Sounds annoying, KIS. Did the engineer explain why he couldn't get the full kit sound in your cans? Were there technical problems or limitations or was the engineer just useless?
Not surprised that it affected your playing. I can only think of one song ever that I recorded where I can listen through without a single wince - except for the damn compressed cymbals and lost tom sound.
In one session Mr P had insisted beforehand that I program a kick drum track into my drum machine to make it sound more "professional". So here I am after sitting around for ages, with only time for a couple of takes, playing kit without kick which was foreign to me. I was cranky as anything and played abysmally and kept flamming the hats and kick. Grooveless and embarrassing. It killed the song.
Your takes at least won't be as fraught as that
What really stung is that when we did the B-side (that never was) there was no more time for his shenanigans, so we had to record it live in one take. It was 100% better.
Too right. You go to the expense and trouble so you want something that presents the song to, if not its full potential, at least not far off. Once the guys have the files, maybe they can shift the errant beats into place?