Left Handed Drummer & Stereo Field

[CMiller]

Okay, so I found a drummer who I think is going to work out great. She's got a great attitude, and she's a solid drummer, and she's got a nice sounding kit. She also happens to be left-handed. No big deal, in fact these are stupid questions...

1) Do you think I should pan the drums to reflect the fact fact that she's left handed, or keep things panned the way I usually do it?

2) The person who played on 80% of the project was right handed...would it be weird to suddenly have a couple tunes in a reverse spectrum?

As I said, these are dumb questions, but no dumber than other questions I suppose.

 

[BigKahuna]

I wouldn't reverse the tom pans ... and no, it wouldn't be weird to suddenly have a song where the drum sound is different. It would probably be cool, in fact. Just match the sound of her kit as it is ... I think it'll sound more natural.
It's good to hear that you found a drummer!

Dave

 

[dr.colossus]

just a little anecdote that i thought would fit well here.....

i was tracking through headphones one day by myself recording my drums (uxsing the 3 mic technique)......listening to playback, i thought "what the hell is going on here, this just doesn't sound right" there was something wierd going on, i took the headphones off, just to try and work out what was wrong....i put them back on, and like magic, my mix sounded better!.....then it clicked.... i had the headphones on the wrong way around!!!!!

so... if your wondering what a left handed drumkit pan would soundlike, just flip your phones on the wrong way round

 

[nezpierce]

WOW

OK,

I am a lefty drummer and have recorded several times but never once thought about the fact that the drums were "reversed" and no one in any of the bands nor the engineers that we recorded with made any changes or exceptions.

Now, that being said, you got me wondering. Phil Collins and Rod Morgenstein are two lefties that have been around forever. I must have listened to Genesis, the Dixie Dregs , Phil solo, even Rod with (ughhhh) Winger and I don't think I ever noticed that anything was up. Anyone else notice anything strange? I need to research this further but I am not near any music right now.

This would be a great experiment and I will definitely check this out when I get home....

nP

 

[JR#97]

Re: WOW

OK,

I am a lefty drummer and have recorded several times but never once thought about the fact that the drums were "reversed" and no one in any of the bands nor the engineers that we recorded with made any changes or exceptions.

Now, that being said, you got me wondering. Phil Collins and Rod Morgenstein are two lefties that have been around forever. I must have listened to Genesis, the Dixie Dregs , Phil solo, even Rod with (ughhhh) Winger and I don't think I ever noticed that anything was up. Anyone else notice anything strange? I need to research this further but I am not near any music right now.

This would be a great experiment and I will definitely check this out when I get home....

nP

Don't forget Eric Carr... the awesome 80's drummer for Kiss

I'm a lefty as well and mix for the song... not how I play. If the mix calls for high freq a little more left, I pan the hhat left.

When I was a kid, I used to listen to songs as if I was playing them. If the hhat was on the right and toms went L-R, then I imagined me looking at the audience. If it was on the right and toms R-L, then I imagined watching myself from the audience. Dumb, eh? But what would you expect from a big hair Jr. High rocker in the 80's?

 

[vox]

Just remember that aside from the 'handedness' of the drummer there is also the preference of the mix engineer, some like 'audience perspective' panning and some use 'drummer perspective'.

 

[nezpierce]

ummm

I don't think the Fox was a lefty? maybe we need to go to the video on that one.......

Very true about the audience VS drummer perspective. Some bands may not even think about it...


nP

 

[JR#97]

Re: ummm

I don't think the Fox was a lefty? maybe we need to go to the video on that one.......

Very true about the audience VS drummer perspective. Some bands may not even think about it...


nP

hmm.... the zaprudefer film shows Mr. Carr as a righty.... but I swear I saw his set-up once as lefty. That's why I started playing lefty as a young child! anywhoo.... At least Zac Hanson of Hanson film is lefty... doh!