Getting this bass drum sound.

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patlang12

patlang12

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Anybody have any suggestions on how to get this type of bass drum sound. Mics, placement, tuning, heads, beater type, EQ? Listen to the song called all hands against his own. I guess the white stripe's bass drum kind os sounds like it too. Thanks a lot

Here is the link: http://www.fatpossum.com/albums/80379.html
 
I say pull out any pillows or blankets. Also like the white stripes first recordings.
It sounds like a "GARAGE BAND" recording.
 
I went and listened to the white stripe's first album and the bass drum sounds fairly close to what I want. The link I gave has a sound closer to what I am looking for. It is a little bit tighter than the white stripes. So does anybody have any other tips? Please!
 
Front head on, no dampening. Maybe a mic in front of it, but the main portion of the sound is coming from a room mic of some kind.
 
So does that mean don't put a mic inside of it. How far away from the drum should I put the mic out. Any tuning suggestions?
 
This Is A Good Question

I THINK THAT WHAT FARVIEW IS SAYING IS THAT THE ROOM MIC DOES MOST OF THE WORK.
If you put a mic inside with no front head on, than most of if not all of the resonance is lost, so a mic on the head front or inside will pick up the "Attack" rather than the Boom.
Listen to Jon Bonham's BD and tell me what you think. ;)
 
patlang12 said:
So does that mean don't put a mic inside of it. How far away from the drum should I put the mic out. Any tuning suggestions?
Click to expand...
You can put a mic right in fromt of the kick (with the front head on) and put a room mic (ldc) at least 6 feet away, about snare drum height. Compress the crap out of the room mic.
 
I've been experimenting with a combination in my live rig - still marveling at hearing anything at all. Right now I'm using an Audio Technica trapezoid boundary mic on a pillow inside the kick drum; pillow snugged up against the drum head a bit to deaden it. Then an ambient mic a couple of feet in front. I'm getting lots of punch with the AT and distortion only if it moves to contact something. Placement right on the center of the pillow works pretty well and it's handling the pressure.
 
When I get a drumset at my house that I can use then I will try some of this. The problem is that I think both of the drumsets I can use either have no head or one with a big hole.
 
The front head isn't that important to this. Just take the dampening out and use a room mic. The room mic is the key. You will only need a close mic if the room mic lacs something.
 
well the room won't be great. It will probably be either a garage or bedroom. It sounds like the garage will be the choice because there isn't really enough room in the bedroom for a room mic. If I put up some blankets and stuff will I be able to get close to this sound.
 
Anyone care to comment on tuning? Should both heads be slackened off? or just the beater head? or are they both tuned up?
 
It sounded to me like it was a 2 headed kick with the batter tuned high and the front head tuned low. But you can get what you are looking for by tuning it the way you normally do and just using the room mic. I really think it is the 'vibe' that you are after, not the exact sound.
 
I think you are right about it being more of the vibe, but do you have any suggestions on drum heads to use.
 
Evans EMAD. And take out any pillows, blankets, or whatever out of the kick.
 
I am a little confused. Doesn't the EMAD have dampining built in. I was reading reviews of it and people were saying that they needed hardly any pillows. I don't think this is what I want. I think the amount of dampining is adjustable with these heads. Is this right? Also do you have any suggestions on what kind of head I should get on the resonate side. Sorry for the stupid questions, but I am not a drummer.
 
I have a friend who is buying a new bass drum. He wants to know what would be a good drum to look into getting to get this kind of sound.
 
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