In a few hours, I’ll be releasing my first ever original drum sample kit. After months of releasing kits I’ve found, searched for, or given to me, this’ll be the first bundle that I’ve recorded with my own equipment (or lack thereof).
What equipment, you ask?
- Ludwig Standard Drum Kit: A kick drum, a snare drum, hi-hats, two mounted toms, a floor tom, and a ride/crash cymbal
- Evans E-Rings
- Blue Jelly Mufflers
- Shure Beta 52A
- Shure SM57
- Audio-Technica 2020
- Jazz Drum Sticks
- Drum Brushes
- Studio Projects VTB1 Preamp
- Samson C Com 16 Compressor
Here are notes on how I recorded the drums. I took a few pictures before my Blackberry’s battery died out.
The kick drum had the resonant head removed, and was recorded a few times with one pillow and a few times with two pillows inside. I used a Shure Beta52A to record from three different positions: halfway inside the kick drum, outside the kick drum on the resonant head side, and on the batter head.
Figure 2010-06-16/1: Shure Beta 52A on the outside, with two pillows
Figure 2010-06-16/2: Shure Beta 52A on the inside, with two pillows
Figure 2010-06-16/3: Shure Beta 52A on the batter head
The snare drum was recorded with a Shure SM57. The snare strainer was set at different levels for different sounds. An Evans E-Ring and blue jelly were used to muffle the drum in different ways for more variation. Jazz drum sticks and brushes were used.
Figure 2010-06-16/4: Shure SM57 on a Snare Drum, with an Evans E-Ring
All three toms were recorded with an SM57, with the blue jelly and E-Rings for different variations in sound. They were also hit with jazz drum sticks and brushes.
Figure 2010-06-16/5: Floor Tom with an Evans E-Ring, with my drum brushes laid down
The hi-hats were recorded with an Audio Technica 2020. They were recorded open, closed, and pedaled.
The crash/ride cymabls were also recorded with an Audio Technica 2020. Blue jelly was used to muffle the cymbals and calm the ring.
Figure 2010-06-16/6: Audio Technica 2020 on a Crash/Ride, with a blue jelly muffler
More to come. =]
-mnshyn
Music Scene Spotlight: I Want My A Capella Straight No Chaser
Sunday, June 13th, 2010So while watching the NBA 2010 Finals, (game 5 in Boston, to be exact, BEAT LA!) I was flipping channels and landed on the New Jersey Network. They were showing a televised performance by an a capella group called “Straight No Chaser.”
“Straight No Chaser” is a group of 10 male vocalists, harmonizing their way through covers such as “Time of the Season” by the Zombies, “Africa” by Toto, “Up on the Roof” by The Drifters, and a nice rendition of “Wonderwall” by Oasis.
I’m always up for unique music performances, and although I’ve seen some cool a capella performances, there was a certain swag to these guys that really caught my ear and eye. Their performance of “Time of the Season,” (coincidentally something I had sampled, more on that later. =] ) was great. The vocal arrangement was on point, and the performance was strong with the vocalists showing their personalities not just in their voices but in their delivery and actions. There was a particular cut when Jerome Collins (one of their Tenors and soloists) was moving his head in such a way with the adlibs that showed how much they enjoyed what they do and how much they put into their performances, and another where he was doing some Michael Jackson moves. I hope to catch them in Atlantic City in July as they will be at the Harrah’s for almost two months.
Here’s their rendition of Wonderwall, which I thought was pretty dope:
Here’s their website: http://www.sncmusic.com/
Hope you enjoy the tip. Stay tuned tomorrow for my review on drum recording; I’m going to go over my processes for the original kit I’m putting out this Wednesday. =]
-mnshyn
Tags: a capella, africa, bass, harrahs, jerome collins, male vocalists, michael jackson, oasis, straight no chaser, tenors, the drifters, time of the season, toto, up on the roof, wonderwall, zombies
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