What drummers should know when you are recording them

[christiannokes]

As far as drum tuning, playing technique, and any other problems you have experienced.

Also, what is the number one complaint you have with drummers when you try to record them?

[tactics]

Playing while resetting mic positions.I got hit once!!

[cgarges]

Also, what is the number one complaint you have with drummers when you try to record them?

An expectation that I can make anything out of whatever they give me.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[billiamwalker]

As far as drum tuning, playing technique, and any other problems you have experienced.

Also, what is the number one complaint you have with drummers when you try to record them?

play the volume they will play when they're going to record.

and learn to set up your drums so that it's easy to get a good mic placement. i'm sick of those idiots taht set thier toms up literally horizontal and thier cymbals are everywhere.

Here's my setup (even though i've recently gotten rid of my left crash and just play my sweet ride as a crash the whole time)


www.myspace.com/openfiretx

[thethingwiththestuff]

when I'm recording them? that i could do it better, in less takes

i just think a lot of times they're not as tight as they think they are. maybe the tempo wont fluctuate too badly, but its the individual hits that make a drum set sit well and take future processing more smoothly.

minor flamming between different elements of a kit are what destroy drum tracks, i'd say. if the right hand is keeping time on a cymbal, that kick NEEDs to fall on those beats. the hat played with the foot needs to hit at the same time as the snare...etc.

[thethingwiththestuff]

nice looking kit, billiam, what is that?

[billiamwalker]

nice looking kit, billiam, what is that?

it's a cheap tama drum set that a friend didn't want. i took it and stripped it down to the wood and me and a buddy of mine painted them.

and i agree with you about the drummer having to be solid. i know a session is going to be tough as soon as everything is ready and then i say "ok guys play a bit of the song and let me get a metrome tempo" (because of the style they play..they should use one) and the drummer stands up and is like "NO WAY SCREW THAT!"

[mjau]

and learn to set up your drums so that it's easy to get a good mic placement. i'm sick of those idiots taht set thier toms up literally horizontal and thier cymbals are everywhere.

I think it's the other way around. I've played with and/or been around drummers who set up in some very wierd ways, but it worked for them and helped them play better. The recordist should probably be able to adapt to what it's front of them, rather than the drummer adapting to mic placement.

[Spark]

"What drummers should know when you are recording them"

That the Alesis DM5 is only a arms length away? (I kid... I kid...)

[darkhorseporter]

for rock?
lay off the cymbals a bit and pound the toms

[billiamwalker]

and learn to set up your drums so that it's easy to get a good mic placement. i'm sick of those idiots taht set thier toms up literally horizontal and thier cymbals are everywhere.

I think it's the other way around. I've played with and/or been around drummers who set up in some very wierd ways, but it worked for them and helped them play better. The recordist should probably be able to adapt to what it's front of them, rather than the drummer adapting to mic placement.

well i'm not saying set up different for the session. i'm saying they should learn a good/proper way to set up thier drums early on so they can learn how to play on that set up. believe it or not there ARE proper ways to set up drums to make sure you're playing with proper technique to ensure (in the long run) a good performance.

how not to set up your drums:

good luck micing the second and third tom

[thethingwiththestuff]

how not to set up your drums:

good luck micing the second and third tom

some caption ideas:

"this is the last time we record in a suburban music shop."

"i thought you said the drums should sound like "T. Rex," not that a tyrannosaurs rex was your drummer."

"no, no, dont worry. one overhead was good enough for bonham and ringo, dude."

[billiamwalker]

some caption ideas:

"this is the last time we record in a suburban music shop."

"i thought you said the drums should sound like "T. Rex," not that a tyrannosaurs rex was your drummer."

"no, no, dont worry. one overhead was good enough for bonham and ringo, dude."

hahahahaha!!!!

[scott anthony]

A drum kit is one instrument, not 5 or more. My favorite drummers tune and play the kit so that all the elements balance in tone and dynamic.

Whacking the piss out of the snare, cymbals or hh so that the kick drum has no hope of being heard really sucks...

[jaguarsg]

try not to hit the mics.