Tips for Distorting Drums - Page 2

rob S · 29th July 2009

some other ideas

culture vulture
line out into mic pres
level-ors

amanitas · 29th July 2009

I've had nice results by using the Pro Tools Dyn3 comp/limiter and using the Drum comp? (sorry don't have PT open in front of me right now) preset and the crush preset to taste on the overheads and/or room mics and/or any other part of the kit that needs it. Check out The Ventriloquists on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos and listen to the song Switchblade - I'm pretty sure that was the main thing I used to trash up the drums...

byrd62au · 29th July 2009

Sonalksis TBK3 on a parallel bus with the fierce setting engaged. Mix to taste with the unaffected channel.

GSF · 29th July 2009

I've found that the PSP Mix-saturator is a very cool, very different (in a good way) plug to use to distort drums (and strings too).

Lee Cardan · 29th July 2009

reamp

80's peavey practice amps work great

lobsty · 29th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by druhms

Generally you do not add distortion to drums, but, there are no rules in this world.
Druhms

heresy!!! tutt
Drums were made for distorting

kosi · 29th July 2009

Oh, this was an old thread from 2007 but anyway.

The trick in Trash is to NOT use the Speaker simulation !
Very good models are:

Delicate Harmonics
Blues Driver
Push Pull
and Tape Saturation

then add Filtering to taste

I like the Mix Slider ALOT

Mike Caffrey · 30th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by druhms

Generally you do not add distortion to drums, but, there are no rules in this world.
Druhms

Really?

I have a minimum of 25% of my drum mics distorted on the way in. I've done that on smooth jazz recordings and it's astounding how much better they sound with the distortion in. They're not full volume, but in the drums sound like a record. Out they sound like a demo.

Mike Caffrey · 30th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dopamine

< What about Lo-Fi. >
I've never tried Lo-fi, but will give it a shot.

Do you folks generally add the distortion to all the drum mics?

>> IZOTOPE TRASH!!!!! Best distortion plugin>>

Which preset will get me close? I remember going thru them all and didn't like any. I find the user interface to be confusing. I feel like a real newby asking these questions (and I'm not). Just not a lot of experience with live drums.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

It depends, most of the time no, just some. If it's for an effect of a distorted kit, then I might distort all of them, but I can't think of an occasion where I had to do this.

Mike Caffrey · 30th July 2009

Wow, this is an old thread. I was about to write SansAmp for plugins, but see that I realy did two years ago.

That's the best I've found, but it's not optimal. Anything in the analog domain is pretty likely to be better.

If you really want to figure out how to distort drums, mic the kit as usually and then add one extra mic and distort that in anyway you want on the way in. make it over the top. It needs to be trashed enough that people think you're a moron when they hear it solo'd. Then blend it in later. It doesn't necessarily have to be loud enough to hear the distortion clearly.

On the first try it may not be usable, but you'll get an idea of what works. Just keep tracking with an experimental mic on every session until someone says "Holy shit! What did you do? That sounds amazing!" Then keep doing that over and over on every session until you get bored and want to try something else.

There's really only one thing that matters with drums - proper phase.

Meaning if you don't know how, beyond a shadow of a doubt to get your phase right, don't wast time with distortion since you won't be able to evaluate how it actually sounds in the context of a recordings where one of the mics is 180 out pf phase.

Xestenz · 30th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirocco

100% correct.

however: double the kick: the 1st copy do a slight rolloff on the highs..the 2nd...do a thick highpass so most of the lows are gone - > runthis one thru the 1176lm on all buttons mode ..blend it with the 1st copy...thenbus them both together and send to another 1176ln..and do a more light compresion to blend them

Yes!!! The first thing I thought when I saw this thread title was '1176 -- all button mode.'

I really like your suggestion, and am going to try it. My typical technique is simpler -- a single Soundelux U195 out in front of the kit, run through a 1272 preamp > 1176 on 'nuclear'. Blend in to regular kit mix to taste. Play with the distance from kit to minimize phase issues.

Love the extra 'phat' and edge this gives.

Xestenz · 30th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Caffrey

There's really only one thing that matters with drums - proper phase.

That and great playing.

Mike Caffrey · 30th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xestenz

That and great playing.

Yes, great playing of either the drums or the QWERTY keyboard after.

29th July 2009	#32
amanitas Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: LA Posts: 431	I've had nice results by using the Pro Tools Dyn3 comp/limiter and using the Drum comp? (sorry don't have PT open in front of me right now) preset and the crush preset to taste on the overheads and/or room mics and/or any other part of the kit that needs it. Check out The Ventriloquists on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos and listen to the song Switchblade - I'm pretty sure that was the main thing I used to trash up the drums... __________________ Danny T. Levin Mushroom Stamp Productions Horns: Trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, slide trombone, euphonium, marching baritone, alto horn, slide trumpet - arrangements, solos, etc.

29th July 2009	#37
kosi Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Berlin Posts: 935	Oh, this was an old thread from 2007 but anyway. The trick in Trash is to NOT use the Speaker simulation ! Very good models are: Delicate Harmonics Blues Driver Push Pull and Tape Saturation then add Filtering to taste I like the Mix Slider ALOT __________________ imdb

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29th July 2009	#31
rob S Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: silverlake Posts: 1,181	some other ideas culture vulture line out into mic pres level-ors

29th July 2009	#33
byrd62au Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 131	Sonalksis TBK3 on a parallel bus with the fierce setting engaged. Mix to taste with the unaffected channel.

29th July 2009	#34
GSF Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Francisco Posts: 272	I've found that the PSP Mix-saturator is a very cool, very different (in a good way) plug to use to distort drums (and strings too).

29th July 2009	#35
Lee Cardan Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,404	reamp 80's peavey practice amps work great

30th July 2009	#40
Mike Caffrey Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York City Posts: 4,088	Wow, this is an old thread. I was about to write SansAmp for plugins, but see that I realy did two years ago. That's the best I've found, but it's not optimal. Anything in the analog domain is pretty likely to be better. If you really want to figure out how to distort drums, mic the kit as usually and then add one extra mic and distort that in anyway you want on the way in. make it over the top. It needs to be trashed enough that people think you're a moron when they hear it solo'd. Then blend it in later. It doesn't necessarily have to be loud enough to hear the distortion clearly. On the first try it may not be usable, but you'll get an idea of what works. Just keep tracking with an experimental mic on every session until someone says "Holy shit! What did you do? That sounds amazing!" Then keep doing that over and over on every session until you get bored and want to try something else. There's really only one thing that matters with drums - proper phase. Meaning if you don't know how, beyond a shadow of a doubt to get your phase right, don't wast time with distortion since you won't be able to evaluate how it actually sounds in the context of a recordings where one of the mics is 180 out pf phase.