Cleaning out tracks in pro tools

[Randy Moore]

I just added pro tools le to the studio and would like to know the typical way to clean up drum tracks (toms) to remove the cymbal bleed when they are not being played. Do I have to go in between each hit and delete the audio or is there another way?
Can you gate them in pro tools?





Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

[Ruudman]

Strip silence function with gain-threshold level adjusted to taste.


ruudman

[Henchman]

Originally posted by Randy Moore
I just added pro tools le to the studio and would like to know the typical way to clean up drum tracks (toms) to remove the cymbal bleed when they are not being played. Do I have to go in between each hit and delete the audio or is there another way?

Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

That's the way i do it in Nuendo. I find the results better and I never have to worry about losing a hit.

[drew]

if you must, use Tab To Transient, Strip Silence and manual editing as needed.

I use volume automation myself. Just do the first hit and then copy and paste using Tab To Transient to locate the next one. very fast.
drew

[Randy Moore]

Thanks guys for all the tips. With pro tools I need all the help I can get.



Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

[mersisblue]

no one mentioned a gate so I thought I would

[LaLaFaV]

I always hear or feel a gate "working" and it never quite gets to the level of transparency that volume automation will allow. It's also an easy way to have control over the way the gate closes after the tom hit depending on the amount of bleed from the cymbals you might need to control in different sections of a song. In some cases, it's nice to have more sustain on a certain tom hit and you can let the hit "ring out" a little longer by automating it that way.

[doug_hti]

automation is your friend like the others mentioned, or i delete longer pauses.

Also if you are cleaning up audio (deleting) in addition. I usually make a "duplicate" playlist before hacking away, especially if using Beat Detective.

The digirack gate is VERY difficult IMO to get sounding natural. The only one, that I quite like is the Drawmer Expander, but I don't think they make that for LE.

[The MPCist]

Originally posted by Randy Moore
I just added pro tools le to the studio and would like to know the typical way to clean up drum tracks (toms) to remove the cymbal bleed when they are not being played. Do I have to go in between each hit and delete the audio or is there another way?
Can you gate them in pro tools?





Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

Or how about just leaving it in? It would end up sounding a bit 'MIDI' cleaned up like that. Live drums do sound better with bleeding going on.

That's just my taste... eh

[drew]

I NEVER take it all out. Just lowering the bleed a bit, usually 6-10dB. Gate's too can be set to just close a bit.

[Henchman]

Originally posted by The MPCist
Or how about just leaving it in? It would end up sounding a bit 'MIDI' cleaned up like that. Live drums do sound better with bleeding going on.

That's just my taste... eh

Only if they're recorded properly in a good soundign room.
If it's a bad soundign room, then I wtry and do everythign possible to eliminate the sound of it.

[LaLaFaV]

Originally posted by drew
I NEVER take it all out. Just lowering the bleed a bit, usually 6-10dB. Gate's too can be set to just close a bit.

Exactly... I lower the whole track to a level that sounds balanced (the amount of sympathetic tom ring I want for an organic drum sound) and then I automate each hit "up" to the right level to add impact to what the overheads and room mics have created. I only use gates if I'm short on time.

[Dave Martin]

I've found that the toms humming acts as a glue for the overall drum track; if I'm mixing in the analop world, I'll use gates to pull the level down 3-6dB, but not out. In the digital world, I'll do the same thing with volume automation.

I aim at a level where if you solo the drums, it's kind of obtrusive, but when the other instruments are added, you don't notice it.

[Randy Moore]

Thanks guys for the tips. I haven't had the capability to automate mixes before. Sounds like fun.



Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

[The Radioking]

Randy great to hear you have pro tools now im close if you have any questions feel free to call me anytime with questions.
David Keith
Gintown Studios.

[Randy Moore]

Thanks David for the pro tools tips I'll call you. I hope things are going well. For those who don't know David is one of the hottest session drummers around. So contact him if you need a great drummer. Always plays with taste!



Randy Moore
www.sunsetrecordingstudio.com

[Prince Alsihad]

If you have a bad sounding room then you're better off using BFD or Drumkit From Hell. Otherwise I agree to with those that said to leave it in.

[Henchman]

Originally posted by Prince Alsihad
If you have a bad sounding room then you're better off using BFD or Drumkit From Hell. Otherwise I agree to with those that said to leave it in.

Not true.

I've mixed many a song with badly recorded drums. In alot of cases, I didn't even re-trigger drums at all.

[Prince Alsihad]

Originally posted by Henchman
Not true.

I've mixed many a song with badly recorded drums. In alot of cases, I didn't even re-trigger drums at all.

... and did it sound like a great mix with shitty drums? I've done that too, but BFD has been a life-saver for me because our room isn't really suitable for a great drum sound, so I don't even bother anymore. We're moving pretty soon though and the live rooms are excellent. So maybe in a few months I'll have to retire BFD, since there's nothing like having a real person pounding away on the skins.

[Henchman]

Originally posted by Prince Alsihad
... and did it sound like a great mix with shitty drums?

No.

[Prince Alsihad]

Awesome!

[maskedman72]

a bit of vol automation works here.