what do you chaps like in your cue mixes?

[aoki saburo]

I need to know this beforehand because i'm tracking a band live this week (first time) and I've never figured out whether to give the drummer the kit in his headphones. I don't think the rest of the band needs it because they're going to be in the room with him - sans amps - but do drummers like a bit of kick and snare? overheads? all the toms too? nothing?

I don't think the monitor latency will be that bad, but i'd still like any input you have to offer.

thanks a lot
saburo

[tourettes5139]

Depends on the drummer. Some of them like to just hear themselves, others like to have the full mix. Personally, I would like to just have a very, very basic mix, with the vox included to help keep track of the arrangement. Just my 2 cents.

[maskedman72]

i am a drummer and i like a lot of kit and gtrz.

[fritzmusic]

I don't know about everyone else but after trying to track recently with no drums in my cue mix, my energy level for the song felt like it went down at least 50% and it felt like I was fighting the entire time competing for my space in the mix I was tracking instad of relaxing and grooving. However, the recorded tracks felt more energetic when I played it back during mixdown because I was hitting the drums so hard trying to hear what I was playing bleed in to the headphones over the guitar track.

I think the more a drummer can hear of himself through the mix in the mics to hear what he/she is playing in relation to the song can make a tremendous difference but only in terms of comfort level for the drummer. Sometimes, you can get more of a performance out of a drummer by taking away that comfort level as well.

Alot depends on the variables of, quality/levels of monitoring, the drummer's preferences and the context of the song.

I personally like to hear how the drums are "breathing" or responding in relation to what I'm playing the to pre-recorded tracks. This will potentially open a can of worms, though, because the mics sometimes sound much more "dry" and don't translate what the drummer hears live in the room without headphones. If the drums sound weak/subdued before post-processing, this can also lead to endless unnecessary tweaking of the kit and wasting time on the drummer's part.

Overall though, I think it's more beneficial than detrimental to hear a certain moderate amount what the drum mics are picking up. Although, some of the best tracks I've ever laid have been without any self-monitoring.

Try one method and then try another. Everyone's different. It's all about what translates better to the mix in the contex of the song.

[6gun]

Lots of CLICK for me, and enough guitars to get the jones going. I usually work with the drum bleed through the phones instead of routing drums into the cans. All drummers are different it seems. If it's a good drummer he'll tell you what he needs.

[aoki saburo]

from what you guys've told me, I've (sort of) decided to tap my soundcards outputs to a small mixer for the drummer with: kick, snare, OH's (a mono track with both), guitar, keys, bass, click and TB, and let him fiddle himself.

I guess that I don't want any decisions that I make to get too much in the way of his playing; he's a great drummer.

thanks for all the input. it's helped me not make a decision, and let the player make it instead.

saburo