drumming secrets

2nd & 3rd day:

The first day we took time to set up the close miking system and now it's time to add some ambient mikes (microphones) and do some additional test recording.

On the second day our guitar player Dami Corlazzoli joined in to spend some time, listening and giving some feedback to me which was in many situations very helpfull!

For me it's always important to have at least one band member in the studio while I am playing the tracks. Getting support and feedback from people involved, either a technician, producer or bandmember, helps me to get out the best of me and really kick ass....

Starting early with a few cups of that great coffee, we started to get me into playing the tracks; I wanted to play with a lot of energy, to create that BIG LIVE sound. At the same time I always love it to have a direct feel of dry attack and punch that drive through the speakers... I guess that's always a great challenge on any recording session with drums

During these days I discovered how many influences are involved to make me play 100%! You know I could make a list of it, but I rather explain it while I write; I have to remember it's a blog report, not a lesson, ha,ha,ha,....

The people that you work with are absolutely important in this matter; anyone that you don't feel comfortable with should be 'banned' out of the place.... In reality it would simply mean that you don't invite people that do not have to be there. Like I said: bandmembers should be there, at least one!! This way you don't have to decide on your own, with having the risk that you have a drum solo record in the end, ha,ha,ha,...

I find it important to have a good communication with the technician; it's better to understand how every one works, and you have to be a flexibel in time and space...I tend to explain the technician how I like to work and at the same time, I expect the technician to tell me that too from his point of view. In this way you can work for the many long hours to come! For example: during this weekend we worked quite a few hours: starting at 11:00 till 23:30 at least! And that was just a weekend!! Now imagine a recording session that takes 2 weeks.....

The place where you record....I found out that you need to get inpired before you play anything; the building where Alex Buurman Productions' studio is situated in, is a nice old building that breaths...... (with 'breathing' I mean that the building has a history, a nice vibe) When I walked around, there were many little corners, stair cases and rooms where you could go, all with those old fashioned little windows.... Looking out of those windows, you could see a nice street view with trees. It's great to be able to enjoy day light every now and then, between all the takes you are trying to record. Even when I needed to get some fresh air, once I stood outside, I experienced the spaciousness of the huge parking place next to the building. And there is even a small harbour.....

Your favorite drum setup is so important!! I always make sure that I bring all the equipment that I need for feeling comfortable; I listen to the acoustics in the room where the kit is situated in and tune it at it's best, for that particular enviroment. It has to give me the sound that makes me want to kick ass (for outsiders= play well ha,ha,ha,)

The 'Live Room" is the room where the drum kit is set up with mikes. That room really needs to bring you in the right atmosphere for playing well..... The way it looks, smells and more important, the way it sounds acoustically!! In the many occasions where I played drums in studios, big or small, I've noticed that my drumset sounds good in places that are at least 3 meters high and not too dry; it should be a room where (with a bit of imgination) one could place 3 drum kits easily! I think the room needs to be able to handle the energy and sound projection of the drums, without reflecting it too early. This way the toms and the snare will  have the chance to build up their sound. If a room sounds good, like here at Alex's place, it's really worthwhile to put some mikes in the room, a bit further away from the kit, to catch the ambience of that room; this way it gives me the chance to give that extra sound to it in the mix, whenever needed.

Monitoring what you are playing by listening....it can be so confronting, I can tell you! Even after 30 years of recording and playing experience the best way to put your skills to the test is to listen back to what you have actually played! You can hear all little timing and sound details....sometimes a very frustrating moment. That's also a reason to make sure that you have people around that are with you in a positive way. Listening back to your stuff is a very private matter to me, that I only want to share with those people that can deal with it. (Sometimes it feels like standing naked in the room with a croud around you....) I tend to do many takes and learn from every take more and more.....I've never played a track in one take I think, and you know what, I wouldn't want to.... I simply enjoy the process of recording. It takes time to create something unique and special. If you look around you, today there seem to be this tendency to work efficient and economically only....  getting to the end result as fast as you can.... I don't want to take that approach into my creative life with precious moments!! It's better to enjoy every step so you can learn, enjoy and remember these special moments....

Now everything is recorded (we managed to put down 7 tracks of drum recording which is not bad at all!), we make sure that everything is well backed up!! Even packing the gear and put the studio back in the same situation as it was when we came 3 days ago, takes time as well....This is ALSO a part of the whole process and it gives me the time to let my mind and body calm down after 3 days of forcing ENERGY out of that body of mine. I think altogether, this was again a great learning process with a fantastic end result....one I will look back to with joy, but even better; one I will listen back to soon this week....but for now a bit of holiday! We go to the beach tomorrow, YEAH!!

Oh, and before I forget: Alex and Rob!! Thanks to their effort, energy (vegetarian pealla) and feedback during these days it all worked fantastically. We'll work together again for sure!!