What Is A Well Tuned Snare Drum?

[brandondrury]

http://www.recordingreview.com/artic...-To-Crack.html

[lumpy]

Good article! Sounds like you are stepping into more of an on-hands producer role. That may be a bitter pill for some drummers to swallow, but all good producer's tweak around with drum tuning. I'm looking forward to the full blown Brian Wilson treatment if you will allow the Nixon to record in your studio again! I will work on my rim shots.
Lump

[lumpy]

Oh yeah, and thanks for our own forum! I'm used to being the red-headed bastard step-child of musicians, but I've never been lumped (no pun intended) in the same crowd as uke and accourdian players!
Lump

[brandondrury]

Oh yeah, and thanks for our own forum! I'm used to being the red-headed bastard step-child of musicians, but I've never been lumped (no pun intended) in the same crowd as uke and accourdian players!

Ha ha. I never really thought of it quite that way. I guess that was a little "low" on my part. Well, you have your very own forum now. So hopefully that helps make up for the years of humilitation your race has gone through. Yes, drummers are now there own race of people.

Sounds like you are stepping into more of an on-hands producer role. That may be a bitter pill for some drummers to swallow, but all good producer's tweak around with drum tuning.

Here's the tricky part. Some bands are afraid that someone else is going to "change" their sound. Of course, by using the word "change", they mean "ruin". All sorts of band guys are afraid that some producer is going to turn their Master of Puppets into the theme song from Mission Impossible 2.

Well, there are exceptions, but I think behind just about every great song, there was an outside party that had a vision.

The problem with the above mentioned attitude is in whether the band's sound is one in which they are happy with. If a drummer has no idea how to tune his drum kit and I hear obvious problems, he should have no problem letting me take a stab at it. If a drummer has his shit together, then I shouldn't need to do anything anyway.

It's funny, in the few big boy sessions I've been to, the engineer has always tuned the drums. Drum tuning is more critical than mic placement or even EQ. So, if the engineer's name is on the line, it's in his interest to fix every problem possible. It's the engineers who "just want to capture the band" like I was in a former life who run into problems when the band they are capturing isn't up to par.

After engineering long enough, I know a few producing tricks to level the playing field somewhat, but I still get aprehension among bands, sometimes.


Brandon

[randy]

HAHA, point in case....

My band was recording w/Brandon back in '04, our guitarists lays down a solo on a mid-tempo song that was just blinding fast. Sure, it was fast but it didn't really add to the song. So Brandon goes "Why don't you try something slower, or maybe not even have a solo in it?" Our guitarist replies something to the effect of "Hey, I've recorded before, I know what I'm doing!" HAHAHA what a cracker.

The lesson here is, have an open mind. Don't think you know everything. Brandon will be the first to tell you he doesn't know everything, but give your engineer/producer/whoever the chance to try his ideas. A true musician is open to other's thoughts & ideas, hell half the world's top artists don't even write their own songs!

Great article too btw. Hitting the snare hard is very effective in getting a good sound. I tune my batter side pretty darn tight and tune the snare side tight as shit. But, as for anything, great sounds come with much experimentation.

[brandondrury]

Brandon will be the first to tell you he doesn't know everything,

No, usually there are like 5 guys just waiting for the chance like a drag racer just waiting for the green light willing to tell the world how stupid I am. So I'm like #6.


Seriously, good story (that was a fun time) and great points.

Brandon