From the course: A Mix Engineer's Glossary of Techniques

Using ambience to position the drums - Pro Tools Tutorial

From the course: A Mix Engineer's Glossary of Techniques

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Using ambience to position the drums

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- [Instructor] So, I'm going to read from a note for this movie. The note was, on the snare, it asked, "Can we make this a bit warmer, and sit way further back, "just on the first half?" And then the band would like the tom fill. We'll skip that part. I'm going to show you what I do with the snare. The subject of this video being, how to use ambience to derive a location for a snare drum. So, I'm going to play this song. This is by the group, Waterparks, again. Stupid For You. ♫ My moods ♫ You're yellow, I'm natural blue ♫ Let's get together and be green like my insides ♫ At least I'll - [Instructor] So here's the snare drum, and all of it samples. (snare drums) So, to make it sit way further back without turning it down, cause I thought it was in the right spot, volume-wise. I added a reverb that had pre-delay. (snare drums) Now, you can hear the onset of delays. About 200 milliseconds after the initial attack, and it's a very short reverb program. I'll accentuate it. (snare drums) The volume. The amount you send to this reverb is very important to achieve the effect. And along with that I put, for warmth I put the reverb through this device. It takes the treble away, adds some compression, and a reverb that emulates a club. (snare drums) So the compression gives it a little bit of a softer attack, and the different reverbs, the two different reverbs makes it sit further back in the mix. ("Stupid For You" by Waterparks) Really using ambience to achieve both things. About turning the snare drum down. I'll give you... ♫ Back to your hotel room - [Instructor] The before and after. Before. ♫ Black cloud by June ♫ But only when you miss the rain - [Instructor] And after. ♫ Just double dare me and I promise now that I'll stay ♫ I'm color-coding - [Instructor] This is with the effects in. ♫ You're yellow, I'm natural blue ♫ Let's get together and be green like my insides ♫ At least I'll match your eyes ♫ Jealous and hypnotized - [Instructor] I had turn this up so you can hear the snare better. ♫ Be equally in love ♫ Hey, tell me what you want me to say - [Instructor] So that pre-delayed reverb just sinks the snare drum back into the track some. Makes it less pointy and less prominent in the mix without actually turning it down.

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