The drum mix can make or break a rock, pop, or jazz recording. In fact, engineers are often judged by their ability to properly capture and mix a live drum sound. Over the years, drum recording techniques have ranged from simple mono room miking, to complex close miking with gated effect chains, to complete replacement of individual drum sounds via triggers or in pro-tools. Fads in drum mixing come and go, and often it is easy to date a recording within seconds of hearing the style of the drum mix.

Although there is a growing trend to create drum recordings synthetically via midi or by editing “canned” beats, acoustic drums played by a living breathing performer still rule in the studio, and the ambient miking techniques used to capture that sound are critical. (more…)

There is no substitute for a well-trained ear that can distinguish frequencies accurately, and equalization is likely the most important part of creating records, especially rock and pop records. A distinguishing trademark of successful engineers is the ability to understand the relationship between elements in a mix, and how equalization helps them to coexist in an often dense acoustic canvas.

Aspiring recordists often ask, “how do I know what frequencies to add or reduce to my mixes?”

Since the timbre of sound sources vary widely, the answer is not cut and dry. The first step is to train your mind to “hear” these frequencies so that you can identify them in context. The way to do do that is to experiment with each frequency range, and learn how adding/subtracting effects each sound in your mix. With a decent parametric EQ circuit or virtual circuit, you will begin to unlock the secrets to good sound through equalization.

Below is a list of frequency ranges and a description of how each relates to the common elements in a musical recording. (more…)