Mixing Drums

 Snare
o Gate/Strip Silence
o EQ
 7kHz-ish – Boost
 2.8-3.2 kHz-ish – Boost
 150Hz – Boost
 100 Hz shelf – Boost for Body
o Compression
 Kick & Kick Sub
o EQ
 Highpass
 60Hz – boost for more life
 100Hz – cut for space for Bass
 300-400Hz – cut “ugly” frequencies
 2.5kHz – boost for more aggressiveness
o Gate – To take out other noises from bleed
o Compression – To even out attacks
 Hi-Hat
o EQ
 Highpass around 700Hz
 4kHz – boost for “definition”
 8k-12kHz – boost for “clarity and brightness”
  7kHz – don’t boost – harsh frequency
o De-esser
 Toms
o EQ
 Fundamental – Find & Cut
 350Hz – Cut
 1kHz – Cut - “Mud/Boxy” frequencies
 10kHz – Boost for Presence
o Limiter – Control Transients
o Compression
 Overheads
o Highpass at 150Hz – gives room for Kick
o 350Hz – Cut
o 4k-5kHz – boost for cymbal brightness
 Crash
o Cut frequency where “wash” occurs
 Room
o EQ – EQ to what part of drum set you want to come out more
 i.e., Cut higher frequencies to have Low Tom and Kick
come out more in Room Mics
 Misc.
o Parallel Compression
 Normal Release, High Ratio and Threshold
o Saturation Bus
o Reverb Bus – w/EQ after

2
 o Phase – Check if correct
o Cut bad frequencies
o Bus All Similar Tracks
 Compression
 EQ
o Snare Reverb
 Stereo Reverb on Snare bus
 Decay little less than 1 second
o Thicker Snare/Kick
 Quick Release, Normal Ratio, Threshold Up
 Sweetwater EQ
o Kick & Toms – Cut 350hz
o Top Snare – Cut 200hz
o Hi Hat & Bottom Snare – Hi-Pass at 150hz
o Overheads – 350hz cut 6db and Hi-Pass at 100hz