Hi Max1805
I was wondering if you could tell me about your home-studio floor? I've got a 'home-studio' setup and I use thin carpet tiles on the floor with various sound-proofing underneath. But as of late I have been experimenting with placing MDF boards underneath the kit to help 'improve' the sound of the drums on recordings. Ultimately my questions is, is this necessary and how much would you say the acoustics of the floor matter in a home-studio recording environment? (My room isn't dead sounding).
I would say that the floor is the least of your worries. If you feel the drums sound a bit better on MDF then great - but it's probably the reflections in the rest of the room that would affect the overall drum sound the most. It also depends how you mic the kit and how much of the overhead mics you listen to. My drums are currently on a riser so I can move the kit around the room - and nearer to my live room. That can make a noticeable difference.
Hi formula428
I too have a larger kit (3 up, 2 down). When you record your overheads, about how high are they? Also approximately how far from the snare are they to each mic? Do you find yourself changing the height when you switch to different thicknesses of cymbals, to rebalance the drum/cymbal mix in the overheads?
My overhead mics are slightly above and slightly behind me (like an extension of my ears) the kit sounds more balanced to me that way - not over emphasizing the cymbals as they do when their in a more 'tradition' overhead mic position. At the moment they are 140cms from the centre of the snare drum.
Hi DsDrummer
What would kind of exercises do you recommend to one who is trying to get better with polyrythms and beat displacement? I've been trying to improve that aspect of my playing, and I need some help from the master. Stuff like the intro to Futile and the verses of Bonnie the Cat come to mind when I think of my favorite kind of this stuff in your playing.
I think really you just have to get good at hearing syncopation - notes that are 'on the beat' and notes that are 'off the beat' and relate them to a quarter note pulse. You just need to think about it - give yourself a point of reference (like a recording of pop song) and tap out groups of 3, 5 and 7 in 16ths and triplets - and try to hang on to where the downbeats are in 4/4. If that sounds too hard - then write them out and 'see' where all the beats land. It's important to know EXACTLY where every note should be. The more you do it the easier it will become.
Hi Torkerz
I am GUTTED that I have lost the CD for rhythmic illusions. I have contacted burning shed and they won't provide me with a replacement. I was wondering if you had the mp3s of the accompanying audio CD?
OK PM me your email address and I'll try to upload the audio files for you.
cheers
Gavin
here are some up coming clinic dates (and a special masterclass in a recording studio) If you know drummers in these areas of Germany - let them know!
27.10.2014 Musik Meisinger, Burghausen
www.musik-meisinger.de
28.10.2014 Drum Department, Stuttgart
www.drumdepartment.de
29.10.2014 Six & Four, Sulzbach
www.sixandfour.de
30.10.2014 Musik Schönau, Gießen
www.musik-schoenau.de
31.10.2014 Just Music, Berlin
www.justmusic.de
01.11.2014 Recording Masterclass*, KMR Audio Berlin (in association with Prism Sound)
http://www.prismsound.com/music_recording/store/store_offers3.php
http://www.prismsound.com/music_recording/store/store_offers3.php?lng=de