Why is the word metronome not in this thread yet!?
Your practicing and playing to a click right? Cause that's by far the most important aspect going into recording.
Making sure you have the music down perfectly, know it inside and out. To the click.
"I may have to do lots of takes and might get tired, and if I'm knackered, I probably wont be able to play as well."
If that's the case. You have no business being in a recording studio. Both mentally and physically.
You will be playing drums ALL DAY LONG when you go into a recording situation. If you can't handle that, then make sure you make that clear to the band immediately.
There is no point in wasting everyone's time if you don't have the endurance to play at your top level for a few hours.
You are ready to record when you can play down your tunes with confidence and lacking any errors.
A good gauge is if you can play a tune down 3 times in a row without any mistakes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ares
Also, drums tend to sound best when you hit in the center of the head because you're exciting the fundamental, rather than the overtones which vibrate away from the center.
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Drums actually sound better hit slightly off center, most the time the angle of the toms does this for us.
Cymbals open up when struck with a glancing downward blow.
"When we gig, I just go for it and hit as hard as I can."
That's a pretty concerning statement. Odds are that if you are hitting as hard as you can, you aren't using proper technique and most likely going to severely injure yourself if you continue.
You also are probably getting shit for drum sound. Drums choke when hit too hard.
A 2 hour rehearsal is nothing, you shouldn't even be concerned about needing to "pace yourself" for that short of a time span.
You should be able to play for hours on end, regardless of the genre of music.
If you can't or find that you are fatiguing quickly, then you are definitely muscling the drums WAY too much.
This directly means you are not playing loose and relaxed. RSI's are no joke and should be taken extremely seriously.
I have personally dealt with numerous players who have had severe repetitive stress injuries from playing too hard or too tense. Often requiring painful and expensive surgery, days or months of not being able to use a given hand. And worst of all, not being able to play music for extended periods of time. Get your technique together!
Drums WILL hurt you. Very badly. If you are not careful. It's easy to get caught up in the "grab a stick and swing away!" mentality, and it more then often leads to very very bad things.
With good drums, good heads and good tuning you really don't need to hit the drums that hard to create a LOT of sound. Modern drums are naturally a very loud instrument. So are cymbals.
You never want to be hitting "as hard as you can". It's just stupid and unnecessary. We are not neanderthals beating on a log to be heard in camp 2 miles away.
And listen too, don't be afraid to tell your guitarist to turn the fuck down. They really don't need a 100 watt half stack. Let alone 3 of them with stacks (or however many you have).
It truly is way over kill for almost all playing situations, and most definitely for the practice room.
Drums flat out can not compete with large amplifiers. You'll never win the loudness war, your drum sound will be shit, you'll trash heads, your wrists, etc...
You can be heavy as shit without being loud.
There's a nice happy medium instruments sound best at. Find it in your band.
I would suggest you find a local private teacher. Additionally head over to VicFirth.com and check out Dom's videos on technique. Start with the "Free Stroke" video. Dom's videos are free. Make use of his excellent teaching skills.
For recording you want to smack the drums, but if you hit drums too hard they will choke. There is a sweet spot for all drums that changes from drum to drum, tuning, head selection and personal taste.
Recording is all about the preparation. From what heads you are going to use, making sure the drums are tuned up and ready to go. No rattling hardware, pedals don't squeak, etc
To making sure you are prepared mentally and physically. You know all the material inside and out. You are confident in what you are playing. You can comfortably play down your tunes for extended periods of time.
You got all your cool licks and phrases worked out perfectly. Got your charts and notes ready. Etc
You can play everything down to a click too right?