Drum Plugin Advice...

[MDslammer]

Hi Guys,

Howzit going. So I've been using a plugin called the"De-Bleeder" on my drums to isolate leakage. However, I'm not diggin' the sound of my drums with this plugin.

What are you guys using for the drums to isolate leakage from the other drums mics?

Thank guys.
Mark

[forumuser824818]

Give the Sonnox drum gate a try - There’s a good demo period and it’s ever so versatile

I work with electronic drums and find uses for it very frequently

[yeroc]

Hi Mark!

IMO, embrace and keep the leak. More often than not this is the way.

In most DAWs it’s fairly trivial to supplement samples for kick and snare if you need some extra ‘isolated’ power.

To minimize the leak, simple low pass/high pass filters can go a long way depending on the source.

If you absolutely need to erase the leak, there are a fair number of nice modern gate options. Though I reckon by the time you tinker with gates and get them all set up, you just might prefer keeping the leak and strategically minimizing it in particular areas.

[amanise]

I've just switched over from using raw 808 samples to EZD3 and am enjoying the leakage provided by it's ambience and overhead mic tracks. I agree with embracing the leak! What I'm doing to get extra punch is rendering solo kick and solo snare tracks and using those to trigger ducking on things casting frequency shadows over them. The old ways still have a place. There's nothing quite like good old leaky drums

[Sam Spoons]

All those great drum recordings from the '60s and '70s were made without the benefit of plug-ins to kill the spill. I guess it's genre dependent to a degree but getting the sound right at source is always going to be preferable to processing a less than optimum sound.

[The Elf]

As others have said - stop de-bleeding! You're killing the nature of what makes a mic'd drum kit sound like a mic'd drum kit.

[James Perrett]

If you are finding bleed to be an issue then maybe take a look at your playing technique. The most common issue is drummers who hit the hi-hat too hard which means that the hi hat is all over the snare mic too.

One useful technique is to use the overheads for the overall drum sound and then use other mics to supplement the overhead sound.

[PedroTheThird]

Lowpass/highpass filters, single/multi-band noise gates and spectral noise gates (like ReaFIR), often combined with each one only doing a little bit. I never aim at removing bleeding entirely though because that sounds awful, it's more about toning it down and smoothing it so it becomes more diffuse.

[MDslammer]

Hi Mark!

IMO, embrace and keep the leak. More often than not this is the way.

In most DAWs it’s fairly trivial to supplement samples for kick and snare if you need some extra ‘isolated’ power.

To minimize the leak, simple low pass/high pass filters can go a long way depending on the source.

If you absolutely need to erase the leak, there are a fair number of nice modern gate options. Though I reckon by the time you tinker with gates and get them all set up, you just might prefer keeping the leak and strategically minimizing it in particular areas.

I've dealt with leakage for years. While it's part of the instrument, technology has evolved with plugins made specifically for this. I'm just looking for another proven tool people have used. Thanks for the reply.

[MDslammer]

All those great drum recordings from the '60s and '70s were made without the benefit of plug-ins to kill the spill. I guess it's genre dependent to a degree but getting the sound right at source is always going to be preferable to processing a less than optimum sound.

I agree Sam. I grew up with music from those eras. But, fast forward 50 years, and the whole industry has changed. Not always for the better, but most has been.
As I said earlier, I'm just looking for a new tool that guys have used with positive results for what I'm looking for. Appreciate your input.

[MDslammer]

If you are finding bleed to be an issue then maybe take a look at your playing technique. The most common issue is drummers who hit the hi-hat too hard which means that the hi hat is all over the snare mic too.

One useful technique is to use the overheads for the overall drum sound and then use other mics to supplement the overhead sound.

Well James, I have been playing for 62 years now, I do not believe it's my technique.
The music being recorded it NOT based upon the traditional "rock/funk" etc. mapped out on the Hi-Hat with 8th notes...

Jazz, Brazilian, Cuban etc. relies on specific rhythmic notes articulately being played on the HH. And I'm certainly not going to change now after a successful 57 year career.
However, I liken it my lack of knowledge with today's tools specified for what I'm asking.

I get what you're saying about the overall drum mix for the sound, but I'm looking to have other options for what I'm trying to achieve. If you have had any success with what my question is, I would appreciate you sharing it with me. Thanks for taking the time to post.

[MDslammer]

Thanks to all who took time to help out with your suggestions. All good.
Mark

[tea for two]

Well James, I have been playing for 62 years now, I do not believe it's my technique.
The music being recorded it NOT based upon the traditional "rock/funk" etc. mapped out on the Hi-Hat with 8th notes...

Jazz, Brazilian, Cuban etc. relies on specific rhythmic notes articulately being played on the HH. And I'm certainly not going to change now after a successful 57 year career.
However, I liken it my lack of knowledge with today's tools specified for what I'm asking.

Made me chortle.
JP James Perrett is too modest to say he is quite the percussionist tasteful too I think you two would be two peas in a pod.

Howzit going.

I think this sounded as some teen hotshot probably reason for responses.
I also say things as Howzit in texts.
Reckon from outset you'd written 57 year career playing Jazz, Brazilian, Cuban then the responses would been accordingly.

[James Perrett]

Jazz, Brazilian, Cuban etc. relies on specific rhythmic notes articulately being played on the HH. And I'm certainly not going to change now after a successful 57 year career.

Maybe post some examples of what you can achieve now and examples of commercial recordings that you would like to emulate. So much of this is a matter of taste.

I would also add that, having recently had the opportunity to mix some recordings made by a world class drummer, I would say that there is actually quite a difference between a competent professional standard drummer and someone at the top of their game. Maybe not something that would be noticed by the average listener but it contributes to the overall feel of the recording.

[OneWorld]

Well, you could always record the snare, record the kick, record the cowbell, record the hihat etc............job done

I don't have much experience with percussion, but I once played the triangle in a reggae band, I would just stand at the back n'ting