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Thread fatten those drums

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nihility0000

AFfable Poster

First post

1 Posted on 03/11/2004 at 18:39:29

Ok so I have been experimenting with mic'ing drums for the last couple of weeks and am now getting a pretty decent recording. But there is still no fatness to them. I have my split up the drums to where I have the kick on an independent track and like wise with the snare. All of the toms and cymbals I have panned out on a stereo track as well. I have my eq settings down as well as my reverb. Although it still lacks that fatness. I put a phaser on the mix to widen the stereo image and that helps. I am starting to get frustrated. I have also tried numerous compression settings but is still lacking. I know there has got to be something I am missing. Please help me out.

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revrb

AFfinity Poster

2 Posted on 03/11/2004 at 20:03:47

you haveyour EQ settings DOWN as in DOWN? or as in flat with no boost or reduction?

nihility0000

AFfable Poster

3 Posted on 03/12/2004 at 04:27:34

DOWN as in got them set as best as i could.i doubt it is in the eq, although i wish it were that simple.

revrb

AFfinity Poster

4 Posted on 03/12/2004 at 12:29:00

perhaps what youre lacking IS reverb...unless youre looking for a particularly dry sound, reverb would add some depth to it...FATNESS? maybe

nihility0000

AFfable Poster

5 Posted on 03/12/2004 at 16:56:47

i have tried different reverb settings as well. maybe i am just expecting too much.

revrb

AFfinity Poster

6 Posted on 03/12/2004 at 20:49:20

well maybe not, what speakers do you listen to your recordings on?

do you have studio monitor speakers? or are you listening on your computer speakers?

youll get a better representation of the actual sound on "flat" speakers as opposed to commercial household speakers/computer speakers...

nihility0000

AFfable Poster

7 Posted on 03/13/2004 at 07:28:55

no they are not cumputer speakers. it a monitoring system by fostex. they actually sound really good. its got a sub with it so it takes a while to get it configured right but very good sound. i am actually starting to think it is my mics. i use a shure pg series drum kit with a sm57 on the snare. i am thinking about buying a good large diaphram condenser for an over head. any suggestions?

boxdrummer

New AFfiliate

8 Posted on 03/17/2004 at 19:54:41

I use a shure pg kit as well, and my drums are huge in the mix. I also use an Audio Technica LDC for an overhead. But its ONLY for the room and cymbals. when i isolate that track, its reeeeeal thin. Are you track recording them, or recording onto a stereo track through a board?

nihility0000

AFfable Poster

9 Posted on 03/18/2004 at 04:58:39

hey,
i give the snare and the kick thier own track and i put toms and cymbals on a stereo track. they sound pretty bad before eq and phasing.
maybe im not placing my mics right. how do you usually place your kick drum and snare mics?

Bowisc

New AFfiliate

10 Posted on 03/19/2004 at 05:10:24

I'm surprised no one's suggested this. Tuning, and your room's response.

But FIRST, I would see if the drums need to be re-tuned. Do they sound "fat" already, in your room? How do they sound in your room? You can EQ to your heart's delight, but if it ain't there to begin with, you can do more damage than good.

Most of the time, drum issues are often caused by bad acoustics, improper tuning, poor playing skills, mic-technique--- in this order. So check along these lines first.

What mics are you using?

What exactly do you mean by "fatness"? Thick-sounding? "tuby sounding" ? "Power/punch"??

Usually "fatness" falls in the area of 200-800Khz. Once you've worked through the initial trouble-shooting I outlined above, then you can try subtractive EQ treatment.

Best of luck!

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