Drum sound on Deloused..Mars Volta Album

[Noize919]

Has anyone heard this album?

The drums sound amazing and I'm curious if anyone has any insight on how they got that awesome vintage/powerful sound.

All I know is Mr. Rubin had a part in it.

[dylansmale]

you are a god send for asking this, because I have been thinking the same thing since their last couple of CDs. So much so, I could pass as a MarsVolta-DrumoPheliac who doesn't know anything about how they were recorded, but the question is always on my mind.

After much pondering, I think they had to of used a lot of saturation or recorded drums on a 2'' tape machine in the new CD, because they are really well hidden in the mix, but provides much more than just glue. There probably is a little compression on the kick and snare.

Microphone wise, I am almost sure they had to have used a lot of ribbon mics on the drum set, that would be my second guess as to how the drums blend in with the guitars and everything else.

This is all speculation of course

[dylansmale]

In deloused, the drums were recorded differently, but my speculations on that CD are that they didn't tonker much with too much outboard gear since it was a low-budget production, and to keep it a bit more organic. I think they used a few ribbons, but probably recorded the kit strait to digital and not to tape.

I hope you have heard their new CD, because I would rather talk about those recording feets.

[BLUElightCory]

David Schiffman, engineer:

"For the kick drum, I had a Sennheiser 421 inside and a Neumann FET 47 in front; for the snare, a Shure 57 on top, a Sennheiser 441 under; hi-hat was AKG 451; overheads were a pair of AKG C 12s; for the toms, a pair of AKG C 12As; the close mic is a Neumann P-47, a cool old omni mic that sounds great; and we had a pair of Neumann M-49s for the room. All the mics came from Ocean Way's mic locker."

Here's the article on the recording of the record:

The Mars Volta

I know you love me.

[Noize919]

I have heard the new CD...and yes it sounds amazing, but i can tell they used a good amount of "arranging" Thomas' drums.

But yes, it seems to me Mars Volta are dominating the recording world with most of their releases....I know Omar (the guitarist) produces all of it, but who engineers and mixes that crap...give him a cookie.

[Noize919]

Cory.....you're the man!

[dylansmale]

wow 440's in the kick and under the snare, thats a surprise.

and then all those C12s and no ribbons...

[Noize919]

you were way off

[Savernake]

Excellent album (95% of the time) and excellent sound. The drums sound great but mostly cause they're played so well on this record. Not listened to thenewer ones on much but what I hear on bedlam, the new drmmer took a good leaf from te old guys great style.