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Thread: Yesterday's Studio Gig

  1. #1

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    Default Yesterday's Studio Gig

    I got a call to meet a guitarist friend of mine at the studio because he needed drum tracks on one song...........he said it would be "easy".
    I have worked with this same guy many times on studio projects but we usually have at least one rehearsal before going in to record anything.............I'm a firm believer that a recording studio is no place for rehearsal............not only is the meter running, but I don't like to feel rushed to perform on the spot..............especially on a kit that feels foreign.

    I arrived at the studio yesterday @ 5pm with no clue toward what to expect; I had not heard the song and there were no charts.
    The song was constructed in three separate sections............an intro, an ending, and finally, the body of the song, i.e., verses and choruses.
    These three sections were recorded in that order.

    The studio was new to me and looked good. The isolated drum room was small but adequate and the kit was a Pearl session series...........they sounded good in that little room, and of course, coming back through the headphones.
    I thought the snare and toms were good but the bass drum was exceptional........the hats and cymbals were average.

    We started with the intro..............the guitarist showed me a run of notes on the guitar and he wanted me to do the same on the toms, then during a repeat of the run, keep a beat until the end-note.............we got it on the 3rd take............the whole section was about 12 or 14 seconds.

    Then we did a "blues-type" ending where, again the guitarist showed me his idea and we got this one in one take............it was a very simple and conventional blues-song ending.

    The third section was the longest (being the body of the song)..........the guitarist played his vamp and I practiced a minute with that. Once I got the feel for the verse and the chorus parts figured out, we let the recorder roll and we got this one also on the 3rd take.

    They were then going to add additional guitars, bass, and vocal parts and I was told my job was done.
    I left the studio @ 6:15pm and I really have no idea what this thing will sound like when it is complete.
    I'm sure I'll find out at some point down the road..............it was certainly different but also interesting.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  2. #2

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    Default Re: Yesterday's Studio Gig

    What a blast. I always enjoyed going into the studio. I've been hired on several occasions to record jingles for local businesses for advertising purposes. When they play them on TV you sort of have a bit of beaming pride..."Hey, that's me."
    Signature here

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ricardo View Post

    I thought the snare and toms were good but the bass drum was exceptional........the hats and cymbals were average.
    Keep in mind you can bring your own cymbals and often your own snare and kick pedals. (Sometimes they'll want to use the house snare)

    Glad you had fun!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Yesterday's Studio Gig

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Keep in mind you can bring your own cymbals and often your own snare and kick pedals. (Sometimes they'll want to use the house snare)

    Glad you had fun!
    I brought my own snare last week. It went right back in the Jeep when I saw a Radio King snare waiting for me.
    Mmm... Saturns.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Yesterday's Studio Gig

    I miss doing that. I did a couple of tracks in college for a studio. Was a great experience!

  6. #6

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    An hour 15? Sounds like a blast. I like to be prepared too, but man, there's an energy to off the cuff jams like that.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bish View Post
    What a blast. I always enjoyed going into the studio. I've been hired on several occasions to record jingles for local businesses for advertising purposes. When they play them on TV you sort of have a bit of beaming pride..."Hey, that's me."
    Yes ! I did a radio jingle for Dr. Pepper a hundred years ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Keep in mind you can bring your own cymbals and often your own snare and kick pedals. (Sometimes they'll want to use the house snare)

    Glad you had fun!
    I did bring in two additional cymbals..............it helped a lot.

    Quote Originally Posted by SpazApproved View Post
    I miss doing that. I did a couple of tracks in college for a studio. Was a great experience!
    My first studio experience was a song for a friend in Grand Prairie, TX.
    One week later, the studio engineer called me to ask if I was interested in doing an entire album with a country duo.............of course I said yes.
    They brought in a fiddle player and a steel player that were incredible.
    I felt a little intimidated but the product turned out good.


    Quote Originally Posted by marko138 View Post
    An hour 15? Sounds like a blast. I like to be prepared too, but man, there's an energy to off the cuff jams like that.
    Good point, Marko !
    When I hear the final product, I hope you are exactly correct.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  8. #8

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    Default Re: Yesterday's Studio Gig

    Whenever I'm in a studio I get distracted. Making recordings is tricky. I think the other musicians are having trouble focusing also.

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