Making Records with Eric Valentine - "Mixing Drums"

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of mixing drums, as demonstrated by Eric Valentine in his video featuring the song "Save Yourself" by Greg Holden. You'll learn specific techniques and settings to create a polished drum mix, enhancing the overall sound of your music production.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Drum Tracks

• Ensure all drum tracks are recorded and imported into your digital audio workstation (DAW).
• Organize your tracks by labeling them clearly (e.g., kick, snare, hi-hat, toms).
• Adjust the initial levels of each track to achieve a balanced mix before applying any effects.

Step 2: EQing the Kick Drum

• Use an equalizer (EQ) to carve out space for the kick drum in the mix.
• Focus on the following frequency adjustments:
  • Boost around 60-70 Hz for punch and low-end thump.
  • Cut around 300-400 Hz to reduce muddiness.
  • Optionally, add a slight boost at 3-5 kHz for attack and presence.

Step 3: Tuning the Snare Drum

• Check the tuning of the snare drum by listening for pitch and resonance.
• Use a pitch correction tool if necessary to ensure it fits well with the other instruments.
• Apply EQ to enhance the snare:
  • Boost around 200 Hz for body.
  • Cut around 500 Hz to minimize boxiness.
  • Boost at 5-7 kHz for brightness and snap.

Step 4: Adding Compression

• Apply compression to your kick and snare tracks to control dynamics and add sustain.
• For the kick:
  • Use a ratio of 4:1 and a medium attack setting.
  • Adjust the release to let the transient through.
• For the snare:
  • Use a slightly lower ratio (3:1).
  • Set a faster attack and release to maintain punch.

Step 5: Layering the Toms

• If using multiple toms, consider layering them for a fuller sound.
• EQ each tom track similarly to the snare, focusing on boosting the low end and cutting mids.
• Apply a gentle compression to control peaks without losing character.

Step 6: Processing Hi-Hats and Cymbals

• For hi-hats, apply a high-pass filter to remove unnecessary low frequencies.
• Use a slight boost around 8-10 kHz for clarity and brightness.
• Ensure the cymbals complement the overall drum mix without overpowering the other elements.

Step 7: Panning and Placement

• Pan your drum elements to create a sense of space:
  • Kick and snare should be centered.
  • Hi-hats can be panned slightly to one side.
  • Toms can be panned across the stereo field for a more dynamic sound.
• Listen to the mix in mono to ensure clarity and balance.

Step 8: Finalizing the Mix

• Once the individual tracks sound good, adjust the overall mix level.
• Apply a bus compressor to the drum mix to glue everything together.
• Use reverb sparingly on the snare and toms to add depth without washing out the sound.

Conclusion

Mixing drums effectively requires attention to detail and a good understanding of sound manipulation techniques. By following these steps, you'll enhance the clarity and impact of your drum tracks, leading to a more professional-sounding mix. As you gain experience, experiment with different settings and effects to develop your unique mixing style. Consider revisiting this tutorial with new projects to refine your skills further.