Question to (/about) Andy('s) his kick drums

[GeertSamuel]

I'm listening to a lot of records. And a lot sound really awesome. But to me it is that Andy always gets the kick right..whatever happens..it just fits with the mix...

What I'm really curious of.
I'm talking about Arch Enemy - Doomsday / Nevermore - TGE kinda kick.
The all sounds so amazingly tight. They're sticky and clicky...not just boxy clicky..
So to that extend I got some questions..
Where do you place the mic?
What do you use for dampening?
And about what frequencies do you tweak with eq'ing a kick?

I presume you used the Audix D6 and Remo powerstroke heads..

 

[NickL]

This is a good thread, I've been avoiding making this same thread because I feel like an asshole to keep going "H3Y ANDY aNDy 4NDY PLEASE TALK 2 M3 I HAV3 RECORdDING QUESRTIONS!!#21211oneoneone" so thank you for taking the heat

 

[Ben Johnson]

4NDY

 

[Ermz]

What Andy uses has been no secret for a while, but yes, a great deal of it seems to come down to tuning, dampening and also kick mic placement. I would definitely second this question, if you'd be kind enough to indulge us, Andy!

 

[AudioPhile777]

+1



I've been using a Beta52 on kick since I started... I'm buying a D6 tomorrow... I've heard too much good come from that mic.

 

[JeffTD]

With the help from him that KAOMAO got, his natural kick was sounding awesome. I'd follow what he went over in that thread.

 

[LydonB]

With the help from him that KAOMAO got, his natural kick was sounding awesome. I'd follow what he went over in that thread.

here is the link for the thread

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/andy-sneap/300039-kick-ya-all.html

 

[AudioPhile777]

there it is...

 

[GeertSamuel]

This is a good thread, I've been avoiding making this same thread because I feel like an asshole to keep going "H3Y ANDY aNDy 4NDY PLEASE TALK 2 M3 I HAV3 RECORdDING QUESRTIONS!!#21211oneoneone" so thank you for taking the heat

Haha yeah ....well somebody has got to have the guts...and since I don't have any reputation at all yet, I throught I'd just try it .....whaha

With the help from him that KAOMAO got, his natural kick was sounding awesome. I'd follow what he went over in that thread.

I actually never thought of that!!!!!!....
I'll be busy the next couple of days experimenting

So about the KAOMAO thread and what Andy explained him.

EQ: Boosted at 60 hz, a deep notch at 120hz, scooped the mids (400-600hz), boost a little bit of high at 4Khz and 8Khz.

Dampening: Pillow inside to kill the overtones. I think KAOMAO used a Rockbag, but I think I prefer a bit bigger pillow.

Tuning 60 on front and batter on the (Tama) Tension Watch

Mic placement Couple of centimeters away from the batter head, a bit under the point of impact of the beater and aimed on a 30 degree angle towards the beater..

I think this sums up most of my questions...

 

[kaomao]

I Eq-ed my sample just analyzing with a spectrum analyzer (waves one) the kick he gave us.
I tuned down to 60, but as andy said, he doesn't mind about tuning with tension watch, he goes as low as he can.
The sample he posted seems pitched higher than the kicks on last arch enemy and nevermore.
Usually I use his kick and pitchshift it down in aptrigga (-20/-22) to get the fat low end that I hear in the records mentioned above.
I think the trick if you're recording your own sample is to not boost 12khz or 10khz, boosting those frequencies really give you that patera kick I hate, the "coin kick" as I call it.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I tuned down to 60, but as andy said, he doesn't mind about tuning with tension watch, he goes as low as he can.

What do you mean "as low as he can"?

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

+1



I've been using a Beta52 on kick since I started... I'm buying a D6 tomorrow... I've heard too much good come from that mic.

You won't be disappointed!!

 

[everybody's x]

What do you mean "as low as he can"?

I am assuming here, but I turn the lugs just enough to take out any ripples in the head surface and no tighter. Maybe thats what he meant.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I am assuming here, but I turn the lugs just enough to take out any ripples in the head surface and no tighter. Maybe thats what he meant.

both sides loose??

 

[everybody's x]

well not loose, just tight enough to straigten the head out
maybe 1 1/2 lug turns after the bearing is seated

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

both sides loose??

i also usually get them both as loose as i can. "as i can" being to the point where the drummer starts complaining that he won't be able to play if it gets any looser

 

[kaomao]

To tight them till the screws have a little bit of grip on the skin.
Anyway he literally said "as loose as I can"
With emperor skin even if the skin is loose the drummer is able to play better than any skin he ever used.
My bro was amazed by the totally different sound: tight/clear/punchy.

 

[Ermz]

Thanks for sharing all that, kao. It's something a lot of us have wanted to know for a loooong time.

I assume Andy didn't apply the 'as loose as I can' theory to toms as well?

 

[kaomao]

I really don't know moon. I never asked him about that.
I think that if your drummer can't play tight with loose skins, you can pitchshit it afterwards in aptrigga or drumagog (don't know if it has the same function as aptrigga).
Toms on doomsday machine are really loose and they're fucking heavy!
Ah forgot to say my drums are sonor, cheap kit with an incredible sound.
Check sonor is really underrated.

 

[Aaron Smith]

Mic placement Couple of centimeters away from the batter head, a bit under the point of impact of the beater and aimed on a 30 degree angle towards the beater..

Unless I'm just a total douche, I'm having difficulty envisioning exactly how this position is accomplished. How big of a hole is on the outer head? I'm assuming that really the only way is to have a mic stand that aligns perfectly with the height of hole, so that the horizontal arm of the stand doesn't touch the head. A couple of centimeters is quite a long ways into the kick drum, and it seems that it would be pretty tough to get a mic that far in. Am I missing something?