Drums on JAMC Psychocandy

[maa386]

Hi all,

Do anyone know or have a good guess as to how these drums were recorded? Like the type of reverb? I think I'd like to use similar effect on my drum machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhTR2fKO6-c

thank you so much for your help,

Michael

[Gregg Juke]

I'm listening from an iPhone via Bluetooth on a tiny BT speaker that we got when my son went to see an Army recruiter, so that gives you some context to frame my comments. That being said:

*The whole thing, beat and all, seems to be trying to reference/emulate the Phil Spector/Ronnettes type thing (I'm surprised there aren't any castanets or timpani, but maybe the rental was too expensive). So, if you want that sound, start with that groove

*"Clicky" bass drum, so probably one of those ceramic discs at the center and maybe a wooden, rather than felt beater (?); snare drum a bit buzzy and don't worry too much about tuning, probably a bit more on the loose side as far as batter head

*Due to the listening limitations previously described, I can't say whether there is any real stereo effects/panning, or even if they are real drums or some kind of programmed drum machine made to sound that way, but I'd try maybe a mono set-up-- either a room mike alone or a modified Glyn Johns type thing, but mixed to mono with maybe some endearingly crappy microphones if you have any on-hand. Then add some healthy distortion (the "tambourine" is hard to discern from a box of bottle caps being slapped), bathe in cavernous "echo-chamber" type reverb to taste (a big "hall" or "cathedral" program, or if you are feeling adventurous a spring reverb will work). No real pre-delay. It sounds like only the reverbed sound is being used, so the wet-to-dry ratio is pretty heavily towards the wet, and it's a bit dark, so don't EQ too much and maybe try a "dark plate" program if you have one...

Hope that helps. Go to town and let us know how it works out.

GJ

[vvv]

Big fan of the band, here.

Element 5: The Percussion
Getting a good sound isn’t always about having the most expensive equipment. “On loan” from his nascent project Primal Scream, Bobby Gillespie was a key figure in the group’s formative period. The Glaswegian not only aligned the group with Creation Records in 1984 but also helped steer their industrially noise laden aesthetic with his own idiosyncratic percussion. “I wasn’t trying to be Moe Tucker [of the Velvet Underground], I could only play two drums,” Gillespie recollected to author Paula Meja in an interview for her 33 1/3 Series novella on the album.

Gillespie’s untutored playing style was facilitated by a two-piece kit comprised of a floor and snare tom. If the occasionally self-mythologising Gillespie is to be believed, two disused trash cans were substituted for a more conventional kit. “He was the worst and the best all rolled into one,” Jim reflected in a 1998 interview with Melody Maker. “But we didn’t need a drummer, we needed someone to stand up and bash out a fucking muthafucking beat! Bobby was in his element.”
https://enmoreaudio.com/engineering-sou ... ychocandy/

[Gregg Juke]

Huh. If that was really the recording set-up, then a detuned floor tom with stick or wooden timp mallet would explain the "clicky bass drum" sound, and a distorted trash can lid would explain the non-tambourine.
But what is a "snare tom?" Unless the writer means a) a tenor drum (big open marching band snare) or b) some kind of cocktail set snare, which I guess could be called a "snare tom"...

GJ

[vvv]

See here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE

If you wartch the vid, that might be the "snare tom".

It's clearly not the entire batterie, but I'll mention that JAMC is famous for their use of drum machines, and tthat might be what is the kick.

[vvv]

Better yet, here they are live in '85:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwT9ElDdWIw

And 2017 (1st tune):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT0tE2ejvp0

[Magnetic Services]

bash out a fucking muthafucking beat!

Love this quote.

My 2 cents on the reverb: Sounds like both signals going to the same verb, with way more of the "snare" being sent to it. I'd start by finding an '80's digital reverb box (or emulation of one), dialing up the "big chamber/area/parking garage" setting, and tweaking it from there. Maximum decay and little to no pre-delay.

It's often an Occam's razor situation with rock musicians: I'll bet they scrolled to the biggest, coolest reverb setting, had the engineer shove the drums into it, and went on with making the tune. Doesn't sound like they did much filtering of the signal on the way in.

[losthighway]

My 2 cents on the reverb: Sounds like both signals going to the same verb, with way more of the "snare" being sent to it.

I've totally gotten into this as a general approach to drum verbs. I was really influenced by some 90's rock/punk production where the snare echoes massively and the kick smacks you up close (without fully realizing it). I had another engineer friend critique a mix and the first thing he said is that the drums were in different spaces which was really distracting. My way of keeping the kick and cymbals from getting too washy without disembodying various parts of the kit is to give a little room to those elements and a little more to the snare and toms. Seems to be working. Or just not add any reverb at all, which sometimes is just easier, especially when the room mic is working well.

But then again, Jesus and the Mary Chain.... sorry, I digressed.