Just like Recording A Kick Drum, I recommend employing the simplest, quickest, phase-friendly, and easiest to mix method. Again, that means using only one mic, and positioning it in the same place countless other hit-making audio engineers have-between the rack tom and the hi-hat (at the 10 o’clock position from the drummer’s perspective).

What point is there is over-thinking it, attempting to change a proven method, when so many other talented people have already done the hard work for you, and figured out such and effective technique?

Bonus: small tweaks go the longest way, and through the course of observing what’s helpful for some of the other engineers I’ve worked with, I learned that moving the snare mic to the 9 o’clock-ish position, helps tremendously in rejecting hi-hat bleed into the snare mic. This isn’t always possible because of the way some drummers set up their kits (typically a very low hi-hat), but luckily, most of the time there is plenty of room to get that snare mic under the hat.

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

I had hoped to post this Wednesday morning before I went into the studio, but it was a busy day of recording. Better late than never, yeah?

This Friday I’m going to be doing sound at a house show that the local Nashville band, The Summer Country, is putting on. Details are in the video above, but I’ll post them here as well…

Where: 537 Wedgewood Ave Nashville, TN
When: Friday, July 15th 8pm
Cost: $5 ($3 if you bring your own beer)
Bands: The Summer Country and The Grayces (two great local Nashville bands)

Add yourself to the Facebook event

The Summer Country on Facebook

The Grayces website: www.thegrayces.com

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

Just like choosing a mic placement when recording a kick drum, there’s really no point in reinventing the wheel when selecting a mic either. Just use what everyone else uses. Those mics are popular for a reason.

Here’s what I’ve seen work well for people (myself included):

• Shure Beta 52
• Sennheiser 421
• AKG D12
• AKG D112
• Shure SM57

The thing about the mics on this list is A) most of them aren’t too expensive, and B) they’re easy to find and gain access to. This means that either you already own one of them, or you know someone who does. Either way, I guarantee that the studios in or near your town own a couple of these mics.

Regardless, do not rush out to go buy these mics. Ask around amongst your friends to see who owns what, and if you can borrow a mic or two. If you can’t get access to a mic that way, consider renting one, or booking some studio time at your local studio (this way you get access to all their mics).

Once you find the mic you like best for recording kick drum, and you find yourself continually going back to it, then would be the time to consider buying it (I recommend checking eBay).

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

I recommend going with the most simple, quickest, phase-friendly, and easiest to mix approach. That means using only one mic, and placing it halfway inside the hole of a ported head.

There’s really no reason to reinvent the wheel, as countless, great-sounding recordings have been made with this mic placement.

However, if the kick drum you’re recording does not have a ported head, you can try these options:

• Find and mic the sweet spot on the front head
• Take the front head off entirely, mic the sweet spot of the beater head
• Place the mic on the beater side of the drum, under the snare, and focused on where the beater makes contact with the head

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

The one that is the most minimalist, basic, and straightforward… the one that you have seen work well for someone more experienced than you.

You don’t need a ton of mics to properly record a drum kit and make it sound huge. Glyn Johns didn’t when he recorded John Bonham’s kit.

You would be surprised how much you can do with even just two or three 57′s, no matter what genre of music you’re working in. I’ve recorded folk-rock/americana records, post-punk records, and even prog-rock records, all only using four or five mics to record the drums.

To be honest, I’d even go so far to say that the less mics you have on the drums, the bigger they will sound. When you place a lot of mics on an instrument, you introduce a more complex phase relationship. And when microphones are out of phase, that’s the number one reason for a recording sounding small. So the less mics, the less phase discrepancy, the bigger the sound.

Two take-away’s here:

• The notion that you need a ton of mics to get a good drum sound is unfounded
• The notion that you need expensive mics to get a good drum sound is also unfounded

Next time you record drums, start with just three or four mics at first, and only introduce more mics into the equation if you feel like something is truly lacking. But make sure every time you add a mic, you reevaluate the phase relationship of everything.

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

Hit the record button.

Do you realize that you already know how to do it? Stop reading yet another blog post about how to record, looking for someone else to give you the magical answer. I’m willing to bet you’ve invested ten times the amount of time reading about recording than you have actually in the studio recording.

You can’t do it unless you do it, and a recording of something sounds 100% better than a recording of nothing.

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn

Is it that your tacks are totally isolated from each other-no bleed?

Is it that you were extremely meticulous in dialing in sounds?

Is it that every instrument is perfectly in tune?

Is it that you recorded every single part on it’s own track?

Is it that your recording utilizes 100 tracks instead of 4?

Is it because you recorded each part separately-the performance was not live?

Is it because you recorded with Pro Tools-no analog tape?

Is it because you edited every part to be perfect?

Is it because you used playlists, and kept every possible take?

Is it because you used Auto-Tune on all the vocal tracks?

I have worked on records where every track was completely isolated, and while most of the time the fidelity turned out great, there were a few times when the result just sounded kind of lifeless.

I have produced records where I tracked every part individually, and realized by the end of the project that all the parts felt “disconnected” from a performance standpoint.

It’s funny how often times we automatically assume that certain approaches to producing, recording, or mixing yield certain outcomes. Over the years of working along side many different producers and engineers in many different capacities, I’ve seen so many different ways of working. One recording engineer may adhere to a method of working that another recording engineer disregards completely, while both claim their ways to be the only way that you can create a quality product.

Everything in record making is subjective. Even the rules are subjective.

So just what is it, exactly, that dictates that a recording sounds polished?

–Jon
Twitter: @stsn

Is it that your tracks bleed on one another?

Is it that you weren’t very meticulous in dialing in sounds?

Is it that the guitar is slightly out of tune?

Is it that you have a really abrasive snare sound?

Is it that your lead vocal track sounds sexy?

Is it because you didn’t use a click track?

Is it because you recorded to analog tape instead of Pro Tools?

Is it because it was recorded on a four track cassette?

Is it because you didn’t use automation when you mixed?

Is it because you used “old school” gear and FX during mixing?

I have worked on some records where the lead vocal bled all over the drum tracks, but you would never know it.

I have produced records which I recorded live, with minimal isolation, but the final mix sounds as polished as ever.

I have worked on records that were tracked to analog tape without much EQ, but the final mix sounded totally clear and defined.

Everything in record making is subjective. Even the rules are subjective.

So just what is it, exactly, that dictates that a recording sounds raw?

Since I’m in the states I won’t be posting anything today. I’m going to be out by the pool with friends enjoying their company. If I end up listening to any music today, it will be purely as a fan. If you’re a fellow American celebrating Independence Day with me today, or if you’re celebrating another holiday where you are, then you should do the same.

Happy 4th :)

–Jon
Twitter: @stsn

Photo credit: DonkeyHotey. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

Are you struggling a little bit to get your recording career off the ground? Perhaps you’re stuck having to work that low-level day job a little bit longer than you hoped. Or you completed an internship at a studio, but the big gig never came. Or maybe you are going through a transitional time right now, booking projects at a little bit more of an inconsistent basis than what’s ideal…

…And you’re thinking about jumping ship-getting involved in another line of work altogether.

But does that make sense? Does it make sense to invest time and money into something that you have no (or less) experience, not much expertise, passion, or drive, and no work history?

Or does it make more sense to keep going-to invest more time and money into something that you’ve already got a good start in? Why change careers when you’ve already invested so much time, money, and passion into producing and engineering, and right when you’re on the verge of a big breakthrough?

Sure, you’ve got to know when to quit, but you’ve also got to be certain you’re quitting for the right reasons (and understanding when you should stick). Are you truly ready to get out of the game? Did your passion for record making really extinguish? Or are you just frustrated with the way things are going right now?

Sometimes quitting doesn’t mean changing vocations entirely. Most the time, in fact, the best option is to stick with what you’re passionate about. Rather than investing time and money into a career change that would require a complete restart, I would argue that it’s actually better to invest more time and money into record production and/or audio engineering. Because you have already put this much time and money in, and making records is what you’re passionate about.

So before you run off to do something that is going to require you to start completely over, evaluate your current situation, and what you can do to improve it.

What is your single biggest deficiency? What is your single biggest challenge? What one thing can you do differently that will improve your situation? Where can you innovate?

Quitting is an absolute last resort. It’s very expensive and very risky. I would argue that what you should be focusing on is tweaking and persisting. That’s a much less expensive, substantially quicker, and more fun path to success.

//Jon
Twitter: @stsn