Drum Bus Compression

In this video I show my go to setting for drum bus compression on Universal Audio’s API 2500. Compression not only helps to control dynamic range but can also be a powerful tone shaping tool. The API 2500 is more often than not the first tool I reach for on my drum bus and that’s because of its’ unique ability to add punch, excitement and glue to any number of sources. What’s on your drum bus?

Using Triggers to Supplement Live Drum Recordings

One of the first tools I reach for after tracking live drums is Steven Slate and Slate Digital’s Trigger 2. I pride myself on capturing excellent drum tones right into Pro Tools but I consistently find that Triggers help to reinforce the pop and snap of snare drums in particular. In this video, I go over my process and one of the goto settings I use to squeeze that extra crack out of my snare tone that really helps cut through even the densest of arrangements. If you like what you hear, give this a shot on your next live drum tracking session and. don’t just stop with snare drums. Trigger can be used to supplement any spot mic on your kit.

Room Microphone Placement Techniques

One of my favorite highlights of the new studio is the acoustic response of our live room. In this video, I show a few of my favorite drum mic placements that really help to glue together drum recordings in a way that I love. Three of my go to room microphones placements are about 20 ft. off the kit, 10 ft. off the kit, and finally, in the corner of our live room pointed away from the drums and toward the corner itself. Each of these adds dimension, depth and excitement to live drums that I find consistently helps deliver a more honest image of what the drums sound like in the room.