From the studio

Living Dead Drummer

Living Dead Drummer

Platinum Member
VIDEO 1:
Just completed tracking on a new single for an artist named Cesar Rodriguez. I've done a few songs for him over the years. He was nice enough to let me post a video from the session before the song is complete. For that reason you won't hear any vocal takes, and the click is still in the mix. Plus this is a take that isn't being used in the final edit of the song. So it's not 100% what you will hear when it's released.


VIDEO 2:
Released last week on all major streaming platforms. "Monster In My Head" by American Idol alum, Bre. I tracked drums on an entire new EP she will be releasing through out this year. This is the first single. As before, the audio is from the original demo, minus vocals. Many more layers, edits, and processing was adding by her producer after my drum tracks were completed. If anyone would like to hear the final product there are links in the video's description.

 
Good stuff. Isn't it amazing how much additional layering, editing etc. takes place after some "final" takes.

I'm always amazed at what changes and the choices made after some of my recorded tracks. Especially when it comes to drums sounds and blending of snare tones (bottom mic etc.) vs. what I "prefer". But they aren't my songs, it isn't my sonic vision it is the artist's so it is what it is.

Nicely played.
 
Rock solid-nicely played. You layed down a tasty solid foundation for the songs-I bet the studio guys love you in mixing it all for final form.
 
River19 said:
Good stuff. Isn't it amazing how much additional layering, editing etc. takes place after some "final" takes.

I'm always amazed at what changes and the choices made after some of my recorded tracks. Especially when it comes to drums sounds and blending of snare tones (bottom mic etc.) vs. what I "prefer". But they aren't my songs, it isn't my sonic vision it is the artist's so it is what it is.

Nicely played.
Click to expand...

It's always interesting to hear how it turns out in the end. Sometimes I'm very pleased and other times I have to say exactly what you did. "They aren't my songs." While they may manipulate the sound of my drums (or in some cases leave them completely dry) I know that at least no one will be able to knock my playing.
My studio is very dead sounding by design. There aren't any reflective surfaces to capture a natural reverb, or big room sound. I engineered it this way because the room itself sounded terrible when I first moved in. I couldn't really rip up the carpet or redo the drywall, so this was kind of my only solution. However, I've found that a lot of modern engineers and producers have actually appreciated this from my tracks. Having the room super dead allows them to manipulate more on the back end. It naturally provides a lot of separation between channels, and eliminates much of the bleed you would get in a larger, more open setting. So they can slap a few gates on and have complete control over each individual drum. To the point where they can isolate them and move them around without effecting the other channels. As I've found out by hearing a couple songs I tracked on Spotify and then going back to reference my original stems only to find out they slightly changed a kick pattern, or the rhythm of a snare fill.
I don't mind these types of edits after the fact as long as the end result sounds good. It's still 100% me hitting every drum and cymbal. Just maybe not in the order I sent them, lol.
 
Living Dead Drummer said:
It's always interesting to hear how it turns out in the end. Sometimes I'm very pleased and other times I have to say exactly what you did. "They aren't my songs." While they may manipulate the sound of my drums (or in some cases leave them completely dry) I know that at least no one will be able to knock my playing.
My studio is very dead sounding by design. There aren't any reflective surfaces to capture a natural reverb, or big room sound. I engineered it this way because the room itself sounded terrible when I first moved in. I couldn't really rip up the carpet or redo the drywall, so this was kind of my only solution. However, I've found that a lot of modern engineers and producers have actually appreciated this from my tracks. Having the room super dead allows them to manipulate more on the back end. It naturally provides a lot of separation between channels, and eliminates much of the bleed you would get in a larger, more open setting. So they can slap a few gates on and have complete control over each individual drum. To the point where they can isolate them and move them around without effecting the other channels. As I've found out by hearing a couple songs I tracked on Spotify and then going back to reference my original stems only to find out they slightly changed a kick pattern, or the rhythm of a snare fill.
I don't mind these types of edits after the fact as long as the end result sounds good. It's still 100% me hitting every drum and cymbal. Just maybe not in the order I sent them, lol.
Click to expand...

I have experienced similar. In fact today I was provided a new mix of one of the songs we are working for an upcoming album where I am playing on most of the tracks and I noticed in addition to the regular processing and mixing there were a few additional kicks in a middle section, sure....ok.....whatever.

I also provided a set of samples for the artist to work with as he likes to add cymbal swells etc. I noticed he placed a sample of one of my splashes but reversed.....decay to transient......it's art I guess.....lol

My room is a mixture of treated and untreated surfaces but in most cases I have been asked to pull my overheads in tight etc. for similar reasons, the desire to add "room" and processing in the box sometimes to the point where I wonder why we bother getting drum sounds in the first place.

Keep killing it on the sessions......making music is rewarding no matter the twists and turns.
 
River19 said:
I have experienced similar. In fact today I was provided a new mix of one of the songs we are working for an upcoming album where I am playing on most of the tracks and I noticed in addition to the regular processing and mixing there were a few additional kicks in a middle section, sure....ok.....whatever.

I also provided a set of samples for the artist to work with as he likes to add cymbal swells etc. I noticed he placed a sample of one of my splashes but reversed.....decay to transient......it's art I guess.....lol

My room is a mixture of treated and untreated surfaces but in most cases I have been asked to pull my overheads in tight etc. for similar reasons, the desire to add "room" and processing in the box sometimes to the point where I wonder why we bother getting drum sounds in the first place.

Keep killing it on the sessions......making music is rewarding no matter the twists and turns.
Click to expand...

For the artist in the 2nd video I posted, if you listen to the released song on streaming there are some sections of the song where they scraped or blended my tracks with programmed drums. In other sections of the song my acoustic drum sounds are more dominate and not augmented much at all. It was very obvious to me, as I tracked it, but to the average listener it may not stand out at all.
One of the songs that's going to be released on this same record you'll here 100% programed drums, but my cymbals, lol. They actually had me play ONLY cymbals through my overheads and room mics over the track. It was weird, but not unheard of. The producer did admit to me before we even started the sessions that he has severe "demoitice." Luckily after I sent tracks in on the first song they told me to disregard most of their notes and to do more of my own thing, lol.
 
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