When "scooping the mids" does that mean the drum buss(kick,snare,hats,etc.)?

GRiiM

New member
When "scooping the mids" does that mean the drum buss(kick,snare,hats,etc.)?

I think it's just mono(kick,bass). I could be wrong. If someone could clear that up for me id appreciate it. Thanks.
 
I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to ask... Scooping the mids usually means cutting out certain mid range frequencies in any particular sound you're working on... Basically, it's subtractive eq in the mid range.

I'm not sure what you're saying about the drum bus? Could you explain further?

Also, what are you meaning when you say that you think it's mono (kick, bass)... What are you curious about clearing up?
 
Yeah well I've been doing some mixing research and a common tip is to scoop the lows and mids to preserve to most headroom you can, and to get rid of body sounding frequencies.

My question is, should I mid scoop only mono and high end instruments? Seeing as how synth pianos and snares all take place in that range I thought it would make them sound worse if I scooped them.
 
Ah now I understand:-)...

To start, one of the more difficult steps in mixing is knowing what to mix/change, and knowing what not to mix/change.

With that said, the answer is no... You do not only focus on scoping out the mid range of "mono or high end" instruments.

First, mono is not considered equalization whatsoever. Mono or stereo have to do with the stereo field, not an actual eq range. Therefore, both mono and stereo signals may need equalization within your session.

Scoping/cutting any frequency range in a sound is usually considered a better first step in equalization VS starting out boosting/increasing a frequency range in a sound. Nonetheless, any sound from a piano to a synth lead can possibly require an eq adjustment... It's all about what the actual sound in question needing... and that comes down to listening to the sound itself.

There is NO magical preset to equalize ANY particular instrument. With that said, some snares are going to need low, mid, or high equalization in your track, some will not. Some keyboards/synths are going to need low, mid, or high equalization in your track, some will not. It's all about listening to the sound in question.

Definitely look into the difference between a mono and stereo signal...

I hope this helped a bit:)
 
And remember-- 50% or more of your listening audience will "scoop their own mids" when they apply an across-the-board "smiley-face" EQ. And anyone who is listening on halfway decent stereo speakers or headphones will already have that hyped "smiley-face" applied. So you don't want to kill all the mid-range as a matter-of-course. Upper mid-range is where a lot of nastiness and that overall "old telephone" tone resides, but it is also where a lot of the beef is and also intelligibility for vocals and vocal-like lead instruments.

GJ
 
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