Just finished two Eps, one music video and one video promo, and now editing another music video. I MIGHT get to another drum vid sometime this century. 
Acoustic Drums for Metal: A Guide
- Thread starter Glenn Fricker
- Start date
It's probably not the quality of the kit. It's probably a combination of inexperience recording drums + lousy drum technique that's giving you mixed results. I've recorded very cheap drums with great results due to the drummer knowing how to hit. Sample replacement is certainly an option, but I always approach it as a 'last resort' sort of thing. Perseverance is the key.
Trevoire520
Member
Potapka
New Metal Member
Spent a few days reading this awesome thread, here's what I've come up with (a self-recorded "basement" local metal band I'm trying to mix):
http://www.sendspace.com/file/48a43m
I'm wondering if the kick is too loud or clicky. Drums are 100% real.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/48a43m
I'm wondering if the kick is too loud or clicky. Drums are 100% real.
Djabthrash
Member
please post on something easy and fast to get through like a dropbox link or soundcloud
otherwise less than 1% of us here will bother to check out your clip
my 2 cents
Trevoire520
Member
+1
Dropbox is best for stuff like this, instant access to your clips means alot more people will actually listen to it and give you feedback.
If you'd like you can sign up through this referral link and we'll both get extra space for free: http://db.tt/qtVxFbY
Dropbox is best for stuff like this, instant access to your clips means alot more people will actually listen to it and give you feedback.
If you'd like you can sign up through this referral link and we'll both get extra space for free: http://db.tt/qtVxFbY
Djabthrash
Member
Uros
Sonic Incision
Trevoire520
Member
bryan_kilco
Member
Love Dropbox soooo much!
Got Dropbox app for my phone and any music I upload to DB I can easily pull up on my phone. Also, shared folder for the band to share ideas = amazing.
to keep thread alive... i'm recording heavy metal band in next few days and they gave me this reference - , my room is pretty big( 3,5m ceiling), but it doesnt have that kind of reverb that's on reference recording, so i guess no room mics... does anyone have any useful tips for that kind of sound? your opinion on it?
cheers
cheers
Last edited by a moderator:
Last year, my band released our first self-produced, self-mixed CD, and this thread was a major help. We couldn't have done it out without you guys. Just wanted to say thanks for helping with the drums tracks!
Here's a track from the album, in case you're interested: http://undertheroseband.com/track/divide-and-be-conquered
Cheers,
Aaron
http://www.undertheroseband.com
http://www.facebook.com/undertheroseband
http://undertheroseband.blogspot.com
Here's a track from the album, in case you're interested: http://undertheroseband.com/track/divide-and-be-conquered
Cheers,
Aaron
http://www.undertheroseband.com
http://www.facebook.com/undertheroseband
http://undertheroseband.blogspot.com
Since the reverb is most important on the snare, have you considered creating a sample of the snare in a room with good reverb and then mixing the sample in with your live tracks? (We record in less-than-ideal rooms, so mixing in samples is very practical for us. If you're philosophically opposed to sampling, I can respect that, too.)
-Aaron
http://www.undertheroseband.com
http://www.facebook.com/undertheroseband
http://undertheroseband.blogspot.com
-Aaron
http://www.undertheroseband.com
http://www.facebook.com/undertheroseband
http://undertheroseband.blogspot.com
Sorry, my last post was in reference to this one, but I didn't quote:
Since the reverb is most important on the snare, have you considered creating a sample of the snare in a room with good reverb and then mixing the sample in with your live tracks? (We record in less-than-ideal rooms, so mixing in samples is very practical for us. If you're philosophically opposed to sampling, I can respect that, too.)
-Aaron
http://www.undertheroseband.com
http://www.facebook.com/undertheroseband
http://undertheroseband.blogspot.com
Part 2: CRITICAL ESSENTIALS (the shit you really need to know)
This is the Tama Tension Watch. An absolutely indispensible tool. It measures the tension on the head at the lug, and is really accurate too. Buy one of these, read the manual, and practice your ass off with it. Try different tunings, top/bottom head variants, you name it. You can't learn to work with it overnight, but it's worth it to put some time in with it.
I've had one of the best (IMHO) Swedish Speed Metal drummers tell me, "Dude, you can really tune drums." After he watched me go at it on the kit with the Tension watch. Practice, Practice, Practice. Learn how to use this thing. You'll be a hero to drummers worldwide
--Glenn
Hey Glenn,
do you have any tips for tuning the Toms with the Tension Watch. I bought this peace of Equipment cause I really suck on tuning the Drums.
The "Manual" from the Tension watch is only a Peace of Paper with some recommendations which don't sound very good to me.
I am on a Pearl Kit with Remo Weatherking Ambassadors right now and I want to practice tuning them.
Heavy Greetz
The problem is, it's quite hard to know what to recommend, as every drum is different and will naturally sing and resonate more at certain frequencies.
I'd recommend getting a friend who knows how to tune drums well to do it, and then use the watch to note down the tensions and use those to get you back in when you need to.
Otherwise, try checking out the Bob Gatzen videos on youtube, they're really useful.
PS: this thread is awesome and really helped me take my drum recordings up a step. I still have a long way to go, but thank you all of you.
I am going to have a look at bob gatzens videos later on.Thanks for the tip.
Now I am driving to my practice room and start to try to tune the toms very low and see what happens.
Heavy Greetz
Mikeyprs
New Metal Member
Alrighty then
! First off, Id like to say a massive thank you to everyone thats contributed to this piece of interweb awesomeness, a hell of lot of valuable advice a lot of which Ive copied/pasted onto a word file(s) to move over to my recording pc when I get it all set up again (Local council finally did the much needed upgrades to the house!)
Anyway.. All that aside here goes!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?....204662165260.276634.505365260&type=3&theater
This is the bad boy I'm looking to record in the near future, the room is one of two live rooms of a local practise studio in my town.
Its actually my brothers kit a DDrum defiant model in sparkle grey just for the record, evans heads all round switched from Remos and since the since Ive been quite the evans fan lol.
Anyway I know said local studio has 12 inputs available ( I do need to find out more specific info in regards to what mics they have available and stuff) however, I'm of the persuasion to use my own recording pc rig (Tascam us1641, Cubase etc) but that would mean I'd have to buy mic pres to take advantage of the line-in inputs though (as far as I understand).
When discussing this with a new acquaintance of mine on the book of faces, he asked..
do you need all 14? the best sound I've ever had has come from just 8 or 9
see now, the answer to that question I don't know 100% as Id like to try and have as much control over the kit (given the song i'll be recording as a trial run per se as the song is in the 195-200 bpm tempo range) as I can whilst also recording more then I need rather then leaving myself a little short when it comes to mix
Good old trial and error haha, Im a sucka for doing things the hard way
A link of a demo i recorded a short while ago shall be below!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/glag885b1jvln3j/Gee, Dysphoria Demo.mp3
This is the mic layout I was thinking of...
2x kick mics - one inside, one outside (I'll probably do a DIY subkick for out).
2x Snare - Top & Bottom
3x Toms
Hi-hat and ride mics
2x overhead mics
2x room mics
The room I plan to be recording in sounds pretty awesome to me, not the room that said drum kit was pictured in mind although it's pretty awesome sounding room too (I can get pictures of it if people are interested to see).
I currently own a pair of Audix F15 SDCs, 2 sm57's and a rode nt1-a (although I almost won't use the rode though at this point) the local studio/practice has a few mics but I'm not 100% sure of what they have besides a Shure beta 52 kick (as I say I do need to do a little bit more research on what the studio has) and the only reason I know this is because Ive borrowed it to record practice sessions before now.
I am planning on saving up for said mic pres for the Tascam as well as a few extra microphones and what not debating on whether to buy a preferably not-to-inexpensive drum micing kit or something like I say Im not 100% sure on what Im doing just yet (wont be a couple months for I even hit record so thats cool) I would just like some perspective/ideas/opinions! (Y)
Feel free to fire away with any questions!
Anyway.. All that aside here goes!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?....204662165260.276634.505365260&type=3&theater
This is the bad boy I'm looking to record in the near future, the room is one of two live rooms of a local practise studio in my town.
Its actually my brothers kit a DDrum defiant model in sparkle grey just for the record, evans heads all round switched from Remos and since the since Ive been quite the evans fan lol.
Anyway I know said local studio has 12 inputs available ( I do need to find out more specific info in regards to what mics they have available and stuff) however, I'm of the persuasion to use my own recording pc rig (Tascam us1641, Cubase etc) but that would mean I'd have to buy mic pres to take advantage of the line-in inputs though (as far as I understand).
When discussing this with a new acquaintance of mine on the book of faces, he asked..
do you need all 14? the best sound I've ever had has come from just 8 or 9
see now, the answer to that question I don't know 100% as Id like to try and have as much control over the kit (given the song i'll be recording as a trial run per se as the song is in the 195-200 bpm tempo range) as I can whilst also recording more then I need rather then leaving myself a little short when it comes to mix
Good old trial and error haha, Im a sucka for doing things the hard way
A link of a demo i recorded a short while ago shall be below!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/glag885b1jvln3j/Gee, Dysphoria Demo.mp3
This is the mic layout I was thinking of...
2x kick mics - one inside, one outside (I'll probably do a DIY subkick for out).
2x Snare - Top & Bottom
3x Toms
Hi-hat and ride mics
2x overhead mics
2x room mics
The room I plan to be recording in sounds pretty awesome to me, not the room that said drum kit was pictured in mind although it's pretty awesome sounding room too (I can get pictures of it if people are interested to see).
I currently own a pair of Audix F15 SDCs, 2 sm57's and a rode nt1-a (although I almost won't use the rode though at this point) the local studio/practice has a few mics but I'm not 100% sure of what they have besides a Shure beta 52 kick (as I say I do need to do a little bit more research on what the studio has) and the only reason I know this is because Ive borrowed it to record practice sessions before now.
I am planning on saving up for said mic pres for the Tascam as well as a few extra microphones and what not debating on whether to buy a preferably not-to-inexpensive drum micing kit or something like I say Im not 100% sure on what Im doing just yet (wont be a couple months for I even hit record so thats cool) I would just like some perspective/ideas/opinions! (Y)
Feel free to fire away with any questions!
Djabthrash
Member
Hi there !
It's been years since i wrote something on this forum, and as i'm now getting into drums recording, i've read this thead again and loved it (alongside watching those amazing youtube videos Glenn put out in the past years) !
I just watched this video underneath and I'm curious if anyone had ever tried the "felt strip" technique to control the sound of the kick drum heads :
I know this thread is about "metal" drums and the drum sound in this video is far from it, but i'm interested in the "felt strip" technique itself, and how it compares with no muffling/dampening at all, or with putting some kind of pillow/blanket in between the 2 kick heads (which is the common method for metal drums).
p.s : sorry for my broken English
It's been years since i wrote something on this forum, and as i'm now getting into drums recording, i've read this thead again and loved it (alongside watching those amazing youtube videos Glenn put out in the past years) !
I just watched this video underneath and I'm curious if anyone had ever tried the "felt strip" technique to control the sound of the kick drum heads :
I know this thread is about "metal" drums and the drum sound in this video is far from it, but i'm interested in the "felt strip" technique itself, and how it compares with no muffling/dampening at all, or with putting some kind of pillow/blanket in between the 2 kick heads (which is the common method for metal drums).
p.s : sorry for my broken English
