Eq settings for drum mixing

[FinnJ]

hi does anyone have any drum eq secrets and reverb patches they would like to share, im currently mixing a rock track but im having problems getting the drums to sound great

also does anyone have any favoured reverb setting for vox
thanks
john

[email protected]

[dodo]

Try this.. If you are having a tough time getting a good sound flip the phase on the Toms or Oh's and see if it helps. A lot of times there are phase problems. Try this too when you have problems hearing the kick and bass.

[albee1952]

Good advice from dodo. EQ and verb are really on an as-needed basis and telling you what to do here would be like coloring by numbers. Instead let me give you general EQ advice: solo each track and sweep a narrow(half-octave to start) parametric filter around and listen for anything "ugly-sounding" to jump out. Put a cut on that frequency area. This is called "subtractive eq" and should done before boosting anything(as you may not need to afterwards). This assumes you are very familiar with your monitors. As to drum verb, my best advice is to let the decay time follow the song. Faster songs use shorter verbs like 1.2 to 1.5 seconds and little to no predelay0-30ms). A ballad may go to 2.5-3.2 seconds with predelay added(how much depends on the tempo and how dramatic you want it so experiment with 90ms all the way up to 200ms). Again, don't color by numbers but listen to your favorite recordings as some use little to no verb, maybe just some ambience. If you have a great sounding room, room mics may give you all you need. Most of us don't have a big room, so plugin verbs save the day(or hardware verbs too)

[dodo]

Toms almost always bad freqs, rings, hums, etc. You will need to pull those out.

[Naagzh]

Here's where I start.

Kick: Boost around 60 Hz, cut around 500 Hz, maybe a boost up top.

Snare: Cut around 500 Hz, maybe a boost up top. Totallly depends on the track.

Snare Reverb: I usually go for a "room" verb first, instead of a plate. Often I'll cut the high end with an EQ if it sounds too "hissy".

Toms: Cut around 400 Hz, boost around 100 Hz.

Overheads: Compress lightly, roll off below 100 Hz, maybe boost the high end.

Room mics: compress generously, same ol' cut around 500 Hz.

Good luck!

[Carl Fuehrer]

EQ Primer

[doylemusic]

EQ Primer

Thanks Carl, this is very good info.