Drums... Your thoughts?

[jdubdrums]

Hey everyone,

Here's a link to a short snippet of audio:

http://public.me.com/jdubdrums

The file in question is the one named "OH_12_21_09.wav"

I'm really trying to get some feedback and/or constructive criticism regarding the quality of audio and "integrity" of the engineering. This sample is two microphones in a Recorderman style setup, though the "over the shoulder" mic is placed a bit lower...around my right elbow. The channels are panned hard left and right, audience perspective.

I'll answer any other questions about how it was recorded as they come up I suppose.

Thanks for listening,

Jon

[Aski]

My first impression is that the snare drum sounds choked. Is there one of those muffle ring-thingies on it? Or maybe some gaff tape or something? I prefer a little more resonance and even a little head ring to give the snare some "life."

Second listen - now I hear that muffled sound in the toms some too

I do like the sort of sparkly quality in the cymbals, personally...

But as always, it depends whats gonna go on around them, context, blah, blah...

[jdubdrums]

No muffling whatsoever...all coated ambassadors.

[Sandyrb]

Here's a link to a short snippet of audio

Darn it I can't get the thing to download here at the studio. That kinda sucks. I guess I'll try at home.

Cheers,

[chromeoverbrass]

Hey everyone,

Here's a link to a short snippet of audio:

http://public.me.com/jdubdrums

The file in question is the one named "OH_12_21_09.wav"

I'm really trying to get some feedback and/or constructive criticism regarding the quality of audio and "integrity" of the engineering. This sample is two microphones in a Recorderman style setup, though the "over the shoulder" mic is placed a bit lower...around my right elbow. The channels are panned hard left and right, audience perspective.

I'll answer any other questions about how it was recorded as they come up I suppose.

Thanks for listening,

Jon

Drums are loud and proud -perhaps too loud?-executed well and sound fine. What if you made another pass resisting SOME section-crossing fills and obligatory cymbal work to cause the listener to thirst for those rarer events? Ferrone exploits the groove w/kick-hat-snare bar after bar then punctuates with now-dramatically-welcome crashes. Less is way more. Again, good work!

[jdubdrums]

LOL...just to clarify, I played what I played specifically to highlight the sound and stereo imaging of the Tom toms as well as the centering of the snare drum.

Thanks for the responses thus far, and keep 'em coming!

Merry Christmas,
Jon

[Sandyrb]

Hi Jon.
I'm really trying to get some feedback and/or constructive criticism regarding the quality of audio and "integrity" of the engineering.
Okay I had a really good listen at home both on cans and speakers. My first thought; I like it. :) The drums sound very natural indeed. The stereo field is nice and wide.

To more critical matters; it seems to me that the snare is very slightly right-precedent, but no worries, it's a tiny thing. I can't tell whether you're playing the kick in this pattern but that means if you are, I can't hear it. If you're not, no problemo! :)

Whilst I love wide stereo, this does sound a little bit "hole in the middle" to me. The snare is clearly meant to be central and to a large measure is, but it's like it's being shy and just waving at us rather than asserting its presence. So I converted your file to M&S, rolled the bottom end out of the side signal at 300Hz and converted it back to LR. This yielded a somewhat unrealistic tone but it seemed to help the center image. 200Hz would probably have worked better as a filter point. BTW, props for providing a file at a decent resolution. :)

I must agree with other comments about the snare sounding a little dead or "choked". However this clearly isn't an observation about the recording techniques at all. The only other things I would therefore say are 1) I'd love to hear you do this exact setup in a bigger room and 2) I'd love to hear you do the same setup but play really hard. :)

There you go, hope this helps. I think overall it's a great sounding piece of audio, my tiny niggles notwithstanding. Happy Christmas! :)

(Why am I online on Christmas day? Yeah, well, I gotta do something to occupy my time while the turkey cooks for 4¼ bleddy hours! ;) )

Cheers,