Why record drums first?
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Posted on Apr 21, 2002 03:19 pm
Mitch
Member Since: Apr 14, 2002
Hi,
My question is why do people always record drums first?
The reason I ask is because it seems it would be easier to record a tempo from a metronome or something first, then lay the guitar and bass tracks, then add the drums. Would there be something wrong with doing it that way?
Mitch
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MSHARCMember
Since: Apr 05, 2002
Apr 21, 2002 03:44 pm I think the reason that most people record drums first is that the drums really ARE the metrenome. In reality, everyone in the band, or studio, has to be on sync with the drummer because they set the pace. Myself, I record everything by myself, adn what I like doing is recording a metrenome track, then I go back and lay a guitar track over that, then drums. The whole reason I do this is that I write all my songs on guitar and when I play drums, I end up losing my place or not going to a chorus at the right time. Thus I record a scratch track of guitar. Once I have the drums down, I like to go back and record the bass because really they are the fundamentals of a band and music. Then, back to do the real guitar track and finally a vocal which I will even sometimes reacord while I sing play the guitar track, surprisingly, I play and sing better when I am doing both. Go figure. I think the main thing is that there are NO hard set rules about it though, you can record a harmonica first if you want to. But I'd do the drums fairly early on. Hope this helps some.
Marc (da Sharc)
Apr 21, 2002 04:19 pm for me, its a mix between synth and drums as to which is recorded first.
even if i lay down the synth track first, i still lay down a couple measures of a steady 4/4 kick so i can time the synth work =)
i find it hard to do guitar first, because it doesnt have to be (and rarely is) completely on time with the standard feel of the song.
vox dont even have a chance at being first.. too many breaks, pauses, skipped lines, inconsistencies, and not to mention that i dont even try to write words until the track is finished.
its all open to debate though and im sure out there somewhere, there is a band that doesnt record drums first. =)
Apr 21, 2002 04:26 pm I am with Msharc, for me the drums are the metronome, tho I usually sequence them in FruityLoops, I import the wav and do the rest of the song, then when the rest of the song is done I often add to the drums, the little fills and such and re-import them as the new wavs.
georgeContributor
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Apr 21, 2002 05:14 pm Hi Mitch. Drums first is traditional, 'cause everything needs to be in sync with the drums(no pun intended) Whatever way helps you work the best is the one to go with. Good luck, George.
stupeMember
Since: Apr 03, 2002
Apr 21, 2002 07:44 pm mitch, i have had experience in the question you ask. a very simple answer. Drummers always play better when they are being tracked LIVE. when their bandmates are playing with them. ive done the metronome thing and tracks, and its just frustrating, and hard to perfect, the drummer has pressure over his shoulder because he's trying to play along with the music. other way is the easiest, and less time consuming
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 21, 2002 10:07 pm And myself, I am with collapse on this one. I prefer to just lay the synth or guitar track's to a click track. Then come back and try to lay a drum track on after, I think it give's you a better feel for using the drum's more rythmicly. You can alway's go back then and play the synth or whatever track's again if they don't feel right. Although I have done the drum's first in the case of using loop's or wanting that perfect steady mechanical beat. It is all personal preferance. I know guy's who just cannot play to a click track and have to have that drum track first.
LokiCone PokerMember
Since: Apr 07, 2002
Apr 22, 2002 07:58 pm As far as recording drums first goes heres my take: I don't record them at all! Ok, let me explain. My bands sound is very experimental, and we've seen what bands can do With drummers and we want to see what we can do without a drummer. We are limited to recording one track at a time so what we do is simple. I record the Guitar first without effects at all (clean guitar) then the bass comes in, also clean. After that I go back and record a guitar track with effects, then a keyboard track. If the song calls for it then a bass track is recorded with effects on it, then lastly the Vocals. now when I say effects I mean your standard Live effects, like a distortion pedal or wah or something, i add the reverb and compressing during the mixing of the song.
Apr 23, 2002 08:43 am obviously you are far from the norm, hence, "experimental" there standard convention, by nature, does not apply. I your typical recording session drums are recorded first, but, that said, it is not necessarily the only time they are recorded. Nobody is saying the approach I take with my sequanced drums can't be duplicated with live drums, in that after all the tracks are done the drums could be re-recorded...
MitchMember
Since: Apr 14, 2002
Apr 25, 2002 05:32 pm Ok, heres another question.
Sometimes in a song, they`ll have the guitars come in first, then keyboards or whatever, then they have drums a little later.
Would this be an example of recording the drums as the last instrument, or at least one of the last? If not, how do they do that?
Thanks,
Mitch
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 25, 2002 06:22 pm Well that is a perfect example of palying to a click track. Or it is possible some of them may have had a drum track playing from the start and when the do the final mix, they wait a few bar's or more to fade the drum's in. I use that technique frequantly. It can add drama and suspense to an otherwise drab and dull intro.
MSHARCMember
Since: Apr 05, 2002
Apr 26, 2002 12:33 am For me, I do all my own instrument recording and writing of the music, I use a click track on every track I lay down. I frequently play an intro on guitar adn then come in with the drums later. I think it adds a good building feel to the song. SOmetimes I have a drum intro with nothing or just the bass line. But, I have to use a click track just to at least get a good tempo for the song as I know I will deviate. That's me though, some people have great sense of tempo.
Marc (da Sharc)
Apr 30, 2002 05:51 am A lot of my stuff has a guitar or bass intro, but I always record drums first, because my sense of rythym is so much different when I'm playing guitar. The way I do it is a 4 count on the hi-hat (asuming it's in 4/4) and continue to keep time on the hi-hat. When it's time for the drums to come in, I start playing. I pretty much just hear the song in my head, I don't actually sit there and think 1..2..3..4..2..2..3..4..3..2..3..4..etc... although I probably would make less mistakes if I counted.
When it comes time to mix, I just pull the fader down on the drum track until they come in. I've had songs where the drums don't come in for minutes, but there's always that steady hi-hat beat hidden in there somewhere.
Apr 30, 2002 07:04 am I am with Dingo and Msharc on that, even if the drums will be edited out by the time I am mastering, I still record them just to play the intro to...it keeps the whole song smoother in the long run...
