Mixing metal drums: Parallel compression and bus processing

Say goodbye to weak, thin drums!

First things first: mixing drums is HARD! That’s because it’s really like mixing half a dozen or more instruments at once, each of which has wildly different characteristics. Each piece of the kit is its own beast, and yet they all have to gel with each other AND cut through the mix without overwhelming the rest of the song– easier said than done, right?

And while there is no such thing as a silver bullet that will magically fix all your drum mixes, there is something that comes kinda close: parallel compression and bus processing. If you’ve already been using it in your mixes then you know how it adds the sustain, thickness and punch that take your drums from good to great. And if you haven’t, well, you should be 🙂

In this video, the latest installment in the Mixing Metal Drums series, our friend Robin Leijon walks you through his approach to parallel compression and other bus processing techniques. Take notes because this stuff will work miracles on your mixes!

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