Your pre-production and drum tracking methods?

[StereoPari]

Hi Butch! I’m a big fan of your work. I’d have a couple of questions regarding your pre-production and drum tracking methods. (I'm from Scandinavia, I hope my english does not get in the way. )

1. How do you usually determine what the tempo of a song should be?

2. As a producer, do you ever find it useful to make some kind of studio demos (i.e. demos made under your supervision, possibly with something resembling the intended final instrumentation) before you start the real tracking process?
If not, what would you think is the best method for making sure the song’s final arrangement has “everything it needs, but nothing else”?

3. Finally, I’d love to hear about your drum tracking methods. Do you usually record the drums first? If so, what kind of a backing track (click / programmed beat / guitar or bass guide tracks / etc) you usually feel is needed for the drummer to give his best performance?

Ok, this last one is the sluttiest...after how many takes did you guys usually change the drum heads, when making 21st Century Breakdown? The record sounds fantastic in every way!

I’d really appreciate any advice you have. Man, it’s great to have you here.

[ButchVig]

[QUOTE=StereoPari;4326283]Hi Butch! I’m a big fan of your work. I’d have a couple of questions regarding your pre-production and drum tracking methods. (I'm from Scandinavia, I hope my english does not get in the way. )

1. How do you usually determine what the tempo of a song should be?

If it's a band, listen to the song with a bpm counter and make note of what the tempo is when it sounds right. If it's not band, try working on the song in pre pro with a click until it feels right, but don't listen to the click on playback...you need to focus on how the song sounds, the phrasing of vocals, chords, and groove without the click click click .

2. As a producer, do you ever find it useful to make some kind of studio demos (i.e. demos made under your supervision, possibly with something resembling the intended final instrumentation) before you start the real tracking process?
If not, what would you think is the best method for making sure the song’s final arrangement has “everything it needs, but nothing else”?

Yes demos are extremely helpful, I need to know what the song is like and what the vibe is. Or getting ina room with the band and having them play the song so you can work on the arrangements.
Sometimes I get demo-itis and end up chasing the elusive magic that was captured the first time. The great thing about Pro Tools is that you can use parts from demos and put them in the new version, even if the song is a different tempo, sometimes even a different key.
Hard to know what the "final arrangement" is, you have to trust your instincts to know when it's right.

3. Finally, I’d love to hear about your drum tracking methods. Do you usually record the drums first? If so, what kind of a backing track (click / programmed beat / guitar or bass guide tracks / etc) you usually feel is needed for the drummer to give his best performance?

I like to track the band live but I'm usually just going for the drums.
I like to make tempo maps that work for the band (there is another thread with some notes on that)...
Some drummers work best with a naked click...other times I will make percussion loops, shaker and tambourine, from either a drum machine or a live loop we make in the studio.

Ok, this last one is the sluttiest...after how many takes did you guys usually change the drum heads, when making 21st Century Breakdown? The record sounds fantastic in every way!

We would usually only change the drum heads between songs, usually the snare head would hold up for getting through the tracking of one song. One of the reasons is because we were so well rehearsed Tre usually only had to do 3 or 4 takes.