Had an argument with a drummer today...

[Ben Johnson]

We were talking about recording and stuff when the subject of miking kick drums came up. I said that a lot of engineers prefer a port in the drum head. He claimed that doing so completely RUINS the sound of a kick - that it loses all its power and characteristics of a bass drum. I said that the kick is one of the most sonically mangled instruments in a mix; that the un-altered acoustic sound of a kick is usually not/never useful in metal music, so it wouldn't matter if it doesn't retain a "pure" kick tonality.

Am I right?

 

[ApolloSpeed]

drummers are stupid.

the end.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

You're both right. It really depends on the music. A port on the front head will give you a place to put the mic, and will give a very cool acoustic compression effect as well. I recorded for years with no front head at all, but lately I've been getting into the front head with a port sound... VERY cool stuff & with the right mic, beater, skins & tuning it requires very little EQ to get it to work in the mix correctly.

I don't think it "ruins" the sound, it's just a 'different' sound. If the both of you want the "Lars" kick, yeah, go with the front port & tell the drummer to shut the fuck up. If you're doing Jazz, Blues, Country, or Stoner Rock, yeah, go with a LD condensor in front of a closed front head.

If the drummer needs any confirmation, just tell him to look through some drum magazines at drummers who play the style he wishes to emulate. From what I've seen, anyway, there's a large number of metal guys with ported front skins.

Best of luck,
-0z-

 

[Amadeus79]

I have to agree with Oz. I`ve recorded a jazz drummer a few times. He has no port in the front head and his cymbals are practically lying just an inch or two over his toms. I found it difficult at first, but because he had drums that sounded great and he was a awesome drummer as well, it turned out great.

 

[Torniojaws]

I have to agree with Oz. I`ve recorded a jazz drummer a few times. He has no port in the front head and his cymbals are practically lying just an inch or two over his toms. I found it difficult at first, but because he had drums that sounded great and he was a awesome drummer as well, it turned out great.

Usually Jazz drums are recorded as a single instrument, not separated at all. That is, just a OH pair and perhaps a kick mic will be enough for the style

 

[J the TyranT]

Jesus Christ... another fucking drummer comment... its getting a little old now.

Let me post every time a guitarist or bassist said something stupid too, while Im at it.

 

[Amadeus79]

Usually Jazz drums are recorded as a single instrument, not separated at all. That is, just a OH pair and perhaps a kick mic will be enough for the style

That`s true, but the band was thrown together for the occasion and played some pop/rock tunes, so I close miced everything

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Jesus Christ... another fucking drummer comment... its getting a little old now.

It never gets old.

 

[J the TyranT]

Jealousy will get you nowhere

 

[GeertSamuel]

Appolo & Oz...
Watch the language there...
I'm 2 meter tall, 220 pounds, a drummer and not afraid to poop on your head!
Not all drummers are stupid :zombie:

 

[Pman]

Appolo & Oz...
Watch the language there...
I'm 2 meter tall, 220 pounds, a drummer and not afraid to poop on your head!
Not all drummers are stupid :zombie:

YEAH!
.....

 

[Ermz]

I can't believe there are still metal drummers around playing with no port on their resonant heads.

 

[006]

Moonlapse: I know right? Isn't that just retarded as all hell or what?

For metal, you were completely right. The kick drum is literally shaped and shaped until it's not really a kick drum anymore, if you really think about it. A totally natural, un-touched kick drum sound is absolutely unusable for metal mixes. If anyone can find an example where it has worked, I'd love to hear it...good luck though. But I'm just preaching to the choir here and repeating what everyone has already said.

~e.a

P.S. drummers aren't all there

 

[Exocaster]

I can't believe there are still metal drummers around playing with no port on their resonant heads.

I've seen a bunch. Recorded a few of 'em, too. I invariably wind up either removing the front head or doing some serious sample replacement if they're that insistant about keeping the front head on there.

The funny thing- the guys I've seen with no port on the resonant head have all been good players. Just questionable gear. One of the ones I recorded was a jazz guy who joined the band a week or two before to do the session, so he gets a pass- college kid (no money), only kit he had was a small four piece configured for jazz, but the others have no excuse.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Appolo & Oz...
Watch the language there...
I'm 2 meter tall, 220 pounds, a drummer and not afraid to poop on your head!
Not all drummers are stupid :zombie:

Actually, I've got you beat by about 30 pounds.... Anyway, I never said all drummers are "stupid." Just "special."

 

[ApolloSpeed]

Appolo & Oz...
Watch the language there...
I'm 2 meter tall, 220 pounds, a drummer and not afraid to poop on your head!
Not all drummers are stupid :zombie:

I'm 5'9", 165 pounds.......and you may not be afraid to, but you would only try it once.

 

[Where She Wept]

I can't believe there are still metal drummers around playing with no port on their resonant heads.

I see it while live engineering all the time.

The local guru near me grabs the kick as soon as it gets in the building. He'll have the front head off and the kick in the drum room in the blink of an eye. no questions. Franky you can't argue with him because he does such an amazing job. He took a set that never had new heads and 1 cymbal and had it mic'd and sounding awesome in 15 min flat. Verses anthor studio i recorded at which took 2 hrs to mic the set, and it sounded like shit.(That one was somewhat the drummer's fault, he put new heads on at the studio right before recording) I'll post a link as soon as Mysapce finishes it's "processing" crap.

 

[Kazrog]

Trigger and replace. Rinse, repeat.

Software > Drummers.

 

[joeymusicguy]

i agree, but two days ago a band came in and ended my "gay snare" spell

the heads were super old, but the snare sounded wicked, and we didnt replace any of the drums for the final mix

i was amazed, after my last 10 or so recordings all with shitty sounding natural snare, i finally get a winner!

i have no idea why...

 

[Thedeloshimself]

Guitar players are equally as gay as drummers, but not as gay as vocalists. end of story. (i dont believe in guitarists doing vocals, i just dont like it)