I would like to learn more about how the drum tracking process works, and what type of mics, preamps, and possibly triggers that are being used for the new CD. Pictures are worth 1000 words.
:Smokin:
:Smokin:
Studio Drum Pics
- Thread starter SongQuester
- Start date
Anonymous
L'Étranger
_Gentleman of_the Snow_
Prog' Drummer
Triggers are nearly a must these days, dude. I'd also love to see some pics and learn about the process... Jax? lol.
Anonymous
L'Étranger
I'm not a drummer, so I might have misunderstood. I thought triggers were like Portnoy's snare sound in Images & Words, which I hate.
I'd love to hear the drums sound like they did on V, the actual sound of the drums.
I'd love to hear the drums sound like they did on V, the actual sound of the drums.
_Gentleman of_the Snow_
Prog' Drummer
I&W would be an example of a badly triggered snare, lol.
I'm sure the drums on V are triggered, but I do not know for sure. If so, they are triggered very well, and that is how drums SHOULD be triggered.
Triggers shouldn't be looked upon as a bad thing. It allows for a better sound for each drum (without having snare whistling while toms are being hit, or echoes from other drums in general), and I'd imagine that it's also good for panning purposes. Another obvious reason would be to have the drums sound the same throughout an album.
greenaxer
Knight of the Templar
I used to help out in a recording studio, and yeah, I saw the engineer/producer use drum triggers at times. I never asked him about them specifically, so I don't know much about them. But tracking the drums was a really cool process. The engineer was the guy who worked with Sparta and At the Drive In. He'd always record drums first, fine tuning each one until they had the warmest, natural sound. He really liked rimshots on the snares.
I never really liked that reverb-heavy sound of snare drums in the 80s. Someone mentioned the snare on V, and I agree, Jason Rullo's snare sound is fantastic there. One other drum sound I always liked was Nick Menza's on Countdown to Extinction to Cryptic Writings. They just sounded so muscular, higher up in the mix.
I never really liked that reverb-heavy sound of snare drums in the 80s. Someone mentioned the snare on V, and I agree, Jason Rullo's snare sound is fantastic there. One other drum sound I always liked was Nick Menza's on Countdown to Extinction to Cryptic Writings. They just sounded so muscular, higher up in the mix.
bball_1523
Member
Matt
Active Member
Progbass
Member
cmon, I&W wouldn't sound the same with different snare sound, that snare makes it more powerful, heh.
_Gentleman of_the Snow_
Prog' Drummer
Well, yeah, it's not that bad at all. Sometimes, during some snare rolls or what have you, it gets a little loud and echoey, but it doesn't really turn me off of the album in any way.
It gives the overall tone of the album alot more depth as a whole. Learning to Live would be a completely different song if that snare trigger didn't have so much reverb in it.
I actually like it alot. It almost makes me wanna get a better snare drum, so I can put a trigger in the one I have now.
I actually like it alot. It almost makes me wanna get a better snare drum, so I can put a trigger in the one I have now.
The only reason I don't like the triggered snare on I&W is because it's a little out of place. Way more reverb than the rest of the mix. And the volume is consistently LOUD AS SHIT throughout the whole damn album. You can use a trigger and still put in some dynamics, for Christ's sake!
And for all you people who say drums should be naturally recorded... you think the drums on The Odyssey are just straight from the mic? That kick might not be triggered, but it's compressed and EQ'd like hell to the point where it might as well have been. That's what they call production these days. I, for one, love that polished drum sound. The drums on any metal album sound very little like an actual drumset.
And it is possible to mix/pan a drumset well (with little bleed-through between tracks) without using any triggers. If the mic placement's good, the drumset's good, and the engineer knows how to use gates well, then there's no problem.
And for all you people who say drums should be naturally recorded... you think the drums on The Odyssey are just straight from the mic? That kick might not be triggered, but it's compressed and EQ'd like hell to the point where it might as well have been. That's what they call production these days. I, for one, love that polished drum sound. The drums on any metal album sound very little like an actual drumset.
And it is possible to mix/pan a drumset well (with little bleed-through between tracks) without using any triggers. If the mic placement's good, the drumset's good, and the engineer knows how to use gates well, then there's no problem.
Anonymous
L'Étranger
Were the drums on V triggered? Cause the drums on that album are my second favorite of all time (First place being Neil Peart's drum sound on the earlier albums like 2112 and Farewell to Kings.) The drums on The Odyssey sounded too artificial for my taste.
I dunno what it is but I totally love the triggered snare sound on this record, it seems so appropriate for some reason...
The drums on the Odyssey were just really compressed, and in the background a bit, so the guitars could be really up front. I really liked the production on the Odyssey (for those particular songs... I think for the songs on V, that wider, "bigger," less in-your-face production worked really well).
I wouldn't be surprised if some measure of triggering or sound-replacement was used on V... I'm no expert, but it's possible. Listen to how "perfect" they sound. A little more natural than on the Odyssey, but like I said, I wouldn't be surprised.
I wouldn't be surprised if some measure of triggering or sound-replacement was used on V... I'm no expert, but it's possible. Listen to how "perfect" they sound. A little more natural than on the Odyssey, but like I said, I wouldn't be surprised.
The fact that the guitar was so in your face on the Odyssey is what really keeps it from being my favorite album. Until a few weeks ago, I did not know that tehre was actually REAL keyboard parts in the song aside from the 6 second Saw section coming out of the intro, and the keyboard solo. Whatever they did on V, they need to keep doing it.
Anonymous
L'Étranger
The whole sound on V is so grand, and you still notice new things after 100+ listens... That, imho, is what makes a great album.
