Author Topic: Toms processing (Read 13586 times)

Xan · « **on:** January 20, 2016, 05:49:09 pm »

Whenever I want to use toms, they sound terrible. Either too bassy or just too wide.

Is it just bad sample selection or is there certain processing to get them to sound punchy and centered rather than boomy and wide?

manducator · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2016, 06:36:23 pm »

Isn't that process just called 'eq'ing' and 'stereowidth manipulation'? What IO'm trying to say is that the description of the problem is half of the solution.

I don't know which samples you are talking about, there's no audio file but you can describe what's the problem, so use some tools to get rid of that problem; cut the lows with an eq and make it less wide with M/S processing.

Toms are bassy indeed and will always fight with the bassline. But it's better to deal with it in the mix than starting with thin samples.

If eq doesn't work to get rid of too much bass on the toms, try a multiband compressor; bracket the bassy sound in one band and lower it, like a volume slider.

Xan · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2016, 06:46:49 pm »

Quote from: manducator on January 20, 2016, 06:36:23 pm

Isn't that process just called 'eq'ing' and 'stereowidth manipulation'? What IO'm trying to say is that the description of the problem is half of the solution.

I don't know which samples you are talking about, there's no audio file but you can describe what's the problem, so use some tools to get rid of that problem; cut the lows with an eq and make it less wide with M/S processing.

Toms are bassy indeed and will always fight with the bassline. But it's better to deal with it in the mix than starting with thin samples.

If eq doesn't work to get rid of too much bass on the toms, try a multiband compressor; bracket the bassy sound in one band and lower it, like a volume slider.

Well...I wouldn't have created this thread if I didn't already try EQing and lowering the stereo width haha.

But I can always try again!

Alex Ryuk · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2016, 10:25:10 pm »

Since you mentioned eq'ing and stereo width modulation I will go with another tip.

One thing that I find really helpful is to tune the toms right and by right I don't mean the key of the track.
If you have problems fitting your toms with your sub e.g. then pitch the tom to a harmonic tune.

For instance you have a sub note that's an A then try to pitch the tom to C or even E. Sometimes it sounds crap but sometimes it works amazingly well

greytshirt · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2016, 12:02:00 am »

ableton's utility plugin can be used to make things more centered if you turn the width value to 0 it will play in mono. it will sound more punchy that way. ozone 5 stereo imaging can be used to do the same thing and has more control with regard to the different frequency bands.

Kenny Troy · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2016, 04:39:30 pm »

Remember, you can't polish a turd. Some samples are just poor samples, and the thing I noticed is that it will take time and experience to sort through all your samples and find which ones are good and which are bad.

Sometimes a sample pack may have 25 tom hits, and only 5 are good. Just because they're from the same pack doesn't necessarily mean they're all good quality. Could be, but not guaranteed.

Personally I like to use cuts in my EQ rather than boosts because if you're cutting 100-250 hZ and 1k-5k hZ areas, it will help bring out that 250-1k area. If you do want to boost, the 300hZ area is a good place to boost for some toms.

When making cuts, I like to make the cuts thin rather than wide.

When boosting, I prefer to make small, wide raises.

Here's an example of what I mean -

Gabe D · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2016, 09:40:54 pm »

Quote from: Kenny Troy on January 21, 2016, 04:39:30 pm

Sometimes a sample pack may have 25 tom hits, and only 5 are good. Just because they're from the same pack doesn't necessarily mean they're all good quality. Could be, but not guaranteed.

Sometimes? It feels like all the time. lol.

Kenny Troy · « **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2016, 03:36:51 pm »

Quote from: gd4223 on January 21, 2016, 09:40:54 pm

Quote from: Kenny Troy on January 21, 2016, 04:39:30 pm

Sometimes a sample pack may have 25 tom hits, and only 5 are good. Just because they're from the same pack doesn't necessarily mean they're all good quality. Could be, but not guaranteed.

Sometimes? It feels like all the time. lol.

Haha you're right can't argue this one

alex 1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2016, 07:17:27 pm »

if we're talking about club music here:
you need to remember that because they have so much low freq / energy, anything you do with them has a drastic affect on the perception of the whole track. they can totally destroy the rhythm of any track, just with one badly placed tom on the grid. the reverse is also true. if its well placed, it can carry the whole track, and the track will sound pathetic without it.
so with this in mind, eq and level balancing is everything. even the perfect tom can sound wrong, if its a db too loud.
they should be given the same importance as your sub bass, and each should be tackled with the other in mind, as they both, together, create their own rythym

Bertie South · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2016, 08:18:40 pm »

Out of curiosity, what kind of music are you making?

Xan · « **Reply #10 on:** January 24, 2016, 11:53:09 pm »

Quote from: Bertie South on January 24, 2016, 08:18:40 pm

Out of curiosity, what kind of music are you making?

Closest equivalent: melodic dubstep.

Hymoki · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2016, 12:08:13 am »

Real toms are very resonant at certain frequencies (Floor toms in the low mids and rack toms in the high mids). They can also have a ton of sustain. Usually a mix of EQ, to bring up the punchy frequencies, followed by compression and a gate to cut the sustain will help them stand out in the mix better!

Bertie South · « **Reply #12 on:** January 25, 2016, 09:57:19 am »

Quote from: Hymoki on January 25, 2016, 12:08:13 am

Real toms are very resonant at certain frequencies (Floor toms in the low mids and rack toms in the high mids). They can also have a ton of sustain. Usually a mix of EQ, to bring up the punchy frequencies, followed by compression and a gate to cut the sustain will help them stand out in the mix better!

^ What (s)he said.

Kenny Troy · « **Reply #13 on:** January 25, 2016, 06:33:07 pm »

I also like using Sausage Fattener on my toms, maybe 5-10% and 10% color. Play around with it see what works you know

submelodic · « **Reply #14 on:** January 25, 2016, 06:42:29 pm »

In addition to these comments, I'd say compression is key on percussion to fit them in the mix. You have to deal with attacks carefully so as not to overpower other elements, especially since Toms are more midrangy. Try to tame the attacks, add some distortion like artificial clipping on the high end to give them some presence without overpowering everything. As far as stereo width, utility plugins can handle that.

Author Topic: Toms processing (Read 13586 times)

Xan

Toms processing

manducator

Re: Toms processing

Xan

Re: Toms processing

Alex Ryuk

Re: Toms processing

greytshirt

Re: Toms processing

Kenny Troy

Re: Toms processing

Gabe D

Re: Toms processing

Kenny Troy

Re: Toms processing

alex 1

Re: Toms processing

Bertie South

Re: Toms processing

Xan

Re: Toms processing

Hymoki

Re: Toms processing

Bertie South

Re: Toms processing

Kenny Troy

Re: Toms processing

submelodic

Re: Toms processing