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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

880.0. "Problem Recording Electronic Drums" by AKOV75::EATOND (Deny thyself) Tue Jul 21 1987 15:09

	O.K., I did a dir/title and didn't find anything, though I'm suspect
that this hasn't been discussed before...

	About a week ago, famed noter Brad Schafer came by from Ohio (happened
to be in the neighborhood) and we laid down some tracks.  I noticed when I 
played it back that, by gosh, by golly, the drums sounded quite nice, thank you.
BUT, (and I do mean BUT) upon closer listening, I noticed a sort of 'phasing'
sound along with the drum track.  Kinda like if you ran the drums through a 
phase shifter or flanger.  Was recording again last night and heard the same 
thing.

	Anyone else encounter something like this?

	In general, what are the 'tricks' and methods you all use to record
electronic drums to make them sound best?  Any secrets to reveal?

	Dan
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880.1ReverbDREGS::BLICKSTEINDaveTue Jul 21 1987 17:1120
    It's no great secret, but reverb is very important.  Especially
    the kind of drum machines that most DEC employees can afford typically
    are PCM sampled sounds with a limited amount of sampling time
    (typically under 1 second).
    
    This limited sampling time is insufficient for cymbals, so the net
    effect is that most of the cymbals have a noticeable cutoff.  Putting
    a good reverb unit (say, the Roland SRV-2000 f'rinstance) tends
    to alleviate the problem somewhat and adds a "room" to the sound,
    which is what you'd get if you recorded real drums.
    
    My SRV-2000 is what turned my RZ-1 from something that sounded like
    a "cha cha box" (which is what I call those early pioneering "drum
    machines" that used to come with those organs that practically played
    themselves) into a fairly passable method for getting drums on tape.
    
    Nowadays, I find the real problems are due to my deficiencies in
    the area of drum programming, rather than any technical problems.
    
    	db
880.2When in need of answers, look up!AKOV76::EATONDDeny thyselfWed Jul 22 1987 13:4023
	Last night, due to some unplanned extra time, I descended to my basement
and proceeded to troubleshoot the 'phased drums' problem.  My studio is in one
corner of what was previously a home shop (i.e., table saw, milling machine...).
I have yet to really convert it to suit my needs, installing proper outlets,
lighting and storage shelving.  I decided that the only things that could
be affecting the recording were 1) my sound system (don't ask me why, I was 
desparate), and 2) the phlorescent lighting.

	So, this time, after two hours of sequencing in preparation for 
recording the basic track, I reached overhead and pulled the plug on the long
phlorescent tube light and pulled the cord on a nearby incandescent bulb light.
That, indeed, was the problem all along.  I know I had been told about 
phlorescent lighting and sound reproduction and how they don't live nicely
together, but I had had no other problems with this for quite some time...

	Anyway, the saga of the phased drums is solved and I ended up going to
bed last night with a good clean drum track on tape.

	Thanks to the droves of experts who flocked to this topic with helpful
hints and advise 8^).

	Dan

880.3Only Leeches are PhlorescentDRUMS::FEHSKENSWed Jul 22 1987 14:0113
    Uhm, one thing I can help with is "fluorescent".
    
    Hey, if you answer your own questions before we get a chance to
    read them, whadiya expect?
    
    Incidentally, I *have* heard a phasing effect in multitracked drums.
    It happened when I did 6 tracks of drums against a delayed modulated
    sync track - as the same (TR707 "sampled") drum sound was stacked
    up over itself with millisecond delays, there was a phasing effect.
    The stereo effects were bizarre too.
    
    len.
    
880.4Phorgive meAKOV76::EATONDDeny thyselfWed Jul 22 1987 14:587
RE < Note 880.3 by DRUMS::FEHSKENS >

>    Uhm, one thing I can help with is "fluorescent".
    
	Gee, and I thought I was being intelligent by my carefully spelling.

	Dan
880.5Phairly PhantasticJON::ROSSNetwork partner excited first try!{pant}Wed Jul 22 1987 15:349
    
    HUH?
    
    Flooorecent lights affect sound mix on tape!
    
    Sounds like a headline from the Enquirer...
    

    Commmon......
880.6voice of expherienceSALSA::MOELLERWed Jul 22 1987 18:106
    Another source for a 'flanged' sound can be where the drum unit
    has a stereo output with a phase or delay side-to-side, and then
    using a mixer, panning the two outs mono.. the cancellations
    can really exaggerate the phase effect, causing instant flange.
    
    karl