RCF spa
M 18 Digital Mixer User’s Manual
46
DRUMS
Gate and Compressor are processors heavily used on drums and percussions.
Among the various Equalizer options, the Vintage Type is for sure the most recommended if we are looking
for a sound shape with character. The Standard Equalizer Type is still the first choice for surgical
corrections and for transparent shaping. The Smooth Equalizer Type is for sure the best choice for soft
sounds.
Here are some examples and tips for each part of the drum kit.
KICK
EQ
COMP
GATE
HPF: OFF > 50Hz
Body: 50Hz>150Hz
Resonance (Cut) : 180>400Hz
Attack: 4>8 KHz
Attack: Med-Slow
Release: Med-Fast
Ratio: 4:1>8:1
Attack: 1msec
Hold: 80msec
Release: 50msec
Range: 15 > 50 dB
TIP: The Kick is an instrument that, due to its low end, takes a big part of the RMS level, so it’s very
important to define the frequency range where it will stay in relation to the bass guitar.
Generally a good starting point for optimizing the low end range is to avoid boosting the same frequencies
on both the instruments, trying to create some relations between kick and bass, where the kick wraps the
bass and the opposite avoiding – when possible – to overlap frequency ranges.
SNARE
EQ
COMP
HPF: 50 > 250 Hz
Body: 150Hz>250Hz
Resonance (Cut) : 200>400Hz
Attack: 5>8 KHz
Air: 10>12 KHz
Attack: Med-Slow
Release: Med-Fast
Ratio: 4:1>8:1
TIP: Usually the Snare Drum is miked with two microphones (top and bottom). Sometimes it’s necessary to
invert the phase on one of them, especially is the microphone are positioned almost at 180°.
How can you quickly determine if phase shift is necessary?
Take a listen to the two channels in solo and shift the phase of one (generally the bottom); if you hear the
low end increasing, then it would be better to keep the phase inverted, because some phase cancellation is
occurring in absence of phase shift.