7 Easy Steps to Mixing FAT DRUMS

Achieving a fat drum sound is sought after by producers.

• Transient sounds • Sustain sounds • Fat sounds

The video covers seven steps to transform drums into a fat, polished sound.

Understanding the generalized dynamics of sound is essential before mixing.

Use channel delay to shift the clap slightly before the kick to improve timing and separation.

Add fading to the open hat to create space for the closed hat, as the closed hat is more transient while the open hat is sustained.

Apply high-pass filtering to the claps to remove unwanted low frequencies while preserving character.

Addressing these common problems early in the mixing process prevents issues later in the workflow.

• Create a return track with reverb • Set reverb to 100% wet • Add low cut to control mud • Adjust decay, stereo width, and quality

Send claps heavily to the room reverb to add spaciousness and depth.

Send the percussion group lightly to create cohesion, then send the open hi-hat more heavily for separation.

Create a second, larger reverb (1.5-2.5 seconds) for color and energy on cymbals and effects.

Sidechain the shaker to the clap group so it ducks when the clap hits, creating glue and separation.

Use distortion on low percussion to add harmonics, then apply multiband sidechain to prevent frequency masking with cymbals.

Use aggressive frequency sidechain (Pro-MB) to duck the bass around vocal frequencies, keeping vocals prominent in the mix.

• Sidechain symbols to hats to prevent frequency buildup • Duck drum rolls from closed hats for clarity during snare hits

Use EQ to separate open hats from shakers by cutting specific frequency ranges on one to avoid overlap.

Address frequency conflicts between organics and open hats using targeted EQ cuts.

Apply subtle EQ adjustments without damaging the original sound's excitement and character.

Static mixing is about frequency balancing rather than dynamic processing to maintain clarity.

• Create a return channel with compression to crash dynamics • Send select drum elements (clubs, hats) to this parallel channel • The glue layer adds cohesion without destroying original punch

Apply overdrive distortion on the parallel channel to add color, then shape with EQ and reverb.

Add slow-attack, slow-release compression on the kick within the parallel chain to maintain groove and pocket.

Use sidechain EQ on the stereo sides to cut low-end frequency buildup, creating a cleaner, wider sound.

Separate the kick from the drum group since in electronic dance music the kick belongs with the low end.

Apply a subtle glue compressor on the drum group with fast attack to maintain transients while adding a slight pumping effect.

Use a coloring EQ to add air and brightness to the high-end, unifying the entire drum group under one color palette.

The combination of processing creates a cohesive, polished drum sound ready for the mix.