How Far Do You Go?

[mikeyhanson]

I was talking with a buddy over the weekend, and the topic of drummers and their level of participation in the recording process came up. He has met [and I have too] quite a few drummers who, once they've laid their tracks down, are essentially finished with their part of the process and they leave the rest up to others to mix, etc.
I've always been the opposite, as I got the studio bug when I was pretty young, and chose it as my favorite thing to do in music, so I like to participate from the pre-through-post stages.

Where does your participation in the studio/recording process end?

Do you take interest in, or have opinions on, the other musicians' contributions or do you mostly focus on your own ideas?
Once the drums are tracked, are you done?
How flexible to other ideas and on-the-spot suggestions are you willing to be when recording?
Do you prefer the earlier takes or the later ones?

[David Floegel]

I know those guys as well!

I already like to be involved in the mixing and especially the recording of my bandmates.
You may have a great mixing engineer but he may mix the drums (or the complete song) totally different as you wanted it to be. So it's always great to communicate with the mixer.

Where does your participation in the studio/recording process end?

When it comes to play other instruments.. I'm always open to help, even if it comes to put new strings on a guitar..

Do you prefer the earlier takes or the later ones?

Mostly the takes from the "middle" .. In the first takes I have to kind of "warm up" and in the later ones I get a little bit more comfortable with the tunes.. But the last takes are mostly a bit "powerless"...

[Swexx]

In my band I usually record the drums + mix, master and produce all instruments + spit out opinions on my guitarist's playing. ^^

[Otto]

Ive solved problems with other players time perception by adjusting clicks...and I had no real direct business being in studio.

...Ive also IDed transient sound issues and corrected them without derailing the current recording process...

...run and get stuff...

Its all about being part of the team.

[Anthony Amodeo]

if I'm hired for the date I play what they pay me to play and I'm out the door

if it's my band I'm there to the bitter end .... through every note tracked, mix down, and even mastering sometimes

[Mad About Drums]

I only recorded in the studio with my own bands, and I always participated to everything, from commenting to everyone's playing, which take sounds best (we always recorded "live", all together, exept the vocals), helping with the mix to even create the album or tape cover. I love every steps of the process, I'll probably be the first one in and the last one out.

But if I was hired just to lay down a drum track, unless it's for friends, or if they want me to hang on a bit, I'll probably be off, but I would be very interested to hear the finished song.

Since I've been producing (about 6 years now) I've learned more about drums than I ever thought I knew. When you open your ears to the overall picture your role as a drummer becomes so much clearer. Most musicians too often think of music in terms of their instrument and drummers may be a bit more guilty than others since they share less with the other band members in regard to melody and chord structure. (Not saying that's always the case, but it's easy to fall into that trap).

[Dr_Watso]

I help write and arrange the songs, I lay down my tracks, I lay down percussion and other oddity tracks, I help mix, I built the system we record on, and I'm reading a book right now on proper mastering for the best result.

[Natronius]

In every band and recording situation I have ever been in, I am THE member who makes it to every recording session. I'm always there to bounce ideas off the strings and vocalists and whatever other instruments there may be.

I just joined a band who is finishing up their 2nd LP and I'm there in the studio with them when they are, even though I wasn't the drummer on the album.

I love the studio and would spend all my free time in it if I could.

[larryace]

Any recording I do I am usually the engineer. Not very experienced being recorded by others. I like being in control.

[PQleyR]

I'm in the studio at the moment and I've been involved in most other aspects of the recording in some way. I contributed to some of the writing and put together all the preproduction demos. Just being the drummer isn't really enough for me!

[mikeyhanson]

I'm the same way. I can't stop once I'm started and have to have my hands in the whole process.

[audiotech]

Just about everything including studio equipment maintenance. I'm one of the few in the area that can still re-head, re-bias and re-calibrate reel to reel equipment which one of our studios book frequently. Back about 20 years ago I was in charge of the studios Scully record cutting lathe. So yea, I have my hands in just about anything that has to be done. It's the only way to learn and be proficient at what you're doing.

Dennis