...Let's start by putting the kick drum in the middle at 0 º, snare maybe 5º right, toms10º left etc. You might want to give the drummer a little more space which is fine but treat a drum kit as several instruments and not just one. That does mean recording each instrument on the drum track separately but if you want the drum kit to sound real then that is exactly what you will have to do...
...For example I bounce all the individual drum tracks into one track and I use a stereo imager to give it that 30º arc I spoke about earlier. Bingo I have my percussion bang in the centre in a 30º arc, if I want to widen it a little say to around 40º with one slide control on the plug-in I can do it.
Gerry
Gerry, this is a fantastic thread. I'm actually cobbling together the instruments as you are describing your process so I can 'Engineer along with Gerry' (patent pending).
But I'm a little lost re. what I've quoted. Is it an either/or process you're describing? Do it the first way or do it the second?
Or do you pan all the bits, merge them into one track and then (re)assign the 30 degree space?
If you pan the individual bits and merge them in one track, do they maintain the spatial relationship you created with the pans after the 'merge'?
Hope you can follow! Thanks again.
:)
Don
you make a good point re: FXs. I like the 'less is more' camp. and polishing a potato will only get your hands clean.
the tater remains a tater. my voice is a spud off sometimes.
...Let's start by putting the kick drum in the middle at 0 º, snare maybe 5º right, toms10º left etc. You might want to give the drummer a little more space which is fine but treat a drum kit as several instruments and not just one. That does mean recording each instrument on the drum track separately but if you want the drum kit to sound real then that is exactly what you will have to do...
...For example I bounce all the individual drum tracks into one track and I use a stereo imager to give it that 30º arc I spoke about earlier. Bingo I have my percussion bang in the centre in a 30º arc, if I want to widen it a little say to around 40º with one slide control on the plug-in I can do it.
Gerry
Gerry, this is a fantastic thread. I'm actually cobbling together the instruments as you are describing your process so I can 'Engineer along with Gerry' (patent pending).
But I'm a little lost re. what I've quoted. Is it an either/or process you're describing? Do it the first way or do it the second?
Or do you pan all the bits, merge them into one track and then (re)assign the 30 degree space?
If you pan the individual bits and merge them in one track, do they maintain the spatial relationship you created with the pans after the 'merge'?
Hope you can follow! Thanks again.
:)
You can do either but at this stage it may be better to leave them as individual tracks as that way you can bring levels up and down on the final mix on the individual parts. Maybe you will want the high hat a little louder. i am a bit of a creature of habit and tend to bounce them into one track and then freeze the individual percussion tracks to save on CPU. if your PC can handle plenty of tracks then leave them as individual tracks. I also like the drum kit in one track to use the Stereo Imager but like I said that's just how I do it and yes as you open up the image or make it narrower the whole kit moves. Give it a try and see what suites you best. If you use something like Stylus Remix or EZDrummer you can pan the individual parts of the kit before bouncing them.
Like I said nothing is written in stone so just try things out and see what gives you the best result. The object of the exercise is to give each part of the kit its own space just like it does in a live or mic'd up situation.
Those who can't dance always blame the band.
Well my friends it appears that this forum is not for lessons and my thread is considered as being just that. I should quickly add that I never considered my opinions as lessons purely answering a request from several of you on how I do my mixes. I must admit I was extremely flattered that anyone should ask my opinion about anything. Rules are rules and I am certainly one of the first agree to them so there will be no more follow ons I am afraid.
Good luck with your mixing and just get in there and tweak its by far the best way to learn.
Gerry
Those who can't dance always blame the band.
I never thought of the posts as lessons. I felt it was a good thread that could evolve focusing mainly on recording techniques.
the experienced forum members have a knowledge that could be tapped into.
not that I am experienced, but I felt I could add to the ideas being posted.
so does this mean the thread is moving?
Well my friends it appears that this forum is not for lessons and my thread is considered as being just that. I should quickly add that I never considered my opinions as lessons purely answering a request from several of you on how I do my mixes.
What?! :evil: So, now we can't share with each other how we do things? :roll: I was one of the people who asked you how you mix your songs Gerry, as I was very impressed with how beautiful your songs sounded. Thank you for what you've shared, and sorry for any problems that arose from your kindness.
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
Let's not take this the wrong way. Gerry has some great information that he is willing to share with us in a structured coherent passage so........ let's make some "lessons" out of them. It doesn't make sense to lose them in the the forum pages, does it?
If you really want to blow your mind, go over to cakewalk.com. They have "lessons" forced down by another post on a minutely basis. :wink:
I'm with Mike: I think that if someone as skilled and experienced as Gerry is willing to type his opinions down not turning them into 'real' lessons would be a shame. By turning it into an article, and mentioning it in a GN newsletter much more people will be able to take their advantage of this all.
