Drummer cannot play with the click

[ttrentt]

In this case the band needs education about how proper and modern metal is recorded.

They are very unrealistic on wanting a 110% tight performance, but do not want to use completely NORMAL studio tools to fix the problem.

 

[Melodeath]

It's simple really. If they want a tight performance, with a click, and without editing, then the drummer needs to practice.

It IS possible to get a tight performance without a click. I've never dealt with a bands that required pinpoint precision that had a real drummer, so I haven't done INTENSE drum editing before. However, the point is, see if they can do it without a click. If for some reason they insist on using a click, then he needs to practice.

 

[paladin shredder]

Drummer cannot play with the click

One drummer I recorded couldn't play to a click track. So what I did was slip-edit all the drum tracks to a click track in reaper. The band wrote down the tempo's for each part that had a tempo change, and I edited accordingly. For faster double bass stuff, I recorded a 16th note click track to the kick channel, and used that click track to trigger drumagog.

Took me 2 1/2 hours to do that, but the difference was enormous. The band was floored the next day and heard what I was able to do.

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

About a quarter of the drummers I record can't work with click. I let them record with a scratch guitar, then tempo map the entire song and conform it to whatever tempo I like using elastic audio.

 

[shredder10]

Another month cause a "difficult" section?

i'd rather go for the kickless recording!

 

[JayB]

The problem is you have to tell them that their struggle comes from the drummer not being able to play the material correctly and not anything you have done or want to do. You're only trying to fucking help and you dont need this bullshit from a stupid band that can't get their stupid shit together and/or recognize that you are not the problem, the drummer is.... end of story.

Absolutely , tell the drummer to suck your cock.

 

[lolzgreg]

Have him leave the kit at your place. Record drums. Have a friend who is a good drummer come in. Play the parts over.

When you're dealing with complete idiots, you have to lie. If they won't agree with you, for the sake of your reputation, give them the files of what you recorded, and tell them to go elsewhere to finish their album.

Are you getting paid by the hour? Did you write up a contract?

My contract says if the band can't perform their songs to a click track to the point of being acceptable, they either have to allow me to record the part for them, or they are "dismissed" and owe me for a days work.

Thankfully, I charge by the hour, and the budget conscious ones hand over their guitars/basses willingly. Most people won't argue with results, unless they're completely stupid.

 

[arv_foh]

My contract says if the band can't perform their songs to a click track to the point of being acceptable, they either have to allow me to record the part for them, or they are "dismissed" and owe me for a days work.

this is such win, I think I will start doing this in the future

 

[Russtopher]

One drummer I recorded couldn't play to a click track. So what I did was slip-edit all the drum tracks to a click track in reaper. The band wrote down the tempo's for each part that had a tempo change, and I edited accordingly. For faster double bass stuff, I recorded a 16th note click track to the kick channel, and used that click track to trigger drumagog.

Took me 2 1/2 hours to do that, but the difference was enormous. The band was floored the next day and heard what I was able to do.

I've done this as well; recorded drums to scratch guitars, got baseline tempos for each section and slip edited to the grid. Took me a bit longer that Paladin did (caveat: it was my first time slip editing *anything*) but since the drummer's tempo was already fairly decent, this method ended up working out quite well.

 

[joeymusicguy]

you need to be using jeff's ball clap samples for the click

drummers relate to organic clicks much easier

 

[xFkx]

Thankfully, I charge by the hour, and the budget conscious ones hand over their guitars/basses willingly. Most people won't argue with results, unless they're completely stupid.

Somehow I couldn't be bothered to acctualy learn and play someone else's parts (and propably shitty ones at that). I say let the clock keep ticking

 

[dasbrootal]

you need to be using jeff's ball clap samples for the click

drummers relate to organic clicks much easier

what are these ball claps you speak of?

 

[ahjteam]

I have now a third question how many of you have recorded drums 100% play by the drummer spotless that don't need any BD or programming?

I do. Maybe edit different takes/sections together, but no time correction on more than 5% of the hits. But I don't record extreme metal tho.

 

[Sunny84]

Had a similar issue with the drummer in our band - awesome drummer, great feel live but he just cant/ wont play to a click. In the end we had a click track in the control room with the guitarist playing to that and the guitar being fed live through cans to to the drummer in the drum room. Turned out pretty good but its a right ball ache trying to recreate a slightly out of time feel for multitracking etc.

 

[JeffTD]

Thought of another option today!

Kill him.

 

[Nebulous]

Lol, we so often complain that the band can't play but are ignorant to the fact yet when a band admit it we don't seem to like it either.

It seems that you've done everything you could in the situation, if the band don't want to "cheat" the performance then they have provided you with the best solution. They go away untill they can do it, instead of wasting your time.

 

[jman1986]

@Sinister Mephisto do u ever get phase issues with elastic audio? i read about how people say not to use elastic audio over so many tracks.

 

[johnny_syko]

I usually record a scratch guitar track to the click first, for the drummer to play to. This usually helps, since i have a small set up and cant record guitars and drums together.

 

[jangoux]

Let him record and them ask a friend to re-track it. Ive done this last week and it worked wonders. My friend charge just me two pairs of sticks for two tracks. Absolute win