Tips 'n Tricks: Learn How To Record Like A Pro
Since the interview in this issue of Roadkill features Rob Wilcox, I thought we should also look at his gear. First, we'll go over his drum kit, and next time we'll look over his guitar rig.
For starters, recording the right drum sound was no easy task. Several days and many different types of microphones went into finding the right tone. The band finally decided on the Samson S-11 for all the toms, the EV-287 for the snare and overhead, and the AKG whatthefuck for the bass drum.
As for effects, the band started with a simple Peavey Deltafex reverb processor, went to standardized reverb effects on the computer program they used to record with, and ended up with a combination of the Digitech RP-5 and the Peavey Deltafex. After encountering weird crossover problems with this final combo, the band ended up sticking to the RP-5 and chucking the Peavey.
Different drum configurations were used to record each song, depending on the style the band felt they needed. A New Light, Trust In America and Whiskey Rose A Go-Go, although very different in nature, all used a stripped-down, two cymbal, four piece drum set. Reason, Whiskey Road, Tonight, and Remember all used the full eight piece. Don't Do Me Wrong, The Rose, and Walk On Home used a six piece set. (BTW: You'll notice that a couple of the songs mentioned are not included on the release of Take It Back. They may very well appear on the next disc but, until then, the only way to hear them will be at the band's live shows! -RH)
According to Rob, the reason for these varying set-ups was "For a completely different style. I play differently on different set-ups, and we chose those set-ups for those songs simply because each song is its own entity. I felt that the only way to do the album credit was to record the drums way."
Jason Schuman, the band's resident sound technician, was responsible for all the micing and effecting. Believing that an effects processor is more than just a toy, he searched and searched for just the right effect, sometimes actually building the effect on the computer from scratch.
Behringer & Ensoniq were the main effects processors for the recording of the album ("they didn't want to give us one so we had to buy it ourselves...sucks to be us" - JS). Jason says he still doesn't know how to use the stuff fully, just enough to cause a lot of ear pain.
See you next month!
- Red Herring
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