Kickdrum EQ'ing

[steevio]

What sorts of eq settings are people using on their kicks? Is there anything typically you do to your kicks?

I don't do anything, I just try to synthesize the kick the way I like it.

+1

i never EQ or compress a kick, and ive no idea why anyone ever does, if youre synthesizing a kick just make it right in the first place.

it sounds like room acoustics like the others have said, plus your synthesis technique must be wrong.

EQ and compression is totally unnecessary to make any component of electronic music if you synthesize your sounds correctly, and that takes practice and experience.

[steevio]

drums in general needs a very fast decay and most subtractive synths dont have those

i'm sorry but this is nonsense.

most of the sounds including drums that weve been listening to for the last 30 years were made with subtractive synthesis.

[::BLM::]

What drum sounds do you struggle to synthesize?

[tone-def]

drums in general needs a very fast decay and most subtractive synths dont have those

i'm sorry but this is nonsense.

most of the sounds including drums that weve been listening to for the last 30 years were made with subtractive synthesis.

i think he means fast attack? that makes more sense to me anyway.

i'm really into my long decays at the moment, big 808 boom.

[tone-def]

What drum sounds do you struggle to synthesize?

tambourine

not only is it hard to synthesize, but it's also hard to get a good digital recording.

[steevio]

i think he means fast attack? that makes more sense to me anyway.

i'm really into my long decays at the moment, big 808 boom.

are you saying you can't have a fast attack with subtractive synthesis ?

too much guys

[tone-def]

i think he means fast attack? that makes more sense to me anyway.

i'm really into my long decays at the moment, big 808 boom.

are you saying you can't have a fast attack with subtractive synthesis ?

too much guys

for percussive sounds i think a fast attack is more important than fast decay. fast attack gives you that snap, decay not so important.

i know you can have fast attack with subtractive synths, but stomper thinks differently. unless he actually means fast decay then i really don't get it.

[s.k.]

i never EQ or compress a kick, and ive no idea why anyone ever does, if youre synthesizing a kick just make it right in the first place.

have to disagree. there are sounds that simply cannot be achieved without eq. here is a simple example - you have an SH101, but it has only a low pass filter. you make a bass sound but you dont want the low end rumble that comes from closing the filter all the way down. what do you do - you hi-pass/shelf it. this is eq, no? and that is one really simple example.

steevio, i think that you are so used to the way you work (with a hardware mixer), that you simply take eq for granted hehe. did you not say numerous times that you have some channels on your mixer eq'ed for kickdrums and they've been like that for years? imo, people who use hardware often do not realise how much it does for them. i say eq is essential, and it took me a long time to learn that.

EQ and compression is totally unnecessary to make any component of electronic music if you synthesize your sounds correctly, and that takes practice and experience.

i dont see how this is true too. do you set all eq's on your mixer linearly, never boosting or cutting even the slightest? i thought so. doesn't a mixer overdrive, and is this not compression? does the same job nontheless because in a DAW if you boost you would normally use compression afterwards to even the response. you get my thoughtflow.

who can say where synthesis ends? i say EQ and comression are part of synthesis. so yes - synthesize it right!

edit: just to add to that slightly - many analogue synthesizers have slight eq/compression of some sort on the output. so if it's in the box it's synthesis, but if you use outboard - you're not synthesizing anymore? i would expect a more open thinking from someone with a modular setup. btw steevio, i always liked your sound man