Recording - January 2015 - 39

forth. It's a lot like tightening the lug nuts
when you've changed a tire; go in a sort
of star pattern around the drum so you're
not tightening one side before you get to
the other. Some drummers and engineers
like to press down the center of the drum
head with their fist as they tune. This

resonant heads, and they are where a lot
of the tone will be coming from. You
should experiment with tuning them to the
same pitch as the top heads, or slightly
higher or lower. You will get three distinctly different sounds, and one will be
best for your session or track.

Handy hits to set up a kit for the sound you crave
stretches the drumhead and results in a
more consistent overall tuning.
When you've worked your way around
the drum, finish by just tapping the drum
head right by each lug to make sure they
all sound the same. You don't need any
tools beyond a drum key and your ears to
do this. There are drum tuners out there,
but I haven't messed with any of them
enough to give an opinion.
Drum heads are also going to play an
important part in the drum sound. Yes, there
are many different kinds of heads and entire
articles have been written about them, but
today I want to explain the differences
between the two main options you'll have:
coated and uncoated. Coated heads'
sounds are going to be warmer, deader/less
ringy, and more controlled. Uncoated heads
are going to be brighter and ring a little
more. It is not uncommon for drummers to
mix and match heads, and to even switch
them out from song to song in a recording
session. If you're going to be tuning to the
song anyway, why not? Every track on a
project should sound its best; there's no rule
that you have to play the same kit, tuned the
same way, on every song.
Now you have your drums set up, but
maybe you still aren't getting the sound
you want. Now it's time to treat the problem areas. Is the sound of the kick too
boomy? Try putting a pillow or blanket,
or maybe even a combination of the two,
inside it. Does the snare drum have a
nasty ping overtone? Don't try to fix it in
the mix, you'll likely find you can't. Get
some Moongels or duct tape. Putting a little piece of either at the edge of the drum
will tighten it up a bit and get rid of that
ping. It might take a little work, but it is
better to spend the time now than try to fix
a bad recording. The same can be done
for resonances in your toms. Oh, and
don't forget about the bottom heads of
your toms if you use them. These are the

Finally, I have to say a few words
about the loud, harsh clang of the cymbals. I get it, they need to be there, but
they drive me crazy-they're everywhere, bleeding into every mic. There is
no way around it! Mic placement gives
you some control, but before the mics
even go up, you need to be cautious
about which cymbals you choose-the
wrong cymbals can totally ruin a drum
kit's sound. For pop, go bright and tight;
for heavier rock, go big and dark. And
yes, you can have too many!
The best advice I can give any drummer, or any engineer looking to set up
drums for a session or even have a great
kit permanently available in a studio, is to
go out there and play everything. One of
my favorite snare drums only cost a hundred bucks; price means nothing if it
sounds good. Over time, you'll learn
other worthwhile information, like the
effect wood has on tone (maple is
warmer, birch is louder, etc.).
You should also remember that performance is a big part of the sound, too. Just
because a drummer has the exact same
drum setup that John Bonham had, doesn't
mean he or she is going to sound like John
Bonham!
Try these hints at your next session,
allowing extra time to really dial in your kit
sound. It will seem like a lot of work and
your drummer may be uncertain or even
hostile to the idea. But unless you're deliberately going for a horrible drum sound
(hey, it happens), the results will be worth
it... and you'll find yourself showing the
drummer how to do this stuff himself!
Frank Marra (marra@recordingmag.com)
is a recording engineer, producer, and
songwriter. He currently resides in Jersey
City, NJ, where he is the house engineer
at Treehouse Sound. Learn more at
www.upinthetreehouse.com.
RECORDING January 2015

39


http://www.ribbonmics.com http://www.ribbonmics.com http://www.facebook.com/ribbonmics http://www.upinthetreehouse.com

Recording - January 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2015

Contents
Recording - January 2015 - Cover1
Recording - January 2015 - Cover2
Recording - January 2015 - 1
Recording - January 2015 - 2
Recording - January 2015 - 3
Recording - January 2015 - 4
Recording - January 2015 - 5
Recording - January 2015 - Contents
Recording - January 2015 - 7
Recording - January 2015 - 8
Recording - January 2015 - 9
Recording - January 2015 - 10
Recording - January 2015 - 11
Recording - January 2015 - 12
Recording - January 2015 - 13
Recording - January 2015 - 14
Recording - January 2015 - 15
Recording - January 2015 - 16
Recording - January 2015 - 17
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Recording - January 2015 - Cover3
Recording - January 2015 - Cover4
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