Drums very powerful-Help

[14choirs]

Hello, would you share with me
a way to make the drums sound very powerful?
I heard a song ( Steve Green "God and God Alone" )
and I love the way the drums sounds.
The snare is like a thunder and the toms too.
Thank you for your input and I really appreciate it.

[Naagzh]

Oh man, big 80s arena-rock snare drum (check out "Pyromania" by Def Leppard). The drums definitely sound like samples, but this sound can be created with a real snare by first tuning the heads down to a medium/low tension (a Remo Emperor X head is a good choice here), loosen the snares wires a bit, and using some muffling around the edges of the head to decrease overtones and ringing. It's important the drummer play the head EXACTLY in the center (I trace the outling of a coin in the middle of the head so the drummer has something to aim for).

Now here's the trick: "print" a 2nd snare (I use both the top and bottom snare mic's) onto a 2nd snare audio track. Use Audiosuite to pitch-shift the track down by an octave without changing the length of the region. If it sounds a little crappy, that's OK, because we're going to fix that. Use a gate to get rid of the sound between hits (we don't need this, and any bleed will be pitched down and sound weird). Make sure the gate doesn't close too rapidly. The hits should have smooth but quick decays. Use an EQ a get rid of the low-lows (~45 Hz) and the high-highs (~16kHz). Also EQ out any ugly midrage around 350 Hz. Now, sneak this track back in with your original snare track for some deep snare lovin'.

You can of course just pitch shift a sample, if that's what you're using.

And then, of course, the reverb: one reverb for the snare tracks, a reverb on the overheads, maybe a different reverb for the toms. Maybe a very subtle 8th note delay for the snare and cross-sticks. Use aux sends; don't insert reverb plugs directly on the tracks. Probably record in a very dry and dampened room or drum booth, if you don't want samples.

[Stiff]

I didn't listen to the song, but from Naagzh post I gather it's the 80s sound. He has very useful tips there, I'd just want to add one thing: send the snare reverb through another reverb, or send it first through a slap delay and then into a reverb, I use this sometimes for a more "huge" feel.

[14choirs]

Thank you for your input guys.
I'm using now digidesign STRIKE.
I think i will have to print the drums to an audio track
to do what you recommend.
My problem now is that when I record audio from strike
the result is that I have a very low level audio file on the track.

I will search the duc about this matter.

Thanks again both of you.

[filosofem]

I record audio from strike the result is that I have a very low level audio file on the track.

Raise the Strike - Mix page faders.

Also, you might like Pro Tools Tips and Tricks with Kenny Gioia ...these are very good, I seen them before they went to Groovebox.







filosofem