The band i'm just about to start mixing next week...

[Erik Monsonis]

... did not track to a click track.
Drummer recorded it while listening to the live guitarrist performance...

Of course they want to sound perfectly tight (guitars are quadtracked...).
They asked me for something specific, they said: "We would like to sound like Arch Enemy's Doomsday Machine", and I said: "me too"

Well, now seriously. They're providing me with the MIDI files, mic'd takes and triggers on every drum piece. Do you think it's possible to somehow make it sound decent using BD/EA in ProTools? Should I just leave the tracks as they are and forget about tightness?

How do mix sloppy drums?





BTW, this is for an album that's gonna be released internationally, it's my first serious job, so I need it to sound decent enough, as it's being spotlighted more than I would ever think!!.

See what I mean? :Smug:

Thanks for all the advice guys!!
-Erik

 

[AStacy2]

Damn, goodluck man!

 

[GarethSE]

Is the playing tight in its own right? Like does it SOUND good?
It doesn't have to be to a click track to be tight.
I've heard seen local live bands that were tighter than some bands playing to click tracks.
As long as the band are playing tightly to EACH OTHER, it's all good.
And it IS thrash..

 

[StefTD]

our drummer didn't record to a click track because he only had one day
to track 9 songs and haven't played to click ever before,
I didn't record the drums and had no clue how to mix at that time
so I wasn't able to edit the drums and so on...that really sucked, everything had to be recorded to the not "ultra tight" drums
For our next recording everything will be recorded to a click, technical metal without click-not for me anymore.

But as TheXRatedDoDo said, if the recording sounds really good and tight
it's ok that it wasn't tracked to a click-but for us-it really sucked.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

Thanks for the advice. You know, this is not gonna be a local band demo release, so I'm concerned about it...

 

[GarethSE]

Understandable.
Make sure the instruments are all tight to each other than tight in terms of a click track.
Play up the live feel and don't try and make it something it's not.

 

[The Unavoidable]

I know tons of albums that sound as tight as anything, and that were NOT tracked to a click. If I hadn't heared about it from the bands in question, I never would have guessed. So the question is, are the instrument tight as a whole? If not, then you can still edit it like usual, however it will be much more tedious. I have done similar things in the past, and sometimes it was worth it.

 

[Suicide_As_Alibi]

Yeah, as long as all the elements are tight with each other, and the drummer is consistent (he doesn't speed up and slow down within sections), the average listener won't even notice.

Not playing to a click DOES NOT have to equate to sloppy playing.

Steve

 

[James-Doolan]

Create a custom tempo track to the recorded drums edit to that. Thats what i do when the drummer records a live take without using the click.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

^ really good idea!.

Although the drummer can be poorly consistent and have some parts faster and slower...
I'd do that only in the situation of the band being too sloppy. Otherwise I think I could leave it unquantized.

Thanks for the ideas, keep 'em coming!

 

[ahjteam]

It doesn't have to be to a click track to be tight.

Pantera - 5 Minutes Alone and Metallica - Enter Sandman are good examples of this

 

[The Unavoidable]

Also, every Cannibal Corpse album.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

Also, every Cannibal Corpse album.

seriously?

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Also, every Cannibal Corpse album.

except evisceration plague.

 

[dontletmedrown]

Of course it can be done, but I can't believe you are even posting this here. Aren't you worried about alienating the band? I'd delete this thread ASAP to save your job.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

Of course it can be done, but I can't believe you are even posting this here. Aren't you worried about alienating the band? I'd delete this thread ASAP to save your job.

Nah, i'd done that if people said "OMG THEY'RE FUCKING TERRIBLE, SAVE YOURSELF FROM THIS SHAME!"

But I think I'm too concerned about a simple issue

 

[Ermz]

If all the instruments are already recorded then that makes your editing life a bit harder. I personally wouldn't even bother if all instruments have been recorded to the original drum performance. Just roll with it as it is, and if the band claim that it isn't tight enough for them, tell them to lube up and spend another few months in the bedrooms practicing..... to a click.

 

[Styvo]

I wouldn't leave anything to chance.
The band coming to you means they respect your work methods.It's an international release. Go the whole hog,within budget and experience and be proud of the end result.The bands input and yours.
Don't forget to have fun.
Enjoy

 

[Erik Monsonis]

If all the instruments are already recorded then that makes your editing life a bit harder. I personally wouldn't even bother if all instruments have been recorded to the original drum performance. Just roll with it as it is, and if the band claim that it isn't tight enough for them, tell them to lube up and spend another few months in the bedrooms practicing..... to a click.

Ok, thank you very much Ermz. Experienced opinions were exactly what i was looking for, although I really thank everyone else ofc.

If they tracked with me, they would have used metronome for sure, but they did it 600km away from me.

At least they tracked DI for guitars and bass and triggers for all drum pieces!

They used a cloth skin for the kick drum, so it was silent in the recording (not picked up by OH mics), they want it 100% replaced...

Best wishes.
-Erik

 

[GarethSE]

Well that gives you a fuckton of leighway when it comes to editing
shits gooood