Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 3: Parallel Compression

On November 27, 2009 · 0 Comments

Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 3: Parallel Compression by Thai Long Ly

This is the third installment in my series of tutorials on processing of drum tracks. We focus here on parallel compression.

So… your guitarist has decided that he’d like to triple track all nineteen of his brilliant ideas using his Mind Bleeder distortion pedal and your keyboardist wants to layer every cool Moog and Nord patch he’s ever programmed since the 80’s. Your bassist insists on playing nothing but chords he learned in Bass Frenzy magazine on his custom Booty Humper Low F# seven string. So how do you deal with trying to get your drum tracks to punch through this sonic wall?

You may want to experiment with parallel compression of your drum tracks. Simply put, you’re blending a compressed drum track with an unprocessed track for more “oomph”. I don’t generally care for this technique on anything Jazz related but if you’re dealing with a wall of mud and you can’t carve out the proper space any other way (or don’t have the time), this technique is worth exploring. So here’s how…. get your drum tracks sounding amazing utilizing the techniques described above. Done, right? Call your girl and tell her you’re coming home early and that you’re feeling frisky!

Kidding. Seriously… once you’ve gotten your drums in a good place, take a few elements of the drum tracks… say your kick, snare, and toms and bus them to the input of a compressor in wait via an aux send. Remember your drums are still being bussed to the master out in addition to the aux send you’ve just created. Now smash the snot out of the compressor in any manner you deem fit and gently blend the output of this mangled signal with your original drum tracks until you start to feel the drums gaining weight. You may find that you won’t need much… just a “hint” is all it may take to cut through that wall of doom. Essentially, you’re increasing the perceived loudness of the drum track without resorting to radical EQ or unjustified levels of gain. Many Mixers have mastered this subtle art and have produced amazing drum sounds that we hear day in and day out on the radio. Play around with it and see if it works for you. Hell, if you’re really feeling frisky (audio – wise) mess around with some slight distortion on the snare and kick drum tracks, too.

Have fun experimenting with parallel compression on your drum tracks, and be sure to read part four of this series in which I will discuss ambiance.