Adding "vintage" vibe to your drum mix & song (feat. SD3 & Plugin Alliance)

In this video, Mike demonstrates how to achieve a vintage drum sound using digital samples, focusing on mindset and approach rather than specific mixing techniques. He uses a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'The River' to illustrate his process, opting for the Ludwig Hollywood Kid kit and Slingerland Radio kit from Superior Drummer 3. Mike emphasizes the importance of not overthinking and looking at the whole song, enabling bleed between instruments for authenticity. He also discusses the use of various plugins, including the Lundell 80 series for a Neve-style sound, Soundtoys' EchoBoy for vintage tape emulation, and the Abbey Road Vinyl plugin for adding vinyl noise. The video concludes with a comparison of the mix with and without the vintage processing applied, showcasing a more cohesive and authentic sound.

Takeaways

• 🎧 Mike discusses techniques for achieving a vintage sound in drum mixes, using digital samples in modern software like Superior Drummer 3.
• 💻 He highlights the importance of choosing the right virtual instruments to emulate a vintage sound, emphasizing the use of old drum kits and snares.
• 🔥 Mike explains the concept of 'bleed' in mixing, using Superior Drummer's features to allow sound from one drum to naturally bleed into others' microphones for a more cohesive sound.
• 🛠 He uses various plugins from Plugin Alliance to enhance the vintage feel, particularly emulating the sound of Neve mixing consoles and analog tape.
• 🎸 The discussion includes tips on how to avoid over-processing by focusing on the entire mix rather than obsessing over individual elements like the snare or kick drum.
• 📱 Mike advocates for a mixing philosophy centered around the mindset of engineers from the '60s and '70s, focusing on the music's overall needs rather than modern precision.
• 🖥 He demonstrates specific settings and adjustments in plugins to achieve desired sonic characteristics, emphasizing the value of saturation and subtle EQ tweaks.
• 📈 The use of analog emulation plugins plays a crucial role in achieving a vintage sound, even when starting with digital recordings.
• 🎤 Mike provides practical examples of how to use these techniques in a mix, showing before and after examples of the song 'The River' by Bruce Springsteen.
• 📚 He encourages experimentation with different mixing approaches and plugin settings to find the sound that best serves the song.

Q & A

What was the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video was to demonstrate how to achieve a vintage sound in a drum mix and song, using digital samples and a specific mindset towards mixing.

Who requested the demonstration in the video?

Kevin, a subscriber from Norway, requested the demonstration.

Which song was used to showcase the vintage sound approach?

A cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'The River' was used to showcase the approach to achieve a vintage sound.

What drum kit was used in the demonstration?

A Ludwig Hollywood Kid drum kit, along with a Slinger and Radio kit, was used in the demonstration.

What is the significance of enabling bleed from all instruments in Superior Drummer?

Enabling bleed from all instruments helps to create a more authentic and cohesive drum sound, as it mimics the natural leakage that occurs when recording live drums.

What plugins were used to achieve a vintage sound?

Plugins used to achieve a vintage sound included the Lundo Series from Plugin Alliance, Soundtoys' CQ, Steven Slate's tape emulation plugin, and the Abbey Road Vinyl plugin from Waves.

How did the mindset of not overthinking and focusing on the whole song influence the mixing process?

The mindset of not overthinking and focusing on the whole song influenced the mixing process by encouraging a more holistic approach, where the mixer considered the needs of the song as a whole rather than getting caught up in perfecting individual elements.

What was the purpose of using the Lindell 80 bus plugin?

The Lindell 80 bus plugin was used as a summing bus to add saturation and warmth to the entire mix, contributing to the vintage sound.

How did the use of vintage emulation plugins help in achieving the desired sound?

Vintage emulation plugins helped in achieving the desired sound by adding character, warmth, and authenticity to the mix, simulating the effects of recording through actual vintage analog gear.

What was the role of the Steven Slate tape emulation plugin in the mix?

The Steven Slate tape emulation plugin was used to add warmth and a vintage feel to the overall song, emulating the sound of recording onto a half-inch, two-track machine at 50 IPS.

How did the use of the Abbey Road Vinyl plugin contribute to the final mix?

The Abbey Road Vinyl plugin contributed to the final mix by adding a subtle layer of noise, crackle, and clicks, emulating the sound of playing music from old vinyl records.

What was the final step in processing the drums?

The final step in processing the drums was using the Lindell 80 channel plugin on each track to add a typical '70s sound with a push in the low end and a lift in the upper mids and high end.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Introduction to Video Content

Mike starts the video by thanking his subscribers and specifically addressing a request from Kevin from Norway about showcasing the sound mixing techniques used in a previous Aerosmith cover video. Instead of demonstrating with the same song, he opts for Bruce Springsteen's 'The River' to explain his vintage sound approach using the 'Superior Drummer' software. He previews the session setup in Reaper and discusses his mindset towards achieving a vintage sound with digital samples.

05:01

🥁 Detailed Mixing Process for Drums

Mike delves into his drum mixing technique, starting with the selection of specific drum kits and cymbals in Superior Drummer to create a vintage sound. He emphasizes the importance of 'bleed' in drums, which helps to achieve an authentic sound by allowing microphones to pick up ambient sounds from other drums. By toggling the bleed settings, he demonstrates how the drum set's sound becomes more cohesive and realistic. The focus is on recreating the recording conditions of the 1970s without modern adjustments to the microphone bleed.

10:04

🔧 Applying Vintage Plugins for Cohesive Sound

Mike introduces vintage emulation plugins to enhance the overall sound of the mix, starting with tape and vinyl emulation plugins to add warmth and an authentic vintage character. He adjusts these plugins to affect the entire track subtly, focusing on emulating the mixing practices of the 1970s. His aim is to mimic the warmth and character of analog recordings, showing the adjustments in real-time and explaining the impact on the track's sonic quality.

15:04

🎚️ Overall Mix Adjustments and Vocal Focus

The focus shifts to broader mix adjustments. Mike explains how he manages the dynamics of the mix by grouping tracks into subgroups for better control, particularly separating vocals to treat them differently. He uses a combination of compression and EQ to balance the mix, ensuring the vocals integrate well with the background instrumentation. He demonstrates this by playing the mix before and after applying these processing techniques, emphasizing the subtle but significant impact they have on the track's cohesion.

20:04

🎤 Final Mixing Touches and Conclusion

Mike concludes the video by reiterating that no significant EQ or compression adjustments were made to the drums. The use of vintage emulation plugins and a focus on the bleed feature in Superior Drummer sufficed to achieve the desired vintage sound. He stresses that the overall processing created a cohesive sound that supports the song without overpowering it. Mike ends with a demonstration of the final mix, inviting feedback and reminding viewers of the artistic choices made throughout the mixing process.

Keywords

Vintage vibe

The term 'vintage vibe' refers to a style or atmosphere that is reminiscent of an earlier period, often characterized by a warm, analog sound quality. In the video, it is the main theme as the creator aims to achieve a classic, retro sound in his drum mix and song, using modern digital samples to emulate the feel of older recordings.

SD3

SD3, or Superior Drummer 3, is a software drum module developed by Toontrack Music. It is used in the video to create realistic drum sounds. The creator uses SD3 to select vintage drum kits and apply settings that contribute to the overall vintage vibe of the mix.

Plugin Alliance

Plugin Alliance is a company that collaborates with various developers to produce high-quality audio plugins. In the context of the video, the creator uses plugins from Plugin Alliance to add warmth, character, and a vintage feel to the drum mix.

Mixing mindset

The 'mixing mindset' refers to the approach or philosophy a sound engineer takes when mixing audio. The creator emphasizes a mindset of not overthinking and focusing on the overall song rather than individual elements, which is crucial for achieving a cohesive vintage sound.

Ludwig Hollywood Kid

The Ludwig Hollywood Kid is a vintage-style drum kit available in SD3. It is chosen by the creator for its classic sound that fits the vintage vibe he is aiming for. The drum kit is a key element in achieving the desired 'vintagey sound'.

Slinger and Radio Kit

The Slinger and Radio Kit are additional components or add-ons for SD3 that provide more options for drum sounds. They are mentioned as part of the setup used to create the drum sound in the video.

Pisces cymbals

Pisces cymbals are known for their crisp and clear tone. In the video, they are selected for their ability to blend well into the mix without being too harsh, which is important for maintaining the vintage sound the creator is targeting.

Velocity curve

The velocity curve in a digital audio workstation (DAW) affects how the dynamics of a performance are translated into the volume of the sound. The creator adjusts the velocity curve to control the dynamics of the drum performance, which is a subtle but important part of achieving a natural, vintage drum sound.

Bleed

Bleed in the context of recording refers to the unwanted sound from one instrument that is picked up by another instrument's microphone. The creator enables bleed from all instruments in SD3 to create a more authentic, live drum recording feel, which is a characteristic of vintage recordings.

Lindell 80

The Lindell 80 is a plugin emulated from Plugin Alliance that is used in the video as a bus processor to add saturation and warmth to the overall mix. It contributes to the 'fat airy Neve sound' that the creator is aiming for, which is reminiscent of the 1970s.

CQ from Soundtoys

The CQ plugin from Soundtoys is an emulation of an old German Siemens EQ, known for its vintage vibe. The creator uses it to add a touch of high-end shelf and character to the mix, which helps to avoid boxiness in the mid-range and enhance the overall vintage tone.

Steven Slate tape emulation

The Steven Slate tape emulation plugin is used to add warmth and character to the mix, simulating the sound of recording onto a half-inch two-track tape machine at 50 IPS. This emulation is a key part of achieving the vintage, analog sound that the creator is seeking.

Highlights

Mike demonstrates how to achieve a vintage sound in a drum mix using digital samples.

The video showcases a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'The River' as an example.

Mike emphasizes the importance of mindset over specific mixing moves for a vintage sound.

Vintage instruments like Ludwig Hollywood Kid and Slinger Radio Kit are used for authenticity.

The use of a snare drum that is nearly 100 years old contributes to the vintage vibe.

Pisces cymbals are chosen for their crisp tone that fits well into the mix.

Mike adjusts the velocity curve in Superior Drummer for better control.

Enabling bleed from all instruments in Superior Drummer helps achieve a more authentic drum sound.

The Ludell 80 bus plugin is used for saturation to affect the whole song.

Soundtoys' CQ plugin adds a vintage vibe with a touch of high-end shelf and low end.

Steven Slate's tape emulation plugin adds warmth to the overall song.

Abbey Road Vinyl plugin replicates the noise and crackle of old vinyl records.

Subgroups are used to treat vocals and other instruments differently in the mix.

Plugin Alliance's V76 U73 is used for compression, adding character and warmth.

Lindell 80 channel plugin is used on each drum track for a consistent sound.

Vintage processing starting from the submix group is applied for a cohesive sound.

Mike avoids heavy processing on drums to maintain a vintage, less polished sound.

The final mix aims to serve the song rather than having drums as the central focus.

A before-and-after comparison showcases the impact of the vintage processing.