Opeth Tom Mixing: Jens Bogren Reveals His Studio Techniques

Opeth. The name alone conjures images of epic soundscapes, crushing riffs, and intricate drumming. Getting those iconic drum tones, especially the toms, to sit perfectly in a dense progressive metal mix is no small feat. Lucky for us, legendary producer Jens Bogren (Arch Enemy, Devin Townsend, Sepultura) pulled back the curtain on his tom mixing techniques for Opeth during a Nail The Mix session, and we’re here to break down the gold.

If you’ve ever wrestled with getting your toms to sound powerful, defined, and musical, you’re in the right place. Let's dive into Jens's world-class approach.

Tom Mics: The Good, The Bad, and The Workhorses

Jens kicks off by revisiting the mics used on the Opeth session: five toms, recorded with AKG C535 condensers. While he used them a lot back in the day, he admits he remembered them sounding better.

The AKG C535 Conundrum

The C535s, being condensers, captured a lot of detail. However, Jens found a couple of issues:

• Durability: They sometimes "farted out," struggling with the high SPLs (Sound Pressure Levels) of aggressively hit toms.
• The "Plastic" Top End: He noticed a "plastic thing going on in the high end" that didn't quite gel with the track. While decent, they weren't his top pick for this specific Opeth sound.

Jens's Go-To Tom Mics

So, what would Jens typically reach for?

• Sennheiser MD 421: A classic dynamic mic. He notes it's not inherently the "best sounding" mic in isolation, but it just works in a track, especially for that rock tom vibe. If you're using 421s, expect to do some heavier EQ work (more on that later).
• CAD M179: This condenser is on the other end of the spectrum from the 421. It's known for a big sound, which can be exactly what a track needs.

The choice depends on the desired character: the focused punch of a 421 or the fuller, more detailed capture of a condenser like the M179.

Panning: Finding the Right Space

When it comes to tom panning, Jens doesn't follow rigid rules like trying to match overhead perspectives. His approach is more intuitive and mix-dependent:

• Where it Makes Sense: He positions toms based on what feels right for the song and how much each tom is played.
• No Center Toms: A key tip – he never pans a tom dead center. This avoids clashes with the snare drum, especially during fills.
• Automated Panning (Shhh!): Sometimes, for specific fills, he’ll automate the panning to create a wider, more dynamic stereo image. If a drummer plays a quick succession of hits on one side (e.g., two floor toms), he might pan one of those hits to the opposite side for an enhanced stereo effect. Some drummers even set up their kits to facilitate this!

EQing Toms: Taming Problems and Adding Character

Tom EQ is where a lot of the magic (and problem-solving) happens. Jens's strategy varies greatly depending on the source recording.

Dealing with the "Plastic"

With the C535s on the Opeth tracks, a primary goal was taming that "plastic" high-end. He found this undesirable quality lurking around 15kHz and used the SSL channel strip's high-frequency filter to gently roll it off. He emphasizes using your ears here, as the SSL filters have a wide, musical slope, meaning the numbers on the dial don't tell the whole story.

EQ for Different Mics & Styles

• MD 421s: These often require more aggressive EQ. Think scooping out mids and adding a good amount of high-end to get them to cut.
• Condensers (like the C535s or M179s): These usually capture plenty of top-end, so you need to be careful not to over-boost the highs.

For the Opeth track, despite the C535s, Jens leaned towards a more "Led Zeppelin" rock vibe rather than an overly scooped metal sound. This involved pushing some mids to give the toms body and presence, particularly on the larger toms, while still carefully addressing any problematic frequencies.

Transient Shaping (If Needed)

If a tom transient is too clicky or problematic, Jens might reach for a transient shaper to soften the attack. Conversely, with mics like the 421, he might use a transient shaper to add punch.

Tom Compression: Evening Out and Adding Impact

Compression is key for controlling dynamics and adding punch to toms. Jens often turns to the SSL channel compressor.

SSL Tom Compression Settings:

• Attack: Fast
• Release: Fast
• Ratio: Moderate (he doesn't specify a number, but visually it appeared to be around 4:1 or so)
• Threshold: Dialed down to achieve significant gain reduction – he mentioned easily going up to almost 10dB of compression on hits.

This aggressive compression helps make each tom hit more even and impactful, ensuring they don't get lost in a busy mix. He applied similar settings across all the tom tracks, adjusting the threshold as needed.

The Great Solo Debate: Listen in Context

Jens offers a valuable piece of advice: try not to solo listen too much when mixing. While it's a tough habit to break (even for him!), making decisions in the context of the full track usually leads to better results.

However, there are exceptions. For instance, when initially dealing with the "plastic" sound on the Opeth toms, soloing helped him pinpoint and address the issue. It's also useful when bringing in mics like hi-hats or rides to check for excessive bleed (like kick and snare) that might need filtering.

Finishing Touches: Reverb for Space

Though not delved into deeply in this segment, Jens mentions he typically uses reverb on toms – both non-linear/gated reverb for that classic '80s smack and regular reverb to create a sense of space and size. This helps the toms feel bigger and more integrated into the overall drum sound.

Bringing Opeth's Toms to Life

Jens Bogren's approach to mixing Opeth's toms is a masterclass in adapting to the source material while aiming for a powerful, musical result. Key takeaways include:

• Mic choice matters: Different mics (like MD 421s vs. CAD M179s) offer different starting points.
• Strategic Panning: Create width and avoid center-panned toms. Don't be afraid to automate!
• Purposeful EQ: Address problem frequencies (like the "plastic" C535 sound) and shape the tone to fit the song – sometimes rockish, sometimes more metal.
• Impactful Compression: Use fast attack/release compression (like an SSL) to even out hits and add punch.
• Context is King: Minimize solo listening, but use it strategically for problem-solving.

These are fantastic techniques you can apply to your own productions. But imagine seeing Jens Bogren dial in these tom sounds, and then fit them perfectly with the kick, snare, cymbals, and the rest of Opeth's massive sound, explaining every plugin choice and setting along the way.

That’s exactly what you get with Nail The Mix. Each month, you get the raw multitracks from huge metal songs and watch producers like Jens Bogren, Will Putney, and Dan Lancaster mix them from scratch. You can even dive deeper into advanced mixing concepts with our comprehensive courses like "Unlock Your Sound: Mixing Modern Metal Beyond Presets".

Want to see Jens's complete Opeth mix session? Check out the full Opeth Nail The Mix experience and learn directly from the master himself.