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Jul 20 04 7:23 PM

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So there we are at soundcheck, i had my [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] tuned just right and sounding FAT.
I have front head of Kick intact as i enjoy the boomy effect THAT MANY GREAT DRUMMERS HAVE ENJOYED THROUGHT THE AGES.

so we check the [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] and REALLY COOL sound guy seems to be having allot of trouble with the kick (even though it sounds great to me)
he is shaking his head and cursing to his terribly overweight friend, he then bounds up to the stage and whips out his STANLEY KNIFE saying "oh i just need to cut a hole in your bass drum"
OMFG! who the hell does this guy think he is!!
I tell him to bluntly get rogered and he retires to his desk muttering "sounds like puss" under his breath.

so i try not to think about putting his nose up behind his eyes and calmy finish checking sound with a couple of songs.

i leave sound check immediately and hook up with gf for some eats

i get to the show and the opening band is playing to a reasonable crowd
i decide to take a wee peak at how my kit is sounding (as opening drummer and I had agreed that he will use mine - after all it does sound fantastic)
looking forward to hearing that perfectly tuned, warm, deep thud with the beautifull "bOOm" i had worked so hard to perfect.
and what do i get..
the horror...
high mid enriched "click" style kick sound actually louder than the snare!
granted opening drummer isnt the sharpest
but jeez this sound man is really starting stress me out
turns out AWESOME sound guy had convinced malleable opening drummer to travel home and pick up HIS bass drum and put it place of mine... GREAT!
but I no complain and just play the gig and have a good time.

the very next day I'm in the Library checking out the latest modern drummer ( as you do) and what do i see? > An article on dealling with "the local sound man"
to my astonishment the article turns towards sound men who insist on having front kick heads with holes in em!
Billy Ward writes:
"This is an example of how cilantro a sound man knows, after all John Bonham had intact front heads and his was truly the greatest of all kick sounds"

the lesson here is sometimes you have to tell them whats up, and not just leave them to their own devices.
having said that, remember not to infruriate him/her too much, as they are your sound.
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#1 [url]

Jul 20 04 7:46 PM

Yeah, I know what you're talking about! I've definitely had less experience than you would've had, but even still I haven't met a good sound person who has rigged my kit the way I want it to sound.
I've had sound guys rush me through sound checks & then during the gig they're scratching their heads thinking why don't the [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] sound right?
By the way, I've only ever had one mic on my snare from above. When you're doing a sound check you can usually hear those 'Ghost notes' but when the whole band is going they disappear (like the ghosts they are!). Have you used 2 mics on your snare at all - top & bottom - & how does it sound?
Though I realise sometimes the limited channels on the mixer dictates how many mics I can use on my kit.

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#2 [url]

Jul 29 04 7:27 PM

Being a tech of sorts and a drummer I do kind of understand the conflicts that are in place on this one. Generally the tech wants to layer the sound, so each sound - gat, vox, snare, bass, bass drum have their own spot in the spectrum so they ring out clearly.

the unfortunate side effect is that an intact head sounds bright through a decent PA for some reason clashing with lots of other instruments. You have to remember that it sounds ok to you BEHIND the kit. it sounds kind of stifled, almost chocked in front of the kit sometimes depending on your tuning and the acoustics of the room.

I've got around this by sticking an aquarian Impact II head on both ends of the drum to damp some of the highs. The sound is amazing un-miced and doesn't change dramatically when miced.

Simplest solution: Tell the sound tech that if he wants to cut a hole in your head that he will have to reimburse the cost of a new one. OR - and this is crucial - work with the tech and check what your [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] sound like from the floor. Get another band member to play your [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] and work with the tech and adjust your tuning to get the right sound that you want and one that he is happy with.

It also pays to bear in mind that the tech has a reputation to make/uphold as well. Just like the band he will get further work based on how good his shows are. As musicians we need to work closely with the techs to get everything sounding sweet. Their carreers parrallel our own and if you don't form a tight team and work with them on and off stage it makes life hard for everybody, which means that the music is not served as well as it should be.

Next time you play a gig the first thing you should do is go directly to the sound engineer, introduce yourself and be ultra nice and cool to him/her. Listen to your [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] from the floor as well as on stage to get a good perspective of how the room changed the sound projection of your [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] and tune accordingly. Ask their opinion and why they want things the way they do.

If you do this a gig will be more fun for you, them and everybody.

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#3 [url]

Jul 29 04 7:51 PM

i aggree most fervently and encourage all to addhere to the above guidelines.

BUT

If your a soundman and cant get a great sound from a great sound (in this case my intact front headed kik drim) then in my opinion you are a bad soundman.

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#4 [url]

Jul 29 04 8:09 PM

I'd aggree there to a point. You'd have to actually hear your [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] from the front to really get it though. the room can affect the sound so much, not to mention the PA, positioning etc.

Cutting a hole in the head should not be required, but a cilantro re-tuning will go a long way.

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#5 [url]

Aug 6 04 6:03 AM

dB, I agree totally. What you say rings true with what sound engineers, and drummers around the world have been saying ever since single headed [url=http://www.drumandbass.org]drums[/url] went out and close-micing came in.

Whythe,,#, running a drumset through a PA requires "accomodations". BOOM BOOM on an acoustic BD equates to BOOOOOOM BOOOOOOOM through the PA. And you are competing for boom boom space with the bass and guitars as well...

It is a fact of life though, recording, live (through a PA), and acoustic usually require different setups to get the best sound.

Maybe the soundguy was an idiot afterall though...

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#8 [url]

Aug 9 04 3:45 PM

i've worked with plenty of great sound people who have no trouble with my intact front kick head.

any one who makes too much of a big deal out of it is not the sharpest.

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