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Avoiding hi-hat plosives
03/06/2006

Hi-hats can be difficult instrument to recorded well. Part of the problem stems from the fact that there are two different kinds of sounds you're trying to capture: the attack on closed hi-hats, and the "swish" of open hi-hats.

You might think the best way to get a good "swish" sound would be from the edge of the hi-hat. But generally, miking the edge of a hi-hat tends to result in a gong-ish sound, and the opening and closing of the hi-hats forces air outward, right into the mic diaphragm. The effect is similar to the plosives experienced when recording vocals without a pop filter.

To avoid these problems, try aiming the mic at the bell of the hi-hat. Keep the mic back three or more inches away to help avoid issues as the cymbal opens and closes.

Another way to avoid these problems is to consider whether you need to close-mic the hi-hat at all. In many cases, you'll get plenty of hi-hat in the snare and the overhead mics, so you may not need a close mic (though it's often a good idea to put one up regardless, then you have the option to use it if necessary).





Other Techtips from March 2006:
March 31 - Managing UAD-1 plug-in latency in Pro Tools LE and M-Powered
March 30 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part #22
March 29 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part #21
March 28 - What Does "Breaking In Speakers" Mean?
March 27 - Using EQ During Recording
March 24 - Controlling room mics
March 23 - Public Service Announcement
March 22 - Effective EQing in a DAW
March 21 - Accessing Waves Plug-in Presets in a DAW
March 20 - Conserving Plug-in Resources in Windows XP
March 17 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part #20
March 16 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part #19
March 15 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part 18
March 14 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part 17
March 13 - Quickie Guide to DAW Mixing, Part 16
March 10 - How does a limiter work?
March 09 - Mid-side miking
March 08 - Quickie Guide to Mixing, Part #15
March 07 - Quickie Guide to Mixing, Part 14
March 06 - Avoiding hi-hat plosives
March 03 - Quick and easy pop filter
March 02 - Controlling the bass without a compressor
March 01 - More Advanced Shortcuts for Pro Tools


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