Recording Session

[Mixbuster]

Hey guys. Sorry if I'm "double" posting, due to the search function.
But!
My band are making an album (finnaly). Were began to track drums yesterday, but.. I do the engineering, and I bet I pressed the recoding button 200 times due to the drummer couldn't keep his beats intime with guitars and metronome.
Does anyone have any nice tips of how to get him intime? We only have 3 weeks to get 6 songs tracked.

Thanks!
Best regards.

[brian_delizza]

Is there latency that is throwing him off? Can he play to a click track? Does he suck and just can't play in time? Maybe try doing the song in pieces, or recording the cymbals and the drums separately? Beat detective?

If all else fails and you run out of time buy BFD or similar.

[Mixbuster]

It's not latency. I think he can manage to play to a metronome, but not without guitars. So just metronome is not working at all
He sais to me that he want's to track the whole song in one take and I've mentioned tracking in pieces but he rejects. He wants it to feel natural..
I'd had in mind that I would take the metronome in ear, go out, play with him.
But then it would be double work for me..
Can it be, I wondered if he makes the drumparts, to difficult.. I know he has Travis Smith (Trivium drummer) as a favourite drummer.

[brian_delizza]

I'd say your best bet is to keep different takes. I bet if you kept those 200 takes, combined with some beat detective and some comping you cold have a golden take. Well not golden more like Frankenstein but frankenstein will be on time.

I would have no click, but have a scratch Guitar tight on with the click.

And tell him to start practicing with a metrenome.

[brian_delizza]

Originally Posted by Mixbuster

Can it be, I wondered if he makes the drumparts, to difficult.

That's very possible...

[kafka]

Originally Posted by Mixbuster

It's not latency. I think he can manage to play to a metronome, but not without guitars. So just metronome is not working at all
He sais to me that he want's to track the whole song in one take and I've mentioned tracking in pieces but he rejects. He wants it to feel natural..
I'd had in mind that I would take the metronome in ear, go out, play with him.
But then it would be double work for me..

You have no time to fool around. If he's not metronome-perfect but still sounds good, then forget the metronome track. Your drummer will be your metronome. If he can get it in one take, then do what he needs to get that take. If it's you in the room with him, do it. A great take with some guitar bleed is better than no take at all.

[camerondye]

Originally Posted by Mixbuster

He sais to me that he want's to track the whole song in one take and I've mentioned tracking in pieces but he rejects. He wants it to feel natural..

It's a bit of a copout but one that you are going to have to deal with. Tell him re-tracking isn't an option if it's not an option and tell him we have to get on with getting this done so you can get to playing out which is more important.

The first thing to do is make sure he has an amazing mix in his headphones to play to. Spend extra time getting him the "exact" mix he is wanting and he can hear it. Make sure the parts that he is latching onto are loud. Another thing I've done in the past is find the parts where he needs more metronome and automate the volume of the metronome and turn it down when he can stay with the instruments better.

And in a pinch, get him a prostitute, tell him you paid for 3 hours with the hooker and she's waiting until you finish the part.
cam

[Mixbuster]

Originally Posted by camerondye

And in a pinch, get him a prostitute, tell him you paid for 3 hours with the hooker and she's waiting until you finish the part.
cam

LoL

But thanks for all the advices. I'd stick to the plan with no metronome and just play along, cheers!!

[Mixbuster]

Originally Posted by brian_delizza

ut have a scratch Guitar tight on with the click.

Oh, didn't see this one. We tried this one too :p not working

[Grumblefoot]

My advice stick the bass player in the room with the drummer run the bass DI send the drummer the bass signal. Track them both at the same time and you're done.

[Mixbuster]

Originally Posted by Grumblefoot

My advice stick the bass player in the room with the drummer run the bass DI send the drummer the bass signal. Track them both at the same time and you're done.

Ain't it better with the guitar? just put up a small practice amp in the ctrl room and mic it?

[kafka]

Originally Posted by Mixbuster

Ain't it better with the guitar? just put up a small practice amp in the ctrl room and mic it?

Guitar, bass, metronome, cowbell, it doesn't really matter. It's all about what your drummer can deal with. A good drummer would have been fine with the click track.