No overheads
2 kick mics
Male lead vocal added
Use as starting points only.
Adjust by ear.
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CHANNEL LIST
Kick Mic 1 – Front / OutsideKick
Mic 2 – Batter / Beater Side
Snare
Rack Tom
Floor Tom
Hi-Hat
Electric Guitar
Bass
Keyboard Left / Mono
Keyboard Right
Male Lead Vocal
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CHANNEL SETTINGS
CH 1 – KICK MIC 1
Purpose: Low-end thump and body
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: On
Threshold: Medium
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium
Compression: 4:1
EQ:
• Slight low boost if needed
• Cut low-mid mud
• Very little high
Main job: Weight
CH 2 – KICK MIC 2
Purpose: Beater click and attack
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: On
Threshold: Medium
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium-fast
Compression: 4:1
EQ:
• Roll off extra lows if muddy
• Cut boxy low-mids
• Small high-mid boost for attack
Main job: Cut through mix
CH 3 – SNARE
Purpose: Crack and backbeat
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: Light
Threshold: Low to medium
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium-fast
Compression: 4:1
EQ:
• Roll off deep lows
• Cut boxy low-mids
• Small boost for crack
Main job: Snap and body
CH 4 – RACK TOM
Purpose: Punch and fill definition
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: On
Threshold: Medium
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium
Compression: 3:1
EQ:
• Small low boost if needed
• Cut mud
• Small attack boost if needed
Main job: Controlled tom hit
CH 5 – FLOOR TOM
Purpose: Deep tom fullness
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: On
Threshold: Medium
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium to slightly slower
Compression: 3:1
EQ:
• Small low boost if needed
• Cut mud
• Small attack boost only if needed
Main job: Full low tom sound
CH 6 – HI-HAT
Purpose: Timekeeping and clarity
Gain: Moderate
Gate: Off
Compression: Usually off
EQ:
• Roll off lows
• Very careful with highs
Main job: Light definition only
CH 7 – ELECTRIC GUITAR
Purpose: Midrange presence
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: Usually off
Compression: Usually off or light
Ratio: 2:1
EQ:
• Roll off lows
• Cut low-mid mud
• Add mids if buried
• Be careful with highs
Main job: Presence, not bass
CH 8 – BASS
Purpose: Low-end foundation
Gain: Strong, no clip
Gate: Off
Compression: On
Ratio: 3:1 to 4:1
Attack: Medium
Release: Medium
EQ:
• Small low boost if needed
• Cut low-mid mud
• Add mids if buried
Main job: Full and even low end
CH 9 – KEYS LEFT / MONO
Purpose: Harmony and support
Gain: Set for loudest patch
Gate: Off
Compression: Light or off
Ratio: 2:1 if needed
EQ:
• Reduce lows if muddy
• Light cut in low-mids if cloudy
• Small clarity boost only if needed
Main job: Balanced support
CH 10 – KEYS RIGHT
Same as CH 9
CH 11 – MALE LEAD VOCAL
Purpose: Clear lead vocal on top of the band
Gain:
Set while singer sings the loudest part
Strong level, no clipping
Gate:
Usually off or very light
Threshold: Low
Attack: Fast
Release: Medium
Compression: On
Ratio: 3:1 to 4:1
Attack: Medium-fast
Release: Medium
EQ:
• Roll off lows
• Light cut in low-mids if muddy or boomy
• Small boost in mids/high-mids for clarity
• Very light high boost only if needed for air
Main job:
Clarity, control, and vocal presence
Watch for:
• Too much low-mid = muddy vocal
• Too much high-mid = harsh or piercing
• Too much compression = flat, lifeless vocal
• Gate too high = words get clipped
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KICK DRUM BLEND
CH 1 = Low-end thump
CH 2 = Beater attack
Starting method:
• Bring up CH 1 first
• Add CH 2 until kick cuts throughIf kick sounds too boomy:
• Lower lows on CH 1If kick sounds too soft:
• Add CH 2If kick sounds too clicky:
• Reduce highs or high-mids on CH 2
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VOCAL STARTING GOAL
Male vocal should sound:
• Clear
• In front of the band
• Not muddy
• Not harsh
• Controlled but natural
Simple vocal rule:
Cut mud first
Then add a little presence if needed
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SETUP ORDER
Start with EQ flat
Set gain on all channels
Set vocal gain with the singer singing loudly
Build rough mix with faders
Blend both kick mics
Add gates to kick and toms
Add light snare gate if needed
Add vocal compression
Add instrument compression
Make small EQ moves
Recheck full band mix
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FAST TROUBLESHOOTING
Problem: Distortion
Cause: Gain too high
Problem: Drum hits disappear
Cause: Gate threshold too high
Problem: Vocal words cut off
Cause: Vocal gate too strong
Problem: Vocal buried in mix
Fix: Add vocal mids/high-mids, reduce guitar/keys competing mids, not just more volume
Problem: Vocal harsh
Fix: Reduce upper mids/highs slightly
Problem: Sound is flat or lifeless
Cause: Too much compression
Problem: Mix is muddy
Cause: Too much low-mid from kick, toms, guitar, bass, keys, or vocalProblem: Mix is harsh
Cause: Too much high or high-mid from hi-hat, snare, guitar, kick beater mic, or vocal
Problem: Kick is lost
Fix:
Add CH 1 for body,
CH 2 for attack
Problem: Bass is lost
Fix: Add mids, not just lows
Problem: Guitar is lost
Fix: Add mids, not bass
Problem: Hi-hat is painful
Fix: Lower channel or reduce highs
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QUICK MEMORY GUIDE
Kick outside mic = body
Kick batter mic = attack
Snare = crack
Toms = gate them
Hi-hat = keep it light
Guitar = mids matter
Bass = compress it
Keys = keep balanced
Male vocal = cut mud, add presence