Cleaner Drum Recordings
If you’ve ever recorded drums in a studio, you’ve probably battled with hi-hat bleed—that harsh, metallic spill from your hi-hat sneaking into your snare mic and muddying your mix. It’s a common issue that engineers and drummers try to fix with mic positioning, gating, or overdubbing. The HHHusher offers a simple, mechanical solution that works right at the source.
This compact device mounts directly to your hi-hat stand, acting like a focused sound shield that reduces high-frequency bleed from the hi-hats into nearby microphones, especially the snare mic, without interfering with your playing.
What Is the HHHusher?
The HHHusher is a sound barrier designed for drum kits. It clamps onto your hi-hat stand and surrounds the hi-hats with a circular structure made of neoprene sheets and acoustic panels. These materials absorb and block high-frequency sounds while allowing lower frequencies to pass more naturally.
Its modular design lets you fine-tune your setup. Adjustable damping panels and removable neoprene sheets give you control over bleed reduction. There's also a built-in mic hole secured by Velcro, so you can position your hi-hat mic exactly how you like it.
Who Is It For?
The HHHusher is a great fit for recording engineers, drummers, and producers who need more control over mic bleed during tracking. It’s especially helpful for those working in smaller studios or live sound setups, where microphone isolation is harder to manage. If you’re aiming for cleaner snare tracks without relying heavily on post-processing, or if you want to preserve natural dynamics in your playing while reducing unwanted cymbal spill, this tool offers a practical, low-profile solution.
How It Works
The HHHusher installs on most hi-hat stands (0.5" to 1.0" in diameter) and sits just below the cymbals. Its internal convex acoustic panels help scatter and soften harsh cymbal reflections, while the neoprene walls act as a barrier to reduce direct sound paths from the hi-hats to nearby microphones. Installation takes under a minute and doesn’t require any tools.
Does It Affect Playing or Sound?
No, the HHHusher is designed to stay out of the way. It sits low enough that it won’t interfere with your foot technique or stick movement. From behind the kit, your hi-hats will sound natural, and they’ll still cut through in the mix — just with less spill into your snare mic.
Why Not Just Use EQ or Gating?
Post-processing tools like EQ and gating can help, but they also risk cutting into the tone of your snare or losing subtle details in your playing. The HHHusher solves the problem at the source, giving you better raw tracks and more mixing flexibility later.
Why It Belongs in Your Setup
The HHHusher is a smart, physical solution for one of the most frustrating issues in drum recording. It won’t replace solid mic technique, but it gives you greater control with minimal setup. If hi-hat bleed has been a consistent problem in your recordings, this is an easy and effective way to clean up your sound at the source.