How do I soften harsh & metallic percussion/mallets ?

[raoulmusic]

Hi All !

I got some tracks that is almost entirely small toypianos,vibraphone,shakers,Bell plays (if thats what it is called).
You know ,pretty sharp and close-up sounds.
Apart from eq´ing,room and perhaps transient reduction is there anything else I could look into for getting a "warmer" sound ?
I tried massey´s tapehead but it doesn´t really work for this material somehow - think I got enough harmonic content already or something like that.

The music is for television (if that makes any difference?).

Any tricks I can apply ?

[EnricoDePaoli]

of course there is not a RIGHT way of doing it.. but you can try using some kind of mid-level compression, like the BombFactory LA2A, and possibly boosting a bit of mids BEFORE the compressor, if you want more mids still.

Another thing you can do do soften the attacks of the percs, is to use WAVE's de-esser, or a really fast compressor, like the WAVE's C1 or DIGIDESIGN's Compressor II, on a very fast attack and release setting, inserted on the specific problem tracks. This should soften the transients of the percussion instruments, removing the attention of the listener from it.

Hope I helped. Good luck,

Enrico De Paoli

[raoulmusic]

Originally Posted by EnricoDePaoli

of course there is not a RIGHT way of doing it.. but you can try using some kind of mid-level compression, like the BombFactory LA2A, and possibly boosting a bit of mids BEFORE the compressor, if you want more mids still.

Another thing you can do do soften the attacks of the percs, is to use WAVE's de-esser, or a really fast compressor, like the WAVE's C1 or DIGIDESIGN's Compressor II, on a very fast attack and release setting, inserted on the specific problem tracks. This should soften the transients of the percussion instruments, removing the attention of the listener from it.

Hope I helped. Good luck,

Enrico De Paoli

De-esser - not a bad suggestion although I´m looking for something that could add some "colour" too.
Thanks Enrico!

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by raoulmusic

De-esser - not a bad suggestion although I´m looking for something that could add some "colour" too.
Thanks Enrico!

Tubes might be the answer, depending on what you have available. (The Requisite L2M, for example, really shines at this when used on high feedback setting).

[JTR]

Originally Posted by 24-96 Mastering

snip...(The Requisite L2M, for example, really shines at this when used on high feedback setting).

"high feedback setting"?

not familiar with that control on the L2M - care to clarify?

[kjg]

input to output... crank the gain... that will teach those nasty transients!

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by JTR

"high feedback setting"?

not familiar with that control on the L2M - care to clarify?

L2M mark 3 (mark 1 and 2 don't have it) has a limiter feedback control for the amount of negative feedback you want. Lets you control how clean or tuby the base sound of the unit is. The stock tubes smear/soften the highs significantly when feedback is turned up (independant of any limiting). Great for harsh material (not great for not-harsh material). I used it a couple of times instead of a de-esser on very metallic / too direct highs and it worked a treat.

[raoulmusic]

Originally Posted by 24-96 Mastering

Tubes might be the answer, depending on what you have available. (The Requisite L2M, for example, really shines at this when used on high feedback setting).

Thank you

[Funkster]

don't know if you are looking to rerecord the parts, but I wrap mallets in socks for this effect sometimes.

[NorseHorse]

I've used a de-esser to tone down overbearing tamborines on a live Arabic music project.