Lorna Shore’s Brutal Kick: Josh Schroeder’s Mix Techniques

Ever crank a Lorna Shore track and get your face melted by that kick drum? It’s a masterclass in power, precision, and sheer brutality, cutting through one of the densest mixes in modern metal. We got an inside look at how producer Josh Schroeder sculpts this sonic weapon, and it’s a fascinating blend of unconventional workflow, creative mangling, and surgical precision. If you’re chasing that ultra-modern, articulate metal kick, get ready to take some notes. Check out the full session here.

The “Meme” Kick & A Smart MIDI Workflow

Believe it or not, the foundation of this monstrous kick sound often starts with something you’ve definitely heard before: “Kick 10,” likely the infamous Steven Slate Drums sample. Josh himself jokes about it being the “most overused kick of all time.” But here’s the kicker (pun intended): he takes this familiar starting point and warps it into something entirely unique.

Before diving into samples, Josh has a neat trick for MIDI organization. He keeps his kick and snare MIDI in the same file. This might seem unusual, but it allows him to instantly spot any alignment issues between the kick and snare, saving time and headaches down the line. From this master MIDI track, he sends signals out to his kick trigger (in this case, the Slate sample) and his custom Lorna Shore snare sample in Kontakt.

Heavy Saturation for High-End Sizzle

One of the first things Josh does to transform Kick 10 is to add a heavily distorted layer. He mentions using an “old rat pedal” (likely a ProCo RAT or a plugin emulating it) to generate some serious top-end aggression.

Crucially, if you’re going to distort a kick, Josh emphasizes rolling off a significant amount of low-end before hitting the distortion. Distorting heavy bass frequencies can quickly turn into a muddy, undefined mess. For this sound, the goal isn’t a blown-out low-end, but rather a crunchy, hyped high-end that helps the kick articulate. This distorted layer isn’t about the fundamental thud; it’s about adding that nasty, cutting edge.

Ultra-Short Sustain: The Key to Clarity in Chaos

For a band like Lorna Shore, with their lightning-fast blast beats and intricate kick patterns, managing sustain is paramount. Josh dials in an incredibly short sustain and release on his kick samples. Looking at the waveform, he describes it as “a line” – there’s virtually no decay.

Why so tight? With that many kick hits happening so quickly, any significant sustain would build up into an overwhelming tsunami of low-end mud, completely losing definition. By keeping the kick incredibly short and punchy, each hit has space to be heard, even in the most chaotic passages. This aggressive gating also means that the initial source sample becomes less critical; with such a short envelope, almost any kick could be shaped to fit. Josh notes that this tight envelope also helps manage any excessive room sound that might be exaggerated by later compression. Speaking of which, if you want to dive deeper into how compression interacts with elements like this, check out these metal compression secrets.

Surgical EQ: Carving Space in a Dense Mix

EQ plays a massive role in shaping the final kick sound. Josh employs a series of EQs, each serving a specific purpose.

Initial Shaping & Top-End Boost

To ensure the kick drum cuts through, especially with Lorna Shore’s demanding articulation, Josh gives it a top-end boost. This isn’t about broad, sweeping changes initially, but targeted adjustments to bring out the click and attack.

Notching Out Problem Frequencies

You might see a significant notch, for example, around 102 Hz in Josh’s session. He’s quick to point out that this isn’t a magic frequency to cut on every kick for “that Lorna Shore sound.” Instead, these decisions are highly contextual, based on how the kick interacts with other elements like Austin Archey’s powerful playing or Adam De Micco’s guitar tone. This particular cut was likely addressing a frequency buildup where the kick was clashing with bass or guitars. It’s a critical reminder to always EQ in context of the full mix. For more on carving out space, explore these EQ strategies for mixing modern metal.

The “EQ After EQ” Philosophy

Why so many EQs? Josh prefers to use separate EQ plugins for different tasks rather than cramming all adjustments into one. For instance, he might make a broad cut on one EQ and then, on a subsequent EQ, boost a nearby frequency or refine the shape. This approach allows for easier A/B comparison of individual moves and a clearer visual understanding of the processing chain. He might aggressively filter out low-end, then decide to bring a touch of it back with a later EQ. It’s about breaking down big changes into manageable steps.

Dynamic EQ: Taming the Beast During Fast Runs

For the truly insane kick drum passages, a static EQ might not be enough. Josh employs a dynamic EQ, like FabFilter Pro-Q, to keep the kick consistent and controlled. As the kick patterns get faster and denser, low-end can build up and high-end can become harsh.

The dynamic EQ is set to subtly duck these problematic areas only when they become overwhelming during rapid hits. He describes it as working on the same principle as automating rhythm guitars or bass: get the initial impact and then get out of the way. You want the punch of the low-end and the articulation of the high-end for each hit, but you need it to recede quickly to make room for the next one and prevent a “cloudy” or “bogged down” sound. This dynamic approach ensures the kick remains impactful without becoming a muddy mess.

Experimentation: The Real Secret Sauce

Throughout the breakdown, Josh reiterates that a lot of his process is instinctual and involves a healthy dose of experimentation. He recalls having up to five different kick drum channels at one point while working on the Lorna Shore EP, trying various combinations until he landed on the sound he wanted. The goal was to do something different, not just rehash old templates.

This willingness to try new things, to take a “meme” sound like Kick 10 and twist it into something fresh and brutal, is a hallmark of great production.

Bringing It All Home

Crafting a kick drum that can stand up to the intensity of a band like Lorna Shore involves:

• A Smart Foundation: Starting with a solid sample and an organized MIDI workflow.
• Creative Saturation: Adding aggression and articulation with distortion, being mindful of pre-EQ.
• Extreme Gating: Using ultra-short sustain to maintain clarity during fast passages.
• Surgical & Layered EQ: Making precise cuts and boosts to fit the kick into a dense mix.
• Dynamic Control: Employing dynamic EQ to manage frequency buildup during high-speed sections.
• Constant Experimentation: Not being afraid to try unconventional ideas.

These are the kinds of advanced, real-world techniques that top-tier metal producers use every day. Imagine getting to watch pros like Josh Schroeder build these sounds from scratch, explaining every plugin choice, every EQ move, every fader ride. That’s exactly what you get with Nail The Mix.

Each month, you get raw multitracks from massive songs and an exclusive class where the original producer mixes the track live, sharing their unique insights. If you’re serious about elevating your metal mixes, seeing these techniques applied in real-time is invaluable. You can dive deep into sessions like this very Lorna Shore mix with Josh Schroeder and see exactly how all the pieces come together. Ready to go beyond presets and truly unlock your sound? Learn from the best and see how they tackle challenges just like crafting Lorna Shore’s monumental kick drum by checking out the full Lorna Shore NTM session.