Sculpting Drum Overheads with the EM-PEQ

Get Smooth Highs and Punchy Presence from Your Cymbals

There’s nothing like the sound of a great pair of overheads to tie a drum kit together. From the shimmer of cymbals to the crack of a snare in the room, overhead mics provide the glue that gives a drum mix space, realism, and energy. But capturing that magic often comes down to one critical stage: EQ.

Why Overhead EQ Matters More Than You Think

It’s tempting to think overheads are just for cymbals, but they often carry much more. In many drum mixes, overheads are the primary source of snare tone, room ambiance, and the stereo image of the entire kit. If they sound harsh, muddy, or scooped, your entire drum sound suffers.

That’s why the EQ you choose matters—and why more engineers are reaching for the EM-PEQ 500-series EQ to dial in drum overheads that sit perfectly in the mix.

What Makes the EM-PEQ Ideal for Overheads?

Modeled after the legendary Pultec EQP-1A, the EM-PEQ offers broad, musical tone shaping that doesn’t feel surgical—it feels inspiring. With its custom Cinemag transformer and wide frequency options, it lets you enhance key areas without sounding processed.

Where digital EQs can get clinical, the EM-PEQ adds a bit of harmonic character and “glue,” helping the cymbals blend instead of spike. You can subtly tame harshness at 5k or 10k, or bring in a beautiful open shimmer at 12k or 16k. Boosting the low shelf while simultaneously attenuating it—yes, the classic Pultec trick—can add body without mud, keeping the kit sounding full yet clean.

Tone Tips for Using the EM-PEQ on Overheads

• Start broad: Boost around 10kHz with a wide Q to add air. Then experiment with 12k or 16k for modern brightness.
• Pull out harshness: If your cymbals feel sharp or brittle, try a gentle attenuation at 5kHz. This smooths out the high end without dulling the image.
• Add body with subtle low-end shaping: Use the 60Hz or 100Hz boost combined with attenuation to give kick or tom resonance more weight in the overheads without overwhelming them.
• Trust your ears: The EM-PEQ is musical by nature. Small moves go a long way, especially when paired with a clear preamp like the P-1 500-series preamp.

A Better Way to Mix from the Source

Many producers waste hours trying to “fix” overheads during mixing, when the truth is, better tone starts at the front end. With the EM-PEQ in your 500-series rack, you’re sculpting a better signal right from the beginning—saving you time, plugins, and processing later on.

If you record live drums regularly, investing in a pair of EM-PEQs gives you tonal flexibility that simply sounds expensive. Whether you're chasing vintage warmth or modern brightness, it delivers the kind of EQ moves that bring out the soul of the performance.

Final Thoughts

Great drum overheads don't need to be complicated—they just need to sound right. With its intuitive layout, classic tone-shaping curves, and transformer-rich musicality, the EM-PEQ makes it easy to enhance your overheads without overthinking it.

At such a great price, put two in your rack and hear why so many engineers call it a game-changer for drums.