Hi Hats

[NuEra]

I'm trying to get my hats to sound less robotic.

I swing them
I use different velocities
I use different samples

What am I missing? What are some good tips when it comes to hi hats?

[admin]

Those are the main things to consider. A lot if it is just down to the actual execution. In the mix I did yesterday I noticed how the hats took on a much more natural feel when the mix as a whole came together better. Another thing to try is make sure you hipass them, and also try adding some attack to them (so they fade in).

[NuEra]

Do you use any time based effects? verb, delay, chorus?

How hi do we want to pass them?

[admin]

Yes I do, delay of course is a big one. I just used some chorus on an open hihat yesterday while working on a remix, just subtle to keep it from sounding flat/dry.

Just hipass most of the mids and upper mids to clean them up.

[NuEra]

Ive always suspected delay but whenever I try the results are negligible. I'll give it another go, thanks!

[admin]

There's something about using delay as opposed to manually programming the same pattern. I seem to be able to get them to 'swing' in a way that manual doesn't always do as intuitively. Also try just a touch of filtering on the delay to separate the hits a bit more.

[NuEra]

Yyes I have all my delay, verb and chorus busses set up with a hi and lo passes plus an eq.

I'm assuming short delay times and low feedback?

[sven hauck]

There's something about using delay as opposed to manually programming the same pattern. I seem to be able to get them to 'swing' in a way that manual doesn't always do as intuitively. Also try just a touch of filtering on the delay to separate the hits a bit more.

Interesting...makes sense.

[NuEra]

I read this article in sound on sound about reverb. It says to use a global reverb (or two one longer one shorter) to give your tracks a spatial identity. So does this apply to the high hats? Ie is reverb used on high hats..1: at all? 2: In conjunction with delay? or 3: One or the other?

Keeping in mind the general rule of there are no rules in music, I am just trying to educate myself more on common practice.

[admin]

It can but that's a fairly generally piece of advice. It just means that in a natural situation, say a live a band, everyone would be playing in the same 'space'. So to emulate that you'd use a single verb across all the parts. Whether this applies to your type of mix though is up to you. I don't really apply verb in this sense anymore as things are more dry now.

A short room verb on hats can be cool to just make them a bit bigger and dispersed sounding.