Vildhjarta’s Snare Tone: Buster Odeholm’s Distortion EQ Method

Ever found yourself battling a snare drum that just doesn't sit right? Maybe it's too boxy, lacks sizzle, or has an annoying ring you can't quite tame with traditional EQ. Well, get ready to rethink your approach because Buster Odeholm (Vildhjarta, Humanity's Last Breath) has a killer technique that flips conventional wisdom on its head: using distortion as an EQ.

Yeah, you read that right. While many of us were taught to keep distortion away from our delicate mixes unless it's a specific guitar fuzz, Buster masterfully wields it to sculpt and enhance. In a peek into his mix session for Vildhjarta's "Humanity's Last Breath," he shows exactly how this seemingly counterintuitive trick can bring a snare to life. Let's dive into how he does it.

Sculpting the Snare: From "Middy" to Mighty

Buster starts his snare shaping process with a critical listen. For this particular Vildhjarta track, he immediately identified the snare as being very "middy" – that's M-I-D-D-Y, not MIDI – meaning it had an overabundance of mid-range frequencies.

Step 1: Exposing the Problems with Compression

Before even reaching for an EQ or distortion, Buster employs a clever trick with a compressor. He cranks the compressor, not necessarily for dynamic control at this stage, but to intentionally accentuate all the frequencies in the snare. This "blows up" the sound, making any undesirable elements, like problematic rings or boxiness, much easier to hear and identify. Think of it as putting the snare under a microscope. By bringing up everything, including the subtle nuances and flaws, he gets a clearer roadmap of what needs to be addressed. This aggressive compression strategy can really help you pinpoint what to tackle next. For more on how the pros use compressors in unconventional ways, check out these metal compression secrets.

After this, he can go in with a traditional EQ to make cuts. For instance, he identified a strong ring around 800Hz that needed taming, a common area for snare issues.

Step 2: The Distortion EQ Magic with FabFilter Saturn

Here’s where the real magic happens. Instead of solely relying on traditional EQ to boost desired high frequencies on the snare, Buster often turns to multi-band distortion, specifically FabFilter Saturn. He credits this as an "Eric Valentine thing," a technique he's adopted for its effectiveness.

Why distortion? Because it can add harmonic content and character that a simple EQ boost might not. He finds that for adding top-end sizzle and air to a snare, distortion often sounds more natural and pleasing.

How It Works as an EQ:

With a multi-band saturator like Saturn, you can isolate specific frequency bands and apply distortion only to those bands.

• Targeting Highs: Buster might select a high-frequency band on the snare and gently introduce distortion. This doesn’t make the snare sound overtly fuzzy or broken; instead, it subtly excites those frequencies, bringing out the snare wire and adding a crispness that cuts through the mix.
• Shaping the Tone: He carefully dials in the amount of distortion. It's often a subtle move. When A/B-ing, the difference is clear: the snare becomes less boxy and gains a pleasing top-end presence, sounding more like it has extra snare wire rather than just being EQ'd brighter.

This targeted approach means you're not just boosting existing frequencies; you're generating new harmonic content in a controlled way, effectively re-shaping the tone. This is a powerful EQ strategy for mixing modern metal.

Step 3: Taming the Unwanted Ring

Snare ring can be a mix killer. Buster is particular about which parts of the ring he keeps. He finds that mid-frequency rings can often work in a dense mix, adding character. However, low-mid rings tend to take up too much space and create mud. He’ll use precise EQ cuts or even the distortion technique in reverse (perhaps by carefully saturating to alter the ring's character or using dynamic EQ controlled by a distortion band) to manage these.

Step 4: Character and Control with Slate Digital VTM

To further refine the snare, Buster often incorporates Slate Digital VTM (Virtual Tape Machine). This plugin isn't just for an overall "tape vibe"; he uses it strategically:

• Taming Harshness: If the Saturn added any unwanted harshness, VTM can help smooth it out.
• Low-End Bump: It can introduce a pleasing low-end bump, adding body.
• Transient Shaping: Tape saturation naturally softens transients, which can be very useful for helping a pokey snare sit better. Be careful not to overdo it, or the snare will lose its impact.
• Pro Tip: Don't forget the controls under the "hood" of VTM! Buster points out that tweaking settings like Noise Reduction, Wow & Flutter, and especially Bass Alignment can significantly alter how the VTM responds, allowing you to tailor it perfectly for your source material. For instance, if it's adding too much bass, the Bass Alignment control can fix that right up.

Beyond the Close Mic: Enhancing the Overhead Snare

Buster isn't a huge fan of bottom snare mics, finding them often sound terrible and are hard to get right. Instead, he champions the overhead microphone as the source that captures the most "real" snare sound – what you'd hear if you were standing in front of a kit.

He applies his distortion-as-EQ technique to the overhead snare as well, often working with an isolated overhead print (like one from GetGood Drums, ensuring it's without bleed if possible).

• Adding Width: Since overheads are typically stereo, processing the snare element within them can add natural width.
• Realism & Sizzle: Using FabFilter Saturn on a specific frequency band of the overhead snare (after removing any existing drive or unwanted frequencies with EQ) helps bring out that crucial snare sizzle and "real snare" character. If the signal is too low, he simply boosts the input into Saturn.

This approach helps integrate the snare into the overall kit sound more cohesively while adding a professional sheen.

Not Just for Snares: A Versatile Technique

While Buster demonstrates this technique extensively on the snare in the Vildhjarta mix, he emphasizes that this "Saturn trick" is incredibly versatile. You can use it on:

• Kicks: To add click or body.
• Toms: To bring out attack or resonance.
• Pretty much anything! If a source needs specific frequencies enhanced or shaped in a way that traditional EQ isn't quite achieving, multi-band distortion might be your answer.

Why Use Distortion as EQ?

It might seem unorthodox, but using distortion this way offers unique benefits:

• Harmonic Enhancement: Distortion adds harmonics, which can make frequencies sound richer and more present than a simple EQ boost.
• Character: It imparts a unique character and texture that can help elements stand out in a dense mix.
• Subtlety: When used carefully, it’s not about making things sound "distorted" but about subtly shaping and coloring the sound.

This Vildhjarta snare sound is a testament to how creative thinking and unconventional plugin use can lead to seriously powerful results. It’s about understanding what a tool does at a fundamental level (distortion adds harmonics and saturation) and then applying it in new ways.

Want to see Buster Odeholm apply these techniques and more as he mixes Vildhjarta from scratch? You can dive deep into his entire mixing session for "Lässt Sich Storcha" (from the Måsstaden Under Vatten album, which is part of the Humanity's Last Breath – Vildhjarta NTM session) right here on Nail The Mix. Seeing a pro like Buster work through an entire song, explaining his thought process for every move, is an invaluable way to level up your own productions.

If you're ready to go beyond presets and learn the techniques the pros use on massive metal albums, explore everything Nail The Mix has to offer. From monthly multi-track downloads and live mixing sessions with legendary producers to a vast library of tutorials, it’s your gateway to unlocking your sound in modern metal mixing. Don't miss out on the full Vildhjarta session with Buster Odeholm to see these distortion EQ tricks in action!