Do you track drums by sections or in a row?

[The-Zeronaut]

HOW DO TRACK DRUMS?¯\(°_o)/¯

sorry i couldn't resist >.<

im watching joeymusicguy tracking drums...and discussing with Dandelium
we realized the fact that he seems to be recording drums in
15-20 secs sections...

do you record drums this way?

what do you do with the decay of the cymbals? crossfades?

 

[Ermz]

I prefer to record a number of whole takes and then edit between them to create the ideal 'comped' one. There tends to be a lot more continuity this way and it forces the player to get their shit together.

Having said that, sometimes it isn't practical in the slightest when the player isn't prepared.

 

[drew_drummer]

I generally track in sections; 8 bars here, 8 bars there.

 

[Soundlurker]

I go for whole takes as well, but I've mixed a band that recorded 2 songs seperated into like 25 takes. Gotta love drum editing

 

[egan.]

I go for whole takes but with punch points in mind. For longer songs sometimes you have to break things up to maintain the energy level even if the playing is mistake free.
Regardless, finding good points for crossfades and having the drummer playing along before the part starts make everything a lot easier.

 

[Erkan]

When I tracked drums for my first solo project (link is in sig), I tracked pretty much every part as a section so there were a lot of punch ins. I tracked this in Ableton Live haha, and it doesn't have crossfades in version 7 and lower, so I just went for punch ins and played exactly like I was supposed to every time and it just worked out very well.

For my next project though, I will aim for tracking it in one take... I'm so sick of people slacking just because they know the technology we have is able to make their shit sound good even if they play half-assed.

 

[seditz740novaprospect]

punch points during whole takes ...

 

[The Unavoidable]

When I tracked my bands deput, we pretty much did it riff by riff. There was alot of editing involved, but as long as he was on the click, it was pretty easy. I liked it that way, made it easier to analyze the playing.

And any botched up transistions could easily be fixed in the mix, adding all instruments, blending in a cymbal sample, reverb tails, etc.

 

[Trevoire520]

Fucking hell, really surprised at the amount of people here that are doing things a few bars at a time.

I try to get everything down in one take, if there's an obvious pause or break in the drums in the middle 8 or something i'll get the drummer to redo stuff after the pause if i think it needs improving, and if we're recording to a click then i can copy a good chorus if there's one thats a bit dodgy, but I generally try go get the drummer to get it all down in one.

 

[The-Zeronaut]

i usually track drums in a row...well if there is a pause or a breakdown in a song i separate the song in 2 or 3 sections.
now im thinking in separate the songs by 30 secs sections.
but im worried about the cymbals :S

does anyone separate the songs in verse, chorus, refrain, breakdown , etc...and just copy paste the sections?(this would be great for bad drummers that never recorded to a click)

 

[Aaron Smith]

im thinking in separate the songs by 30 secs sections.
but im worried about the cymbals :S

The cymbals shouldn't be an issue at all, as long as the drummer hits them at a consistent velocity, and you have him start playing a few bars ahead of the point you actually want the new take to start at. If those two criteria are filled, it can be absolutely seamless even without crossfades, although crossfading every cut everywhere is the safest choice and a good habit to get into.

 

[joeymusicguy]

for the record i try and only punch in where there is a mute or a pause or a break.

it is possible to punch in at the end of a fill longer than a bar at most tempos because most cymbals decay is pretty dead at this point. you have the drummer replay the cymbal that is hit before the fill starts and punch in the fill. it works pretty well. the point of this is to keep everything after the fill, the fill is just an oppurtunity spot to start the punch. the next time a cymbal is hit is where you'll actually keep the take.

a lot of what you were watching was the "warm up" to the track. we run the track in different spots several times to get key parts fresh in the mind and muscles. then we run the whole track. then we record it.

 

[deanbailey]

...Regardless, finding good points for crossfades and having the drummer playing along before the part starts make everything a lot easier.

+1
I do this. Just to emphasize the point, It's very helpful to get the drummer to play before the punch in starts. This makes the cross fades smoother with the previous take and also helps the drummer get into the beat again so it doesn't sound like another drum piece started at that point. (But then I don't know if anyone else experienced that last one). (Most) Drummers normally hit hard on the first beat or count of the start of their piece which makes it sorta easier to identify where the punch-in's are. Good drummers work around this.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

whole songs in one go if possible.
if not I'll drop in in places

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

The bands I play in tend to go for doing as much in one take as possible. If there's an awkward time or tempo change then we'll do that part as a separate take, but up until that point will all be one take.

In fact, the drummer in one of my bands also plays for a pop-punk outfit, and he did all the drums for their album in one take - as in 16 songs back-to-back without stopping the tape. Two takes like that, and he got all his parts down in under 2 hours

Steve

 

[joeymusicguy]

In fact, the drummer in one of my bands also plays for a pop-punk outfit, and he did all the drums for their album in one take - as in 16 songs back-to-back without stopping the tape. Two takes like that, and he got all his parts down in under 2 hours

Steve

how does that work? how would the metronome be any sort of correct in a situation like this

 

[joeymusicguy]

whole songs in one go if possible.
if not I'll drop in in places

+1

 

[C_F_H_13]

I always try to go for whole takes, and comp/edit between 5-7 takes. However if I get past the point of doing that many takes and it's still not happening...things get a little more drastic.

IF there's a particular fill or section they are F-ing up, I'll drop it into loop record and tell them I'm not even recording, just practice...usually they nail it in the 3-4th time around. The great thing with the loop record in PT is the new playlist drop down option makes comping a dream.

The biggest things to do to avoid chopped cymbals, is a consistent drum part (no switching cymbals to hi hats in sections) or if you are tracking smaller chunks, make you don't just do a single riff/section. Always do a little before and a little after the section you're after. Makes editing a dream. I feel totaly comfortable in doing a million punches if I have to though.....even in the middle of fills.

 

[C_F_H_13]

In fact, the drummer in one of my bands also plays for a pop-punk outfit, and he did all the drums for their album in one take - as in 16 songs back-to-back without stopping the tape. Two takes like that, and he got all his parts down in under 2 hours

Steve

That's bananas. You are braver then I am hahaha. I'd shoot myself having to sort through that.

 

[MetalSound]

I let them play the whole song in a row. Especially if the drummer isn´t used (or able) to play to a click.
Otherwise punching in and editing is a big pain when there is no click.