drum submix question

[Mane1234]

Great stuff guys...It's always fun to find new ways to mix things up.

Hey Joel....could you define the whole Sum and Difference thing for us non zen recordists types? Is this something that can be done ITB or will I have to wait until I have a real board to mix through?

Thanks

[joel hamilton]

Look up sum and difference techniques. Pretty amazing stuff... uusing phase and anti phase information... got the idea from the comparator stories that teo macero told me about back in the day at capitol...

You can get neat things like turning the snare down (de-emphasizing) in the overheads... like "getting back inside" a stereo pair of room mics and re-balancing things, based on phase differences between the sum and the difference comps... this is the way I will "fix" phase issues in material I did not track and have to mix...

Getting the time constants on the two compressors, the sum and the difference, to make some of the relationships "swim" dynamically, rather than hold a steady phase relationship that is not flattering...

It is just one of those things... like forcing a mid and side type situation on a spaced pair of room mic omni's, just to get the "middle" to feel stronger if the snare is pulling one way or the other... stuff like that...

[mjau]

Sadly I don't have an 1176, or even a distressor...

Loser.

CG

Not all of us are rocking GML's, man.

[JASIII]

I do it very much like T-rex described, but Joel you really just blew my mind. Like one of those moments where the lightbulb goes on and you go "duh, why didn't I think of that?". Of course...mono and stereo comp busses....and your explanation of hot room mics vs lower levels on the close mics makes complete sense.

Regarding other instruments in the parallel comp bus: I've found that if I'm doing something really stripped down and simple, like a small group or other setting with lots of space, I throw a little of everything in the comp bus..bass, guitar, keys. The wider panned tracks like guitar and keys, suddenly sound much more 'smeared' into the center of the image in a good way, yet remain panned nicely out there and retain the feel of the stereo spread. Good thread.

[SMC Productions]

For me, it totally depends on the project. Like, EVERY TIME. Distressors, 1178, ADR Compex, Manley Variable MU, Neve 33609, ART VLA, FMR RNC, dbx 162, SSL quad comp, Audion PS 3010, Urei LA-22, Drawmer 1960, API 2500, Alesis 3630, MXR 136, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.

Is the Alesis STOCK?! I've never found much that it works on well!?