In studio with George Massenburg - Ep. 1 : miking the drums

[Joshua Wickman]

it's understandable why sometimes you have to filter everything under 500 down on OHs.

For me it's because 90% of drummers slop the shit out of their double bass parts.

 

[Charles J]

For me it's because 90% of drummers slop the shit out of their double bass parts.

fucking TRUTH.

going to give this method a go (or something similar) for the new KC record as Chris is the most solid drummer I've ever recorded.... feet and hands... he's really the only guy that allows me to fully utilize all my room/oh tracks....

other than that... with the tech/death/whatever music most of us do, this could be a nightmare.... BUTTT, if the stereo imaging of the OH's is better, I'm all for it.

Funny how he basically said "FUCK YOU" to AB spaced pair style OH recording....haha

 

[TRUIE]

Episode2 is online !
He's really a great guy.

 

[Charlie E.]

Cool guy.

 

[crillemannen]

I get SHIT loads of body in my OHs. I'm also into throwing up random mics really close to the kit - especially ribbons. I point the 2 sides it picks up towards whatever I want it to pick up then attempt to reject the cymbals (slightly in vain, as always) with the other sides. Bit of fast compression on the way in.

Yeh, hi-passing cymbals at 1k and using L1 = poo drums. I hi-pass at 100 and put a big boost at 150! That's the drum sound right there! OHs, stereo room and a crush mic!

Anyway, George Massenburg is awesome. Respect for the tank-top JUMPER

+ 1

I can't understand that people want to HP their overheads above 150-200hz. They will sound like shit. Im with AEL on this one. I also get a tone of depth and body from my overheads and Ambience.

The vibe comes from the overheads people!!! Especially if you use allot of triggers. Just my 0,02

 

[egan.]

And for another opinion:

Overheads are one of the hardest things to get right. Too much cymbals and hat and it will kill your mix, too little and you have no dynamics. I still struggle with OH's, it's down to the drummers style also. I usually go with 1 mic per 2 cymbals and try and keep the hi hat out of the oh's by obscuring the direct line of them with a cymbal. I always aim for the edge of the cymbals, about 1.5/ 2 foot above. I also get pretty heavy with the filtering and roll everything below 600 out. I dont tend to compress much as this just brings the hi hat out more, but if I'm mixing something with a lot of kit in the oh's, I'll limit them, maybe even send the snare to the limiter in the side chain. This can help the phasing of the snare also. Micing the ride from the underneath, near the bell, gives you good separation also.

 

[crillemannen]

And for another opinion:

And that cannot simply be true because on allot of Andys mixes there are allot of body in the overheads. Like Chimaira for instance. Then hes getting the body from ambience for example.

 

[Shinozoku]

Subbing to this thread. Lots of great opinions, and the videos completely rock!
Makes me GAS for a ribbon mic for a snare/hat sound!

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

And that cannot simply be true because on allot of Andys mixes there are allot of body in the overheads. Like Chimaira for instance. Then hes getting the body from ambience for example.

When you say body, do you mean bleed from the shells on the OHs or body on the cymbals themselves?

 

[crillemannen]

When you say body, do you mean bleed from the shells on the OHs or body on the cymbals themselves?

Well i mean that if you highpass at 600hz your overheads will sound thin as shit. And if you highpass at around 150-250hz your cymbals and the kit bleed will have allot more lowend=body, if that makes sense?

I want my cymbals to sound like actual cymbals not like something thin high frequency noise.

 

[everybody's x]

And for another opinion:

for another style too.

I mean I doubt AS would use the technique he used with machine head on that chillin little jazz band.
apples and oranges

 

[Djabthrash]

Bump !

 

[Uros]

You mean bump?

 

[TRUIE]

New episode, in the control room

 

[Shinozoku]

We need more engineers doing things like this! So far I've seen Michael Wagner's vids, and now George's.

Anyone else have a series like this?

 

[jangoux]

We need more engineers doing things like this! So far I've seen Michael Wagner's vids, and now George's.

Anyone else have a series like this?

What Wagener vids? Wagener is a GREAT guy, very accessible.

 

[Mattayus]

This one maybe? Holy FUCK that's one homely studio

 

[Damian B]

What Wagener vids? Wagener is a GREAT guy, very accessible.

 

[Shinozoku]

^ Actually, yes. Those vids. There are a couple more I believe.

 

[Djabthrash]

Just posted this new thread featuring a pretty rad "modern" mixing session ("modern" as in : quality takes recorded in various studios / home studios, sample augmenting (Slate plugins among others), reamping, console plugins (SSL & slate), ampsims (Digidesign ElevenRack), makeshift fake room track for the drums, premastering, multiband compressor sidechaining, rough mix / final mix A/B-ing...)) with the indie-rock band (very cookie-cutter though) THE DUKES mixing their single "the cut" @Rec'n Roll studios with Charles de Schutter :

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...recnroll-studios-w-indie-rock-band-dukes.html