Kick Drum EQ?

[woods]

Looking for recomendations for a good outboard EQ for kick drum?

[RedWallStudio]

Not sure what the rest of your audio chain is.. but here is mine.

EV-RE 20 > API 312-c > API 550a > Tape or PT.

I'll use a distressor or a DBX 165a on the kick occassionally.. but not during tracking, just on mix.

The 550a is great, very little tweaking to get right sounding "punch" to the kick

[TheSweetener]

I really like my ADT EQs for kick + snaredrum. It's not that they have a distinct colour or fingerprint, it's just very easy to dial them in. A few weeks ago one of them had a hum and distortion problem (dunno what it was, has been repared) during a mix, I tried to "copy" the EQ settings to some EQ plugins. The first thing I noticed was that I needed much more amount of gain to get a similar result. But eventhough I really tried hard, it took me a very long time to get a pleasing result digitally, which still sounded quite differently.

Summary: The cool thing about these EQs is that you can work quickly!thumbsup

[Solunaris]

MD421/D6->Wunder PAFour->Focusrite Red 3->API 550a->AD16X
sounds niiiice.

[MAProTulz]

Are you kidding me? Grab an EQ and tweak it till you hear what you like. It's like mic preamps, anything decent will get the job done. Some have better controls for doing specific jobs, but really....grab one, try it, and if it doesn't do what you like, get a different one.

[woods]

Only EQ I have is UREI 546 dual parametric. Anybody ever used that for kick?

[Musiclab]

Amek 9098 is a pretty amazing eq for that app, if you can't dial in a sound with that, you can't.

[thenoiseflower]

Originally Posted by MAProTulz

Are you kidding me? Grab an EQ and tweak it till you hear what you like. It's like mic preamps, anything decent will get the job done. Some have better controls for doing specific jobs, but really....grab one, try it, and if it doesn't do what you like, get a different one.

this is really helpful which one dude?
he is looking for a good eq for kick, Id check the 550a/b

[kittonian]

API 560 is the way to go for kick & bass. 550A's are great on guitars, snare, etc. Just my 2 cents.

[TanTan]

for recordings i'm mainly using Neve 1064\1073 for boosting low shelf and high mid and another eq for cutting (200-500hz) , for mixing GML\Sontec is great

[GYang]

I tried several EQs on kick, LilFreq, Great River, Speck, all can do job fine.
If I need more, nothing can beat CLM Dynamics Expounder, both on kick and bass guitar this EQ is kick ass, really.

[True North]

I know this isn't about Plugins but........... if you do use a DAW you should really try Multiband compression on a kick.

Tube Tech does make a multiband compressor if you really wanted to give a hardware version of Multiband compression a whirl. I have never used it but you might want to approach your local pimp about a test drive

[woods]

What do you use EQ on the kick for? I mean can you describe the before and after in terms of the kick sound?

[drBill]

Another for API 550A's. B's work well also.

[audioez]

Originally Posted by drBill

Another for API 550A's. B's work well also.

550A more useful in broadcast applications where you need to carve a turkey . While the 550b works nice in the studio with it's subtle sound, doesn't alow you to blow it during tracking sessions, more like a butter knife.

[absrec]

I like my Avedis E15 or my Daking 52270 on kick. I have a pretty intense chain for kick drum, though. I usually use a couple mics and eq heavily to achieve the rediculous WOLLUP that I tend to go after. Phase becomes your friend when doing this. That being said, I wouldn't hesitate to put a 550a/b on one, either. I just don't own one.

-Aaron

[thethrillfactor]

No one EQ does it on its own.

For a basic thing the SSL Black E EQ.

[woods]

Can an EQ on kick help to get a better punch and that defined snap or edge with a good bottom that cuts through without sounding flabby or wonky or ..... just bad.

What do you use EQ on the kick for? I mean can you describe the before and after in terms of the kick sound?

I also have access to an Avalon 737. Would that be useable for kick eq?

[aussie_techie]

tune the drum get the right mic and put it in the right place and you will hardly need to EQ it

[superburtm]

api 560 all the fricking way

[raal]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

No one EQ does it on its own.

correct. can't believe no on has suggested a Pultec EQP1A or EQH2.

[absrec]

Originally Posted by aussie_techie

tune the drum get the right mic and put it in the right place and you will hardly need to EQ it

Sorry, but I can't stand when people say this. You will need eq. Yes, you must have something good to start with, but microphones do not hear like human ears. Furthermore, you don't stick your head inside a kick drum or right up against it for that matter. If you did, you'd probably hear a lot of stuff you'd want to get rid of (before you go deaf, that is).

-Aaron

[jho]

Originally Posted by raal

correct. can't believe no on has suggested a Pultec EQP1A or EQH2.

Exactly...Pultec can do nice things.

In the plug in world the URS Fulltec can be pretty cool on the kick too.

[StuartMac]

In my place it's either a Massive Passive, an API 560 or a CLM Expounder. Thinking of selling one of my two Expounders, actually.

[Jason Poulin]

The Great River EQ 2NV is f***ing killer on kick drums.

nice lows, punchy with a great point... and you can add a reall nice shine if it's what you're looking for.

I've been really impressed with this unit on many tracks.


Honestly, this EQ is a jem.



Jason

[Jason Poulin]

and...


I have also used the VT-737 on kick drums...


It's very good but not as versatile as the Great River.


The Vt-737 is very usuable but I would A/B it against something else before making your final choice.


good luck

Jason

[AlexLakis]

Originally Posted by woods

Can an EQ on kick help to get a better punch and that defined snap or edge with a good bottom that cuts through without sounding flabby or wonky or ..... just bad.

What do you use EQ on the kick for? I mean can you describe the before and after in terms of the kick sound?

Most of the time, for rock, I'm cutting a decent amount of mids. Generally, it will make it less "boxy," and leave more room for instruments that rely heavily on mids to cut thru more easily. I'll also find where I want my low end for the kick to be in the song and boost a little bit there (usually between 60-100.) Sometimes, for metal and the like, I'll boost somewhere between 2-4K to get some more presence or "click."

As always, it's best to get a good drum, nice fresh heads, and the right beater first. Then work on your mic placement. If you need more "click" in your kick drum, for example, try micing closer to the beater instead of reaching for EQ. Oh, and make sure the drummer is pounding the sh*t out of it.

Originally Posted by woods

I also have access to an Avalon 737. Would that be useable for kick eq?

It wouldn't be my first choice, but I've done it before with good results. Give it a try!

[dave-G]

It's SO much more about what you do with an EQ than it is about which EQ you're doing it with.

Before: "BUHHH - BUHHH - BUHHH"
After: "PAUM - PAP - PAUM"



Listen for what parts of the sound of the kick are bad, and take 'em down, then listen to what parts of the sound are lending the power to it, and augment them. .. Et voila, you've EQ'ed the kick. Do it with whatever EQ you've got, and as you learn its strengths and weaknesses, you'll start to know what characteristics you're looking for in something else.

I usually end up with a notch or two and a couple of bumps.

hth
-dave

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by aussie_techie

tune the drum get the right mic and put it in the right place and you will hardly need to EQ it

Amen... get it right when you lay it down. Though as more instruments are overdubbed, more parts of the drumset get masked. The sound that worked on the kick when you tracked the drumset may need, for example, a bit more "beater" when it is masked by the keys and guitars. Or, vice versa, you may have to suck something out of the drumset because the low end is getting too congested. EQ isn't quite done until the whole mix is laid out in front of you.

[tmcconnell]

I've been using my Oram lately because it has the big headroom needed if any low low needs to be boosted, and has low and high parametric (fixed q). However
I think the ideal characteristics would be at least three bands fully parametric overlapping below 500 hz. One to rolloff, one for that little low boost that inevitably makes it sit right in the tune, and another for that little low cut that gets rid of mush or a bad resonant spot - or clears out a portion spectrum for something else. Then one more band for the beater, and perhaps a 5th band to slice out bad hf bleed. But the headroom and the overlapping fully parametric low bands are the priority. The Oram gets close and a few of the others mentioned get closer - but IMO a pultek style would be fairly useless because exact q and center freq are essential to good kick and sometimes the centers are very close to eachother. Any slutz out there know something that fits that description?

A friend suggests transistors made from unobtainium.

I would chose these capabilities (in a tradeoff) above lots of nicities. For example, for a designer, the headroom is tough but you can buy your way out of (some of) it with pricy transformers and great caps etc, - but the preservation of transients and transparancy in general is tougher especially in non-stepped sweepable - but I'm saying its worth the tradeoff to get precision center freqs for kick. So often, plus or minus a few hz in a kick boost or cut makes a huge difference in the overall power of a mix. Ted.