Drum Mixing Spotlight

This is a look into how I mixed drums on a record at Empire Sound Recording Studio. The mixing chain begins with sending all the drum tracks to individual channels on the SSL 4K. On the SSL I add individual processing, EQ, Gate, and SSL channel compression if needed. The kick and the snare channels are also sent to Empirical Labs Fatso’s. All drums are sent to the console’s routing matrix to create a drum bus that is routed to a Manley Labs Elop+ stereo compressor and then returned to new channels on the console. The Manley Elop+ is calibrated with an oscillator for precise stereo compression, just a small amount of compression was used, with high pass side chain filter and link buttons engaged. I then created a separate drum bus with the routing matrix sending all drums with shells, no brass, to another pair of SSL channels where I created a parallel drum bus for compression. For this second drum bus the SSL 4K compressors are used for compression pretty much to their max with fast attack and fast release. EQ and filtering is applied and mix into taste. Yes having different color lights on the meter bridge adds character as well. Thanks for checking out my insights to drum mixing.