NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM NOVEMBER 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM GEAR How do you choose drums? would place that mic 17 feet in front of the MCNULTY: You can have two of the same bass , instead of using overheads. make and model of snare drums that will sound It had a big diaphragm and was great at completely different. Same with cymbals. So getting that amplified, power sound. it’s important to try things out. That said, a lot I wanted to use it for the Don Felder album use DW and Tama drums, which are powerful I just produced, but there are only three left and punchy, for rock sounds. You can go to in the world and I wasn’t able to get one. Gretsch or Rogers thin-shelled drums for But we got a similar Blue mic and plugged more of a jazz sound. When it comes to it into an API console. It sounded great. If cymbals, I tend to favor older Zildjians, but you can put a mic like that with a big capsule I’ve heard beautiful Sabians, and great hand- in front of the kick, the sound just screams hammered cymbals from other companies. into the mic. No matter what, you need to hear the drums and cymbals beforehand to ensure they’re Talk about placement. the sound you’re looking for. MCNULTY: If you’re recording drums in a small booth, there isn’t really anywhere to go, What are your go-to mics? but if you’re recording in a large room, drum DIMAGGIO: I love Earthworks mics. placement matters. I usually take a snare and They capture an incredible frequency a drumstick and walk around the room hitting range. Unless you’re using old AKGs the snare, listening for where it sounds best. and Neumanns that cost $20,000 each, I You’re looking for the location that offers the believe in the new Earthworks stuff, hands most full-bodied sound, one that’s not overly down. Tons of guys use them—everybody bright or muffled. Trust your ears and instincts. forth between the control room and tracking from Steve Gadd to George Duke. Once you’ve found a sweet spot, put your room before David came in to listen. We also MCNULTY: Shure SM57s always had Art Smith, a legendary drum work for snares, and I’ll sometimes I’d say that the key things doctor, help with drum tuning. On use a heavily padded AKG 451 in a session like that, you can take conjunction with the SM57. I like to are the right engineer, a half-day or even a full day to Larry DiMarzio, Steve Vai; Brian Ward/The David Bowie David Bowie Archives, Brian Ward/The Larry DiMarzio, Steve Vai; put a mic on the bottom of the snare get it right. But sometimes you as well, and the Shure Beta 87 is drummer and equipment— don’t have the luxury of time. I my favorite, even though not many remember recording a Broadway studios have it. For kick drum, the in that order. show soundtrack where I literally classic AKG D12 and D 112 are had five minutes to get the drums standards, and the Audix D6 is great —Robin DiMaggio ready before we hit record. as well. For overhead mics, I love DIMAGGIO: Some artists old AKG 414s, which are very even, and old snare stand there and build the kit around that. are meticulous about setting up drum Neumann KM 84s, which are warm and handle Once I have drums set up, I’ll also walk around kits to get the right sound. I did a Paul high pitches from the ride cymbal very well. and listen to how the kick drum sounds at Simon album working with Steve Gadd. DIMAGGIO: In the ’80s, A&M studios had different places in the room. If there’s a spot 15 Steve and I were both playing drum kits this Neumann CMV 3, and every drummer feet away that gets a beautiful low end, I’ll put a in the same room and at the same time. Recording drums takes expertise, experience mic there, and if there are spots where certain Paul wanted the sets to sound completely frequencies are emphasized or cancelled out, different, so I did things like turn my snare and experimentation I’ll avoid those. upside down to get a different vibe. We DIMAGGIO: A lot of mic and drum had something like 90 mics on both kits— placement depends on the artist. When I it looked like a small Arc de Triomphe of Whether it’s a tight beat, driving R&B To find out, we turned to Mario J. McNulty like common sense but it’s important to was doing a Diana Ross record, I ended up microphones around my drums—but it groove or blistering metal assault, nothing and Robin DiMaggio for advice. McNulty is a remember you can spend time, energy and close-miked on everything. But there was wound up sounding great. defines the character of a song like artfully New York producer, engineer and mixer who resources getting drums to sound right but another mic system set up 5 feet away with played—and beautifully recorded—drums. has worked in the studio with artists including if you don’t have a good drummer from the the mics aimed directionally at the kit. The What about tracking outside a studio? But melding the magic of snares and David Bowie, Linkin Park, Julian Lennon and get-go, you’re wasting time. Next, you need engineer ended up getting a sound that was DIMAGGIO: Simplify everything as far as cymbals with the right tincture of mics, Rufus Wainwright. DiMaggio is a veteran a great room to record, and a great kit for closer and another that was farther away. equipment goes. Don’t use a huge drum set, preamps and recording know-how can be L.A.-based drummer and producer whose the drummer. The rest is malleable. Instead of having to mess with EQ and and limit the amount of mics you’re using. an elusive alchemy. Elements ranging from credits include Paul Simon, Diana Ross, David DIMAGGIO: I’d say that the key things compression for each song, he could just There will be fewer phasing problems and room acoustics to microphone selection and Bowie, Tupac and Steve Vai. DiMaggio was are the right engineer, drummer and bring the faders up and down if he wanted fewer cables that get tangled and go bad. placement can make a huge difference in the the drummer on TV’s late-night show Lopez equipment—in that order. I’ve played in a bigger or smaller sound. In that situation, less is more. sound quality. Plus, a nearly endless array of Tonight until its cancellation last year. He situations where rooms or mics weren’t MCNULTY: Regardless of the setting, drum and cymbal options offers musicians, currently works regularly as the official music good, but a great engineer made my sound How long does setup usually take? nothing is set in stone—ever. If something engineers and producers even more choices. director for projects with the United Nations. mind-blowing. I’ve also been in incredible MCNULTY: I recently recorded with David doesn’t sound good, move a mic or drum, With so many variables, how do you lay down recording facilities with amazing mics, but Bowie, and I spent hours with his drummer, try a different mic. Experiment until you get percussive tracks and capture that precise What’s vital when recording drums? the engineer wasn’t the right fit to make Sterling Campbell, setting up mics, tweaking the sound you love. sound you’re after? MCNULTY: Get a great drummer. Sounds it sound good. Steve Vai EQ and compression, and going back and –Michael Gallant

54 55

M7-Vol3-Mag-test20.indd 54 12/10/12 12:00 AM M7-Vol3-Mag-test20.indd 55 12/10/12 12:00 AM