UH, I think you just went above my pay grade.
ac
lately if i'm using 4 mics or 400 i tend to put pretty standard mild compression on the track inserts with a mild limiter on the overheads and bus that to a stereo aux. the goal here is to get a nice natural sound. then i send the the whole mix to another aux with a really squashed compressor that is pumping with the music. this gets mixed in and really helps the drums stand up in the mix. it gives everything more sustain in general. it can sound un-natural if it's too high in the mix but i really like what it adds.
This is very similar to what I'm doing. I just have to try and restrain myself, because I tend to push everything to the max. Then again, if we REALLY wanted a "natural" sound, we would just put a stereo pair up and call it a day, now wouldn't we?
ac, where's my tracks?
Peace!
~Shawn
Here's a oldie moldy covered with this drum recording method, just a rhythm track.
My observations first:
I was trying to stay true to the Johns method, that was the whole point to me and the drums sounded pretty cool as you all have mentioned.
BUT the whole large drums simply mic'd may only be useful for a very empty recording or a drum solo. AND as much as we all wax sentimental about the Bohnham sound, I think most of us don't really want their recordings to sound like that. Glyn Johns was said to have engineered those. (I have offended someone I know)
SO, I had to raise the pitch of all the drums to punch through the mix.
I couldn't tolerate how bad the 57 on top of the snare sounded no matter where I put it. Doink, doink, just doesn't cut it. So I mic'd the shell with a condenser.
AND, I am feeling less and less enamored with the big drums. When you tune them down to their sweet spot they tend to get thuddy and lost in the mix. The big kick is awsome to listen to in the room or record without any other instruments but that low fundimental gets masked and many system won't even reproduce it.
Rant complete.
The song: I will not be using this so I didn't spend a lot of time on it.......my excuse I guess.
would you happen to have a sample of that big giant bass drum that you would like to share with us? or even a solo'd track of it. i'd love to hear it by itself
Go to top of this page, click special forums, click the forum you want to post in, click "new thread" on upper left of the page.Sorry to interupt there but can anyone explain how i start a thread please -
It's just the tone of his snare. It's low. The initial attack of the beater does kinda sound like the snare. The highly defined snare crack that we've gotten used to is a relatively new thing in rock music. Listen to Bonham's drums. The snare is snappy and present, but it's not an ear splitting crack like many of todays modern snare sounds. The OP's drums are a pretty good example of old school.Am I wrong? And if I'm not wrong, is this normal? Gerg?
What praamps and recording system are you using? Also i'm a bit confused is there eq and compression on the drums only track? Thanks Also is the reverb added or natural?
Good stuff my friend!
And nice playing too!