# How should I EQ a snare sample for blasts?



## wretchedspawn (Nov 5, 2007)

I have some multi hit samples that I think sound good for regular snare hits but they just don't sound realistic enough for blasts. How could I EQ my samples so they lose a bit of the crack/attack/whatever it is so they sound more realistic for blasts. I've tried lowering the frequency where to me it sounds like most of the "crack" is but the result has been a very lifeless and dull snare.


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## Drew (Nov 5, 2007)

It's probably not the EQ but rather the exact repetition of the clip in rapid suceession. You say they're multi-hit samples - can you vary between three or four of them, and use some kind of "randomize" thingie so they're not all exactly the same level? it's the fact they're all peaking uniformly which I suspct is what makes them sound unrealistic.


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## wretchedspawn (Nov 5, 2007)

I'm actually using drumagog to play 4 samples randomly. And I do change the velocities a bit in the editor. It's just that each hit sounds really full and clear ,for a lack of a better description, which isn't typically the case with blasts.


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## TomAwesome (Nov 5, 2007)

Have you tried turning down the velocity for the duration of said blasting? I don't know whether or not it would do what you need it to, but I've noticed that most drummers (with the exception of a few really good ones) tend to not hit the snare as hard when they're blasting. I'm just taking a wild guess, so I could be way off, but I'm figuring that with a lower velocity, the snare wouldn't have as much of that snap or natural compression going on.


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## eaeolian (Nov 5, 2007)

^ What he said. Blasts are almost never as loud, simply because they don't get a full strike.


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## wretchedspawn (Nov 5, 2007)

Turning down the velocity helps to a degree but it's still just a bit too full sounding. Maybe it's just me being over critical.


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## TomAwesome (Nov 5, 2007)

Eh, it is tough to get right :\ Actually, I've recently been given the role of producer for our next demo (including programmed drums), and I'm having similar problems with some of the drum parts.


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## Leec (Nov 6, 2007)

What sort of sample do you have? If you have a full hit, it's gonna sound like Mnemic's blasting, which is just too full on.
I could dig out some samples from DFHS of some weaker hits if you wanted.

I was playing around with blasts in DFHS, just seeing if I could get a sort of Disgorge-type sound. I turned the snare off the snare drum and used low velocity hits, it ended up sounding pretty good once I displaced some of the beats.

If you want 'em, just say.


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## halsinden (Nov 6, 2007)

Leec said:


> I was playing around with blasts in DFHS, just seeing if I could get a sort of Disgorge-type sound.



kudos there, dude.

personally, i'd welcome receiving some samples that would support that kind of approach.

H


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## wretchedspawn (Nov 7, 2007)

The samples I'm using are full hits. It would be awesome if you could send some samples my way.


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## newamerikangospel (Nov 7, 2007)

Also, reverb will cause the notes to clutter if you have a heavy one on. If the sample has a lengthy reverb/resonation you may try to gate it. The velocity of a blast (in my samples instances and by my calculations) are about 60-65% of a count hit (the normal hits). When I use the velocity editor to do blasts, I tend to slop them meaning I will click and then drag and let the natural curve of the mouse take a variation of about 4-5%. 

And dont forget that you may be unhappy because they are too fast. Again in my geekiness, I found that most drummers that go over 230 bpm will start to count in triplets (1 2 3 1 2 3).


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## MF_Kitten (Nov 14, 2007)

you say it sounds too full... maybe less low mids? move the bass-kick frequency up a bit, maybe around 75-80 hz... if it´s too low, like 60-65 hz, which sounds good on slower stuff, it´ll clutter like hell and just rumble... around 80 hz, it´s more of a sharp attack kind of kick. 

also, don´t go too heavy on the highs, the real kick definition is in the high mids. make a smooth bump starting from about 700 hz, peaking aroun 1,5 khz and going back down again... don´t make it too steep, or it´ll sound peaky. and let the top of the EQ curve be smooth.

so yeah, that´s what i have to say... i don´t know what your samples sound like though, so...


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## newamerikangospel (Nov 14, 2007)

where is the kick talk coming from? Tis be all snare *pirate hat*


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## MF_Kitten (Nov 18, 2007)

yeah, i just noticed that after i hit the post button, but when i was going back to remove it, realizing my misunderstanding, the whole site crashed and wouldn´t open for the remainder of te night 

so anyways, there´s your full guide to Kick EQ-ing, better than nothing, eh?


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## Mattayus (Nov 18, 2007)

I have this exact same problem for drum rolls. They sound really plastic and robotic purely because of the perfect repetition of hits. I need to randomise it a bit, i have the first hit at full volume then the subsequent 3 rolls that follow at half volume, then the 4th back to full again to form the bar, which helps to some extent but it's still a bit fake sounding. which is a shame really cos all other aspects of the kit are perfect, but rolls definately let it down.


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## TomAwesome (Nov 18, 2007)

Mattayus said:


> I have this exact same problem for drum rolls. They sound really plastic and robotic purely because of the perfect repetition of hits. I need to randomise it a bit, i have the first hit at full volume then the subsequent 3 rolls that follow at half volume, then the 4th back to full again to form the bar, which helps to some extent but it's still a bit fake sounding. which is a shame really cos all other aspects of the kit are perfect, but rolls definately let it down.



Instead of just having the volume go straight down, try making each group of four closer imitate what a real drummer would be doing. Have the first hit be a normal hit, the second hit be a much lower velocity, the third hit be higher than the second but a little lower than the first, and the fourth just a little under where the second one is at. With a little tweaking, you can get it fairly decent sounding like that. You could even do the same thing in triplet groups of 6 instead of 4 since I think drum rolls are actually a hit and two rebounds on each hand. I'm not a drummer, though, so I may be kind of off, but hopefully that helps.


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## MF_Kitten (Nov 19, 2007)

i always use alot of time with the programming of drums like that, changing the velocity of every hit and stuff, to sound plausible 

of course, drumkit from hell helps alot with sounding human


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## Nick (Nov 19, 2007)

newamerikangospel said:


> Also, reverb will cause the notes to clutter if you have a heavy one on. If the sample has a lengthy reverb/resonation you may try to gate it. The velocity of a blast (in my samples instances and by my calculations) are about 60-65% of a count hit (the normal hits). When I use the velocity editor to do blasts, I tend to slop them meaning I will click and then drag and let the natural curve of the mouse take a variation of about 4-5%.
> 
> And dont forget that you may be unhappy because they are too fast. Again in my geekiness, I found that most drummers that go over 230 bpm will start to count in triplets (1 2 3 1 2 3).



indeed this is a problem guitarists face when tremelo picking also and is pretty much what sorts the men from the boys in the speed dept in both drumming and guitar playing.


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## Mattayus (Nov 22, 2007)

TomAwesome said:


> Instead of just having the volume go straight down, try making each group of four closer imitate what a real drummer would be doing. Have the first hit be a normal hit, the second hit be a much lower velocity, the third hit be higher than the second but a little lower than the first, and the fourth just a little under where the second one is at. With a little tweaking, you can get it fairly decent sounding like that. You could even do the same thing in triplet groups of 6 instead of 4 since I think drum rolls are actually a hit and two rebounds on each hand. I'm not a drummer, though, so I may be kind of off, but hopefully that helps.



yeah i've tried doing 16th notes within the bar to get the triplet thing, and it does help alot, so i'll just have to play with velocity too to get it spot on, thanks bro


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## halsinden (Nov 22, 2007)

apologies for potential duncery here, but am i missing how to effect each hits velocity / level? im using sonar 4, MIDI programming on a piano roll through battery with DFH samples.

H


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## Variant (Nov 23, 2007)

newamerikangospel said:


> Also, reverb will cause the notes to clutter if you have a heavy one on. If the sample has a lengthy reverb/resonation you may try to gate it. The velocity of a blast (in my samples instances and by my calculations) are about 60-65% of a count hit (the normal hits). When I use the velocity editor to do blasts, I tend to slop them meaning I will click and then drag and let the natural curve of the mouse take a variation of about 4-5%.
> 
> And dont forget that you may be unhappy because they are too fast. Again in my geekiness, I found that most drummers that go over 230 bpm will start to count in triplets (1 2 3 1 2 3).



Yup... I was gonna say reverb is more of a concern than anything else. A lot of people will say decay is the concern, but it's really the level of reverb that you're using.


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