The main goal when mixing drums in pop/rock is usually to create a larger than life drum sound that is clear and defined while retaining warmth and punch. True, much of the end result is dependent on the performance of the drummer but there are many techniques you can employ on the individual tracks, the sub-groups, and finally the master group to sculpt and glue the sounds together into one powerful unit. Two of these techniques are EQ and compression and this issue’s column discusses the former.
Equalization is most definitely the first tool engineers reach for when attempting to correct inconsistencies in the spectrum of a recording, and it is the oldest form of signal processing we have. For this reason its methods of use are varied, opening the concept up to extreme speculation and misinterpretation.
The main purpose of EQ is to even out (equalize) any spectral inconsistencies that may have made their way into a recording as a result of any number of factors, including a troublesome room, a bad instrument, mic response, frequency build up, and so on. It is also used as a tone shaping tool to gently boost or cut certain frequency ranges to achieve an overall “sound’. I have two words that I use to describe these two processes, the former being “surgical’, and the latter “topical’. I generally apply surgical EQ at the track level and topical, tone-shaping EQ at the group and master bus level, although there are exceptions, such as mono tracks that are bussed straight to the master bus and are not grouped.
In an ideal world every recording would be perfect and require no EQ. Indeed, this is what we should be striving for when recording and why the idea of getting the best possible sound you can at the source is the golden rule.
If you think about it, microphones, their position, the room, and even the instrument itself are forms of EQ. Each microphone has its own specific frequency response. Where you place it affects that response. How you play and setup the drums (drum heads, beater material, dampening, etc) affects the resulting tone as does the kind of wood they’re made from. Furthermore, each room sounds different and has a unique response, further affecting the recorded sound. Being aware of these factors during the recording process and using them to your advantage will achieve better sounding results, naturally, than even the best EQ.
That being said, it is still common, especially in modern pop/rock, to hear quite extreme EQ to tailor the sound. I am certainly not against it if that’s what it takes to achieve your desired results and genres like heavy metal would not be the same without it. However, I would still always stress to not EQ unnecessarily and to aim to achieve the desired sound from the onset. Am I sounding like a broken record yet?
When it comes to drums, I always start as a reference for EQ with the overheads. Many times EQ is not required so I do not use any because I use my best mics for the job in a well thought out position. If EQ is required I will generally reach for a UAD Pultec EQP1a, inserted into the overheads group bus. I will then pay attention to the frequency balance between the kick drum and the rest of the kit with particular attention to any low end issues that might be a nuisance. I will also pay attention to the upper midrange to make sure that it’s not strident. The Pultec EQP1a is great for this because you can make quite heavy-handed adjustments without affecting the sound negatively. It also has a few tricks to it whereby you can smooth out these areas by cutting and boosting within the same band. With the absence of an EQ plot graph, you’ll have to use your ears!
Once I’ve got the overheads sounding how I want them to, I’ll add the kick and blend it to taste. In modern pop/rock the kick drum is generally quite loud, punchy and present. This may be how your original recording already sounds when you bring up the fader so leaving it alone in that circumstance might be the best option. However, typically a generous helping of EQ is often employed to achieve the desired tone. In that course, attention is given to the attack portion of the spectrum from 2.5 kHz up to about 8 kHz, the lower mid-rage boxy zones from approx. 200 Hz to 600 Hz, and the low end from 150 Hz and below. These figures are always approximates because all processing decisions are subjective to the source and your ears. I generally find myself boosting the attack quite considerably (+6 dBs or more) and cutting the lower midrange to “scoop’ out troublesome and boxy sounding mids. Some mics have a naturally “tailored’ response to supply that sound so sometimes a cut in the midrange is not always necessary. I generally leave the low end how it is at this point because later on it will have to be auditioned in relation to the bass guitar for the obvious reason that they occupy similar frequency ranges.
Next I’ll add the snare drum to the mix and balance it with the rest of the kit until it blends the way I want it to. I, personally, like a really upfront kick and snare relationship. It really bothers me if I can’t hear the snare drum at any point in the song so I take great pains to make sure the snare is tight, punchy and crisp with a well-tailored attack. Generally, I’ll add some air at about 10kHz and attenuate any troublesome resonances and inconsistencies in the lower mid-range. In the past I would also boost the attack in the 2.5kHz region but these days I’d rather employ a plugin by Steinberg called the Envelope Shaper (originally created by SPL as the transient designer) to boost the attack portion of the waveform. I find its effects much smoother and more natural than excessive EQ and it keeps the transient from being buried when applying compression.
Next I’ll bring up the toms and examine each track for bleed because any change in EQ you make will affect the bleed as well. If there is excessive low end rumble, which is common on tom tracks, I will trim it out with a gradually sloped HPF4 in the sub regions of the 1st and 2nd toms. The floor tom usually benefits from a full low end so I’ll make a decision as to whether it will be detrimental to the sound to trim the rumble out and whether I can live with it. Tom mics often benefit from gentle mid-range attenuation to filter out the ringing frequencies and to emphasize their fullness and attack. Once again, it is quite possible to achieve this in the recording phase using the console EQ so this is a decision you must take based on the material at hand.
Generally I am happy to use the track EQs within my DAW for individual track EQ but there are a number of plugins, commercial and free, that I employ to get the job done as well. These include the Waves Renaissance series, Bootsy’s Nasty series (freeware), UAD Cambridge, UAD Neve bundle and the Antress Modern series (freeware). There are a million other options from companies such as PSP, McDSP, Stillwell, DDMF, and so on, but when it comes to plugins, it is generally best practice to use a few good specimens you know well rather than plaster plugins all over every track indiscriminately.
To recap, here are a few general frequency ranges related to drums:
• Kick – HPF, 30 – 80Hz; fullness, 60Hz – 120Hz; boxiness, 300 – 600 Hz; attack, 2.5 – 5kHz; air, 8kHz +
• Snare – HPFLS, 75 – 100Hz (24dB/Oct or more if possible), fullness, 100 – 240 Hz; boxiness, 400 – 1000Hz; attack, 2.5 – 5kHz; air, 10kHz +
• Hi hat – HPF, 200 – 600 Hz, harshness/nasal 1.6 – 2.4 kHz; sheen 6kHz+
• Toms – HPF, 60 – 100 Hz; fullness 80 – 120 Hz; boxiness, 300 – 600 Hz; attack 5 – 8kHz
• Overheads – HPF 30 – 75Hz; nasalness, 1.2 – 2.2kHz; sheen, 6kHz +; air, 12kHz +
