How to improve your hi hats and shakers | Tricks to make your hi hats more interesting and tighter!

Tutorial covering hi-hats and shakers in melodic, progressive house, and minimal techno music, focusing on different layers of high-end sounds and proper techniques for creating interesting hi-hats.

The 16 hi-hat is the constantly heard hi-hat sound that plays throughout the track, providing driving energy and movement to push the track forward.

• Avoid super resonant 16 hi-hats as they will irritate listeners due to constant presence • Balance frequency between 16 hi-hat and regular hi-hat - if one is bright, make the other darker • Keep 16 hi-hat length quite short to avoid taking up too much space in the mix • Add slight fade-in to prevent aggressive attack at the beginning

Apply sidechain compression to the 16 hi-hat using the kick as the sidechain source, using look-ahead to prevent the hi-hat appearing when the kick hits, helping give groove to the track.

Examine hi-hat waveforms to identify harmonics and ensure they don't take up excessive space in the mix; make adjustments to keep them short and controlled.

Use short reverb rather than long reverb and tail, as the 16 hi-hat plays constantly and long reverb will cause phasing issues. Short reverb works better for this sound.

• Pan the 16 hi-hat using automation or LFO to add movement and interest • Push the sound right and left to create character and prevent monotony • Use polarity-based movement so the panning has its own character and doesn't follow predictable patterns

Apply groove patterns from groove libraries to the 16 hi-hat timing and amplitude to add variation and prevent the sound from becoming boring when playing constantly.

Choose hi-hat samples carefully by considering how they complement the 16 hi-hat frequency range and the overall track aesthetic - avoid picking multiple rich, harmonically complex samples as they will clash.

• Pick samples with appropriate harmonics and tail length to fit with existing layers • Avoid stacking multiple super rich samples in the same frequency area as it creates mixing difficulties • Consider that track style matters - big hi-hats sound like tech-house while 808 open hi-hats sound like techno

Apply LFO to hi-hat fade-out with random modulation to make each hit different and more interesting, then apply a second LFO to fade-in with offset to create subtle, organic variation.

Add vocoder effect blended subtly into the hi-hat to create a richer, more organic sound without overwhelming other percussion elements like shakers.

Apply compression to hi-hats to control dynamic range, making settings slightly faster with reduced makeup gain to maintain natural sound characteristics.

Choose organic-style shaker samples that complement the hi-hat layers and fit the ambient, melodic character of the track rather than just picking the brightest or loudest option.

Consider ducking the shaker to prevent it from clashing with the open hi-hat, allowing both elements to coexist without frequency conflicts.

Add shakers to give more organic percussion feeling while being mindful not to overdo processing - let complementary sounds work together naturally before applying excessive EQ.

Copy the same shaker sound multiple times and adjust each copy with different length, volume, and fade characteristics to create variation and depth in the shaker layer.

• Make the first shaker layer longer to provide a sweeping, trailing effect • Keep the second shaker faster and shorter for texture • Vary the timing and fade characteristics of each shaker copy to create natural, organic movement

Offset shaker timing slightly after the hi-hat hit so the shaker doesn't get attacked by the hi-hat's transient, allowing both elements to coexist more naturally.

Use sidechain compression from the hi-hat to slightly duck the shaker when the hi-hat hits, creating the effect that the shaker is actually the tail of the hi-hat itself.

Pan individual shaker layers left and right instead of keeping them centered to create width and interest without destroying the sound or mix coherence.

Use delay-based Haas effect or slap delay to create width in the hi-hat group, with ping-pong delay technique pushing the sound left and right across the stereo field.

Apply echo effects to create stereo width while maintaining control over the stereo field, allowing subtle mid-side adjustments to the delayed signal.

Check that all stereo techniques maintain mono compatibility by using a mono-check utility, ensuring the mix translates well across different playback systems despite panning effects.

Apply glue compressor to the entire hi-hat group to tie all elements together cohesively while maintaining natural dynamics and punch.

• Cut super lows from the group to remove unnecessary low frequencies • Slightly boost around 1kHz to compensate for hard cuts and maintain balanced sound • Decrease problematic mid frequencies while using soft clipping to add character without harshness

Add subtle group reverb and delay processing by either sending to separate reverb bus or processing the group directly, keeping effects light to avoid overwhelming the mix.

Make intentional choices when selecting and processing sounds rather than randomly trying samples from packs, aiming for cohesive layering that requires minimal EQ and mixing intervention.