Going in to record

[DruMMeR_BoY14]

My band is recording an EP next week and this will be my first time in a proper studio environment, so I want to know what I should be prepared for when I go in there.

I've been working with my metranome a lot over the past few days to make sure I'm right on the mark as far as my timing is concerned. I'm also going to get my drums re-tuned by my teachers brother (he could make a Pulse kit sing) to make sure everything is sounding 100%.

Is there anything else I should do to help prepare myself?

[Tillmon]

Be sure you know the songs. Nothing is worse than when someone in the band can't play a part and it takes an hour to record that one instrument on that one song.

[Seafroggys]

does anyone record LPs anymore?

[Josiah]

I've been working with my metranome a lot over the past few days to make sure I'm right on the mark as far as my timing is concerned.


Takes more then a "few days" to get timing down. Preperation is the key. If you aren't nailing it by the 3rd take, you shouldn't be in the studio. But of course, have fun!

[DruMMeR_BoY14]

I warm up to a metranome as part of my practice and timing is decent, I just want to be spot on so I'm not doing unnesscary takes because I'm not 100% on the beat. Sorry, I worded that a little ambigously.

[DxRocker]

Things I think are important when recording:

- bring a drumkey
- make sure your heads are not too used (by new ones if you are not sure, you want the best sound right?)
- have a good night sleep before so that you are fresh and full of energy
- know your songs by heart
- don't overplay. you are not playing to impress the audience in the studio, you are playing to record a good record.
- keep it simple and play for the music. when you keep it simple, you also sound 10x better. I always only give about 70-80% when recording. That's where i think you sound best. At 100%... you don't.

Remember that on record, you can replace a wicket 32nd note fill with just one lousy crash cymbal hit, and nobody would notice the difference...

[redhotslipknot]

^^^^^^^ Yeah simple fills seem to sound much more effective on a studio recording, sounds tighter.

[DruMMeR_BoY14]

Things I think are important when recording:

- bring a drumkey
- make sure your heads are not too used (by new ones if you are not sure, you want the best sound right?)
- have a good night sleep before so that you are fresh and full of energy
- know your songs by heart
- don't overplay. you are not playing to impress the audience in the studio, you are playing to record a good record.
- keep it simple and play for the music. when you keep it simple, you also sound 10x better. I always only give about 70-80% when recording. That's where i think you sound best. At 100%... you don't.

Remember that on record, you can replace a wicket 32nd note fill with just one lousy crash cymbal hit, and nobody would notice the difference...

Thanks a heap Dx, some really helpful stuff in there.

[Ascendance1]

Yeah basically what everyone else has said. Make sure you have practiced enough, and know all the songs really well before you go in to record.
Don't try and play new things that you haven't practiced because you want to add something cooler or fancier in. (as the others said, simpler can be better)
You don't have to prove yourself to anyone when recording.
If you do make a mistake don't worry about it.
Another helpfull thing to do is make sure all your gear you are taking in is packed and ready to go well before its time to head to the studio. Makes things alot less stressfull when you don't have to rush around and find things to take at the last minute. Also making sure that pedals don't squeek either..

But most of all have fun while your there, recording is a great experience. And once all the recording is finished you can see the results of all your time spent practicing and preparing. Its usually pretty satisfying.

[Josiah]

"- know your songs by heart
- don't overplay. you are not playing to impress the audience in the studio, you are playing to record a good record.
- keep it simple and play for the music. when you keep it simple, you also sound 10x better. I always only give about 70-80% when recording. That's where i think you sound best. At 100%... you don't."

Good stuff, but really that's just in general. He should stick to whatever parts he worked out and has been playing. Trying to change things at this point will most likely produce worse results for him.

[Tyler3295]

Good tips and good luck to you.

[pitchfork]

Bring more than one drum key, you know how easily us drummers lose them.
I agree with everything said by DxRocker as well

[styler]

atleast were not as bad as guitarists or bassists with picks.

almost everything has been said. work your rudiments extra hard the week prior to the studio time, even if your fine with your arms and legs, you want everything perfect. be aware of your sound quality, make sure your hitting the centre of the drums, unless you want to hit off-centre.

make sure your pedals are maintained, heads are seated properly, everything is in tune, etc etc.
i like to get new sticks when i go into the studio, especially if you use wooden tipped, you dont want to be riding on a stick with a chip on the tip.

try and make sure you get along with the sound engineer/owner of the studio and make sure he knows what sound you want for your drums as well as what sound you want for the record.

make sure your coming in at the right time when your playing, as well as try and notice if the rest of your band makes mistakes, like they hit there pedal a second late, make sure there aware. your wasting everyones time and money if you have to work on this stuff while your in the studio.

[Chris]

Dont try really hard.

What I do is close my eyes, and let the music tell me what to play.

Also, if you suffer from red light, then think of it just as a normal practice.

[styler]

red light? stage fright?

[Chris]

red light? stage fright?
Eye eye, That is rite. But it is caused when you know you are recording (I tend to get that, but don't get stage fright any more).

[Talos]

Things I think are important when recording:

- bring a drumkey
- make sure your heads are not too used (by new ones if you are not sure, you want the best sound right?)

Wrong. New heads sound crap compared to used heads, my Pins only just sound good after a few months of taking a beating. Also, at a good studio a lot of the stuff you need will be there. When my and my band recorded there were loads of cymbal felts, tuning keys, sticks etc.

Remember to bring at least 3 pairs of sticks and plasters in case a blister comes up. I used gloves and didnt bring plasters as there was no need.

Bring cymbals to be safe and any other stuff like pedals because the studio might not have a double bass pedal or they might have a crap pedal. They usually have pretty basic cymbals, when I went I had to use Pro Sonix - OK and an old Rogers crash ( I needed two crashes ).

Its better to be safe then sorry, bring anything you think could break or the studio might not have or could have but isnt as good. You dont have to use anything at the studio if you have your own and vice versa.

[MeaninglessPhoto]

Bring a survival kit (Felts, keys, washers, extra beaters, STICKS, pliars, screwdriver, wingnuts, duct tape, cowbell(s), whips, chains, whistles, dildos, rope and a book...ya know, the essentals)

Make sure you are really relaxed. Stress makes you perform like ****. Just have fun man. If you do in there saying "oh man, this is gonna suck! Im gonna mess up and [recording man's name] is gonna hate me because im gonna use like a million tracks", then your destined to **** up that day. Just be confident in yourself and listen to what you are being told and express your feelings.

And most importantly...DONT OVERPLAY!

[Bonham#1!]

Let the producer/guy who works there do his thing, even if it concerns your drums, because he knows whats going on(at least the guy who helped my band out when we recorded in a studio did) it will go quicker if you do. If your guitarist(s) is/are a perfectionist, prepare to be bored for a while well they do take after take. Most of all, dont get stressed and have fun!!



Sorry if anybody said these things^^^ I didn't read your posts, but I'm sure it couldnt hurt to hear them again.

[PandaDrummer]

so, what is the order your going in? you first or your guitarist or what?
personally I admire drumers that can just go for it to a click track, it shows commitment. Because if you think about it your guitarist/s have to know the song all the way through every note, why not the drummer.

[LittlePound]

does anyone record LPs anymore?
i really don't know what an LP is so...i'm taking a wild guess
i'm assuming since EP stands for "early play" then LP might mean "Late play"?

anyways, if that's what it does stand for Relient K released an "LP" after their latest album Mmhmm

[actyourrage]

Most important thing (especially if you're nervous) is to just forget you're in a studio. Just play as you would in a practice situation.

Somthing I tend to do as a producer is tell the band we're going for a run through but record anyway. It makes things sounds much better.

[PandaDrummer]

EP stands for (extended play) , im not quite sure what LP stands for, if I were to guess I would have to say it was "Long-playing" such as a record back in the day, which spun at the incredible rate of 33.3 rpm

[Killtacular]

i really don't know what an LP is so...i'm taking a wild guess
i'm assuming since EP stands for "early play" then LP might mean "Late play"?

anyways, if that's what it does stand for Relient K released an "LP" after their latest album Mmhmm
Long Playing and Extended Play. Nowadays it's used in reference to the length of a release, with an EP being much shorter than an LP, which would be like a full-length album.

An example of an EP would be like The Dillinger Escape Plan's Irony is a Dead Scene and an LP would be Calculating Infinity.

[DxRocker]

Wrong. New heads sound crap compared to used heads, my Pins only just sound good after a few months of taking a beating. Also, at a good studio a lot of the stuff you need will be there. When my and my band recorded there were loads of cymbal felts, tuning keys, sticks etc.

Remember to bring at least 3 pairs of sticks and plasters in case a blister comes up. I used gloves and didnt bring plasters as there was no need.

Bring cymbals to be safe and any other stuff like pedals because the studio might not have a double bass pedal or they might have a crap pedal. They usually have pretty basic cymbals, when I went I had to use Pro Sonix - OK and an old Rogers crash ( I needed two crashes ).

Its better to be safe then sorry, bring anything you think could break or the studio might not have or could have but isnt as good. You dont have to use anything at the studio if you have your own and vice versa.


Thanks for the laugh, that was very funny. Especially the part where you said that one needs to bang the heads for a few months before they sound good... :smash:

[pitchfork]

atleast were not as bad as guitarists or bassists with picks.

Don't be silly its only guitarists, how does a bassist lose their hand :thumb:

[LittlePound]

i was told EP meant early play and that's why bands release them before their albums came out....oh well, you way makes jsut as much sense and others have agreed with it so i guess i was just wrong.