Mixing: Snare

bornwithpicasso

New member
Can anyone offer any tips, techniques, methods, and/or tricks for reducing the peak? There are not any plugins or inserts. This image is simply snare audio. I understand not actually hearing the snare isn't much help for you to give advice, but anything will help me.
 

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If you're just looking to quickly tone down the peaks and leaving the rest relatively untouched, try a transient shaper. I like them a lot: very simple, very fast, very transparent.
I've been using them more instead of compressors lately.
If by peak you mean harshness in the sound itself, try a de-esser.
 
I agree with localspace, and while transient shapers are excellent for reducing the perceived intensity of a transient sometimes they don't reduce the volume of a transient enough for mastering purposes. I frequently find myself transient shaping and then finishing with limiting on my snare bus/group.

Reducing Peaks is ultra easy. Just slap any limiter on it and turn the threshold down until your peak disappears to taste.

I limit all my snares/claps because especially after layering, they have a habit of having these nasty peaks on them which are no good for mastering and maximizing loudness later on down the line.

Cheers.

-Nathan
 
also.. saturation

saturation is the answer to everything.

Seriously though: fatter sound with more body, less peaky transients, harshness at the top nicely rolled off.
If you add saturation to a snare it's easy to knock 2 to 4 db's off the peak, while making it appear louder than before.
 
For the snare it can be good to turn the low knob to max and then work with the volume fader in combination with reducing gain on the low knob to find the sweet spot while having the compressor in a constant setting. The compressor is then in combination with a slow attack going to provide some more sound to the attenuation of the low frequencies because they are more dominant, which can sound soft and pleasant. These days snares tend to have quite a lot of punch in the low end and it tends to work, just be sure you do not over do it. Also ensure you have the right snare for the job and the right incoming levels. The same goes with the kick, there are certain hits that should be surprisingly soft in level, best if the drummer records it like that.
 
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