Sun Tze
08-21-06, 09:38 PM
copy pasted:
Secret Techniques for EQ'n Drumz
When it comes to equalizing your drums, don't mess around. The drums represent the heart of your mix & should be treated with respect. Below are some invaluable secrets from ModernBeats for EQ'n drums for Hip Hop:
1.Frequency Selection - If your serious about obtaining a clean and punchy sound for your drums, then you'll quickly learn you must be selective in the frequencies you should to boost and cut for each drum track. Most important to remember - Avoid accumulation of the same frequencies. Particularly, avoid over boosting low end frequencies. This will only muddy up your drums, as well as, mask other important tracks in the mix. Ensure your drum frequencies are even across the board!
2.Clean it Up - To achieve an overall punchier & cleaner mix, try cutting low end frequencies between 250 - 500hz on drum tracks such as kicks & toms. Cutting frequencies in this range will actually sharpen up drum tracks that sound too bold, harsh, & up-front. For punch, try adding 250 - 350hz into your snare & clap tracks. This will give more snap & body to the rhythm, as well as, balance out where your cut previously on your kick & tom tracks.
3.Adding Clarity - Cutting out the low frequencies from 100-200hz on cymbal & hi-hat tracks will add clarity while also allowing the other drum tracks that contain natural lows in those same ranges to come through in the mix. Also, boosting highs from 9khz - 12khz will add brilliance to cymbal tracks & boosting around 8khz will add crackle to your snare & clap tracks. If your not satisfied with the depth & feel on your kick tracks, then add a 4db boost at 40hz using a narrow Q of around 20. This will give the kick tracks the punch you're looking for. But ...don't forget...high pass your sub kick tracks from 34hz & below, canceling out unwanted low end rumble.
Secrets to EQ'n Bass for Hip Hop
As a Hip Hop Producer, one thing you must learn to respect is the power of bass and how it can control your entire mix for better or worse. So, for the benefit of your mixes, take note of these important tricks of the trade we reveal below:
1) Bass frequencies are omnidirectional. This means the lows within bass instruments contain alot of power and energy, so powerful they can control the overall output of the master mix level. Plus, your bass track should almost always be panned in the center. Panning your bass other than to the center is senseless as it will only generate a mix that is lopsided and artificially hot on one side.
2) Don't EQ your bass with the same frequencies as you used on your kicks. For example, if you boosted 40-80hz in your kick tracks, then boost around 120hz for your bass, or vice versa. It's very important to avoid accumulation of the same frequencies when dealing with lows as these tracks control the overall output level of your mix. By assigning different frequency settings to each low end track, your overall mix level can become louder.
3) Boosting a particular frequency on a kick track, calls for cutting the same frequency by the same amount on your bass track. Specifically, when boosting 80hz on a kick track, be certain to cut 80hz by the same amount on your bass track. Likewise, if you boosted 130hz on your bass track, cut by the same amount and frequency on your kick track. This secret technique will give your song a far more low end sculpted sound, allowing for a hotter overall mix.
Kick drum 0db +3 eq at 50 Hz +1 db at 3khz -3db 275 hz No FX except maybe subtle ambience You will tweak the kick again, this is just to get you going. In an instrumental piece, the kick is the first and last tweaked. It's got to be just right.
Tip: If using a live drummer, you need to stop the kick drum from resonating too much. A pillow inside the drum may help. If you have an excessively ringing kick drum, you can add a gate as an insert to damp it.
Snare -2 db eq to taste in the frequencies above 4khz. Add reverb if the song calls for it. Do the best you can to keep it out of the way of the vocal, even if you have to pan it a few degrees. Near the end of the mix you need to come back here to perfect it.
Lead Vocal 0db use a low cut filter to eliminate rumble and plosive pops around 100-200 hz. Carefully enhance the delicate high end around 15khz to add air and sheen and don't overdo it! This is the trickiest adjustment and may often spell hit or dud. Perfectly center the vocal and, if this is a stereo track, pan it not with pan controls, but with very subtle left/right hi freq eq's. Put on the cans (headphones) and make sure its in the absolute center of your forehead.. Every word must be intelligible. Add reverb and delays but don't let it get smeared. Before you print to tape or DAT or whatever, check the vocal any make those tiny adjustments that are needed.
Cool trick: Split the main vocal track to two seperate faders. Compress the main vocal and send the secondary, uncompressed vocal to a reverb unit. This way the reverb stays out of the way until the vocalist gets loud. Hey that's they way it works in real life.
Note: It is often quite wise to use mono tracks for vocals simply because they they will stay centered better than stereo tracks, and are impervious to phasing anomalies that may occur with stereo tracks.
Cymbals -25 db Avoid letting these get in the way of the vocals. Pan them to 2 o'clock and remember their main function is to add the glue to a track to hold the music together--they do not have to be loud or present. Think about how horrible they will sound on your girlfriend's or boyfriend's car stereo if you let then get too loud. Remember, loud cymbals can wreck a whole mix.
Tip: Never let the drummer in the control room, except under extreme sedation, unless you want all your mixes to sound like Led Zepplin.
Synth pads -20 db Do these in stereo and hard pan left and right with generous effects if needed. However, keep them in the back. Pads indeed are beautiful additions to a song but don't let them overshadow any of the main elements of the song. Yet for a sense of dimensionality, let these create a "landscape" the listener can walk on.
Cool trick--you want a really BIG Pad? Delay one side of the Left/Right by about 10-12 microseconds. You'll be hearing a landscape if you do it right. Don't let any engineer tell you these have to be mono. Make him earn his pay by fighting the phase issues. Wassat? All you do is do a mono check on the mix and make sure the stereo pad didn't disappear.
Bass -10 db maybe hotter Always front and center. If you use FX restrict yourself to chorusing or a light flange--no reverb. Note that the quality we associate with "good" music is a tight syncopation of kick drum and bass. If you hear any duff notes make sure you fix them.
Cool trick: Bass does not have to hit exactly on the kick drum. But it a wee bit after so the listener hears the kick 1st. Do microseconds count? Yep. Ears are really good at detecting even tiny, tiny delays in what we hear. Are there more secrets in the micro-timing domain? Yer catchin' on dude--good work!
Big Bad Tip: Keep the bass and kick out of the way by giving each a different EQ. If the kick peaks at 65 HZ make sure the bass peaks somewhere else. You can use a spectrum analyzer to see where the loudest frequencies are for each.
Rhythm guitar -15 db pan off center eq: use a low cut filter to get rid of any bass and add a mid range eq for a slight narrow boost, but make sure it is not competing with the vocalist's sweet spot.
Hot tip: Bass KILLS, remember that. Get rid of ANY bass frequencies you don't absolutely have to have. "B-b--b-ut" you sputter, "my guitar now thounds like thiiit" Want cheese with your whine? Try it, the mix will sound better. Kill all the upper bass mud you can on any instrument you can do it on. These muddy frequencies around 250-400HZ build up fast and are a sure sign of an inexperienced mixologist.
Percussion -20db- put these elements off center unless they are essential to to basic beat. EQ in a tasteful way if necessary. I shoot to get a little skin sound on the hand drums if possible.
It's tricky, don't add too much.
Secret Techniques for EQ'n Drumz
When it comes to equalizing your drums, don't mess around. The drums represent the heart of your mix & should be treated with respect. Below are some invaluable secrets from ModernBeats for EQ'n drums for Hip Hop:
1.Frequency Selection - If your serious about obtaining a clean and punchy sound for your drums, then you'll quickly learn you must be selective in the frequencies you should to boost and cut for each drum track. Most important to remember - Avoid accumulation of the same frequencies. Particularly, avoid over boosting low end frequencies. This will only muddy up your drums, as well as, mask other important tracks in the mix. Ensure your drum frequencies are even across the board!
2.Clean it Up - To achieve an overall punchier & cleaner mix, try cutting low end frequencies between 250 - 500hz on drum tracks such as kicks & toms. Cutting frequencies in this range will actually sharpen up drum tracks that sound too bold, harsh, & up-front. For punch, try adding 250 - 350hz into your snare & clap tracks. This will give more snap & body to the rhythm, as well as, balance out where your cut previously on your kick & tom tracks.
3.Adding Clarity - Cutting out the low frequencies from 100-200hz on cymbal & hi-hat tracks will add clarity while also allowing the other drum tracks that contain natural lows in those same ranges to come through in the mix. Also, boosting highs from 9khz - 12khz will add brilliance to cymbal tracks & boosting around 8khz will add crackle to your snare & clap tracks. If your not satisfied with the depth & feel on your kick tracks, then add a 4db boost at 40hz using a narrow Q of around 20. This will give the kick tracks the punch you're looking for. But ...don't forget...high pass your sub kick tracks from 34hz & below, canceling out unwanted low end rumble.
Secrets to EQ'n Bass for Hip Hop
As a Hip Hop Producer, one thing you must learn to respect is the power of bass and how it can control your entire mix for better or worse. So, for the benefit of your mixes, take note of these important tricks of the trade we reveal below:
1) Bass frequencies are omnidirectional. This means the lows within bass instruments contain alot of power and energy, so powerful they can control the overall output of the master mix level. Plus, your bass track should almost always be panned in the center. Panning your bass other than to the center is senseless as it will only generate a mix that is lopsided and artificially hot on one side.
2) Don't EQ your bass with the same frequencies as you used on your kicks. For example, if you boosted 40-80hz in your kick tracks, then boost around 120hz for your bass, or vice versa. It's very important to avoid accumulation of the same frequencies when dealing with lows as these tracks control the overall output level of your mix. By assigning different frequency settings to each low end track, your overall mix level can become louder.
3) Boosting a particular frequency on a kick track, calls for cutting the same frequency by the same amount on your bass track. Specifically, when boosting 80hz on a kick track, be certain to cut 80hz by the same amount on your bass track. Likewise, if you boosted 130hz on your bass track, cut by the same amount and frequency on your kick track. This secret technique will give your song a far more low end sculpted sound, allowing for a hotter overall mix.
Kick drum 0db +3 eq at 50 Hz +1 db at 3khz -3db 275 hz No FX except maybe subtle ambience You will tweak the kick again, this is just to get you going. In an instrumental piece, the kick is the first and last tweaked. It's got to be just right.
Tip: If using a live drummer, you need to stop the kick drum from resonating too much. A pillow inside the drum may help. If you have an excessively ringing kick drum, you can add a gate as an insert to damp it.
Snare -2 db eq to taste in the frequencies above 4khz. Add reverb if the song calls for it. Do the best you can to keep it out of the way of the vocal, even if you have to pan it a few degrees. Near the end of the mix you need to come back here to perfect it.
Lead Vocal 0db use a low cut filter to eliminate rumble and plosive pops around 100-200 hz. Carefully enhance the delicate high end around 15khz to add air and sheen and don't overdo it! This is the trickiest adjustment and may often spell hit or dud. Perfectly center the vocal and, if this is a stereo track, pan it not with pan controls, but with very subtle left/right hi freq eq's. Put on the cans (headphones) and make sure its in the absolute center of your forehead.. Every word must be intelligible. Add reverb and delays but don't let it get smeared. Before you print to tape or DAT or whatever, check the vocal any make those tiny adjustments that are needed.
Cool trick: Split the main vocal track to two seperate faders. Compress the main vocal and send the secondary, uncompressed vocal to a reverb unit. This way the reverb stays out of the way until the vocalist gets loud. Hey that's they way it works in real life.
Note: It is often quite wise to use mono tracks for vocals simply because they they will stay centered better than stereo tracks, and are impervious to phasing anomalies that may occur with stereo tracks.
Cymbals -25 db Avoid letting these get in the way of the vocals. Pan them to 2 o'clock and remember their main function is to add the glue to a track to hold the music together--they do not have to be loud or present. Think about how horrible they will sound on your girlfriend's or boyfriend's car stereo if you let then get too loud. Remember, loud cymbals can wreck a whole mix.
Tip: Never let the drummer in the control room, except under extreme sedation, unless you want all your mixes to sound like Led Zepplin.
Synth pads -20 db Do these in stereo and hard pan left and right with generous effects if needed. However, keep them in the back. Pads indeed are beautiful additions to a song but don't let them overshadow any of the main elements of the song. Yet for a sense of dimensionality, let these create a "landscape" the listener can walk on.
Cool trick--you want a really BIG Pad? Delay one side of the Left/Right by about 10-12 microseconds. You'll be hearing a landscape if you do it right. Don't let any engineer tell you these have to be mono. Make him earn his pay by fighting the phase issues. Wassat? All you do is do a mono check on the mix and make sure the stereo pad didn't disappear.
Bass -10 db maybe hotter Always front and center. If you use FX restrict yourself to chorusing or a light flange--no reverb. Note that the quality we associate with "good" music is a tight syncopation of kick drum and bass. If you hear any duff notes make sure you fix them.
Cool trick: Bass does not have to hit exactly on the kick drum. But it a wee bit after so the listener hears the kick 1st. Do microseconds count? Yep. Ears are really good at detecting even tiny, tiny delays in what we hear. Are there more secrets in the micro-timing domain? Yer catchin' on dude--good work!
Big Bad Tip: Keep the bass and kick out of the way by giving each a different EQ. If the kick peaks at 65 HZ make sure the bass peaks somewhere else. You can use a spectrum analyzer to see where the loudest frequencies are for each.
Rhythm guitar -15 db pan off center eq: use a low cut filter to get rid of any bass and add a mid range eq for a slight narrow boost, but make sure it is not competing with the vocalist's sweet spot.
Hot tip: Bass KILLS, remember that. Get rid of ANY bass frequencies you don't absolutely have to have. "B-b--b-ut" you sputter, "my guitar now thounds like thiiit" Want cheese with your whine? Try it, the mix will sound better. Kill all the upper bass mud you can on any instrument you can do it on. These muddy frequencies around 250-400HZ build up fast and are a sure sign of an inexperienced mixologist.
Percussion -20db- put these elements off center unless they are essential to to basic beat. EQ in a tasteful way if necessary. I shoot to get a little skin sound on the hand drums if possible.
It's tricky, don't add too much.