck with it

 

[bassguy]

I saw a video interview with a guy who recorded a few of AC/DC's albums and he said he always tunes the drums to the key of the song, especially the toms.
I've never bothered myself but I bet everything just sits together a lot better.

I do also do what Charles mentioned though, if I'm using say one snare sample and the natural snare, I'll pitch shift the sample so it's the same pitch as the actual snare

 

[Charles J]

I do also do what Charles mentioned though, if I'm using say one snare sample and the natural snare, I'll pitch shift the sample so it's the same pitch as the actual snare

it's also sometimes amazing to pitch the sample WAY DOWN from the natural snare and blend that with some other snares tuned similar to the natural... or like a low/mid/matching original snare/high thing going on

i like doing that a lot and then just have a phase flip fest and find out which combo best matches what i hear in my head

 

[XxSicRokerxX]

I may be wrong about this but doesn't every note in the spectrum carry a certain frequency (same vice versa)? For example lets say that 700 hz is F, if 700hz is spiked than the most dominant tuning of that sample would be F. According to ReaEQ if I boost 700hz I am therefore boosting F5. A tuner perhaps picks up the most dominant spike? Perhaps a pitchshifter isn't even needed. Just a boost on the right frequency.

 

[Trevoire520]

No. The ears perception of pitch is caused by the space between the harmonics present in the sound. Boosting a certain frequency will not cause the note to change.