Mixing EZdrummer: The #1 Compression Secret For Pro Results

[@FrightboxRecording]

►► Download your FREE Midi Drums & Amp Sims Production Checklist: frightboxrecordingacademy.com/mdas-production-checklist/

[@EasyHeat]

I physically play a hodge podge parted out mesh head E-Kit w/ Lemon Brand E-cymbals triggering EzDrummer, and I track drums the same way on that kit as I've done on an acoustic one decades prior... I dial in a metronome or click track down to the slowest possible relevant bpm to keep steady, and then I time to that, but albeit not obsessively rigid doing so. The miniscule inherent sway and flow of tempo IMO is what makes a track sound "human" as opposed to the current trend of "perfect" gridlocked time aligned cookie cutter robotic mediocrity. Most people don't realize how the underlying flaws within their fav tracks can play such an important role in terms of emotional connection. It took me a long time to fully understand the whole humanization aspect of music on those terms, and in doing so I subsequently abandoned the need for counterproductively aspiring towards a sound of sterile "perfection". ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I hope that makes sense, but if not? It will. In due time. 🙃 🤟

[@lode233]

I suffered of over processing programmed drums in the past because I used to watch some random dudes doing it on internet. I hope this video will reach to as many people as possible.

[@21stCenturySin]

Luckily this is one thing I learned right away after starting to use EZDrummer. I use the Studio VCA Compressor in Logic Pro for parallel compression. I bus the whole kit, everything, to that aux channel. Then I set the compressor to -15 Threshold, 4:1 Ratio, fast Attack & medium release. Mix knob at 100%. Then I blend in the Aux channel volume so it’s underneath the main drum bus channel, usually at -9.0 to -7.0db. This seems to beef the drums up quite nicely & gives them a more prominent “smack” sound in the mix. I also add Waves Magma Lil Tube after the compressor, usually on soft setting with Drive anywhere between 15-50%, whatever sounds best. Just my tricks for getting EZ Drums to hit harder & sound a bit more pounding. Rock on! 🤘🏻

[@Dave_TheMetalJester]

You can never explain this enough Bobby. You're always right. Hope what I'm gonna say helps subscribers here. As I commented on previous videos, I used to struggle mixing MIDI drums. Recently I've been using Superior Drummer 3 which presents rawer samples than EZD2 BUT STILL PROCESSED. Apart from that, I put a lot of effort into learning how to set Up compressors properly, since I kinda understood EQ well enough. After a few tries I had MASSIVE Drums following your philosophy and USING MY EARS. In the end, though applying slightly more aggressive compression and EQ moves than what EZD2 would need, the amount of processing I used was considerably less aggressive and intrincate than what a live drum mix would require. So people, listen to Bobby. Have in mind that no Matter what mixing engineer you watch, they mostly mix Live Drums. ALSO USE YOUR EARS. If you're applying normal amounts of compression or EQ but your MIDI drums sound way overprocessed, simply roll the settings back to the point everything sounds nice. Remember to mix in context of the whole song. Hope this helps. Cheers

[@IslaPalenquita]

This! dude, you f'k'n nailed it. i've binge watched a bunch of your tutorials today; on-point valuable insight, no circumlocution, just quality content. thank you for an effective knowledge transfer. your hard work is very much appreciated. you've literally addressed an assortment of bad practices that i've been unwittingly guilty of myself over the last couple of decades (some new info, some lessons hard-learned and confirmed), with clear/concise answers on how to resolve, keeping it simple, but explaining it thoroughly. respect.

[@matturner6890]

I h8 wen bitches be circumlocutin'.

[@ClubbHouseAirsoft]

This was me when I first started. I stumbled across your video and bam. I watch a good amount of your videos and man my mixes, while not perfect, are actually pretty decent now. One of my buddies who’s been mixing music, and does quite well, actually complimented me and pointed me towards your videos and other mixing materials. Thanks for what you do!

[@BalashToth]

Awesome video 🤘 another thing I learned by failing is that with EZ Drummer: it's better to start with compression and then if you still need then EQ use it before (!) the compression in the chain.

[@didymuskvist]

This video was really helpful. I use Ezdrummer 2 Metal Machine also and never thought of using compression on them. I'm gunna try this now. Thanks!

[@plaguebearermetal]

I feel like I get different results with EZ drummer 2 every time I use it! Sometimes it's like I barely touch it, other times I've done exactly what you've said to avoid: over process, and then it ends up sounding gross. What does surprise me, is that that closer to standard tuning, the harder it is to mix snares and kicks.

[@CLaw-tb5gg]

I've used EZDrummer a lot, and a fun exercise to do is to try and match production of other people's drums with it with stems of songs you like, and it makes you realise you really don't need to do a lot with it to get a decent sound. Doing this will help you learn an awful lot about what's required to get good sounds out of it. When we're making our own sounds I think it's tempting to overcook the shit out of it, but it's really not necessary. EZDrummer isn't real drums, but I've found it does help to think about it as if it was: i.e., trying to fix it in the mix is usually only a path to frustration and just getting the right sound at source is going to solve a multitude of headaches. Trying to get sounds that naturally do what you're trying to do anyway is a lot easier than trying to force it with production, and it'll probably just end up sounding overcooked and shitty. And even the default kits in EZD3 are really good, and you can get most modern sounds you want without having to buy extra stuff. If you want a really clicky, tight, punchy sound, use plastic beaters for the kicks and keep the room sound low. If you want your snare to sound beefier, tune it down - and so on. You don't need EQ for these things. Which isn't to say you don't need to add effects: EZD can be a bit muddy tbh, and I tend to put on a wide cut at about 1k and boost at about 5-6k and compress the bus. But that's about it. I like a really roomy sound, so if I'm really boosting the room mics I also put on a transient shaper after the compressor to boost the attack to stop it sounding so washed out.

[@bobbyjones2112]

I’m learning a lot that I can apply to using my Roland TD 27 kit with or without easy drummer!

[@mike_tkgchs]

thanks mate - i was trying to match a template of somebody using ML Studio Drums and he was doing quite a lot of parallel compression, some pretty outstanding EQ and comp on the room of ML Studio and some other stuff - i didn't realize that ML Studio has way less processing right out the bat while EZD3 has a ton of EQ and comp already. just needed to turn up the fader a bit and i will try a couple of tips from the comments, thanks!

[@leearmitage]

Defiantly guilty of this in the past, ooooo I recognise that song

[@oskarwroniewicz]

Have you checked out ML Drums? There is a mixer tab with EQ and compression built in, but if you set it all to zero then I suppose they are actually raw? At least to me they sound like it which I love because I feel I can ACTUALLY mix them myself rather than have them preprocessed

[@jeffbridges6110]

I use ML Drums during the writing process before recording real drums. They are great , and I love that you can basically do everything from within the plug-in itself as far as processing. But again , it's just a writing tool for me , before real drums.

[@Jubidar]

I'm struggling to make drum bus compression with ezdrummer. Can anyone explain it to me? I'm opening ezdrummer as a virtual instrument and I route every single drum sound on different track. Once I'm done, I create another track, which serve as folder for all other tracks including the one with ezdrummer. The problem is that when I apply compression on the folder fx track, I cannot solo it to hear it separately, because it's in dependency with the original ezdrummer track. If I mute the ezdrummer track, automatically I cannot hear the folder track with compression. Any ideas?

[@zeclomal2265]

It was such a revelation when I first realized that the SD3 drums that I was trying to mix using Jordan Valeriote's advice were already mixed! Valeriote mixes raw drums, recorded by himself at the studio so he goes really hard but I was trying to mix with Toontrack's material, which is already processed...and that's why it sounded quite fucked up.

[@FrightboxRecording]

I LOVE recording and mixing live drums, but yeah...midi drums are a completely different animal.

[@greensammiex]

Damn u did exactly the same 😂😂😂😂

[@CianCarnageMusic]

I'm using things a little differently, within EZ drummer I'll bring up my compressor until it sounds beefy. Then bounce my individual midi tracks to mono audio tracks and start to process it then. I'm still not getting the results i want with overheads. Crash cymbols sound really harsh and ringy, and very hard to tame with EQ. not sure if anyone else is having this issue? I'm happy enough with kick/snare and toms.

[@GeneoVanEngers]

Great tips im try the the 20 percent on the bus comp mix on my drums.

[@zeclomal2265]

Anyway guys, listen up: when you hear Travis Barker's drums, no matter what recent recordinh you choose, they sound QUITE FAKE-ISH! But always punchy and really cool. That's what matters: awesome sounding drums, no super realistic drums. People wants amazing drum, not realistic drums. Keep that in mind.

[@LCRLive687]

It's possible to make drums sound surreal but not fake. You have your ideals confused.

[@constantinranis]

Hey man, would you suggest to export every individual drum piece on different channel and process them or leave them on the software mixer and process the plugin channel, for example I use addictive Drums 2 and I've never actually tried to use a multi track processing like you did there, would it make a huge difference?

[@bigjuicychugs]

Taking a bit of time to set your midi drums as multi channel output you can definitely in increase your sound if you treat them individually. Send all of that to a drum bus to glue it together and you're good to go

[@jjm9741]

if your using a limiter on the master (which wasn't shown whats on the master bus) your compressing the drums. Right?

[@CrushingAxes]

KVLT sound more raw, but far from what you usually hear from home recordings. I made this mistake for several years, trying to compress midi drums a lot.

[@firmans12]

Ugritones rules. Also the new sdx area 33 sounds so raw its good Tired of hearing snare bombs all the time in modern metal mix

[@kellc1347]

Exactly me too!

[@coreyroberts5251]

dude ugitone is the best. I give them all my dollars

[@TheUndSO]

​@@coreyroberts5251 how did you mix der ugritone drums ? I got 5 of them, but came every time back to ez. How many plug ins do you use for ugri ?

[@extrameat2456]

Using EZD3, noticing certain pieces are coming in kind of hot, and clipping occurs soon thereafter. Should I be gain-staging EZD3?

[@JSchellergJ]

Hey Bobby, I suggest you try ELE - Extinction Level Event from Glen Fricker

[@Bloodsoaked]

What version of the Waves G-Master Buss Compressor are you using? Mine doesn't have the Trim or Mix knobs.

[@dachreport]

I don't do processing on individual tracks if using ezd. I do however use buss comp depending on the taste of the song. Great video. Thanks 👍

[@francobuzzetti9424]

what i learned over the years is that i and many people just end up either gating or expanding the drums WITH the compressor settings instead of actually compressing them also people are ALWAYS emphasizing the shell's fundamental with eq way more than they need and they end up ringing a lot

[@guitarseshworks]

I've found this video very enlightening! Just for clarity, are the EQ and comp plugins enabled in the EZ drummer mixer or not ? Is this the 'already processed' you are referring to?

[@MattyB3]

Hey Bobby, great nformation. I can definitely be accused of over compressing and understand what you’re trying to say. I am currently using EDZ3. Quick question, would you ever use tape saturation on the individuals tracks for drums or on the drum buss? Thanks.

[@FrightboxRecording]

For midi drums, I usually use it on the drum buss. Sometimes on snare if the sample is too pokey.

[@DANBURKLOW]

Sick playlist. Will you make one and throw in some October Ends tracks? Dark and Call Play Time are pure bangers!!

[@DeskLazer]

Some of the EZDrummer presets and EZX's actually have a comp and/or parallel comp channel, do you just turn that off and use your own compression or do you just mix to taste in lieu of that? And do you still use bus compression on top of that?

[@TheUndSO]

Thats a really good Questionen.. Pls answer it :)

[@whatmusiciwant]

So, you split out your different channels and then process the MIDI? Or, do you dissolve your MIDI track into separate tracks and then render those to audio, and then process the .WAV?

[@0svvan0]

I have no compression on my drums currently. i have one eq on the kick and overheads, though.

[@Imthat676]

Very hard job making this song sound good.

[@psychicer5022]

Did you separate the midi track and then render each one to audio? Also recently found your channel(subscribed) and used your tip sheets, as well as videos and I gotta say, not only was it clear and easy for me to understand, but it worked! Theres so much info out there which is great, but since everyone does things different, it can get quite overwhelming. Ive been recording at home for years now, but this is the first time one of my mixes has ever sounded good! I went from "garage demo" to "decently recorded ep" that actually sounds good on different speakers!! I have progressed and understood more in the last couple days from your vids than I have from years of trial and error, and even some classes. Thanks again man. Your channel definitely deserves to get bigger and hope it does.

[@FrightboxRecording]

That's so awesome to hear, and I'm so happy to have been a help!! The version of the mix I'm sharing in this vid is right before I print my midi drums to audio, which I always do.

[@Nomisdor]

Is it simple to get the drums from EZdrummer to the daw on individual Tracks?

[@marekkrynicki3746]

Any chance to make mixing video with GGD OKW metal ?

[@CalebNathanaelNettles]

Thanks so much! So you’re adding this post processing in individual tracks rather than mixing them inside of the ezdrummer plug-in itself?

[@andrewshibo]

Insane mix! Will you create one and put in some October Ends tunes? Dark and Call Play Time are pure bangers!!!

[@RockinRoy09]

Fire mix... Can you make one and add some October ends songs? Dark and Call Play Time are pure bangers!!!!

[@deandutkiewicz2517]

I really love your tutorials! I am so guilty of overprocessing... Now I'll try your approach. I really do believe there will be a time and place for the perfect mix and as soon as we all get to this point there will be peace on earth and there will be no snare not sitting in the mix... Also there will be unicorns and leprechauns 😁

[@metalfather8139]

That demo track was cringe bad......wow.scared me feel like im in a carnival falling in a circle...... But good job correcting the drums

[@Derpadeedooda]

Great taste in film 👍

[@romanwestenholtz4396]

my First mix ever i mixed them like live and in the midst of all my son's wife needed a computer and yes haha being unorganized I thought I saved all the stems and files and I bounced the track and lo and behold I bought my new computer and I ended up trying to polish a Turd I could not load I'd have to start all over on a lot of parts- because I did not finish the mix I did end up with some good results but in the interlude of my song I lost the snap of my snare and at the end of my song I had Bombastic snares and bass drum but the way the song was made it was a glorius effect my overheads were ear splitting like a sword stabbing mid-brain the start of my song was all improvised (written for the song) cymbal hits...I was able to make it well enough where people were like wow but any engineer and Master engineer would put a bullet in my head for releasing it haha

[@djentlemann6663]

any tips on making snare and tom rolls sound more natural? do you need different samples for harder and softer hits to blend into the rolls or is there a way to do this with the same sample?

[@FrightboxRecording]

Try varying the dynamics of the roll, usually setting most of them much quieter than the main hits.

[@genotika]

what about envelope shaping on drums. do you use it? excellent channel ❤️

[@FrightboxRecording]

I do, but usually only when using my own raw samples.

[@genotika]

started to mix rock songs for friend and your channel is the source that i use. really helped alot. greets from croatia!

[@jd0tadams]

like other folks in the comments, i used to do this exact same thing. watch someone mix REAL and actual RAW tracks and apply those methods to midi drums and wonder why it sounded weird. this is killer FREE info. As per usual Bobby, well done good sir. Also, what is this band? really cool track.

[@FrightboxRecording]

Glad you've been finding the content helpful! The band in the video is called Voidscape. You can check out more music here: voidscapenj.bandcamp.com/album/odyssey-of-spite

[@jd0tadams]

@@FrightboxRecording thanks for the info man!

[@martinlopez1522]

Hi, im use superior drummer 3, had a option to sound without processing, its sound raw, and Aldo use perfect drums, wich obviously is procesador but sound unglued for me, very separated each element of drumkit, maybe its me haha, Bobby go on, simplify my workflow with yours tutorials, i learn very much, cheers from argentina

[@FrightboxRecording]

I know what you mean, but they're not 100% raw.

[@CTimaure]

I find the cymbals too loud, other than that sounds pretty cool to me.

[@666cordyceps666]

do you parallel compress the whole drum kit or the shells only?

[@FrightboxRecording]

I usually only do shells.

[@alexmortar]

Thanks, want to ask what the band sounds here?

[@FrightboxRecording]

Voidscape! you can check out more music here: voidscapenj.bandcamp.com/album/odyssey-of-spite

[@alexmortar]

@@FrightboxRecording Ok, Thanks!

[@JoelDubay]

Sounds Indy…small and ultra low fi

[@UNMERILLY]

Music sounds cool, whats the name of the band ?

[@FrightboxRecording]

Voidscape! you can check out more music here: voidscapenj.bandcamp.com/album/odyssey-of-spite

[@UNMERILLY]

@@FrightboxRecording Thanks a lot ! and thanks for all the great tips you share with us

[@jonasweiss5817]

Put Waves LL Maximizer on it.

[@kellc1347]

🤣🤣 I absolutely use to murder my EZ Drummer with processing. Those tracks sounded so bad. Great info once again!

[@BreinGames]

What the hell is glued together?

[@oinkooink]

Err...the drums sound massive. I spend my time in Ezdrummer trying to make them sound smaller. But ah fuck it I can't be bothered finishing the sentence

[@andrewjacobs5579]

Yes! I can be the best pretend musician

[@drvl7n]

It took nearly 3:30 to get to the point lol. Love this channel but sometimes there is WAY too much intro. Just get to it man.

[@GarciaTheresa-t1o]

Lee Elizabeth Miller Michael Taylor Gary

[@stiman1]

So you're adding the compression on your drum bus and not setting up a parallel compression bus eh. Interesting.

[@lilithwhite8822]

Man this song sucks....