How to Mix Metal Drums in Superior Drummer 3: Complete Guide

Superior Drummer 3 is the industry standard for metal drum production. Whether you're producing death metal, metalcore, or progressive metal, SD3 gives you everything you need to create album-ready drum sounds without leaving the plugin. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the complete process of mixing metal drums entirely inside Superior Drummer 3.

Why Mix Inside Superior Drummer 3?

Many producers export individual drum tracks to their DAW for mixing. While this approach works, it's often unnecessary. Superior Drummer 3's internal mixer is incredibly powerful, featuring:

• Full parametric EQ on every channel
• Built-in compressors with multiple algorithms
• Transient shapers for attack and sustain control
• Parallel compression buses
• Room mic blending with multiple room sounds
• Send effects including reverb and delay

By mixing inside SD3, you save CPU resources, maintain phase coherence, and can easily switch between different drum libraries while keeping your mix settings.

Step 1: Choose the Right SDX Library

Your foundation matters. For metal production, these SDX libraries excel:

• The Metal Foundry SDX – The classic choice for thrash, death metal, and heavy rock
• Metal Machinery SDX – Modern, tight drums perfect for djent and metalcore
• Death & Darkness SDX – Extreme metal tones with massive low-end
• Drums of Destruction EZX – Aggressive, raw sound for thrash and hardcore

Step 2: Start with Kick and Snare

Kick Drum Processing

Metal kick drums need click, punch, and low-end weight. Here's the approach:

1. High-pass filter at 30-40 Hz – Remove subsonic rumble
2. Boost at 3-5 kHz – Add beater attack and click
3. Cut at 300-400 Hz – Remove boxiness
4. Boost at 60-80 Hz – Add low-end weight
5. Compression: 4:1 ratio, fast attack (5-10ms), medium release

For double bass passages, use the transient shaper to increase attack. This helps each hit cut through at high speeds.

Snare Drum Processing

Metal snare needs crack, body, and sustain control:

1. Boost at 200 Hz – Add body and weight
2. Boost at 2-4 kHz – Enhance crack and attack
3. Boost at 8-10 kHz – Add air and sizzle (snare wires)
4. Compression: 4:1 to 6:1, medium attack to preserve transient

Step 3: Toms and Cymbals

Toms

Toms should complement the kick drum tonally:

• Gate aggressively to eliminate cymbal bleed
• Boost attack frequencies (3-5 kHz)
• Add low-end (80-120 Hz) for floor tom weight
• Use transient shaper to tighten sustain

Cymbals and Overheads

• High-pass at 500-800 Hz to remove drum bleed
• Gentle high-shelf boost at 10 kHz for shimmer
• Avoid over-compression – cymbals need dynamics

Step 4: Room Mics and Parallel Compression

Room mics add size and aggression to metal drums. In SD3:

1. Blend room mics to taste (start at -10 dB below close mics)
2. Apply heavy compression to room bus (10:1, fast attack)
3. Use parallel compression for added sustain and power
4. High-pass room mics to control low-end buildup

Step 5: Bus Processing

On your drum bus (master channel in SD3):

• Gentle compression (2:1) for glue
• Subtle EQ adjustments for overall tone
• Transient shaper for final attack/sustain balance

The Faster Way: Use Professional Presets

While learning to mix drums is valuable, sometimes you need album-ready sounds immediately. Professional SD3 presets give you instant access to polished, mix-ready drum tones created by experienced producers.

Our Superior Drummer 3 Presets are mixed 100% inside SD3 – no external plugins required. Each preset is optimized for specific metal subgenres:

• Hybrid Metal Drums – Versatile modern metal sound for Metal Foundry SDX
• Ultimate Metal Drums – Aggressive, album-ready tones
• Death Metal Drums – Extreme metal with blast beat optimization
• Destruction Machinery – Slipknot-inspired aggressive sound

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Over-compressing – Metal drums need dynamics for impact
2. Too much low-end – Leave room for bass guitar
3. Ignoring phase – Check phase relationships between mics
4. Mixing in solo – Always check drums against guitars and bass
5. Forgetting the room – Room mics add essential size and power

Recommended Signal Chain Summary

Element	EQ	Compression	Other
Kick	HP 35Hz, +3dB @ 4kHz, -2dB @ 350Hz	4:1, fast attack	Transient shaper +
Snare	+2dB @ 200Hz, +3dB @ 3kHz	4:1, medium attack	–
Toms	HP 80Hz, +2dB @ 4kHz	4:1, fast attack	Gate
Overheads	HP 600Hz, +2dB shelf @ 10kHz	2:1 gentle	–
Room	HP 200Hz	10:1, smashed	Parallel blend

Conclusion

Mixing metal drums in Superior Drummer 3 is a skill that rewards practice. Start with a solid foundation (the right SDX library and kit), build your sound from kick and snare up, and use room mics strategically for power and size.

If you want to skip the learning curve and get professional results immediately, check out our SD3 preset collection. Each preset represents hours of mixing refinement, giving you instant access to album-ready metal drum sounds.

Ready to take your drum production to the next level? Browse our Superior Drummer 3 Presets and find your perfect metal drum sound today.