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6 Advanced Drum Mixing Tips | Podcast

Expert Tips From Mat Gendreau By Mat Gendreau
Published February 2021
Producer Mat GendreauProducer Mat Gendreau

In this episode, record producer and educator Mathieu Gendreau shares 6 advanced top tips to help you mix drums like a pro.

Show Notes

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction
01:13 - Tip 1: Gating drums like a pro
05:51 - Tip 2: Adding weight to snare drum
08:58 - Tip 3: Ducking overheads to remove snare drum
11:51 - Tip 4: Adding brightness to snare drum using reverb
14:09 - Tip 5: Controlling a large drum kit reverb using a gate
17:33 - Tip 6: Adding presence to snare drum using distortion and a top end boost
19:31 - Ending

Presenter: Mathieu 'Mat' Gendreau - Biog

Producer Mat GendreauMat Gendreau is a Canadian-born and Philadelphia-based music producer, composer, recording artist, label owner and educator. He is the founder and program director of the Rowan University Bachelor of Science in Music Industry in Glassboro NJ, USA, and he records under the names JAXX DE LUXE, Expo 67 and Plastic Operator (with bandmate Pieter Van Dessel).

After graduating with an MA in Audio Production from University of Westminster in London, Gendreau cut his teeth as an in-house engineer at Mute Records in the early 2000s, He was also the main studio engineer for producer Arthur Baker. Over the years his music productions have been released by labels such as EMI, Mute, Virgin, Sony, Tommy Boy, Ministry Of Sound and Universal, and he’s worked with many artists including Lenny Kravitz, Goldfrapp, New Order, Arthur Baker, Tommie Sunshine, CLIENT, Erasure, King Britt and Josh Wink.

His band Plastic Operator caught the attention of BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank with the song 'Folder' in 2005 and the single was signed to Sunday Best Recordings. In 2007, Mathieu launched his own label, Fine Day Records, and released Plastic Operator's album 'Different Places' to critical acclaim. The band performed live in many of Europe's largest clubs, events and festivals including Bestival (Isle of Wight), Razzmatazz Club (Barcelona), Petrol, Culture Club (Belgium) and Paris Fashion Week. Mathieu has produced numerous remixes, including 'Chains of Love - Plastic Operator remix' for chart-topping band Erasure (Mute/EMI). His club smash hit Booka Shade vs. Plastic Operator 'I Won’t Back Down' was released on Ministry Of Sound/Hed Kandi.

In 2018, under his house music moniker JAXX DE LUXE, Mathieu signed to legendary house music label Nervous Records with the single 'I’m Taking You High – Feat. Aphra'. Later that year his JAXX DE LUXE remix of Lenny Kravitz's 'Low' was part of a remix package that pushed the single to Number 1 on the Billboard Dance Music Chart.

Another of his recent efforts as a recording artist is a downtempo instrumental electronica project under the name Expo 67. The Expo 67 EP Never Without You was released on Fine Day Records / SONY The Orchard in 2019.

His work as a composer has been featured in films and videos, television programs, advertisements, and video games for Ubisoft, Autodesk, MIT, WYBE, Coca-Cola, Radio-Canada Television and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Games Awards.


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On this channel you’ll find shows packed with hints and tips about getting the most out of the recording, mixing and mastering process.

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