5 Magic Frequencies for Mixing Overheads

Here's how to EQ overheads and cymbals in your mix.

00:00 - Intro
00:59 - Frequency 1
03:13 - Frequency 2
04:44 - Frequency 3
06:42 - Frequency 4
09:07 - Frequency 5
11:24 - Sum up

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[JUNK_ZONE]

Who the fu- welcome, dude. Great video.

[AkuMemangBodoh]

It's good to see Roelof doing some Rolloff on the low end 😂 3:00

[MrNickDrummer]

For all of you worried about phase issues just use Auto Align plug in. Send snare to OHL and OHR and done. Put it first in the plugin chain. And keep in mind his and Jordan's approach is for OH mics to capture cymbals only, not the whole kit. It's metal and hardcore mixing here... Not some Jazz ballad with toothpicks as drumsticks and paper-thin cymbals.

[naterblade]

Thanks I like the way you explain things.

[pedrovanzeler]

HPF the OH without the snare mics/bus playing is dangerous, and a great way to lose low end with phase rotation

[robjohnson]

Can I make a video suggestion? I think it would be really cool to have videos where Jordan and Rolof go through mixes together in an almost conversational format. Go through each instrument and talk about the moves being made and make various commentary along the way. Could apply this same idea to a number of different videos also, even Magic Frequency videos.

[dalizoom]

with OH, i find myself consistently cutting a wide(-ish) area around 3k, and a narrow band around 5k; might be just a taste thing, or perhaps i'm oversensitive there!

[jeffbridges]

Why did you use a different EQ for the10k boost? Just curious.

[tws]

With pro q 4 i feel like the spectral dynamics would be a good way to tackle the 4k area.

[Yuniko_Prod]

You can make this eq adjustments on a ssl eq right?

[sunepedersen]

Do you ever leave in the fundamental of the snare and only hipass at around 200 hz? If so, then when?

[alrecks]

come to think of it, the "cut 4k meme" thing is only relevant if you have badly recorded source, if you already got a good tone to work with, 4k shouldn't be that much of an issue.

[MarcelloDiLorenzo]

The _Mixing Cheat Sheet_ suggests boosting 12, 000 hertz, not 10, 000 hertz, for the Oh ...

[Maxnoziroh]

Do you compress your OH ? :) I usually compress them a bit, so the cymbals are more balanced in jumps of volume between each others.

[maddogtungate]

1st. mistake is not using a channel strip.🤣🤣 Joking. Nice job bud.

[pedrodyck]

Boost 2k wide and boost 10k with shelf seriously? Basically you just made the cymbals louder because you did a boost from 1k to 16k, please just stop with those spreadsheets, just mix what the song needs.

[MrNickDrummer]

As a drummer, that's why I play Paiste Cymbals. No EQ needed at all after a simple hi-pass filter. Paiste manufactures cymbals with the EQ already built in. Great video though to polish those Zildjians and Sabians that always sound kind of clangy. 👍

[PrantoKoX]

Ooof... can't stand these clickbait bombastic and misleading video titles & statements.
🤮
Not that how the overheads are being eq'd in THIS specific case is bad or wrong, but... Once again, there are NO "magic frequencies" - it's horses for courses, the sound of the recorded overheads depends on the drummer's touch, the microphones, the drumkit, the room, the work, choices, knowledge and style of the recording engineer and the producer, even on the temperature and humidity on that day... and, MOST importantly, how the overheads should sound in the mix depends on the genre, style, artist's wishes & production taste & sonic direction for the project.
Try selling fixed magic frequency cheat sheets" to Tchad Blake or Mark Ronson or Bob Clearmountain or Peter Gabriel etc and see what they say!?
🤦🏼‍♂️
Guys, steer clear from the fornulaic snake oil salesmen. ⚠️ Gather and use technical knowledge to broaden your horizons, not to narrow them, IMHO.