Mixing in Superior Drummer 3 vs. DAW: My Workflow Explained (Part 2/2)

In part 2 of my series, I'll explain in detail why I picked the instruments I picked, show some tricks using the Superior Drummer 3 features until the song is prepared to get actually mixed.
If you haven't seen Part 1: • Mixing in Superior Dru...
Get 7% off your first year's membership at with DistroKid if you signup through my VIP link: distrokid.com/v...
My full series "Mixing a song with SD3 using Tracker": • Mixing A Full Song wit...
#superiordrummer3 #toontrack #mikeluke

[@biekanez1]

Both videos are great Mike, very well explained. I would love to see part 3! Have a nice weekend Mike! :-)

[@corkbiyIE]

Thanks for this! So many great tips and tricks to learn and use!

[@gregoryvpencheff3091]

I just upgraded from EZD to SD and am feeling my way through the labyrinth. I'm also a Reaper user so this pair of videos was very helpful to me. Thanks!

[@GMattisson]

Great videos! Thanks for the deep explanations!

[@ZaxDrumsandGolf]

When you went through the snares I liked the first one by itself the second was too weak and the black beauty was also good!! I think it is amazing how much knowledge and info there is involved in mixing!! I think it would be so hard to decide when they all sound so good!!

[@MichaelSmith-on1ig]

I came here from video 1. Your approach really is an eye-opener to me, thank you! I think the potential of SD3 lies in its ability to sound like a real recorded drum kit when you do it right. I'm currently doing a metal project and I don't want it to sound like 90 percent of the other records out there..

[@rafalvarezsevilla]

awesome video, love some in depth stuff, also some out of the box things (thoug mixing in the box) like the tom bleed mic, very interesting!!!

[@MikeLuke]

Glad you liked it, Rafael. And thanks for watching.

[@wilkinsonmd1959]

it would be interesting to see how you processed these drums - In Your Daw. This is really where the magic happens. Many ( songwriters) are attracted to the use of SD3 because it gives a great stereo out starting point from the SD3 mixer with presets, etc. Once you bypass or get rid of the routing and the effects in SD3 and route this out as a multi, it really is up to you to regain the life in your drum mix in your DAW. For songwriters it is easy to default to what SD3 gives you in the preset stereo out. But it is definitely better to mix them in your DAW. You just need to refine a template for that. I would love to see your template for the drum mix here (in Your DAW)

[@MikeLuke]

Hey Scott, I did exactly that. Check my videos for a series called „The Elephant - Full Mix Walkthrough“, it’s a follow-up to this video here. 🤷‍♂️

[@KeithMarvK]

I've heard since the 90s that Yamaha Recording Custom is the most recorded drums.

[@georgetsantilas6807]

Thank you very much Mike for all of your great videos :-) !!! Vielen Dank!!!

[@MikeLuke]

Thanks for watching! Glad you like it

[@jebstaceyify]

Please show doing the whole mix....... very good video :)

[@tacomamusic]

Not trying to be negative but that song is literally Local H - Bound For The Floor just tuned down lower. which is cool but just pointing out. also thanks for the lesson on your drum tips.

[@mcgarnacle21]

Would love to see a mixing tutorial series on this song, Mike,

[@MikeLuke]

Thanks for your comment, I will do a full mix walkthrough of this for sure.

[@karipori1023]

Thanks for the vids mate

[@AingellAingell]

These "Death" drums work well with all kinds of music. I think toontrack made a mistake marketing as a speed/death metal or whatever it's called.

[@MikeLuke]

Agreed. I think Toontrack has a huge legacy in metal hence the name here (and it has been released in their metal month). But yeah, as I said in my review of this SDX: it’s probably the most versatile expansion they ever released

[@JamesBaldwinDeveloper]

Forgive the noob question - how did you go about printing the tracks from superior drummer into the DAW?

[@mochs3869]

SO not a fan of the section where the drummer just wails away on that crash on the 8th notes....rest of the track was played well, but that part sounds like a 6th grader came into the room, picked up a stick and just started bashing away. I'd cut every other crash out and leave it at quarter notes if it were my choice, but, it's not, lol Great video, I'd like to see the progression of the whole mix from this point on.

[@MikeLuke]

You’re right, Mike. I am considering to change that part into a 1/4 note feel, the cymbals don’t sound nicely. I’ll mix the whole song for sure and then walk through.

[@MikeLuke]

Hey Mike, I've changed that section now. You'll hear it in my latest videos where I walk through the mix itself. Basically, it's now a crash on every snare hit, which changes the feel a bit, but it sounds way better.

[@mochs3869]

@@MikeLuke - is is better, but still not a great part of the song...nothing you're doing wrong at all...in my opinion it's more a problem with the arrangement of the song. Either that part should have been left out completely, or the lead guitar should have just kept wailing through that part...it kind of just hangs there by itself out in the open with no real reason for being there. That's just my thoughts though. Way better than it first was :)

[@XiyuYang]

Man I wish Death&Darkness came with a few stack cymbals.

[@tedhetfieldakapatrickdonat92]

Hi Mike, mal so "outta the box" eine Frage - Es gibt den Song "More Than Meets the Eye" von der MetalBand TESTAMENT und genau auf Minute 3:00 kommt ein geniales Fill - das ich gerne in der DAW in die Piano Roll übertragen möchte...krieg es aber nicht hin....kannst du dir dieses Fill mal bei nem Streaming Dienst anhören und mir da mal n Tipp geben ?? :-D schönes Wochenende -

[@MikeLuke]

Hey Patrick, merke gerade, dass ich Deine Frage noch nicht beantwortet habe. ;) Habe mir den Song jetzt mal auf KZbin angesehen, da kommen zwischen 2:58 und 3:05 gleich mehrere Fills. Welches genau meinst Du? Einmal ist es ein Lauf über die Toms, danach eine Art John-Bonham-Fill (im kurzen Break).

[@tedhetfieldakapatrickdonat92]

Mike Luke hi mike - du bist ja spitze👌💪🥁🙏ich meine das Fill wo die Gitarren pausieren (Danach kommen sofort die vocals)

[@drumfynnfun]

13:40 Ignore that. Just my bookmark for later when I come back for the rest of it