Dave Otero’s Allegaeon Drum Mix: EQ, Samples & Low-End

Mixing drums for a band like Allegaeon is no small feat. You're dealing with complex rhythms, insane speed, and the need for every hit to cut through a dense wall of technical guitars. Lucky for us, legendary producer Dave Otero (Flatline Audio, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire) recently jumped on a Nail The Mix session, laying down his process for sculpting some seriously tasty tech-prog drums for Allegaeon. If you've ever wrestled with getting your metal drums to sound both powerful and clear, Dave dropped some killer insights. Let's break down some of his key strategies.

Taming Toms: Precision EQ for Clarity and Punch

We've all been there: your toms sound… well, a bit "off." Dave ran into this, describing a "weird kind of notness" in the Allegaeon toms. His approach is a classic one-two punch for dealing with troublesome frequencies without sacrificing the overall tone.

Addressing "Notness": Surgical Dips

First up, Dave tackles those specific problem areas. This often involves using a parametric EQ to make some relatively narrow dips. Think of it like sonic surgery – you're going in and precisely removing the frequencies that are causing that unpleasant ringing, boxiness, or a general out-of-place sound in the toms. By identifying and cutting these specific offending frequencies, you clean up the individual tom hits significantly.

Rebalancing with Macro Boosts

Here’s the catch: after you’ve made a few of those surgical cuts, the whole tom, or even that general frequency area, can start to sound a bit dull or hollowed out. You’ve fixed the problems, but lost some life. Dave’s solution? He’ll often apply a wider, gentler boost across that same general frequency spectrum. This "macro" boost helps to reintroduce energy and weight back into the toms, rebalancing their overall tone while still keeping those problematic narrow frequencies under control. It’s a smart way to get the best of both worlds – clean and defined, yet full and powerful.

For more deep dives into shaping your drum sounds and every other instrument, check out our EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

Snare Strategy: Blending Mics and Samples for Impact

The snare drum is the backbone of most metal grooves. But what happens when the raw snare recordings aren't quite hitting the mark? Dave found himself in this situation with what he called a "crappy snare sound" from the mics, realizing that samples would need to carry more of the weight.

When Live Mics Play a Supporting Role

Instead of scrapping the live snare mics entirely, Dave pivoted his strategy. The original mics would now play a complementary, supportive role rather than being the primary source of the snare sound. This is crucial because even if samples provide the main punch and consistency, the live mics retain the drummer's feel and subtle dynamics that samples alone can't replicate.

EQing Snare Mics for Sample Integration

With this new role in mind, Dave adjusted the EQ on the live snare mics. A key move was pulling down some of the top-end. Why? Because this high-frequency content was contributing to "papery bleed issues" – that thin, washy cymbal sound spilling into the snare mics. By rolling off some highs, the snare mics might sound a bit dull on their own, but when blended with the brighter, punchier snare samples, they fill out the sound nicely without adding unwanted harshness or excessive bleed. This tailored EQ helps the live mics sit better with the samples and serve their new purpose effectively.

Dialing in Snare Sample Dynamics

Just dropping in snare samples isn't enough, especially in dynamic music like Allegaeon's. Dave made sure to get into the dynamic settings of his snare samples. He mentioned adjusting the velocity curves – often linking them for consistent response – and tweaking parameters to control how the samples respond to different hit velocities. For instance, he dropped a setting to around 80 (likely a velocity ceiling or sensitivity range) to get more control over the loudest hits, ensuring they didn't jump out too much and upset the balance of the kit. This careful attention to sample dynamics is key for a natural and controlled drum performance. Managing these dynamics effectively often involves techniques similar to those found in metal compression strategies.

The Kick Drum Conundrum: Finding the Sweet Spot

Ah, the kick drum. Getting that perfect balance of clicky attack and weighty low-end is a constant quest for metal mixers. Dave shared some golden nuggets on his approach.

Balancing Click and Sub: Initial Feel

Initially, Dave focuses on getting the kick to feel balanced within the context of the entire drum kit. It’s less about soloing the kick and making it sound huge, and more about how it interacts with the snare, toms, and cymbals. This foundational balance is critical before even thinking about how it will sit with guitars and bass.

The Barefoot Factor and Knowing Your Room

Dave emphasized the importance of knowing your monitoring environment. He mixes on Barefoot monitors, which are known for their killer bottom-end. However, he pointed out that they're so capable that it can sometimes be hard to tell when "too much is too much" low-end, because the speakers can handle it without distorting. This highlights a universal truth: no matter how good your gear, understanding its characteristics and how they translate is paramount.

The Underrated "Car Test" for Low-End Judgment

This is where old-school wisdom meets modern production. For judging the kick drum's low-end, especially once the bass and guitars are in the mix, Dave still relies on the "Car Test." He'll crank the mix in his car, and if the kicks are "farting out" or distorting the speakers, he knows he's pushed the low-end too far. While not exactly an ear-friendly practice for long periods, it’s a real-world check that many pros still swear by to ensure their mixes translate.

Subtle Touches: Overheads and Channel Strips

Beyond the main drum shells, other elements require careful attention.

Controlling Room Ambience in Overheads

As the mix progressed, Dave felt the need to pull a bit more of the room sound out of the overheads. Overheads capture not just the cymbals but also a significant portion of the overall kit sound and the room's ambience. Depending on the quality of the room and the desired tightness of the drum sound, reducing excessive room tone in the overheads can help everything feel more focused and direct.

Quick SSL J Application

At one point, Dave quickly mentioned throwing a bit of "that SSL J" on a track. While the specific "J" model might be a nuanced reference, it points to the common practice of using SSL-style channel strip plugins (like the E-Channel or G-Channel) for quick, effective tonal shaping and dynamic control. These plugins are renowned for their musical EQs and punchy compressors, making them go-tos for adding vibe and control to drum tracks.

Overall Philosophy: Dynamics and Listening Levels

Dave’s approach isn't just about specific plugin settings; it's also about a broader mixing philosophy.

Mixing at Conservative Levels

He generally mixes at "majoritively conservatively" levels. This means not too loud, not too quiet. Mixing at moderate levels helps prevent ear fatigue and allows for more objective decision-making over longer sessions.

When to Crank It (and Why)

However, there are moments to turn it up. Particularly when judging the interplay of low-end elements like the kick drum and bass guitar, Dave admits he needs to crank the volume a bit to really feel how they're working together. The key is to do this for short periods, get the information you need, and then return to more conservative listening levels. This is how many listeners will experience the music, so it's a valid check.

Want to See Dave Otero Mix Allegaeon from Scratch?

The techniques Dave Otero shared for mixing Allegaeon's drums – from surgical tom EQ to strategic snare sampling and critical low-end assessment – are invaluable for anyone looking to step up their metal productions. These are actionable insights you can apply to your own mixes right now.

But imagine watching Dave implement all of this, and much more, in real-time. At Nail The Mix, you don't have to imagine. You can access the full multi-hour session where Dave Otero mixes an Allegaeon track, explaining every decision and plugin choice. You get the raw multitracks to practice on yourself, too!

If you're serious about elevating your metal mixing skills, check out the Allegaeon NTM session with Dave Otero and see exactly how these punishing tech-prog drums came to life. For a comprehensive look at modern metal mixing beyond just presets, explore our Unlock Your Sound course. Dive deeper into Dave's complete workflow on the Allegaeon session page and start nailing your mixes!