'Too perfect' drum covers?

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IncipimusIterum

Guest
I've seen a few drum covers lately where the drums are so well recorded that they blend seemlessly with the backing track.

I've noticed in a lot of them however that the drums aren't mic'd up.

Am I missing something? Is modern home recording equipment technology so good these days that you can just point a camera and it sounds like studio quality? Or is there something fishy going on?
 
There are so many different ways to do it, but if you aren't using electronic drums, you need a good room to get a good drum sound...so it's harder than it looks. If you have a crappy room but a lot of time on your hands for post-production, I guess you could still make the drums sound decent. The mix of live drums to the track is very important. I don't think "blending seamlessly" is a good thing. You should be able to hear the rawness of the live drums over the track. If you don't see any mics that is certainly suspect, but with the right room and just a good stereo mic you might be able to get a decent recording.
 
IncipimusIterum said:
I've seen a few drum covers lately where the drums are so well recorded that they blend seemlessly with the backing track.

I've noticed in a lot of them however that the drums aren't mic'd up.

Am I missing something? Is modern home recording equipment technology so good these days that you can just point a camera and it sounds like studio quality? Or is there something fishy going on?
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I don't think there's anything fishy going on (well for the most part). People that do drum covers usually have things REALLY dialed in and may have room mics and overheads that are out of camera's sight.

Is there a video in particular you are curious about?
 
PorkPieGuy said:
Is there a video in particular you are curious about?
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Yep, would like to see some examples.

I've seen some videos where the live drums are mixed low, perhaps trying to make a good blend but instead obscuring the live playing. But it's not difficult to tell that there are live drums.
 
IncipimusIterum said:
I've seen a few drum covers lately where the drums are so well recorded that they blend seemlessly with the backing track.

I've noticed in a lot of them however that the drums aren't mic'd up.

Am I missing something? Is modern home recording equipment technology so good these days that you can just point a camera and it sounds like studio quality? Or is there something fishy going on?
Click to expand...
A lot of people posting covers record multiple takes until everything is perfect. if they have a professional recording setup, those takes can be recorded with great audio as well, then, it’s just a matter of editing for the final product.
Once they do they post it. Meytal Cohen does this. Or the other way they do it is they record the audio parts beforehand, then they just do a play through with no mics for the video, that also in multiple takes which is why you see multiple camera angles. Christina Rybalchenko does this (no mics).
 
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MY OBSERVATION of PLAY ALONGS:
I asked my guitar playing brother what he was practising to. He said I am practising to Stevie Ray Vaughn.
I said Oh are you using the backing track (sans guitar) we made for our 2 man show. He said no, just playing along to the record.
He said yeah I'm getting pretty good.
I said Dude....you are always going to sound good with SRV backing you up in the mix because he is covering/masking your playing.
So I told him, I will add drums to our Backing Track and you can practise to that. No SRV help. So I made the track and sent it.
The comments by my Bro of how good he was at this song.....Ceased.
I used to play along to YES records with Bill Bruford on the headphones. I thought, wow I am pretty good.
I wasn't.
POINT-You cannot tell how good/reliable or hirable a drummer is by hearing him or her play along with a record.
The guy on the record already did the work and that playing covers up stuff.
I want to hear them as the only drummer on the track. Even better with no click help, just to see how they will be on the gig.
BUT.....THAT"S just MHO.
 
green glass drum said:
POINT-You cannot tell how good/reliable or hirable a drummer is by hearing him or her play along with a record.
The guy on the record already did the work and that playing covers up stuff.
I want to hear them as the only drummer on the track. Even better with no click help, just to see how they will be on the gig.
BUT.....THAT"S just MHO.
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100%
If you don't see them playing with other live musicians, you can't honestly see what their skill level really is.
I love Meytal, but other than her System of a Down video shot with 2 other girls on violin (before she started her drum covers), I haven't really seen her with other people.
She did get a DC Drum Company endorsement for a while so it's working well for her in some capacity.

Now, take Anika Nilles who started using YouTube as a "visual resume" that gained her massive popularity. She went on to have her own band & records made with them. Add her clinics & other live appearances and she's the quintessential example of the power of YouTube drum covers.
 
Cmdr. Ross said:
Now, take Anika Nilles who started using YouTube as a "visual resume" that gained her massive popularity. She went on to have her own band & records made with them. Add her clinics & other live appearances and she's the quintessential example of the power of YouTube drum covers.
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and I think most of what she was playing along to, she wrote...I also think I remember reading that she had played in live bands before she did the Youtube thing(?)

the only cover I remember her doing was the Phil Phil "Electrify Me" cover...
 
doggyd69b said:
Here you go:
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Hard to tell by the audio alone, I detect only one set of drums (ie; no flamming) but it's easy enough to create a no-vox/drum track to play with. It's extremely smooth and her sticking matches the sound, so I'd say she's certainly capable of playing the parts... and therefore probably is.
 
Drum covers. I just, don't, get it.

Coverer: "Watch me practice, I'm like a real player."
Me: "No."

The camera was so active in the above video that I'm walking like I was on a boat all afternoon.
 
"Watch me practice, I'm like a real player."
That is funny man. I like it.
Are we going to get in trouble with this thread?........probably...
 
green glass drum said:
"Watch me practice, I'm like a real player."
That is funny man. I like it.
Are we going to get in trouble with this thread?........probably...
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No, because @Spreggy is right. It's a "show & tell" of sorts that can get old real fast.
Make a video playing with other people, I'll be inclined to pay more attention.
 
Cmdr. Ross said:
It's a "show & tell" of sorts that can get old real fast.
Make a video playing with other people, I'll be inclined to pay more attention.
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A video with other people (I guess that would be a band?) competes (for views) with thousands of other bands. Drum covers with female drummers in particular attract more views, which generates revenue for the channel owner. It doesn't really matter if the drummer is that good or doing anything special, if people (read: men) are watching, it's successful. Kristina has well over 100k views on most of her vids - over a million or two on some - and so she's a successful drummer in that realm. Can she play in a band? I assume so, but she's probably making enough from streaming to enjoy sitting at home and not having to drag gear around or put up with all the unwanted stuff from the guys in the bars and clubs. I don't blame her.

My view on YouTube Drummers used to be "could they play in a band situation?" The fact is, some of them do well, and they're happy with the exposure. Heck, if I could stay home, enjoy some exposure as a player, and make the same money as on tour, I'd do it!
 
bermuda said:
A video with other people (I guess that would be a band?) competes (for views) with thousands of other bands. Drum covers with female drummers in particular attract more views, which generates revenue for the channel owner. It doesn't really matter if the drummer is that good or doing anything special, if people (read: men) are watching, it's successful. Kristina has well over 100k views on most of her vids - over a million or two on some - and so she's a successful drummer in that realm. Can she play in a band? I assume so, but she's probably making enough from streaming to enjoy sitting at home and not having to drag gear around or put up with all the unwanted stuff from the guys in the bars and clubs. I don't blame her.

My view on YouTube Drummers used to be "could they play in a band situation?" The fact is, some of them do well, and they're happy with the exposure. Heck, if I could stay home, enjoy some exposure as a player, and make the same money as on tour, I'd do it!
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I hear that. But there are musical situations that I enjoy enough that the grind of moving drums, etc. is worth it.

For me, it’s playing timpani with a brass ensemble. I’d do that 40 hours a week.
 
Yep, I agree with Bermuda. More power to them for putting out a product people like.
"So...I don't have to rehearse with a bunch of guys?"....No....."Just learn to play along with this track?".......Yes
Just smile a lot..........."OK"..........Oh.........and put this on...............and these........
 
bermuda said:
Can she play in a band? I assume so, but she's probably making enough from streaming to enjoy sitting at home and not having to drag gear around or put up with all the unwanted stuff from the guys in the bars and clubs. I don't blame her.

Heck, if I could stay home, enjoy some exposure as a player, and make the same money as on tour, I'd do it!
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Oh, I'm with you on these points. Why work the type of crazy busy job professional musicians have to do if you didn't have to?
Drumming for a living may be a fun job, but it's still a job. And if you slip, there's the next, best kid off YouTube ready to take the slot.
I take lines from the documentary Hired Gun where you have to be on point or you'll be looked over for someone else.

As for the YouTubers getting the likes, I myself couldn't keep doing that without getting the band credibility along with it. To just be a video edited showman would grate on my personal musical integrity pretty fast.
 
Cmdr. Ross said:
As for the YouTubers getting the likes, I myself couldn't keep doing that without getting the band credibility along with it.
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That's my feeling as well. I think a drummer's job is to be in a band. I know there are well-known amazing solo drummers, and I appreciate what they do... for about two minutes. I prefer music. Likewise, I appreciate what YouTube drummers do, but I still prefer hearing a band play.
 
doggyd69b said:
then they just do a play through with no mics for the video, that also in multiple takes which is why you see multiple camera angles. Christina Rybalchenko does this (no mics).
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Maybe that's what I've seen happening.
 
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