Module 4 Checklists

#58 The Overhead Phase Coherency Trick

1. Solo the overhead and kick tracks
2. Set them to approximately the same level
3. Engage the phase selection button on kick
4. Select the position with the most bottom end
NOTE: Do the same with the each of the drums in the kit

#59 The Real NYC Compression Trick

1. Create a separate drum subgroup
2. Insert a compressor on the sub
3. Insert an EQ after the compressor and set to boost at 100Hz and 10kHz
4. Send from bass, kick, snare and tom channels
5. Set for 10dB of compression and add in just underneath the drum and
bass mix
Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 1
#60 The Secret Punchy Drums Trick
1. Insert a compressor on the kick and snare channels
2. Set to a moderate amount of compression (3dB or so)
3. Set the attack slow and the release longer so it pumps with the pulse of
the song
4. Adjust the gain control so the level is the same as when bypassed

#61 The Insanely Big Room Sound Trick

1. Insert a compressor on the room mic channels
2. Set the ratio to 6 to 10:1 or more, and threshold for about 10dB of
limiting
3. Set attack and release to fast
4. Increase release for more sustain
NOTE: Try different compressors for more extreme effect

#62 The Tommy Lee Thunder Drums Trick

1. Create a drum reverb and set to the biggest available (large hall,
cathedral)
2. Insert a gate after the reverb in the signal path
3. Send from an aux on the snare drum channel
4. Time the gate to open and close with the pulse of the track
5. Set the level just underneath the snare track

#63 The Secret Gated Drums Trick

1. Insert a gate on the desired drum channel
2. Set the range from -10 to -20dB
3. Set attack and release so the gate opens on a drum hit and you hear
enough body of drum
NOTE: Attack, release, hold and threshold controls all interact

Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 2

#64 The Sizzly Snare Reverb Trick
1. Duplicate the bottom snare mic track
2. Insert a high-pass filter and set to 600Hz
3. Boost at 8k to 10kHz using a shelving filter
4. Send to the drum reverb via an aux send

#65 The Exploding Snare Trick

1. Create a dedicated delay channel
2. Set the time of the delay for 100 to 200ms timed to track
3. Send the bottom snare mic channel to the delay
4. Send top mic, bottom mic and delay channels to the drum reverb
4. Set the reverb to 1 second or less decay time

#66 The Big Thump Snare Effect Trick

1. Duplicate the top snare track
2. Insert a compressor and set for 6dB of compression, with short attack
and long release
3. Insert an EQ after the compressor on the duplicate channel and boost at
100Hz to 300Hz
3. Filter high and low frequencies
5. Add into the drum mix to taste

#67 The Hard Hit Snare Effect Trick

1. Duplicate the snare track
2. Insert a gate in the new channel
3. Adjust the threshold to open on the hardest hits
4. Send to the reverb
NOTE: You can also adjust to the gate to open on every hit
Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 3
#68 The Incredible Snare Smack Trick
1. Duplicate the snare track
2. Insert a transient designer plugin on new track
3. Set for the most intensity
4. Add in along with the original snare

#69 The Snare Trigger Ambience Trick

1. Insert a gate after the drum reverb and select the key input and buss
2. Key from the snare drum
3. Adjust threshold and dynamics controls for the length of desired
ambience
NOTE: Use the gate’s sidechain filters to tune to snare hits

#70 The Super Snappy Snare Trick

1. Duplicate the snare track
2. Insert an EQ, then filter lows and boost highs
3. Insert a gate before the EQ in the signal path
4. Set the gate to open just on snare hits
5. Adjust the gate dynamics for different sounds
NOTE: Add compressor before gate for more punch

#71 The Exploding Snare Trick Take 2

1. Create a dedicated drum reverb channel
2. Set the reverb to Non-linear
3. Set the reverb decay to pulse with track
4. Send from snare drum and toms
NOTE: Use different ambience for cymbals
Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 4
#72 The Noisy Snare Trick
1. Create a new channel
2. Insert a signal generator and set it to White Noise
3. Insert a gate after the signal generator in the signal path and select the
key input and buss
4. Key from the snare
5. Adjust dynamics controls to simulate a bottom snare mic track

#73 The Old School Drum Replacement Trick

1. Create a new audio track
2. Import or create the sample of your choice
3. Copy the sample (its crucial to do this first!)
4. Group the new track and original drum track
5. Use Tab To Transient to find drum hit, then paste

#74 The Massive Killer Snare Trick

1. Duplicate the snare track
2. Insert a compressor on the new track
3. Set it to overload
4. Insert an EQ after the compressor and boost highs
5. Adjust the level underneath the original snare
NOTE: The compressor can be replaced with distortion plugin

#75 The Floppy Kick Fixer Trick

1. Insert a gate in the kick signal path
2. Set the range to between -10 and -20dB
3. Adjust the release for tightness

Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 5

#76 The Locked Kick-Bass Feel Trick
1. Insert a gate in the bass signal path after the other processors
2. Select the key input and buss
3. Key from an aux on the kick channel
4. Set to open only on kick hits with a range of -2 or -3dB

#77 The Rockin’ Rock Kick Trick

1. Duplicate the kick channel
2. Add an EQ and filter lows at 600Hz and highs at 6kHz
3. Boost at 2k to 3kHz
4. Compress 6dB or more
5. Set the level in the drum mix to just below the original kick

#78 The Marvelous Tuned Kick Trick

1. Create a new channel
2. Insert a signal generator and set to Sine Wave
3. Insert a gate after the signal generator and select key input and buss
4. Key from aux on kick track to open up gate
5. Tune signal generator frequency to the key of the track

#79 The Chill Club Kick Trick

1. Insert an EQ on the kick track
2. Roll off the extreme lows at 40 to 50Hz
3. Boost at 200 to 300Hz
NOTE: Club subwoofers will fill in lows, upper bass EQ will keep the kick
defined

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#80 The Bombastic Toms Trick
1. Insert an EQ and boost in the 5kHz area to emphasize stick hit
2. Dip slightly anywhere from 300 to 800Hz to compensate for proximity effect
3. Compress 3 to 6dB
4. Increase the release for more body
5. Send to dedicated short decay or non-linear reverb

#81 The Compressed Hat Trick

1. Insert a tube-type compressor on the hat channel
2. Set the amount of compression to keep the track even
3. Add an EQ after the compressor in the signal path
4. Roll off 250Hz and below, add 2kHz for body and 8kHz for sparkle

#82 The Programmed Hat Feel Trick

1. Duplicate the hat track
2. Move the new track ahead by 2ms
3. Set the volume automation using the random pencil tool
4. Insert an EQ on the track and set it to automate the midrange band
5. Automate the gain and frequency using the random pencil tool

#83 The Splendid Cymbal Compression Trick

1. Insert a compressor in the signal path of the overhead channels
2. Set for slow attack and fast release
3. Insert an EQ after the compressor
4. Roll off lows under 250Hz, boost at 8kHz

Mix Tricks Module 4 Checklists! 7

#84 The Consummate Clean Overhead Trick
1. Insert a compressor on the overhead channels
2. Select the key input and buss
3. Key from the snare drum
4. Set the attack and release to fast.
5. Adjust threshold to decrease the snare leakage in the overhead tracks

#85 The Sweet Percussion Ambience Trick

1. Create a dedicated percussion reverb channel
2. Set the decay from .4 to 1.2 seconds depending on the track
3. Set the predelay from 0 to 20ms

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