Let’s talk about plugins and how using the right ones can make all the difference when you’re mixing your tracks. To get that immaculate sound on the drums you’re searching for, there are some plugin tricks that will get you there fast!
Marc Daniel Nelson is a Grammy and French Academy Award nominated mixing engineer, music producer and creative director. In today’s video, Marc shares his 4 favourite plugin tricks for drums using the song “Lonely Exile” by Jon Greig of The Analog (@Jongreig).
Top 4 Favourite Drum Plugin Tricks:
Augment your Samples
Plugin(s) used:
SoftTube Transient Shaper
Oeksound Spiff Transient Shaper
Marc likes to use the original drum track and add a drum sample to help create that ambience and body that it needs. Oftentimes, it can sound a bit ‘mucky’ after adding the drum sample. With a Transient Shaper, create harmony between the drum sample and the original track.
Automating for Rolls
Plugin(s) used:
StevenSlate Trigger 2
By automating your rolls, you get full control of the original snare when you need it, and even if it’s not perfect, you get that detailed sound that you need on the rolls. You get your first sample and your last sample in there and what is in between is the perfection of the real snare.
Soothe2 on Overheads
Plugin(s) used:
Oeksound Soothe2
Marc notes that digital does not do well with the sound of symbols. Sometimes the cymbals on your track are overpowering and aggressive. The Soothe2 plugin is a dynamic resonance suppressor. On the fly, it recognizes problematic resonances and immediately applies matching reduction. With it, you can hyper-focus on the areas that need adjusting with ease.
Pulsar 1178 on Drums
Plugin(s) used:
Pulsar 1178 Compressor
What this plugin can do for your drums is life-changing! The Pulsar 1178 is a FET compressor. That is the ideal control for modern mixes. It keeps the track tight and lets the kick drum have room to breathe.
These are the top tips for using plugins for drums that Marc considers to be his favourite! If you have more questions, check out Marcdanielnelson.com.
Marc has been mixing, producing and managing creative content for over 20 years. His music credits include Fleetwood Mac, Colbie Caillat, Jason Mraz, and more.
Check out the full video to get an in-depth view of how Marc uses his favourite plugins to mix drums to create pristine tracks!
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