Acoustic Drumhead Setting - Getting it Right - How to Tune a Drum Kit
LearningTuning a drum kit is in itself an art, which many drummers don't really master. It's no wonder then that many professional drummers rely on specialists for the task, especially for recording sessions…
Mixing your drums Part 3 : the toms - Mixing Toms
LearningToms are an interesting part of the kit that often add flare and excitement to a drum track, just look at the intro to Enter Sandman by Metallica, or the fill before the chorus of Africa by Toto. The…
Mixing your drums Part 2 : the snare - Mixing A Snare Drum
LearningNext to the Kick Drum, the Snare Drum is the most important component of the Drum Kit. So its paramount that we get it to sound as good as its potential.
Mixing your drums Part 1 : the kick - Mixing The Kick Drum
LearningIn most Genre’s the Kick Drum will be the Low End foundation of the song. So really we should treat it with respect and try and get the best out of it while mixing. If you have recorded the Kick Drum…
A Love Affair With Channel One - The Mighty Kick Drum Microphone: Part 1
LearningThough there are other conventions, it is generally agreed that the kick drum goes into the first channel of the console, and for time immemorial, inordinate efforts have gone into tediously adjustin…
Ddrum’s Reflex Review - A Drum to Reflect On
Written testFor a long time, Ddrum was a name only synonymous with drum triggers. At its inception this made a lot of sense, but lets fast forward through the company history and development.
Yamaha DTX540K Review - Pads Without Mercy!
Written testYamaha pulls out all the stops with its revolutionary TCS pads in an attempt to make itself appealing to most drummers who still refuse e-drums. As a DTXPress owner and former user, the DTX540K is re…
Exploring the Art of Filthy Signal Mutation - Extreme Drum Processing
LearningI like music with a distinctly electronic edge, but also want a human "feel." Trying to resolve these seemingly contradictory ideals has led to some fun experimentation, but one of the more recent "h…
How to Get the Most Out of Them - Multitrack Drum Libraries
LearningMore drum libraries are showing up in multitrack format from companies like Discrete Drums, Wizoo, East-West, Reel Drums, etc. Although these are sold on the basis of being useable out of the box for…
The Difference Between Bronze and Brass Cymbals - The Cymbal Rap for Newbies
LearningFor simplicity’s sake, there are basically three types and price levels of cymbals: beginner brass, intermediate sheet bronze and professional cast bronze. The brass are usually used only by young be…
EQ and Compression Techniques Pt.2: Drums - EQ and Compression Techniques Pt.2: Drums
LearningDespite the preponderance of exceptional drum samples and loops on the market, for certain genres of music (notably country and rock) there is no substitute for a great session drummer playing on a w…
Recording Drums Part 2 - In the Studio with Michael Wagener - Part 2
LearningAfter explaining how he mics up drums, Michael Wagener now talks more about ribbon microphones, which he considers much less understood than their condenser or dynamic counterparts.
Recording Drums Part I/2 - In the Studio with Michael Wagener
LearningRecording is an art and often a matter of experience, and so what better way of gaining some understanding of what's involved than by listening to the prestigious American engineer Michael Wagener ta…
