EQing Live Drums

[@BrittainyReed]

Hey guys! Just wanted to welcome all of the new subscribers, thanks for joining the community! I have a lot of ideas about new videos I want to put out in the future. I'm getting married very soon and moving across the country so I don't have the time to create content at the moment...but I'm excited about new videos in the future!!

[@WillieMCruz]

Brittainy Surratt
I can’t believe how late I get to your life It’s always the same thing with me always late always late I was supposed to ask you to marry me 😬

[@edlove3452]

Nice job i will use this as a training video for my volunteers Thanks keep up the great work

[@ZionCage]

Congrats

[@iosifgheorghe9718]

Congratulations!

[@lxentertainment4934]

congratulations Brittany reed

[@TobiLeggend]

good video, great for those who are still learning live sound, however, having done live sound for over 15 years in all kinds of venues I highly recommend cutting frequencies before you boost, you'll be surprised just how much cutting between 250 - 450Hz (doesn't have to be a huge cut or necessarily a wide Q) will emphasize the top end for your beater attack and tighten up the sub thump, if you find that they are still lacking then add a little top and low end while the band are playing as a whole just to bring out a bit of definition, don't forget too that by adding frequencies, you're adding gain which can be a real issue for overloading power-amps. This video however is a superb teaching tool for studio mixing too, thanks for taking the time to produce the content :)

[@Senzenfrenz]

This Video is really great and the above comment is very helpful aswell,so thanks a Lot!

[@DrMadv1be]

+1 for Tobi. That's what I've always done too. I'm getting back to sound engineering after a long layoff. Always used analog before, so this is a great teaching video for me learning digital.

[@mauricioc1860]

When you mean cut you mean the low cut filter?

[@TobiLeggend]

@@mauricioc1860 not in this context, just a reduction at specific bandwidths: "dipping" or "trenching" 😀

[@lizgreenwood7621]

Thank you so much for posting this! It's a delight to hear a feminine voice talking about mixing. I appreciate knowing that I'm not alone in my interests.

[@jdeglers]

In live sound I’ve found that subtractive EQ works best. Especially in small rooms where feedback is a huge issue, but you still need massive amounts of volume for the vocals to get over the drums, bass and guitars. But, I tend to mix for metal bands in tight places. For other styles of music I mix in a much larger space and additive EQ has its place, as well.
I also like to create little sonic zones for each instrument. I’ll slightly change the EQ between 2 guitars to help enhance their differences. Same for drums, just as you show here. They need to “live” in their own “house” to be understood best by the brain. And the less processing our brain needs to do to understand the sound, the less fatiguing the experience is.
I also keep the gains as low as possible to keep other parts of the kit out. Bleed is the bane of live sound!
Good video! Thanks for sharing!

[@robfriedrich2822]

"In live sound I’ve found that subtractive EQ works best."
Digital mixers and EQs are different. I had opportunity to work with the new digital console and wondered, how I can insert the enhancer, because we had a violin and I didn't want the sound of a tiny cello. But I tried EQ and noticed, that this EQ is willing, very willing. Beside this, digital EQs tend to make wrong settings sounds more bad, than on analog equipment. But when you know, what to do...
In the case of the violin, I set the low cut about 800 Hz, boosted the treble and set the monitor level lower, because it's better audible. Had no feedback. Added some echo (this is in pop music not unusual) and it was a great sound.
Additional you have some enhancers in the effect section.
Could be a helpful tool, if you have bad sounding recordings, in the worst case you could make speech better audible, in the best it sounds better.

[@foliprince5306]

please can you show me how to do subtractive EQ

[@JimmyKuhn]

i was really trying to stay away from watching a 26 min video. but im glad i did. this has opened out a lot of options and i can see how things are getting done. thanks

[@AaronLaFalce]

hey Brittainy - this vid showed up in my suggestions and I was like "hey, I've worked with her before!" This is fabulous.

[@stacihumphries8624]

Thank you so much for this video! We are starting from scratch and don't have any experience with digital mixing, although we are greatly enjoying what we're learning. This lines up with what I learned in audio class, as far as having a clean sound. Your confirmation of that and the comments that I've read are appreciated confirmation. God Bless!!

[@renecarcamo9388]

from a drummer point of view this video is great to understand what is happening at the console with the sound engineer.

[@andregriffin]

A fine workflow, but the amount of boost and narrowness of Q on those boosts are a bit extreme. Really easy to hear the peaked filters. Generally, it's good advice to boost a bit wider than that, and generally make cuts narrower.

[@robfriedrich2822]

Did she invert the snare bottom mike?

[@andregriffin]

Rob F Nope

[@madrockxvx]

@@robfriedrich2822 I think it already was in the recording

[@raphaelsimard9885]

yep, especially in the hi boosts, things sound phasey when the Q is too narrow. Also, I would have choosen higher frequencies for the beater/sticks sound usually.

[@atech9020]

I feel the same way. When boosting, a narrow Q can get a bit weird. You can hear the peakiness even with lower gain settings. Great for effect and for finding the problem or key frequency, but not very good for having an ideally musical sound. Wider Q settings tend to be more musical. Narrow Q's are more suited for cutting or feedback abatement. The narrow Q isn't as noticeable when you are cutting the frequency. Otherwise, I feel her approach is very textbook.

[@teguhdewaprasetyo.]

I'm from Indonesia, thank you teacher for the knowledge you have taught me, I really like it.
I got additional lessons from the teacher, this was very useful for me.

[@JarrodHeadleyOfficial]

I'm glad to see you are on your way and using your ears. If I might make a couple suggestions...
You've already been bombarded with the cut don't boost argument by many so I won't hit on that too much. In most situations, that concept will yield better results with less feedback when you're actually Eqing through a pa. Second, when you boost, best practice is boosting wider because when you boost like you do (notch boosting) you are bringing up a small frequency range and whistling starts to happen in those frequencies like in your kick example.
Third, you have 100% available. If you let your kick take the sub lowend then the bass will be fighting it down there forcing you to high pass the bass higher so there is no conflict or re eq your kick. Think of frequency ranges as a puzzle you're fitting together. Without any conflicting instruments playing as well, you can't really tell how you should eq. For example guitars, vocals and snare all live in similar ranges. Same with kick and bass. Unless this is only a 1 drummer band, I personally would have made the video title quick eq for a line check.
I hope these pointers help you. Keep it up. You're doing great. It takes years to develop professional ears. You got this!

[@jobelewis6416]

Yep agreed about the super tight boosts, they almost all sounded whistley here, drove me nuts

[@todds.6028]

You had me at "I don't use much of it (hi-hat) in the mix"
Sincerely,
A Drummer.

[@jeffbridges6110]

Wonderful video. Straight to the point. No extra BS talking. Great job!

[@noohmz]

Wish you had more content like this. I’m an old pro, rusty…and your video is a great walkthrough to workflow and process!

[@rogerlegends166]

So many experts to be found in CZcams comments sections ...

[@thaconnection8201]

Audio is much like politics in terms of the range of opinions

[@vogelvogeltje]

CZcams phd

[@OndiiiCZ]

Live pro tip:
EQ your kit with your overhead mics on.
They add all of the snare, toms, hh etc. content in your mix (but with slightly different sound).
First do overs (far mics), second close mics and line signals as last.
Works on choirs, percs, grand pianos, hammonds etc. too.

[@HardRocker47]

That's a Studio pro tip.. For me (And I mix veeery often my band in very different places and stages), the OH mics are basically cymbal mics. And most of the time, OH fader isn't even up. Depends really of the size of the stage, but in most cases where it's a small to medium gig, OH mics are only there to blend in a bit of cymbals.

[@OndiiiCZ]

@@HardRocker47 Surely depends on the size of the venue you are in and musical genre.
In studio I'd prefer more closemics and several ambients instead of just two OHs for the whole kit.
In a live situation there is no need for miking each cymbal individualy and AB OHs work well in most cases.
Mic placement is as always critical. I prefer having them "over the toms" with distance to snare equal on both for them (loudest drum gets to both of them a bit ->as least phase issues as possible) pointed in a way that each of them picks up different parts of drums, sometimes I tilt them outwards a bit (for smaller kits if one OH is not enough).
I totally understand that in most church size venues there is a lot of drum signal coming acoustically so the OHs are not necessary.
BUT when you know you would need them add to your mix, put them in there first. You will ve surprised how much problems with f.e. "not punchy, not realistic" snare it solves right away.

[@OndiiiCZ]

+ and again, everything above depends on the venue, genre and on the kit size.
The 9member band I am touring with just needs to have dedicated mics for hihat, ride and drummers percussions. In jazz band I would be able to capture it happily with one or two on spot placed OHs. But in this "harder" genre, in wouldn't work. And even tho we have those close mics, we use two OHs for the rest of the kit.

[@Trance117_]

This is exactly what I've been needing. Thank you so much

[@wedoholdings6515]

I had to come back here to say, Thank you so much. Best video

[@chandlerkessler9871]

Such a great video. Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate this knowledge. I think I have learned more from this video than college degree! ha!

[@skendermakota2381]

I must say, hearing a girl voice talking calmly and confidently about frequencies was very soothing to my ears. Wish there were more female engineers! About eq, I always cut, except the sweetness I like which I might boost a tiny bit, with high Q, though my drum eq depends on what else is there... Drums might sound great on their own, but once the rest of the band comes in, a second look at what you got is needed... so that everyone gets their piece of eq cake, without overlapping each other. If the room is smaller, half of this is probably not even necessary, but love the vid!

[@Leebomusic1]

Liked, saved, Subscribed. Accurate, articulate. Thank you 🙏

[@marcusyoo9217]

Wonderful video! I was quite shocked however to see you boost so aggressively, one of my main rules of live mixing is to equalize using cuts rather than boosts, and if I do choose to boost any frequencies, I try to take narrower but wider boosts. Mixing is an art and every engineer does things a little differently, the end result is great though!

[@nenntmichbond]

Narrower but wider?

[@sohelpmee]

Thanks for posting Brittainy! Glad to see woman representation in the audio tech world. I notice there are a lot of men disagreeing with you in the comments. Way to approach YOUR work YOUR way! YAS QUEEN.

[@Leonardo5933]

Eqing!!.......excellent video!!....thank you!!!!...

[@akhimieemmanuel4427]

Wow 3 good years I still love this video❤️

[@isaiasposadascastillo2639]

Hello ! Greetings from Mexico!!! Excellent video and well explained for those of us who don't know much about EQ. It would be great if you could make similar EQ , Bass guitar, Guitar , Keyboards, lead vocals, choirs, etc!! Excellent video and much success!!

[@wjumeau]

I like the way your work flows and your mind works.
The Q is a wee bit sharp for me on some of your boosts in the high freq areas.
I locate and cut with tight Q but use wide Q to boost areas with things I want. It sounds more natural.
Which is needed with digital system.
On saying all this, I like the EQ on the X32 and the controls.
The lay out lets you move quickly and it feels more intuitive to roam around.
Love this video. I’m subbed.....

[@InVisionsynthmindscape]

Nice video with excellent results, very useful, thanks for sharing!

[@mikejohn5467]

As an engineer for 30 + yrs i'd say you did a nice job, especially without inserting comps/gates you made the kit sound alive, aside from calling out your frequencies and db of cut/boost it is a good tutorial, well done

[@dinartesardinha4442]

Hi Brittainy !!, it takes a lot of courage to post a video like this !! subject to criticism of everyone
some with sound knowledge, others Enginers,even some curious, the main goal is to make the most of what you get, (sound gear). i think you did a good job for this circunstances.

[@maxlambiel]

I think the narrow boosting is genius, I don't get all the criticism about it. I've done lots of live sound and I have the feeling that it's more of an impressionist job, you are painting a feeling, not an HD picture. Also, a 3db boost is just a cut to everything else when you level everything down, so you are actually lowering the chance of feedback and making the most space for the most crucial information of every signal. Wonderful work.

[@Wizardofgosz]

That snare top sounds fine. Compress it a little, find the crack and you're golden. I could work with that.

[@dannyjoyamusic]

THAT WAS AWESOME, Thank you so much for that helpful video

[@JayStiqs]

Wow! Just wow! Thanks for making this!

[@garrettbaudioandvideo]

Love the x32 it is one of my favorite digital mixers.

[@alunaticbastard]

Those high levels of boost are crazy for a live event. Always subtractive EQing first then boost if you must. But generally speaking very little boost is ever needed. I engineer allot of live Rock and metal events both indoor and outdoor and that much boost usually creates feedback.
These EQ curves are reminiscent of the KRK/ScullCandy School of thought. Scoop the mids, boost the highs and lows.
I'd be curious to learn where you went to school for audio engineering.

[@xb2003c1]

Seriously though. For live mixing, subtractive EQ is the only way to go. If not, you WILL eventually run into feedback.

[@AdautoAraujo]

You earn a like right at the beginning, when you mixed the kick. I knew that what was coming would be good stuff. Congrats!

[@geertpater1499]

Thank you Brittainy. That was very helpful

[@mspark933]

Congratulations!
Nice video. I'd honestly like to see your choice of 1. Drums, Cymbals, Mic selection, and Mic placement.
Cheers

[@krishna6754]

Awesome demonstration of mixing a drum kit - Brittainy!!!!

[@Kwartisaac]

Great video! However, it worth mentioning that the snare buttom needs to be phase flipped but then again, its a tutorial on eqing!

[@TempoDrift1480]

isaac kwarteng She wasn't leaning on that snare bottom much was she? I would like to hear it phased opposite now that you mention it. Sounds to me like she nailed the over all sound with just the top.

[@Kevin-vq6rv]

Oh come one, everybody that sets up a snr btm knows that he or she has to flip the polarity, no?

[@jeffmcclellan1395]

If it makes it sound better, if you like the sound without inversion, why change it?

[@Kevin-vq6rv]

In that very rare scenario, you don't flip the polarity obviously. It's perfectly possiblie, I actually experienced it but it still is rare.

[@oscarestrella3512]

You only flip the phase if they're canceling eachother out

[@dommorris96]

Fantastic!

[@djchankamixmaster]

Wow thanks for you lessons very nice i learn a lot 👍👍👂👂🥁🥁

[@Aama_ralte]

I think As for me i rarely boost when it comes to Live music cos sometimes depend on the venue feedback can be a real issue, we need to be very carefull without gate and compressor...anyway great vid really appreciated .👍💕💕

[@adamdrummer1991]

Firstly, congratulations. But May I add from experience that it could be an idea to pan only the toms. Left to right usually. The cymbals should stay central, as do the kick and snare. Stage right to stage left. That way the audience would hear a stereo sweep. The EQ was fab, just the panning

[@ErniCG]

this is the best video ever ! It helped me a lot. thank you so much !

[@user-ur5yg8yt6n]

Самый классный обзор .Надо учить английский.

[@rainerzufall1650]

before setting the eq always think of the gain staging guys

[@carlosalbertomoralesramos9995]

Agree with you 100%

[@tagibson]

A very tight and nice EQ! Lots of room for adding buttery FX and compression now =)

[@frontcentermusician]

And then the drummers leg falls off...

[@douglasphillips5706]

Thank you so much!!! I learned more from you in less than an half an hour than I’ve learned from anyone in a year. Have an awesome wedding and I’ll be looking forward to new content when you can.

[@djflexproductions5359]

I am learning in mixing live sound and this video really explained a lot to me. I am not using the x32 but the tf3 series but I like the explanation you went thru. Dj Flex 💪🏽 from mundo de Dj Flex 💪🏽 subscribed and following your channel! Great job

[@jakoblindekilde5832]

Hi Brittainy. Good video! There are many ways of doing sound on drums - this is obvious a good one.

[@janderrichard2337]

Parabéns, muito bom o vídeo.

[@AdamMundok]

Firstly love this video and your style I wish you would make more hope you're still out there working great job and thanks

[@earlbrackett6742]

I love this board, feature laden ! ya gotta feel that BD in your chest...great tutorial.

[@Racingheartrecords]

Really interesting video. Also cool to see this mixer in action.

[@nate6692]

Just FYI - my preference on snares is for a deep dead fat gushy snare sound but super ringy snares are actually in vogue right now. Your drummer is probably cringeing and pulling out his hair why his snare has no ring played live despite zero muffling, cranked ambassador heads and steel shell.

[@DevotioOfficial]

Love this! Thank you! 🤘

[@garydonnelly100]

I wonder how that would sound with a well tuned kit. That's where a good drum sound starts. I rarely encounter a 20+ minute check live or studio. But well done! Silk purse out of a sow's ear as they say.

[@kevinphotos5929]

This is incredible!

[@JJRitt]

Thanks for the video. This will help allot.

[@TempoDrift1480]

2:21 AM and I'm heading over to the compressors 😊

[@robfriedrich2822]

There are much ways. I tend to use the automatized attack and release times, but in cases of drums, I prefer manual setting, that the compressor may not kill the attack and in some other cases, it could make a more interesting sound, when the compressor is audible (contrarly to a setting, where you only notice, that little details are better audible).

[@ishimwedavidofficial4348]

perfect mix

[@dexgames4366]

Congrats & Best wishes u two ! Definitely wanna see more !
[specialy how you managed to have no hi-hat bleed on that snare top lol]
Just a thought, if you could show how you would "process" all the channels to achieve certain specific drum sounds.
Like let's say :
- The iconic 80s Hard Rock/Metal "Maxi PHAT" Snare sound, etc. (One reference that comes to mind would be : Master Of Puppets - Live 89')
- Do you put Reverb on the whole "drum subgroup" or on some single channels here & there, that kind of stuff.
Just throwing some ideas...

[@muwongerobert1947]

Thank you Uganda Kampala

[@Bobbyblades]

nice video, some thoughts to take with a grain of bath salts...
you have more of a studio approach as far as boosting, when you stick to cutting you will have less harmonic distortion and phase issues. Also be careful with hi passing so widely because the there are harmonics that you are getting rid of that help carry that instrument sonically. just saying. less is more. sound chicks rock!

[@joelbasman4586]

Wow it's very good

[@JasonWelchMusic]

You are awesome...!
That was very informative for us newbs... and i had no idea that the x32 could do all that!
NEW SUBSCRIBER!

[@abrahamhiraldo8139]

I don’t know if it is personal preference, I like to start cutting things out first before I start boosting signal. It makes it more easier to cut things when no signal is boosted idk but that’s just me.

[@Metalmerchant]

Love it! Thank you!

[@samguitarra]

I liked it !! Though You didn't use compression, gate, nor room Fx on the mix in this video it sounded good to my ears.

[@DennisBergDrums]

That was an awesome video! I watched SO many EQ videos over the last couple of months and I was always curious to know the exact frequencies. But to my surprise your video was very eye-opening. Just find the fundamental and the stick sound and cut something in the middle :-) straight forward 👍

[@TempoDrift1480]

I think you did such a good job on the snare top that you didn't find much use for the bottom. I'm kinda the same way in preference that I don't use much snare bottom. Awesome job Chick.

[@robfriedrich2822]

I think, it depends to the music style. When the drummer does marching music, Dixieland, Old Times Swing, the bottom sound is more important, because the snare drum was a SNARE drum.
In Rock the bottom may add some brilliance only.

[@jasontomimorasch4436]

Great job

[@patthesoundguy]

I like what you are doing with this video. Showing inexperienced folks to actually mix with their ears. Too many people get hung up on using the exact same eq for a particular source every time. The technique you are using finds the sound based on what's in front of your ears because in live you never know what you are going to have to work with on any particular gig.

[@danielmarques5469]

patiently well explained, thanks o/

[@robfriedrich2822]

In case of overheads I would set low cut so high, that the cymbals keeps sounding natural and maybe boost high frequencies, the EQ is willing to do settings, where analog EQs would have too much unwanted side effects.

[@konglomeratt]

I'm going to do the sound check next week in café but i do know anything about this Remote controller. right now i understand. thanks 😘😘😘

[@robfriedrich2822]

About Hi Hat, I would try to use the EQ to boost the snare and bassdrum crosstalk and cut these frequencies.

[@kyfisher3662]

would love to see more vids just like this but for compression, effects, volumes in the mix, even mic placement

[@craigwilliamson83]

Hey Brit. Could you do a full LIVE session?.. More instruments.

[@lxentertainment4934]

sound is good.... need to learn more...thanks ...

[@PrajyotMeshram]

that is such a tight mix!! amazing!

[@Popeye1987]

the mics itself save her huge.

[@pratimhancy4139]

Good explain sis....recently I got x32....love from India

[@wargen7375]

Great video and to the point.

[@MarcosCerutti]

Very nice video!

[@gringoloco543]

Thanks for the video! Sounds great

[@merlinsound]

To me it sounded as if the Bassdrum and Snare were out of phase to the Overheads, as soon as you blended those in the punch was gone...

[@missakhaladjian]

To solve that she had to play with polarities and listen to any improvement.

[@arnobiovieira2446]

Very nice tutorial.. I really don't like this narrow boosts on high frequencies.. But its matter of taste.. anymway.. Cheers from Brazil.

[@henrybatchem4617]

I wouldn't suggest using bands with tight Q's, as this can result in really resonant sounds. such as the band used at 7:56

[@nicobelneri4240]

Its great help to us beginners thanx..

[@christopherAwaite]

This really is a wonderful video thank you.

[@colinalthaus]

Love the tone of these drums! I'd bet they sounded awesome in the room -- what kit was it? One thing I noticed was a phase issue between the snare and overheads when you blended them @ 24:45 -- seems like the fundamental of the snare went away

[@hanasvaraproduction9334]

U r frist soundgirl i ever know

[@redsolar7]

great content 👍🏾

[@cuatroenlamiraoficial]

Is it me or did the kick sound better with out any eq. 🤔

[@dodo13500]

Thanks for sharing. Learned some new stuff!

[@hlokomani]

If you're reading this, your mix is great!