Multi Genre Drums Impact Problem

[Menosance]

Hello guys,

I use Ableton Live 8 for my productions and the drums sound good and mastered well, but for some reason they don't have that much of an impact. They get lost in the background somehow. Now I use a Compressor preset made for Kicks (the main problem are the kicks actually) and the compressor lowers actually the impact.

Should I keep using this preset or use a diffrent compressor??
Could there be other problems like EQ, layering etc??

Thanks
Menosance

 

[Skuff]

You can't really use a standard preset when it comes to compression. No kicks are the same, made from different tones, volumes, frequencies etc.. You sound like your now over compressing with that preset, as that will lower the impact.. Best off fiddling with the settings

 

[Mr Fletch]

Learn how to EQ your drums correctly, and dont rely on a compressor preset. Infact, unless you know exactly what you are doing with compression, steer away from it completely

 

[spyre]

Try turning the volume of all the other things down first before you go eqing or compressing your drums...

 

[ARTFX]

Try turning the volume of all the other things down first before you go eqing or compressing your drums...

This is some good advice, most of the times changes in volume are more effective than simply wacking on a compressor.

 

[Menosance]

Thank you all for these suggestions. I will defintively look into them

 

[JReilly]

You shouldn't be processing your drums or any sound really unless you have a reason to.

Check this article for more detailed advice on mixing Kicks...http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov03/articles/logicnotes.htm

 

[ApeCat]

Learn how to EQ your drums correctly, and dont rely on a compressor preset. Infact, unless you know exactly what you are doing with compression, steer away from it completely

I say mess around with compression and read about it and mess about with the settings and everything. Sooner or later you'll realize something and boom! you're just one step closer to understanding compression, which I personally find is a bitch.

If it still sounds shite you can just turn the compressor off again..

 

[logikz]

you know what ive found, compression is a castle in the sky, when it comes to transient shaping, i find vol envs, saturation and layering so much more efficiant. i mean its horses for courses of course, but if you just want more attack to your snare you can get that pretty quick with a copy of your snare thats just got the attack and turned up over the original copy