Don’t encourage them!
Here is a sample:
http://woodcreststudio.com/the_bass_drum.mp3
The acoustic:
is a parlor sized Art Luthier plywood with nylon strings, quickly recorded in a previously setup array used to record earlier this week (acoustics). Not crazy about its sound, but the thing always sounded boxy.
Bass drum:
recorded with a N/D868 microphone, 9" in front of it 1/2 way between the center and the rim pointing to the strike point, into a JLM Audio TMP8 preamp with no processing except a limiter on the master buss and mp3 conversion. Muting done using my thigh on the beater side and hand on the opposite head.
So far, this is the best sound I have gotten recorded from it.
Well it has a nice full bodied sound with very pleasent overtones. I’d say good job on the ‘body english’, always adds something [control?] to acoustic drums like this. So what’s next, some American Native music? Lay it on it’s side and play with tympany stix for a storm drum sound? Sample it for bd replacement on some Hip Hop? It should be interesting to hear where you go with this.
This is going on an artist’s album. The band is “I am Love”
Photographer (Kit Ramsey) was here last week during the sessions.
From left to right: William, AJ, Jamie, Josh, Me. Missing 3 players though.
It is going to be in a few of their songs.
I plan on taking it to a few open mics too to promote the studio.
Cool, thanks Tom. I think I want one! (but not the guitar!)
Hi Tom
Very impressive. Thigh and hand damping. Makes sense. I’m in honeymoon phase of selective damping, so I was especially excited at the tonal control you were administering.
All the best
Glyn
Pseudo minimalist drumming with a huge Skin!!
Reminded me of Joni Mitchell’s " Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter " .
Here is another one:
http://woodcreststudio.com/the_bass_drum%202.mp3
This is with a real acoustic, similar setup.
Had my girlfriend playing the drum as I played guitar and I later set a bass to it. Since she is a bit smaller and was having a hard time damping it, I rested a fluffy pillow on the beater head to keep the decay down and she did the rest with her hand on the opposing side.
I am really interested in how this sits in peoples’ systems with the bass guitar. I used a dynamic frequency cancellation technique to get the bass and drum to sit together without a static eq. So the low frequency subtraction only happens on the bass when the drum is hit.
My goal was to keep the bass as full as possible with the drum to test the limits without much eq.