Double Bass Drum

Falopo · #1 03-10-2003

Hey, I am going to be recording a band in which the drummer plays live using two bass drums. Do drummers who play with two bass durms live record with two bass drums in the studio. or do they record double bass on one bass drum. If he insisted on recording with two bass drums, is there a technique to record both. i have one akg d112. Advice please. thanks a lot

jake-owa · #2 03-10-2003

If he insists on using two drums kick his ass. Recording one drum will be so much better for the room/recording.

Tell him what to do, don't take no for an answer.

theletterq · #3 03-11-2003

The majority of drummers that play double bass use a double pedal in the studio. It is extremely hard to get a consistent exact sound out of two kicks in the "expose every flaw" environment of the studio.

YamahaPaiste · #4 03-11-2003

Sorry , but I disagree. If he is used to playing with a double bass drum set up then he will want to do so in the studio. The last thing anyone needs is to alter their setup while focusing on recording. (Can u imagine a gutar player being forced to play a Strat when he has always play a Les Paul???). Drums are more physical than any other instument. His set up needs to be what he is used to. The feel as well. A double pedal has a totaly different feel than two bass drums with single pedals. Rent a mic if u have to.

YamahaPaiste · #5 03-11-2003

One more thing...Drummers NEVER switch their setup for recording. No drummer of any caliber would go to a studio and change to a double pedal from a dual BD setup. Why would they?

simpleblue · #6 03-11-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by YamahaPaiste
Sorry , but I disagree. If he is used to playing with a double bass drum set up then he will want to do so in the studio. The last thing anyone needs is to alter their setup while focusing on recording. (Can u imagine a gutar player being forced to play a Strat when he has always play a Les Paul???). Drums are more physical than any other instument. His set up needs to be what he is used to. The feel as well. A double pedal has a totaly different feel than two bass drums with single pedals. Rent a mic if u have to.

I agree. The last time I was in a pro studio, I just about killed the guy when he asked me to use a different amp. The musicians should be as comfortable as possible. And that usually means using their own stuff how they're used to using it.

matty_boy · #7 03-11-2003

I'd try to get another d112. It's gonna take some time do set up the bass drum mics (i assume).

jake-owa · #8 03-11-2003

Ok, maybe wait to kick his ass...

fenix · #9 03-11-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by YamahaPaiste
Sorry , but I disagree. If he is used to playing with a double bass drum set up then he will want to do so in the studio. The last thing anyone needs is to alter their setup while focusing on recording. (Can u imagine a gutar player being forced to play a Strat when he has always play a Les Paul???). Drums are more physical than any other instument. His set up needs to be what he is used to. The feel as well. A double pedal has a totaly different feel than two bass drums with single pedals. Rent a mic if u have to.

I disagree on this. Recording is not comfortable. Drummers must position their kit to get the best sound even if it means playing with one kick, moving the high hat higer away from the snare and moving the cymbals higher. they don't like it, tough shit. In the real world, if they throw a fit, the record company will get a different drummer who will do the job.

jake-owa · #10 03-11-2003

Yeah! So kick his ass!

Doug Quance · #11 03-11-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by fenix
I disagree on this. Recording is not comfortable. Drummers must position their kit to get the best sound even if it means playing with one kick, moving the high hat higer away from the snare and moving the cymbals higher. they don't like it, tough shit. In the real world, if they throw a fit, the record company will get a different drummer who will do the job.

Yes, but proper drum placement for the best micing is a habit they should get into. Live sound reinforcement in a venue bigger than a dive requires micing the drums... and the sooner the drummer learns to deal with that... the better.

Personally, I would get another mic.

Doug Quance · #12 03-12-2003

Oh, then I would kick his ass.

(gotta go with Jake on that)

matty_boy · #13 03-12-2003

You could kick his ass with the d112. I'd use the rental for this though.

rushfan33 · #14 03-13-2003

This is a great debate!

First... I think it depends on the drummer and the kit being used. A "seasoned" drummer may not have a problem with changing around the kit right before a recording session. But... if you have double bass drums and each one is tuned differently, it would be hard if not nearly impossible to duplicate with a double pedal. Some drummers like to feel their feet hit solid bottom when the beater strikes the head.
If you wrote and practiced the drum parts using roto toms and the band was excited everytime the roto tom part came up, they might also be a little thrown off if the roto tom sound was replaced by a double headed 13" rack tom as a result of too few mics to mic the roto toms.
RF

rushfan33 · #15 03-13-2003

Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that there have been many times that I told a drummer that a cymbal needs to be moved or RE- moved in order to accomplish a good drum sound. When cymbals are 3" above a tom for example, that drives me nuts and I will without a second thought make it clear that it will most likely have to be moved.
I did a CD with a band once that right before the recording, they decided that they wanted to use vintage Paiste cymbals as opposed to my newer "A" series Zildjians that I've used for ever. At first it was a bit akward but it soon became a non issue and I was even inspired to try different things.

RF

RealFastV6 · #16 03-20-2003

When I was a heavy metal rocker with my double bass kit, I always used a double pedal in the studio. Lets face it, double bass drums look cool, but thats about it. I can play anything on a double pedal that I can play with double bass drums.

Kick his ass.

apush · #17 03-26-2003

My experience is that if a drummer isn't good enough or versatile enough to switch to using a double pedal at a moments notice he probably isn't good enough to tune his drums properly either. That is a problem. I know it's just a presumption, but I find it to be true all too often. So most of the time you find yourself in a conundrum. Either you have two kicks that sound like ass or one that is played like ass.

And as far as the comment about guitars players and their rigs, I find the same to be true. If you can only play YOUR guitar than you can't really play guitar.

Doug Quance · #18 03-26-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by matty_boy
You could kick his ass with the d112. I'd use the rental for this though.

Then you'll be sure to get your money's worth!

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