Elson Trinidad (elson@westworld.com)
Wed, 22 Dec 1999 12:05:13 -0800
Steve Catanzaro wrote:
> About the only drummer I've heard lately is Francisco Moira jamming on
> Innerzone Orchestra, and I think this list generally agrees that this rocks.
> When are we going to hear more LIVE drum trax on hip hop, R&B, and acid jazz
> records, specially the big budget ones? Or, did everyone forget how to play
> the drums after samplers were invented?
There are many factors why drummers have been left out in the cold lately...part
of the reasons:
* Most studios are literally "bedroom studios," making it hard for live drums to
be recorded (yes, I totally agree with the person who said that live drums are
the hardest to record!)
* Recordings with programmed drums are eaiser for DJs to mix
* Sampled/drum machine sounds are more "danceable." -- i.e. more "tighter"
"punchier."
The 90s has favored dry, punchy, in-your-face sounds (as opposed to the big
gated reverb sounds from the 80s)...Why are Akai MPC samplers popular in
hip-hop? Because it's customary to truncate the tail end of the drum sound,
making it shorter and with more impact. Live drums, at least how they are
usually recorded, are "softer
Yes, it's possible to mic, record and process live drums to make them sound more
"danceable" but unfortunately, a lot of recording studio engineers are still
mentally stuck in the 80s and still go for the big reverby sound... my last
acid-jazz band's (still unfinished) recording session was ruined because both
the drummer and engineer opted for the "big reverb" sound.
* Drum machines/samplers are more reliable...i.e. they never flake out on a
session or miss rehearsals :)
(Sorry, that one was personel)
Seriously, I would prefer to use a live drummer all the time, but unfortunately
most of them know little about hip-hop ("Oh yeah, I can play hip-hop..I'll just
play this funky beat..duuuuh") electronica (especially breakbeat styles) and the
functions of how a DJ works in order for me to want to work with them. Maybe
some more drummers should know how to cut up breakbeats and know how to
beat-juggle on the side :)
Elson
--- 30 -
:. elson trinidad, los angeles, california, usa :. elson@westworld.com :. www.westworld.com/~elson
"funny how frustration breeds desire" - meja
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Wed Dec 22 1999 - 21:10:54 MET