Mixing Godsmack’s “Bulletproof” Drums: Erik Ron’s Techniques

Ever crank up a Godsmack track like “Bulletproof” and get floored by those massive, punchy drums? A huge part of that sound comes down to the mix, and we got an inside look at how producer Erik Ron sculpts that power, starting right from the individual drum shells. If you’re looking to elevate your own rock and metal drum mixes, these insights are gold.

Erik’s approach is all about building a solid foundation, making each piece of the kit speak clearly, and then gluing it all together with carefully crafted room sounds. You can check out this full Nail The Mix session here. Let’s dive into how he tackles the core elements.

Kicking Off with the Kick Drum

Unconventionally (or maybe not!), Erik starts with the kick drum, looping a section of the song to really dial things in. He often EQs on the way in, printing those initial sounds, but the real magic happens in the mix.

Sculpting the Core Kick Sound

First order of business: banishing the dreaded “basketball sound.” You know it – that boxy, resonant thud that lives around 200-300 Hz. Erik carves this out decisively.

• The Cut: A significant dip in the 200-300Hz range.
• The Boosts: He then adds some click and attack with a bit of top-end, and beefs up the sub frequencies for that satisfying low-end punch. A wide Q scoop in the low-mids helps to further clean things up and add focus.

The goal is a kick that’s “really tight, really punchy, really sexy.”

Introducing the Kick Out Mic

The kick out mic is crucial for that round, deep, and punchy character. For “Bulletproof,” they used a Yamaha SubKick (that classic NS10 speaker inverted in a drum shell). This mic is all about capturing those chest-thumping low frequencies.

• Blending: While the kick out sounds pretty gnarly on its own, blended with the main kick mic, it adds incredible depth. Erik slowly adds this in until it sits right.

Layering with Samples

To enhance the kick further, Erik introduces two kick samples, grouping them with the acoustic kick into a “Kick Mix” bus.

• Sample Character: One sample is described as more “spanky and sloppy,” while the other is more crucial on its own.
• Balancing: He tends to lean heavier on the actual real kick, using the samples to fill out the sound and add consistency. The blend is key here, finding the right balance between the organic feel of the acoustic kick and the punch of the samples.

Crafting the Snare’s Impact

With the kick sitting nicely, Erik moves on to the snare, initially working in mono.

Taming and Shaping the Snare Top

The snare already has some processing from tracking, but Erik refines it further.

• Gating with McDSP Channel G: To control bleed without making the snare sound unnatural or “choppy,” he uses the McDSP Channel G in expand mode. He aims for a setting where you can still hear the full release of the snare, avoiding an overly tight or thin sound. He typically keeps the release time in the middle and the hold around a similar range.
• EQ for Thud and Crack: Rim shots can sound thin. To counteract this, Erik boosts the low-mid “thud” around the 200Hz range (specifically mentioning around 112Hz and 196Hz in this session). He also adds some top end for crispness, ensuring the snare has both body and attack. This is a great example of how targeted EQ strategies can define a drum’s character.
• Light Compression with McDSP 6030: Just “kissing it” with the McDSP 6030 compressor, not aiming for heavy squashing, but rather subtle dynamic control. This is where understanding metal compression secrets comes into play.

For more on moving beyond presets and truly unlocking your sound, check out our comprehensive guide here.

Adding Snare Reverb

For space, Erik uses a send to a reverb, typically keeping his sends at unity gain and adjusting the return.

• Reverb Choice: He opts for a “Large Natural Studio” type preset.
• Time Adjustment: Crucially, he plays with the reverb time. Too long, and it can sound like an ’80s hair band. He dials it in to create width and space without washing out the snare. This will be blended to taste once the rest of the kit is in.

The Snare Bottom and Sample

The snare bottom mic adds some snap and sizzle. While Erik mentions he’s not always the biggest fan of snare bottom mics, it’s a standard recording practice and can be useful. He also blends in a snare sample to reinforce the hit and add consistency, similar to the kick drum approach.

Building Width and Depth with Room Mics

Once the close mics for the kick and snare are in a good place, it’s time to bring in the room mics to add size, depth, and that “live” feel. The room for this session was a “wild dry space,” so Erik works to shape it.

Stereo Rooms: Filtering and Pumping

The stereo room mics already had some processing printed (including a Distressor) and initial filtering. Erik takes it further:

• Goal: To make the rooms “real woofy” and “as big as possible,” focusing on the “hair on the kit.”
• Filtering: He filters out the highs, as plenty of other mics are capturing that. Instead, he focuses on bringing out the “guttural” frequencies, particularly around 200Hz, and the low end.
• Compression: Don’t be afraid to compress the room mics heavily. Erik uses compression as an effect here, looking to make the rooms “pump” musically with the song.
• Balancing: The amount of room mic in the mix is crucial. Too much, and the overall drum sound can become overly woofy and lose definition. It’s a balancing act.

Subtle Width with Dark Room Reverb

For an extra touch of width and ambience, Erik uses a “Large Dark Room” reverb, but very subtly.

• Settings: Mixed in low (around 13% in this instance, targeting around -20dB for the send).
• EQ on Reverb: He rolls off the highs on the reverb itself, so it adds space without adding harshness. It’s a barely-there effect that contributes to the overall size.

Mono Room: The Squish Mic

A cool addition to this Godsmack drum sound is a mono room mic – a condenser that was heavily “squished” (compressed). This mic can add a unique texture and energy when blended into the overall drum mix.

Bringing It All Together

With these individual elements treated, Erik starts lifting faders, blending everything to create that cohesive, massive Godsmack drum sound. It’s a process of careful listening, surgical EQ, thoughtful compression, and creative use of space.

Want to see Erik Ron mix “Bulletproof” from start to finish and get the multitracks to try these techniques yourself? You can dive deep into this session and many more over at Nail The Mix. If you’re serious about leveling up your heavy music productions, check out the Godsmack session with Erik Ron. Watching pros like Erik make these decisions in real-time, explaining every plugin choice and EQ move, is an invaluable learning experience. Get your hands on the Godsmack multitracks and start crafting your own powerful drum mixes today!