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Thread: kick drum compression ? discussion

  1. #1

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    Default kick drum compression ? discussion

    this thread is dedicated to kick drum compression and how you feel about it in a recording and live context

    do you use it ? do you hate it ?

    let us know what you think about this controversial topic

    I for one love a little compression but only to subdue a long decay in a room, but i have found of late, sounds techs seam to go over board and create a sound like im playing a drum machine in a disco ...

    please share your experiences with us

  2. #2

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    I add a little to my kick drum. I'm sure you're familar with the Roland VS-2480? I'll handle the drum mix and my recording partner will handle the guitars, bass, keys and some vocals. By adding a bit of compression to my kick, it actual helps punch through the bass guitar tracks and I hear more of the beater.




  3. #3

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    Live, yes. Keeps the sound consistent and keeps me from blowing a sub. Only 3 or 4 to 1 on the ratio. Short attack, longer release. Slight gate with a quick release too.
    Last edited by xsabers; 08-13-2014 at 03:56 PM.

  4. #4

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    Just a touch. Enough to tame the resonance and room noise, not enough to alter the tonal qualities.
    -Steven

  5. #5

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    Yeah 4:1 ratio, hold and release straight up, turn up attack until you feel it.

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  6. #6

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    Nice thread. I'm just beginning to experiement with this myself.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Nice thread. I'm just beginning to experiement with this myself.
    A good quality tube compressor is best for getting clean, transparent compression. What it does for the kick is great, what it does for a snare is just awesome!

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  8. #8

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    so what do you prefer in a live situation ....

    im a fan of the DBX compressors

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by itchie View Post
    so what do you prefer in a live situation ....

    im a fan of the DBX compressors
    I don't have a ton of experience with brands. I have an eight bay Presonus with a six bay chain in the back. Its my live and recording compressor. I have used a Behringer solid state which is why I recommend a good tube compressor

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  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Nice thread. I'm just beginning to experiement with this myself.
    Yeah, giving me some ideas!

  11. #11

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    I prefer side chain compression ducking the bass guitar triggered by the kick.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by nucjd View Post
    I prefer side chain compression ducking the bass guitar triggered by the kick.

    do you find you can hear it breathing if not under the most perfect conditions

  13. #13

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    It just depends on on the amount of compression I am using and if we are running the LA610 ( tube compressor which tends to blur the effect by the tubes creating 3rd order harmonics) vs one of our solid state compressors that tends to let the effect through a little more.

  14. #14

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    noop
    MAPEX MAFIA

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by chafey View Post
    noop
    Holy thread revival!

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by longgun View Post
    Holy thread revival!
    No kidding, especially when you see posts by pastor bob, you know the thread has been around awhile.

    BTW - What the heck ever happened to him? I know I speak for a lot of people here when I say, WE MISS YOU PB!!
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  17. #17

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    I'm actually finding now i have some better mics i don't need to use compression or frequency enhancement as often

  18. #18

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    I'm finding that if I add a mic to the kick (batter side) and reverse the phase on it and with a 2nd mic in a ported reso, I can reduce the compression ratio from 2:1 to 1:1 with a quicker release.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by late8 View Post
    I'm finding that if I add a mic to the kick (batter side) and reverse the phase on it and with a 2nd mic in a ported reso, I can reduce the compression ratio from 2:1 to 1:1 with a quicker release.
    No idea what that exactly means, but it sounds beneficial, LOL. Maybe you can help me on an issue? I've been using my small kit for most gigs lately...16"FT conversion, EMAD batter, center ported reso. I stick my GearOne kick mic on a stand in front and stick the entire mic inside the port. It sounds fantastic over the PA just like that. Deep & punchy with short sustain. If I back it out a little, I start to pick up more reso and it get progressively more "boomy" the further I back the mic out. None of this is a problem, BUT.....one of the Fender 15" woofers quit working after the last gig. Am I likely the one that killed it? Should I be using compression or a sub rather than running the kick straight through the PA? Should I mic the batter from the outside instead? I'd hate to end up killing all our speakers.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  20. #20

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    N2Bluz...I doubt that your 16" kick killed the speaker. I'm going out on a limb, but totally speaking from experience, The Fender stuff (The Asian made fender PA equipment) has a way of just stopping working. I suspect that cheap electronic components are at the heart of it.

    all the best...

  21. #21

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    i have cooked a fold back speaker before on a festival..honestly thought it was a smoke machine then I realized there was no smoke machine

  22. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by kay-gee View Post
    N2Bluz...I doubt that your 16" kick killed the speaker. I'm going out on a limb, but totally speaking from experience, The Fender stuff (The Asian made fender PA equipment) has a way of just stopping working. I suspect that cheap electronic components are at the heart of it.

    all the best...
    I hear ya. Our Fender speakers are from the 1980's. They've been used and abused, but have never given a problem until this year. We had a solder joint connection on the crossover if one come loose. The factory only puts enough on each connection to barely hold it. I took them both in for repair and they re-soldered all connections on both speakers. Our head unit is 400W, but the speakers are rated at 150W peak each. I noticed when the kick drum hits, the speaker cones really seam to extend a long way. The gain and volume on the kick mic channel is set really low, but I'm afraid I'm still over driving them. My instincts tell me I should really be using a sub or controlling the harshness if I'm sticking the mic inside the drum where the sound pressure level is so high.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    BUT.....one of the Fender 15" woofers quit working after the last gig. Am I likely the one that killed it? Should I be using compression or a sub rather than running the kick straight through the PA? Should I mic the batter from the outside instead? I'd hate to end up killing all our speakers.

    ...one of the Fender 15" woofers quit working after the last gig. Am I likely the one that killed it?

    Yes, more than likely you killed the speaker if you ran the kit straight into it without using an active crossover for the lows.

    Should I be using compression or a sub rather than running the kick straight through the PA?


    Yes, but not a compressor. I use a cheap, out of date 234dbx active crossover to protect my woofers and tweeters and run my kick through two 18" sub-woofers with its own power amp. The 234dbx crossover allows me to manually roll off the low end (100hz) to keep the woofers and tweeter from blowing out.

    Front:



    Back:



    Here's how I wire the 234dbx into the PA system:



    Should I mic the batter from the outside instead?


    Try it. Mike Mangini uses a kick mic on the batter side when he wants more of the beater.
    Last edited by late8; 07-27-2016 at 04:11 PM.

  24. #24

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    Awesome, Thanks! Let's see.........at $50 per gig take home...less the $20 per gig I spend on fuel, food and posters/advertising....

    I should be able to buy the proper equipment in 4 or 5 years, LOL.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  25. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by N2Bluz View Post
    Awesome, Thanks! Let's see.........at $50 per gig take home...less the $20 per gig I spend on fuel, food and posters/advertising....

    I should be able to buy the proper equipment in 4 or 5 years, LOL.
    lol! Dats what I like about you Brian, your outlook on life. Check out your local CL. There's tons of cheap PA gear out there that will suit your needs, especially from "washed out DJs" who will throw in the lights that spin and LED lights that strobe.

    If you can afford it, get sub-woofers. The vocals will be enhanced with subs. Many local bands hate hauling heavy subs around but when I run into a band that has them, whoa...the vocals sound deep and rich and most importantly, the kick drum can be heard a mile away. In your case, this should help the li'l "mini me" 18" kick you use sometimes.

    Too many times I've run into situations where the entire band is mixed through two small 12" speakers on sticks. In my opinion, there's no way in the world you can make a 4-6 piece band, including drums, sound good when it's forced through a 12" woofer and a 3" tweeter. It happened to my former band at a county fair (pictured below), and we had the sound guy (venue provided) who ditch us for a BudLight.


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