Members axe2 2001 Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 I was reading in the Swedien thread about using a large quilted blanket, forming somewhat of a tent over the kick drum. Now I was watching ultimate albums on VH-1 classic, Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. If your not farmiliar, ultimate albums gives a rundown of how they recorded and tracked albums. There is an entire series. Fantastic show. They have stevie on a Yamaha stage custom drumset and I saw a large quilted, heavy blanket over the kick. Just on the strength of Bruces' knowledge i'm gonna try this. Now that I also see Stevie Wonder in a Studio with a blanket i'm thinkin it must produce a specific kick tone. Just wondering (no pun intended) if anyone else has done this and what the actual reason for it is. I can imagine that it will isolate the kick from other mic's, which might be good and bad. I like having some kick in the overheads. Any thoughts?? Thanks in advance, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 You'll still get plenty of kick in the overheads if you do this, I would think. I've only ever formed a tent in FRONT of the kick drum, not completely covering it, but I would think that the kick drum, being as loud as it is, would still appear prominently in the overheads. I'd have to see the whole contraption, but I know part of the reason for the kick drum tunnel in front of the kick drum, other than isolation, is to be able to place the mic farther away from the kick drum without additional leakage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axe2 2001 Posted February 8, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 Yes, thats basicly what it was, a tunnel in front of the kick. It draped over most of the drum but i'm thinking that is just to keep it in place. Would the result be a low, tight kick tone as opposed to a more ambient "boom"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Antman261 Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 It would cut down on high end reflections mainly is what I would think? Give the kick a more sharp solid attack, but dulled down a little. Also giving the effect of a (percieved) rounder sound in the low end. I haven't done this, but I might try it with the next rock band I've got lined up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 I dont' fully understand this, but i have found the same thing by accident. It happened during a recording of a band in a very small room. I just could'nt get enough tone out of the kick drum without bleed so I took a big piece of 4" thick pyramid sound foam that was laying around and covered the whole front of the kick drum with it covering the front and the mic. It essentially was like covering it with a blanket. The kick sound completey transformed into a fat thud and there was significantly less bleed. The cover may act like a resonator which reinforces the core frequencies, I don't know but it works!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jazzyrick Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Does Mic placement have anything to do with getting a nice attack(slap) of the kick drum? I run sound with a small PA and we have a crossover and subs and even a pretty nice mic(shure Beta 52), but have rarely been able to get a nice attack. Most of the guys we hire to run our sound at larger gigs always have a nice attack, but ours just sounds pretty good, but with no attack. -Richard Rajchel CD Duplication www.coolwatersband.com SEO Tips Simplified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axe2 2001 Posted February 9, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Does Mic placement have anything to do with getting a nice attack(slap) of the kick drum? I run sound with a small PA and we have a crossover and subs and even a pretty nice mic(shure Beta 52), but have rarely been able to get a nice attack. Most of the guys we hire to run our sound at larger gigs always have a nice attack, but ours just sounds pretty good, but with no attack. -Richard Rajchel www.vectorcds.comwww.coolwatersband.com The only way I got a good wet slap with my 52 live was to run an EQ as an insert on that channel with a limiter/gate. Bump up mid/highs and highs, drop out some low mids and use less lows than you think you need. The guys in live sound can help you better than I can though. As for the kick tunnel, i'm gonna give it a try this weekend and see what I get. Thanks guys, always good to bounce ideas around! Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Sayers Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 I've been doing it for years. A doona type blanket is best IMHO - I also put a sand bag on the top of the drum to hold the blanket down and to dampen the shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members axe2 2001 Posted February 9, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 I've been doing it for years. A doona type blanket is best IMHO - I also put a sand bag on the top of the drum to hold the blanket down and to dampen the shell. Very cool John, So what is the benifit from doing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boosh Posted February 11, 2007 Members Share Posted February 11, 2007 Hold the blanket down and Dampen the Shell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members russrags Posted February 11, 2007 Members Share Posted February 11, 2007 I like to fold a heavy quilt or packing blanket and place it on top of the kick drum shell and just underneath the toms. What I find this will do it isolate the kick and snare drum. Forming a tent in front of the kick drum will keep the mics from catching the early reflections generated from the room, leaving you with a much tighter kick drum. Other kick drum applications can be added during mixing, but this is your only chance to record a tight sounding kick drum, so pay attention, there is some really good advise being offered from everyone here. If you'll use a high pass filter on your overheads rolling off everything under 100Hz, kick drum will not be a problem in the OHs. Good luck,RussNashville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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