Hostile Ambient Takeover

[Rusty Shackleford]

hat was recorded on 8 tracks.  impressive.  not too tough for the white stripes, but the melvins weren't even a three piece.  they had dss and a. jones on a lot of it.  the anti-vermin seed on 8 tracks!  recording dale's kit alone would have most engineers using 8 tracks.  toshi is a talented fellow.   that record sounds like a million bucks.

[Moebius05]

hat was recorded on 8 tracks.  impressive.  not too tough for the white stripes, but the melvins weren't even a three piece.  they had dss and a. jones on a lot of it.  the anti-vermin seed on 8 tracks!  recording dale's kit alone would have most engineers using 8 tracks.  toshi is a talented fellow.   that record sounds like a million bucks.

1: Who says it was recorded on 8 tracks?

Still they might have recorded the drums with 8 mics and then mixed them down to 4 and thereby freeing up space for gass, keys, guitars and percussion and then further reduced them to free up space for vocals. But perhaps they only recorded not more then eight tracks at a time (=8 mics for the drumkit), like I do, I record with an 8 track soundcard direct to harddisk.

[Vcavallo]

that record sounds like a million bucks.

(i agree)

[klump]

Buzz has said it was recorded on 8 eight tracks.

[Tyuge]

i believe it

[Galvano]

I don't doubt they recorded it with 8 tracks.
Like Moebius05 said, they dumped the drum tracks but I would guess down to only 2 channels, as in stereo. And I'm guessing they didn't use more than 3 or 4 mics at the most on the drumkit, it's got that primitive sound. Then you have 6 more channels to play with, it's a common and greatly used technique.

[Joe Deutrom]

Yeah. Its called "bouncing" or "ping ponging" and it is a common technique.  

[Rusty Shackleford]

i'm an engineer (an out of work one) so i know what bouncing and shit is.  i doubt that they used 3 or 4 mics on his kit.  at least a kick, a couple of overheads, one for each tom, snare, and possibly a hi-hat.  there's not too much room sound on most of the record so they probably just closed mic'd.  i'm not saying it's really that hard, i was just a little surprised to learn this bit of info.  
yeah galvano, buzz said it in one of the articles on the old board.  brian put them back up.

[Vcavallo]

he's got a really great drum sound on that record.  very alive and tight.  

what's with the mercenary number?  i called it cuz i need someone offed and i got the operator.

[Galvano]

Not much room sound, are we still talking about H.A.T?
I'm not gonna say for sure that they aren't using close mic's to balance with (of course they got a kick mic) ,but the room is so obvious in this recording.

[klump]

my band is gonna record soon , were gonna record it digital (I prefer analog stuff, but this is what we can afford) does anyone of you know some good schematics for mic placement for drums?

I have seen a lot of them, but I just want to know if you guys have any good tips and since all of you have good music taste you maybe know what I want.

(I dont play the drums, but I think they are essential)

[rhett E rock]

i believe it.  a lot of their demos and live stuff are recorded just off two tracks and they sound good.  fucking magicians.  or maybe they're just liars!!!

[Vcavallo]

probably a little of both.  i'd say the percentage is 75% 65%

[Rusty Shackleford]

Not much room sound, are we still talking about H.A.T?
I'm not gonna say for sure that they aren't using close mic's to balance with (of course they got a kick mic) ,but the room is so obvious in this recording.

i'm saying as compared to say skweetis, which is my all-time favorite drum sound ever.  i'm sure toshi did use rooms as it is essential for a big drum sound, but on hat dale's drums seem to be less roomy than on previous records.  that just means even more mics which makes 8 tracks more impressive.  and the drums are most definitely mic'd up seperately.  the toms and snare are so crisp that overheads and rooms just couldn't pick that up by themselves.  also his hi hat work is so clear that it had to be mic'd too.

klump- the placement i use most is usually a d112 inside the kick pointed at the beater and sometimes something like a RE20 outside pointed at the head.  the one on the outside gives more of a woofy sound and the inside has more clickiness or attack.  then 421's for all toms.  placement is key in micing up drums to prevent leakage into other mics.  a shure 57 on the top of the snare.  some guys use one on the bottom as well to get more sizzle.  if you do that be sure to flip the phase to prevent cancellation.  overheads i usually go with one over the right shoulder aimed at the floor tom/ride cymbal side of the kit with enough room for the drummer to swing his arms.  on his left side i try to pick up the hi hat cuz i'm not too fond of micing it on it's own.  be sure that the overheads are the same distance away from the snare as to prevent phase cancellation.   for rooms it really depends on the room.  have your drummer play and you walk around to see where it sounds best.  there are no set rules for micing drums.  i've gotten great sounds with one overhead and a kick mic.

[Rusty Shackleford]

what's with the mercenary number?  i called it cuz i need someone offed and i got the operator.

it spells out THE-MEL-VINS