From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Getting the correct drum mix balance

Getting the correct drum mix balance

From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Getting the correct drum mix balance

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Once you've gotten the sound of the individual drums it's time to listen to the total kit and get a mix together. There are several schools of thought in terms of which drums to start the drum mix from, but we'll start with what's probably the standard, the kick drum. Wherever you start from, the idea is to blend all the different drum mics into a cohesive single drum sound. Stand about 6 feet in front of the kit and listen while the drummer plays a song your about to record and take note of the balance of the kit. Playing the song is important, because it will give you a true idea of how everything will sound later. (music playing) Now that you have an idea what the drum sound like in the room, go back in the control room and turn your monitor control up to a moderate level. Now raise the level of the kick drum until it reads about -10 dB on the master mix bus meter. (music playing) Raise the level of the snare until it's about the same relative volume level, which might not be the…

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