V
VirtualSamana
New member
Tuning, mics, etc. (macle?)
A Reel Person
It's Too Funky in Here!!!
As detailed on the other thread,...
A lot of the "Beatles sound" came from the characteristic "limitations" and sound of the early vintage recording equipment.
Another part of the "Beatles sound" came from the recording techniques that were current at that time, which were early techniques developed in order to cope with the limitations of the early recording equipment.
The two, [vintage equipment/vintage technique], kind of go hand in hand.
More specifically, IMO:
1- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is a very 'midrange-y' sound. You don't typically have 'heavy kick drum' or 'thundering bass' in the early Beatles' recordings, like we're used to with today's recordings. This was indicative of the sound and limitations of the early Beatles-era recording equipment.
2- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is one which "packed the tracks", that is, put as many parts on each track as possible. This is also due to the limitations of early Beatles-era recording equipment, with many early Beatles recordings made direct-to-2-track, and later 3-tracks, then 4-tracks, as recording technology improved.
3- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is one which used ultra-wide, somewhat unusual PANNING of the tracks, f/i with all instruments panned to one side, and all voices panned to the other side. This, IMO, was due in part to the limitations of early Beatles-era recording equipment, and partly due to the relative NEWNESS of STEREO, and the efforts of recording engineers of the day to COME TO TERMS with this new thing called STEREO. Today, this type of extreme panning would seem somewhat 'unnatural' sounding, but it's a big part of the early 'Beatles-y' sound.
Later on, as recording equipment improved, the complexity and depth of sound of Beatles recordings also improved.
A lot of the "Beatles sound" came from the characteristic "limitations" and sound of the early vintage recording equipment.
Another part of the "Beatles sound" came from the recording techniques that were current at that time, which were early techniques developed in order to cope with the limitations of the early recording equipment.
The two, [vintage equipment/vintage technique], kind of go hand in hand.
More specifically, IMO:
1- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is a very 'midrange-y' sound. You don't typically have 'heavy kick drum' or 'thundering bass' in the early Beatles' recordings, like we're used to with today's recordings. This was indicative of the sound and limitations of the early Beatles-era recording equipment.
2- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is one which "packed the tracks", that is, put as many parts on each track as possible. This is also due to the limitations of early Beatles-era recording equipment, with many early Beatles recordings made direct-to-2-track, and later 3-tracks, then 4-tracks, as recording technology improved.
3- The early 'Beatles-y' sound is one which used ultra-wide, somewhat unusual PANNING of the tracks, f/i with all instruments panned to one side, and all voices panned to the other side. This, IMO, was due in part to the limitations of early Beatles-era recording equipment, and partly due to the relative NEWNESS of STEREO, and the efforts of recording engineers of the day to COME TO TERMS with this new thing called STEREO. Today, this type of extreme panning would seem somewhat 'unnatural' sounding, but it's a big part of the early 'Beatles-y' sound.
Later on, as recording equipment improved, the complexity and depth of sound of Beatles recordings also improved.
macle
New member
Hi VirtualSamana, how are you?!
As far as the Beatley sound, ummm, well, for me, obviously getting the actual sound is pretty impossible (their mics, drums, drummer!, room, etc.), so I think the best thing to do in aiming at that, is to make the song and the style of drumming Beatley (Ringo type rolls and stuff.)
As far as drum tuning, I use coated heads and try to tune them on the low side, but really, just try to tune them so they sound okay (I've tried freezing the drum solo section of Ringos solo on Abbey Road, and then tried tuning the drums to the actual pitches he uses, but it didn't really work.)
Other things to try: thin towel on the snare, thin towels on the toms, keep the drums mono, use a lot of compression.
Hope this helps, good luck (drums are a bitch!)
Macle
As far as the Beatley sound, ummm, well, for me, obviously getting the actual sound is pretty impossible (their mics, drums, drummer!, room, etc.), so I think the best thing to do in aiming at that, is to make the song and the style of drumming Beatley (Ringo type rolls and stuff.)
As far as drum tuning, I use coated heads and try to tune them on the low side, but really, just try to tune them so they sound okay (I've tried freezing the drum solo section of Ringos solo on Abbey Road, and then tried tuning the drums to the actual pitches he uses, but it didn't really work.)
Other things to try: thin towel on the snare, thin towels on the toms, keep the drums mono, use a lot of compression.
Hope this helps, good luck (drums are a bitch!)
Macle
Tim Brown
New member
One thing I would suggest is using diplomat heads on the kit. Back then, drumheads were a LOT thinner than they are these days. Listen to the tom sounds Mitch Mitchell was getting on the Jimi Hendrix records, or the sound that Ginger Baker was getting on the Cream records.
If you listen to the Kick on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (the CD), the Kick drum is MONSTEROUS sounding.
They didn't use very many Mic's on the drumkit back then, but they definitely achieved an interesting mix.
Tim
If you listen to the Kick on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (the CD), the Kick drum is MONSTEROUS sounding.
They didn't use very many Mic's on the drumkit back then, but they definitely achieved an interesting mix.
Tim