Corrective EQ for Drums

Delve into the art of EQ’ing drums with Trey Smith. He guides you through his approach to building a mix, emphasizing the importance of EQ in crafting the ideal drum sound. From kick to snare, and hi-hat to toms, each part is carefully adjusted to fit in the mix. Your first EQ adjustments serve as the base for further improvements with compression and gating. Key Points: Starting the mix with EQ adjustments on drums lays a solid foundation. It begins with the kick and moves through snare, hi-hat, and toms. The starting EQ setting for each drum part is critical. It focuses on removing bad frequencies while keeping the drum's character. Using high-pass and low-pass filters on the kick drum helps clean up the low end. It also narrows the frequency range to emphasize in the mix. You must find and cut low-mid frequencies. They make the kick drum sound muddy. This is key for clarity and for it to blend with the bass and other instruments. You balance the top and bottom mic inputs to EQ the snare drum. This gets the crack and body you want, without spoiling the drum's natural sound. Overheads capture cymbals. They also show the whole drum kit. They make the mix lively and deep. Managing the EQ for toms requires careful thought. You must consider their role in the mix. You should ensure they help without overpowering. Challenges, like non-standard drum setups, involve unique features. For example, a kick drum without a kick hole and unusual tom sounds. They need specific EQ and processing techniques. These make them fit well into the mix. You may need to revisit the EQ settings when new mix elements are added. This shows that mixing is dynamic and iterative.