What I've learned since I started recording myself

L

Lennytoons

Senior Member
Since I now have more free time on my hands I decided to record myself. I've done this before but not to this extent. At first, I was just recording my various snare drums to see the differences in sound. Then I recorded simple rock beats and added a few shuffles. Here is a summary of what I discovered ( although I knew some of this to be true).
1. Snare drums sound a lot alike. The main difference is low, medium or high tuning. We hear the differences a lot more than the audience.
2. The sound of the kit on the other side is much different than what the drummer hears. I put my recorder right next to me and then 10' out in front. The difference was pretty amazing. One thing I noticed was low tunings didn't sound as good out front as they do on the drummer throne.
3. Sloppy drumming sounds very sloppy when recorded. It took my concentration to a new level when I heard what I thought sounded good but actually wasn't.
4. My recording device produces a grid so you can see if you're in perfect time or not. Scary but very helpful. Getting back to one is crucial and I was late more times than I thought. Plus, after practicing with this recorder I got better and closer to perfect time the more I used it.
5.I'm not as good a drummer as I thought I was but I'm getting much better. Practice and discipline.
6. Keeping 2 and 4 are critical. So much so that nothing else matters much, including my fanciest fill.

All in all a good education for me. I'm hoping to record a drum solo that will be professional and SOUND professional.
 
One suggestion I might make...

If you haven't yet, try mic'ing the snare from the bottom. You're correct that the top mic will always sound like a wooden stick hitting a stretched mylar membrane. The underside is where the major sonic variances exist. Let your overhead condensors capture the snap. Let the underside dynamic capture the sizzle and coloration.

**. Remember to correct for phase
 
Lennytoons, you have discovered the same stuff I did when I began recording my practicing. I have a studio with a 150 watt stereo system so I can play loud as I want. I guess two of the biggest discoveries were that drums do sound WAY different out front compared to what you hear when sitting behind the kit. AND although I still think I play very well, I am NOT as good as I think I am while playing. Easy listening back and realizing you're overplaying, doing a lot of the same thing over and over, and questioning "Why the hell did I do that instead of.....". I find that last discovery helpful in expanding what I do or fill with, etc. I was on the radio for nearly 40 years so spent a lot of time listening back to what I was doing and the same applied as listening to drum recording. It is extremely helpful however. Keep it up and don't take yourself too seriously. Relax and have fun. Don't make it a "job".
 
I’m rarely happy with my kit playing when I record it. Usually happy with my timpani playing. I think you pretty much have to be at the level of a working pro before you can easily produce recorded stuff you’re happy with. In my experience, anyway.
 
Lennytoons said:
1. Snare drums sound a lot alike. The main difference is low, medium or high tuning. We hear the differences a lot more than the audience.
All in all a good education for me. I'm hoping to record a drum solo that will be professional and SOUND professional.
Click to expand...

It's great to hear what your drums can sound like when mic'ed like in a studio. I also found surprisingly little difference between snares (wood, metal, piccolo...) in recorded sound. Rimshots especially seem to be similar on any snare.
 
Lennytoons said:
Since I now have more free time on my hands I decided to record myself. I've done this before but not to this extent. At first, I was just recording my various snare drums to see the differences in sound. Then I recorded simple rock beats and added a few shuffles. Here is a summary of what I discovered ( although I knew some of this to be true).
1. Snare drums sound a lot alike. The main difference is low, medium or high tuning. We hear the differences a lot more than the audience.
2. The sound of the kit on the other side is much different than what the drummer hears. I put my recorder right next to me and then 10' out in front. The difference was pretty amazing. One thing I noticed was low tunings didn't sound as good out front as they do on the drummer throne.
3. Sloppy drumming sounds very sloppy when recorded. It took my concentration to a new level when I heard what I thought sounded good but actually wasn't.
4. My recording device produces a grid so you can see if you're in perfect time or not. Scary but very helpful. Getting back to one is crucial and I was late more times than I thought. Plus, after practicing with this recorder I got better and closer to perfect time the more I used it.
5.I'm not as good a drummer as I thought I was but I'm getting much better. Practice and discipline.
6. Keeping 2 and 4 are critical. So much so that nothing else matters much, including my fanciest fill.

All in all a good education for me. I'm hoping to record a drum solo that will be professional and SOUND professional.
Click to expand...
very good info,thks
 
What is this recording device that produces a grid and shows if you're in time or not? Sounds interesting.
 
Recording yourself is great simply to become aware and start adjusting to how you really want to sound.

After that it does get a bit subjective depending on style and taste.

The "tape" don't lie. If the reality check is harsh in some aspects, hopefully it inspires you to do something about it and not the oposite.

Being focused and completely present in everything you do is the key. Goes for everything. It might as well be tennis, love making, communiating well.
 
KamaK said:
Almost any DAW.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I know if you have a computer program that records, it can do that. I just thought maybe there was some other thing that could, without having to buy a computer, because i don't have one of those and don't want one. I wonder if there's any ipad app that can.
 
If I taught drums I'd encourage my students to record themselves with their phone or a cheap Zoom or similar ilk. Cause sometimes you think you're emulating what someone else (teacher/video) is doing but you aren't-so it becomes real obvious real fast. It has a lot of value for technique, overall balance and sound of kit, and are you playing a part correctly. A picture is worth a thousand words-audio helped too LOL. Another thing of value is posting shedding videos on here you sometimes get some very good critiques to help you on your way. I can't keep count of all the "break throughs" and stuff I've learned (yet still so much more to learn) on here the last 4-5 years in particular.
 
Channing said:
Yeah, I know if you have a computer program that records, it can do that. I just thought maybe there was some other thing that could, without having to buy a computer, because i don't have one of those and don't want one. I wonder if there's any ipad app that can.
Click to expand...
I believe Garageband can. I know it works on the Mac, will have to fire up my iPhone copy and see if it works the same.
 
I don't believe they make it anymore, but i have a Zoom Q2 HD recorder. It also let's you record video as well. I always take it with me to rehearsals because we pretty much write new songs on the spot and sometimes we get that 'we don't want to forget this, so record it!'. Besides that i also make videorecordings of myself, because it helps me to understand why i'm sloppy at certain parts. I can hear it, but if i can see what i'm doing wrong it helps me a lot in preventing that. It doesn't record low end as good, but hey... it's a quick way to record something and helps me memorize new parts/

It can be really confronting to think you did something awesome, listen back to it and i'm totally out of time or screw up. But on the other hand when you nail a fill or don't make a mistake in a song is golden feeling!
 
Recordings help me a lot. I don't record every session, and I use a cheap recorder, but they definitely show what I need to work on.
 
A recorder will help the drumming more than a gym membership will.

I think of the recorder as a teacher. It informs me of what needs attention.

Improving by subtraction works. Subtract what's not working, keep what does.
 
larryace said:
A recorder will help the drumming more than a gym membership will.

I think of the recorder as a teacher. It informs me of what needs attention.

Improving by subtraction works. Subtract what's not working, keep what does.
Click to expand...

The one thing a recorder can’t do is give you the fresh perspective of a different set of ears. That’s what my main percussion teacher in college gave me, more than anything else by far. He refined my listening.
 
Push pull stroke said:
The one thing a recorder can’t do is give you the fresh perspective of a different set of ears. That’s what my main percussion teacher in college gave me, more than anything else by far. He refined my listening.
Click to expand...

Other POV's are good..but...it comes down to the standards of the people offering their POV's.

When I listen back, I'm no longer playing. I can take the mental energy I use for playing, and when I'm not playing, I can use that energy to critically listen without having to do anything else. This qualifies as my fresh set of ears, and TBH, I'm the one who has to be satisfied. As long as I'm happy with what's there, other opinions don't matter.
 
Lennytoons said:
(edit)
4. My recording device produces a grid so you can see if you're in perfect time or not. Scary but very helpful. Getting back to one is crucial and I was late more times than I thought. Plus, after practicing with this recorder I got better and closer to perfect time the more I used it.
Click to expand...

I haven't gotten to the point of recording myself, tho we have recorded the group at rehearsals the last couple of times (mainly as we're trying to polish up a couple of originals) and your points ring true to my experience.

As for the keeping time point you make, I've downloaded a simple BPM app for my phone, and use a cell phone holder on my mic stand. It's has been enlightening, for certain. Songs where I know I had been taking off (or the group had been), I can monitor much more closely now. I'm hating myself for needing it, but I'd rather use it and keep the tempo more consistent.
 
Lennytoons said:
2. The sound of the kit on the other side is much different than what the drummer hears. I put my recorder right next to me and then 10' out in front. The difference was pretty amazing. One thing I noticed was low tunings didn't sound as good out front as they do on the drummer throne.
Click to expand...

From someone who is obsessed with his live sound at gigs, this is very true. Unless you are closed-mic'd, and even then, you can't tune too low otherwise it sounds like mud no matter what the caliber of the FOH system.

This is why for many years now, I've adopted a more jazz-centric tuning approach; I don't tune wayyyy up high like bop tuning but somewhere in the range of a half-step to a whole-step higher than what would be the "typical" tuning point of your tom for example. This goes for snare too. I've found that magical-OMG-amazing snare tone at the throne to only find out front it sounded like a teenager's beat-to-hell snare drum in their bedroom. So tuning higher at the throne, the snare can sound somewhat thin to the ear but when you get out front it's that "ooooo there it is" crack and projecting sound. Sound physics!!! :)
 
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