Recording Tips for Engineers, 4th Edition

Chapter Four

Drums Setup

There is no great trick to making a set of drums sound like a well-tuned, punchy, solid drum set. First, start with a well-tuned, punchy, solid drum set. Properly tuned, well-played drums coupled with good songwriting and solid engineering will always record the best.

But let’s get real. Some drummers aren’t interested in changing heads or tuning. They just want to bash away. If this works for the music and the artist, then bask in the bash.

Placing the Drums

• Arrive early. If you are new to the room, or new to the drummer, set up a bit earlier than normal, perhaps even the night before the session. This should give ...