expander on drums

[Spook]

Hi All,
Anybody use expanders on drum kit - mixing.
Any advise?
Thanks
Junior

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Spook

Anybody use expanders on drum kit - mixing. Any advise?

If by "expanders" you mean downward expanders like a Drawmer DS201 or Aphex 622, then sure, I've used them a lot. Moreso in the past, when tight, dry drum sounds we de riguer (sp?) and DAW automation and/or Transient Designers weren't commonplace... but I still use them occasionally to tame resonating toms, or for special effects. Advice? Be gentle; use slow release times, and as little attenuation as you can get away with. If you can get away with not using a downward expander at all, that's probably the way to go.

On the other hand, if by "expanders" you mean upward expanders like the old dbx 3BX, then I am sorry to say that yes, I have also used one of those on drums in a mix

...once. Back when I was very young. And stupid. And I will never do it again, ever. There is already a place reserved for me in hell because of the way I fuk'd up the drum sound on one stupid indie cassette release back in 1984. Mea culpa. It is THE WORST sounding thing you can do to a drum kit. If the kit is even reasonably well recorded you will ruin it; if the kits sounds like ass you will not fix it with a 3BX, no way no how.

[The Alamo]

Originally Posted by Spook

Hi All,
Anybody use expanders on drum kit - mixing.
Any advise?
Thanks
Junior

Yes! Not only on drums.