Rate my drum sound!

  • Thread starter Thread starter rene-lemieux
  • Start date Start date
rene-lemieux

rene-lemieux

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Hey, it's me again, if you didn't catch my last thread entitled "DRUM MICING DILLEMA", i got a matched pair of sony C38b to record stereo images with. I just did a quick drum recording to see how they sound, and I want you all to have a listen. Its 2 Sony C38Bs for overhead, measured equal distance from the snare and about 5'11" from the ground. My electro Voice Cardinal on the snare, and an old electro voice 664 on the kick. I also ran a fx send to my traynor spring reverb unit. It's a very raw live sound, recorded to my tascam 22-4 reel to reel, the only digital aspect is it's conversion to mp3.

What do you think of the sound I'm getting? Considering its been recorded in a room in a house with styrofoam on the walls :). I am going to be recording 60's style soul and r&b in the future, I feel like this sound will work well. What can I do to improve this sound? The spring reverb may throw some of you off, I threw it on there cause I haven't gotten a chance to use my reverb yet.

Heres the mp3 file http://www.sendspace.com/file/uzmuj1
 
rene-lemieux said:
... and about 5'11" from the ground.
Click to expand...

Maybe raise them a couple more feet....the Hat and Cymbals will over power the drums.
The Kick is kinda' subdued.

Where are the OH mics...out in front...to the sides..."inside" the kit...?
 
miroslav said:
Maybe raise them a couple more feet....the Hat and Cymbals will over power the drums.
The Kick is kinda' subdued.

Where are the OH mics...out in front...to the sides..."inside" the kit...?
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought the cymbals were a little overpowering as well. I could have pushed the kick up a bit, i had the option, i wish i had in the end, just a hair.

The overheads are to the left of the floor tom, about a foot away, and the other one is the same distance that one is from the snare, but in front of the kit. There's nothing on the hi hat side.
 
Well, you need to get some decent cymbals and tune your toms for starters.

Snare sounds good, i'd make it a bit punchier, touch of compression with about 50ms attack should do it.

Bass drum doesn't even sound as if its miced up at the moment, as said already, its very subdued.

Overall its alright, very raw as you described. Defiantly invest in some better cymbals and get those toms tuned!!! :D
 
Vinnydude said:
Well, you need to get some decent cymbals and tune your toms for starters.
Click to expand...

It's true, I'm just using what I have, the cymbals could be a lot better, However, I like the tomms, whats wrong with them? Given the application, i was going for very unmuted ringy tomm sound, like on older recordings.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ9Unab1OzU

Have a watch of that, the same guy does a few other explanations of snare and bassdrum and stuff, the best tutorials i've found online, he really knows how to describe such a complicated task!!!

Having tuned toms is so important, you have to think of the drum kit as an instrument rather than percussion.

Anyway, have a watch of that video and crack out those drum keys :D
 
Its really hard for me to judge without hearing it blend with other instruments honestly, throw some guitar bass and maybe even some organ on that track. The only thing I can say is that the spring reverb seems a bit silly sometimes, but at other times it seems like a cool effect. If you like it then continue to use the same technique but don't ever stop experimenting!

-Barrett
 
yup.

this exact drum recording is PERFECT if it's applied to the right thing. you really need to hear it in a song and with other instruments. i don't think danny carry would use this sound for tool... but i'll bet motown could use it somewhere... know what i mean, jellybean?

s
 
haymedic said:
yup.

this exact drum recording is PERFECT if it's applied to the right thing. you really need to hear it in a song and with other instruments. i don't think danny carry would use this sound for tool... but i'll bet motown could use it somewhere... know what i mean, jellybean?

s
Click to expand...

point in case.
 
Vinnydude said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ9Unab1OzU

Have a watch of that, the same guy does a few other explanations of snare and bassdrum and stuff, the best tutorials i've found online, he really knows how to describe such a complicated task!!!

Having tuned toms is so important, you have to think of the drum kit as an instrument rather than percussion.

Anyway, have a watch of that video and crack out those drum keys :D
Click to expand...

My toms were tuned exactly like this... I'm not saying there perfect, but perhaps I want a sound you don't like.
 
thought i'd hijack the thread~



heres a short clip of my drummer with karma K10s in a recorderman fashion...

the drums are a bit dull in themselves so dun mind it too much~

any comments welcome!! :p
 
haymedic said:
i don't think danny carry would use this sound for tool...
Click to expand...

Tool are amazing, people should take note of this band and listen to how drums should be!!!!

From the 2 drum samples on here, both of you seem afraid to crank and abuse the mics you've placed around the kit. The whole point of micing a snare is so that you can expand all the snares best features, it should be bright and prominent.

Fair enough if you're going for an old sound, but why have you got new gear if your going for an old sound???
 
Vinnydude said:
Fair enough if you're going for an old sound, but why have you got new gear if your going for an old sound???
Click to expand...

My sony mics are from 1971, and my kick mic is from the 50's.... My reel to reel is from the 80's, im pretty sure that doesn't qualify as new gear.

On the other hand, how should I tweak the snare mic to make it more present like you said. Id really like to, I just brought up the treble on my mixer, but your right, it wasn't doing enough for me.
 
Vinnydude said:
Tool are amazing, people should take note of this band and listen to how drums should be!!!!

From the 2 drum samples on here, both of you seem afraid to crank and abuse the mics you've placed around the kit. The whole point of micing a snare is so that you can expand all the snares best features, it should be bright and prominent.

Fair enough if you're going for an old sound, but why have you got new gear if your going for an old sound???
Click to expand...

true... danny carry is amazing on drums... but i don't think those drums should be used everywhere.

there is a lot of work that goes into making drums sound like that... biggest part being, the guy playing the kit. i don't think anyone is going to get that sound at home. here's a clip showing the recording of 'undertow' (their first full length album) recorded by sylvia massey. check out how much is happening in the video (at about 1 min in)... the mics, the room, the baffles, the placements, the PLAYER! and yea... the video camera doesn't exactly get the same sound that is on the album. haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q68mEUjsL-k

anyways... thought you'd find this interesting.

s
 
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