How to Mix Rock Drums Like Nickelback | Superior Drummer 3 by Jesse Weiman

Hey everyone! I hope you're having a great day. My name is Jesse Weiman, and today, I’m excited to walk you through how to mix rock drums using Superior Drummer. We’ll dive into one of my tracks called "Painkiller," a song I released last year, to see how I work with this fantastic software to achieve a powerful drum sound that stands out in the mix.

Why Superior Drummer?

Superior Drummer is my go-to for programming and mixing drums, especially when hiring a live drummer isn't in the budget. It’s one of the most realistic-sounding drum programs out there, offering flexibility and control that closely mimics a real kit. Whether you're programming your own drums using MIDI or mixing pre-recorded tracks, Superior Drummer has you covered.

Getting Started: Setting Up the Drums

Right off the bat, I love the snare sound in Superior Drummer—it's crisp and realistic, and you can tweak it to your liking. The same goes for toms, hi-hats, cymbals, and kicks. Each element can be customized to fit the vibe of your song.

Once the drums are set, I like to bus everything into Pro Tools, treating it as if I were working with a live drum kit. This setup allows me to mix the drums just like I would if I had recorded them in a studio, giving me full control over each drum's tone and presence.

The Mix Process: Kicks and Snares

Starting with the kick drum, I usually add a sample using the Trigger plugin. For this track, I played around with a few different samples, including some by Billy Decker, until I found a kick that provided the punch I was looking for. A key tip here is to experiment with the pitch of the kick drum, lowering or raising it to fit the track better.

Next, I move on to the snare, layering a sample snare on top of the real one. I like to mix multiple snare samples to get the right balance of attack and body. Sometimes, I’ll also add room sounds to the snare using triggers to give it more depth and space in the mix.

Overheads and Bleed Control

One of the cool features of Superior Drummer is the ability to control the bleed from other drums into your overheads and room mics. I often reduce or eliminate the bleed from hi-hats and toms, which keeps the mix cleaner and more focused. This approach helps prevent unwanted noise and lets each drum shine in its space.

For the overheads, I’m a big fan of using plugins like Abbey Road's Studio 3 to glue everything together. It gives the cymbals a more natural and cohesive sound, which is something that’s often hard to achieve with programmed drums.

Fine-Tuning with Buss Compression

Buss compression is a game-changer when mixing drums. I like to use the SSL Buss Compressor or similar plugins to tighten the drum sound and add that extra polish. Buss compression can drastically change the character of your drums, so it’s crucial to get it right.

Once the buss compression is in place, I go back and tweak individual elements—like adding more punch to the snare or enhancing the low end of the kick—to ensure everything sits perfectly in the mix.

Final Touches

With the core drums sounding solid, I’ll check the overall mix, ensuring the toms cut through and the hi-hat is controlled yet present. It’s a delicate balance, especially with the high energy and dynamics of rock music.

Finally, I group all the drum tracks together, apply some final EQ and compression, and give the mix a final listen. The difference from the raw Superior Drummer output to the final mix is night and day, with the drums sounding polished, powerful, and ready to drive the track.

Wrapping Up

Mixing drums, especially for rock music, requires patience and attention to detail. Using Superior Drummer and a good selection of plugins, you can achieve a mix that not only sounds great but also has the power and energy needed to compete in today's music landscape.

Thanks for following along with this tutorial! If you’re looking for more tips, tricks, or even someone to produce or mix your music, feel free to reach out. And don’t forget to check out my other videos for more insights on mixing and production.

Have a great day, and happy mixing!