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open hi hat problems
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| krivi |
hi guys,
i have some little problems about mixing open hi hats and set them right in the mix,i use raw 909 sample and it's always so obvious and loud in the mix and there is that hisssss sound,but when i filter it lose power and doesn't feet in the mix as well... any precise tips on mixing open hi hats? |
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| chillsonic |
don't filter it; eq it. find a good compressor setting for it as well.
without a sample, i can't help all that much. |
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| Freak |
| compression can change the sound of an open hat so much. It also helps it sit better in the mix. |
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| Rob |
I usually layer 3-4 open hihats, chuck a bandpass filter onto it, then adjust the BP filter for the frequencies I want filled. I repeat those steps another 4-5 times each with slilghtly different bandpass filter settings, different volumns, and different patterns.
I usually have a master EQ over these percs to adjust the tonal balance a little bit aswell, and on occasions use a bit of EQ after the BP filter.
Another thing I sometimes do is detune hihats against each other. Have the same hihat over 5 channels, and them detune them:
10 - 5 - 0 - 5 - 10
After this, throw a BP filter onto it, and try and find the sound you're roughly after. You'll notice detuning this way will have significantly thickened up your hihats.
ta ta:) |
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| Atlantis-AR |
You'll most definitely want to highpass them, maybe around 300-400 Hz (though don't quote me on that), with a 24 dB/octave slope (i.e. using two filters at the same frequency using e.g. the Waves Q10). If you find the cutoff frequency too high, try lowering it (maybe to around 100-200 Hz), in addition using a notch filter around 100-200 Hz with an average Q, and a negative gain of maybe a few dB's. Just experiment; there's no right way, and every song will call for different settings, but this would certainly be a sensible place to start.
Then, there's the very high top-end above around 14-16 kHz: this has to roll off gradually. Use an analyser, and if you find the hats rising, or at a flat level above, say, 18 kHz, use a lowpass filter to roll the extreme top-end off. Nothing too dramatic, or you'll find the sound quickly becoming dull, but you should find that after which you're able to turn the volume up higher without causing ear fatigue.
Somewhere around 10 kHz is the ideal brightness range for hats, maybe a little higher up to around 12 kHz if the hat is quite bright. Anything below 9 kHz, and you'll quickly get into the 'sibilance' range, so watch out you don't drop too low (unless of course you're wanting to accent this range). But, find the 'point' of the hats and where it suits the song best, and boost here with a fairly tight Q for some extra brightness.
A cut(s) in the mid range can also help to increase clarity in the top-end, so find out where, and if your hats are fighting for space with any synth, for example, and reduce here with a moderately wide bandwidth. Again, just a starting point; extend on this to suit your mix. Maybe also try boosting in the ~400 Hz range for some lower-mid power, though watch out you don't swamp the rest of the mix.
Lastly, I wouldn't actually recommend to compress cymbals at all, though sometimes it can help to give a more solid and less punchy sound. You'll need to find the optimum attack time so as not to over-smooth the transients, and not extend them even more. Just be certain the mix needs it, as the last thing you want is a dull and over-compressed top-end (remember, mastering can always add more compression, but it can't undo it).
Oh, and one final important note: When setting the level of the hats, be very careful you know what you're doing, and how to compensate for the shortcomings of your ears. Turn the volume almost right down, and listen to the mix for a while. If you start to hear too much hats, they're most certainly too loud. Make them settle in well at a low to average volume, and they'll most certainly translate well at a higher volume.
Just some thoughts. :) |
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| gk_nz |
| Wicked post atlantis! Always learn something new when you make a post! |
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| h.vox |
| quote: | Originally posted by krivi
hi guys,
i have some little problems about mixing open hi hats and set them right in the mix,i use raw 909 sample and it's always so obvious and loud in the mix and there is that hisssss sound,but when i filter it lose power and doesn't feet in the mix as well... any precise tips on mixing open hi hats? |
try to pitch them up or down, layer with some other percussion like tambourine or a really snappy cls hat, add some plate reverb, put an eq on it and fiddle with it .... or try something you never thought it would work :) |
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| krivi |
thanx on your replies..really great answers here...Atlantis' post rocks.
i think kick/ohihat is important for good track, for example in george hales - autumn falls , ohihat is so sharp but no hisss...i am searching for that kick/ohi relation,but it's probably about compression... |
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| krivi |
hey guys , i am reading this thread ,
and really would like to ask you another question about ohihats and that's about envelope settings , i have a litle problems about decay and release, i assume attack is 0.
your experiences? |
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| pho mo |
| I usually find two different open hats with different frequency ranges, one panned somewhere left and the other right works a treat. And definitely hi-pass them, usually pretty high too. |
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