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Easy Tips To Help Your Recording Session Go Smoothly

Category Archives: Drumming

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Easy Tips To Help Your Recording Session Go Smoothly

Posted on February 6, 2019 - 12:01 am by
recording session

Do you often get distracted during a recording session? Do you wonder why recording takes longer than you’d anticipated? Are you looking for ways to make the whole recording process smoother?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, this post is for you.

Practice

Rehearsing the song you’re going to record — whether you’re a solo artist or a rock band — will make your recording sessions go much better.

You want to know the song so well that your muscle memory kicks in. The recording session with go way faster and it will sound better.

Customize Your Workstation

If you’re recording from home or in a studio you own and operate, you may already know the importance of your workstation setup. In my opinion, it will either help you or hurt you.

Set up your recording area in a way that allows you to quickly switch to a new instrument. This means having mics easily accessible.

Or, if you have the equipment and space, have your instruments already mic’d. For example, mic up your drum kit so you can just create a new track and jump over and make a beat.

Make your audio interface easily reachable. Set your computer at eye-height so you’re not hunched over. Your chair and desk should be the central spot with all knobs and recording stations easily reachable from there.

Keep Recording — Even If You Make A Mistake

If you’re constantly stopping and starting your takes, those several seconds in between can add up. So just keep recording, even if you mess up.

You never know — there might be part of that take that’s usable. Plus, you may realize there’s an easier or cooler way to play the part during one of these “throwaway” takes.

Paul McCartney recorded 32 takes of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” before he was happy. Eleven of those takes were complete from beginning to end — he recorded the whole song even though he wasn’t totally happy with it.

And, you could argue, he played it better each take — the last one was the one that made the cut.

Put Your Phone Away

This tip is mainly for millennials and younger generations (although older folks can be just as guilty). The phone — put it away. Turn it on Do Not Disturb, put it in the other room, or just turn it off. Focus on the music in front of you. Whoever is texting you can wait a couple of hours.

When your focus is interrupted, it takes you a minute to get back on track. And you don’t want your genius inspiration to get interrupted.

Edit Later

Just get all of your ideas out in the studio and sort the good from the bad later. Try every idea, even if you think it won’t work. You don’t really know if it will work until you record it.

After an idea is recorded and it turns out to be not so great, wait. When you listen with fresh ears the next day or next week, you may realize it has some merit. Maybe you could sample part of it for a catchy hook, or maybe it inspires a new idea.

The point here is to edit later. The first step is to just record — record everything. Then put the pieces together, add, subtract, and divide.

Your recording sessions will run more smoothly and you’ll end up with better music.

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, TX. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.

Photo by Gavin Whitner

The Best Microphones For Recording Drums

Posted on January 22, 2019 - 12:01 am by
best microphones for recording drums

The microphone you use to record drums can make the difference between a garage-band sound and a professional sound. You probably know this. That’s why we’re going to talk about the best microphones for recording drums.

(Side note: before recording, make sure you tune up your drum heads!)

Overhead And Room Mics

If you have just two channels to record drums, you’ll want to go with a pair of overhead condenser mics because they can give you a nice stereo sound of the entire kit.

Here are three of the best overhead/room microphones for drums that won’t break the bank:

  • Blue Microphones Bluebird
  • Audio Technica AT2035
  • Studio Projects B1

Kick Drum Mics

If you only have two mics or two mic inputs, that’s okay. But there’s one glaring problem — you don’t get much of the kick drum. That’s why, if you have three mics or mic inputs, the next part of the kit you should mic is the kick drum.

Some people would say it’s the most important part of the drum kit.

So here are the best kick drums on the market:

  • AKG D112
  • Shure Beta52A
  • Audix D6

Snare Mics

The snare is also a crucial part of the kit (heck, every part is crucial). So when it comes to snare mics, you don’t want to cut any corners.

The snare sound is like that necessary slap in the face — part of the thing that makes you bob your head.

And to accurately capture that sound, the best mic to use is the Shure SM57. It’s what all the pros use — because it’s hard to beat.

Hi-Hat Mics

Next up in importance (if you have limited mics or mic inputs) is the high-hat. It’s definitely the most important cymbal on any drum kit. It’s the only cymbal that always gets its own microphone.

The type of mic you’ll want to use is a cardioid small diaphragm condenser. The engineer-tested-and-approved mic is the Shure SM81. And it’s less than $300, so it’s still within reach for most DIY producers with home studios.

Tom Mics

Usually, engineers don’t mic the toms individually — they almost always pick up well enough in the overhead/room mics.

But, if the toms aren’t getting that umph-y sound you’re looking for, you can throw a mic on one or all of them. And you can just use a good ol’ Shure SM57 — or any other classic dynamic mic, like a Sennheiser MD421 or a Shure SM58.

The More Mics, The Better

When it comes to getting a professional sound on your drums, the more mics you have, the better. If you have enough mics and mic inputs, put one on every single piece of the kit. You can always mute some of the mics if it’s too much (like the tom mics).

But, as is the case with many home recording studios, you may only have 2-4 mic inputs and mics. In that case, it’s best to mic the parts of the kit in this order: two overhead mics, a kick drum mic, a snare mic (which can also pick up the hi-hat), a hi-hat mic, and tom mics (optional).

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, TX. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.

VintageLogos Has The Best Design Services Around — Here’s Why

Posted on January 8, 2019 - 12:01 am by

Every custom drum head we make is driven by people like you. We strive to help musicians and bands succeed, and we do that by improving their image with the best design services out there.

We seek to help you visually communicate your awesomeness to your audience.

But you probably have some questions, so let’s cover those now.

Why Should I Brand My Drum Head?

What is one thing that will make your band stand out from all the other bands? First, your music has to be heads above the rest (we already assume that’s the case).

But the next thing is to enhance your image — your brand. The best way to do that is to improve your stage presence by branding your drum heads and amp grill cloths.

When people look at you and your band on stage, whether you’re opening for an all-star group or playing at a Battle Of The Bands, they need to know your name. Custom drum heads do this for you.

Branding your band helps define your stage presence, sets you apart, and makes you look like the professional you are.

What Do Other People Think?

As we’ve seen from our previous clients, getting a custom design from us changes things for the better.

Here’s what our customers think about us:

“VintageLogos knocked it out of the park again! Best advertising out there! Super fast, and perfect every time!” – Tom

“This company is by far the BEST professional graphic company that I have EVER seen! They did a great job doing my bass drum heads, and people everywhere that I play just drool over my Custom bass drum heads! Way to go, Vintage Logos!” – Joey

“Great product looks awesome!!!  This is THE place to go for great graphics!!” – Jim

What Options Does VintageLogos Offer?

If you decide to work with us to help brand your band, we offer a ton of great services.

We can help you with designing your logo and even making custom hand-drawn illustrations for you. VintageLogos’ staff has talent, experience, and professionalism when it comes to logo design. You’re sure to end up with an image that fits your band perfectly.

On top of our custom design service, we can also clean up your existing design. Maybe you already have a logo that you love, but it just needs a little help. Or maybe you have a photo that needs some retouching or photoshopping. That’s no problem — we can smooth it out, make it snap, and generally just clean it up and make it look professional.

How Quickly Can I Get My Design?

Simply put, we work fast. Have a big show next month or even in a couple weeks? You can count on us.

Here’s the breakdown of our turnaround times:

  • Simple Production – 1 to 3 business days for the first set of proofs (M-F)
  • Advanced Design – 2 to 4 business days for the first set of proofs ( M-F)
  • Premium Design – 3 to 5 business days for the first set of proofs (M-F)

Like we said, we’re fast.

Sounds Great — How Do I Get Started?

We thought you’d never ask. To learn more, you can check out our Design Services page and hit the “Get Started” button. That’s where you can tell us exactly what you need — what design service(s) you need, what products you want, upload your image or logo, and when you need it.

Plus, we’re super nice and friendly.

How Much Will This Cost Me?

We know what it’s like being a DIY musician, so we purposefully made our prices reasonable and doable.

Here’s what you can expect to pay for our services:

  • Simple Production: $25 to $100
  • Advanced Design: $130 to $225
  • Premium Design: $325 and up

See what we mean by “doable”?

 

vintage logos design services

Being A Drummer In 2019: New Year’s Resolutions That Offer Hope

Posted on January 1, 2019 - 1:01 am by
Being A Drummer

I’m not going to tell you what to do. Every musician should create their own goals and career trajectory, especially because being a drummer in 2019 can look very different depending on the person.

But there are creative ways to go about reaching your goals. And if you’re looking for some New Year’s Resolutions ideas, this is the post for you.

Here are four things you can do in 2019 to boost your music career and give you hope for the future.

Join Or Form A Band

If you’re not already in a band, you need to be — especially if you’re a drummer.

I’m not saying drummers need a band to succeed, but the whole idea of drums is that they work best with other instruments. Plus, it’s just way more fun to play music with friends.

If you don’t have musician friends or you’ve just moved to a new city, you can look up a Facebook group specific to your area.

For example, go to the Facebook search bar and type in “Nashville musicians” and check out the groups that show up. Then post in that group that you’re looking for fellow musicians to start a band.

You could also meet people the old fashioned way — in-person. Check out local artists who are playing concerts in your area, stick around after the show, and introduce yourself. Make sure you have business cards so you can quickly exchange contact info and websites (VistaPrint offers cheap and good custom business card).

Create A Practice Schedule

You’ll never be in a band if you’re not good enough. Yeah, you could do all the right networking steps and connect with other artists, but if you’re drumming is not up to par, it will all be for naught. It will go nowhere.

That’s why it’s super important to have a practice schedule (you may already be doing this). Having a schedule keeps you accountable. It tells you to practice even when you may not feel like it.

Sticking to a practice schedule will make you a better drummer. And the better you are, the better chance you have of being a successful drummer and having a hopeful future.

Focus On Advertising Your Band

Once you join a band, that’s when things get fun. You can start practicing as a band, booking gigs, and getting your name out there.

The only problem is that last step — promoting yourself.

Many musicians cringe at the thought of advertising or promoting themselves or their band, but it’s necessary if you want to stay a band.

And one simple way you, as a drummer, can do that is to get a custom drum head with your band name and logo on it.

Find New Venues To Play

Once you’ve joined a band and practiced together, it’s time to get out there and start playing shows. You could play the venues that all the other bands in your genre are playing. But you can also get creative.

You can look into some more unexpected venues to play to tap untapped audiences, like people’s houses, certain restaurants, and local record stores. And as long as you figure out the right rates, you can make money as a musician this way.

If you commit to these resolutions for the new year and apply yourself, you may find yourself with more hope for your drumming career and a success-focused path.

– – – –

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, TX. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.

Do You Even Need A Drum Teacher?

Posted on December 11, 2018 - 9:13 pm by
drum teacher

Beginner drummers nowadays often ask, “Is it worth the money to pay a drum teacher?”

In the information age, this is a fair question. Can’t you just learn how to play drums by using YouTube or other video tutorials? Can you teach yourself?

Well, yes. But should you?

What Does A Drum Teacher Do?

So, what are you getting for the $30-60 per hour you pay a drum teacher?

The main thing a drum teacher (or any type of instrument instructor) does is give you feedback. They can observe your technique and give you direct, personalized, immediate feedback. The fact that they can give you tips and guidance that’s specific to you is invaluable.

The other side of that coin is that you can ask direct questions of the teacher about your technique and get a direct answer. Every student is different and each has their own questions.

A teacher also holds you accountable. If you know you’re meeting with your teacher next Tuesday, that should give you the motivation to practice. To do on your homework.

What Are Alternatives To A Drum Teacher?

The two biggest alternatives to a drum teacher are online courses and teaching yourself.

Online drumming courses can either be paid or free, like YouTube tutorials. Teaching yourself usually involves playing along with your favorite songs, reading articles or books, and watching some YouTube videos.

Heck, some of the best drummers taught themselves, like Phil Collins and John Bonham.

While many people do well by taking a course or teaching themselves, there are some downsides to them.

Online courses are not specific to you, you can’t usually get answers to your questions, and you don’t have a real person in the room literally showing how to play something. And if you teach yourself, you may be doing something wrong (or doing something the hard way) and no one would be there to tell you.

Should You Work With A Drum Teacher?

It depends. Can you afford a teacher? Are you available during the hours that an instructor would be available? Or are you a very independent person who likes to do things by yourself, on your own time?

The safest bet is to get a drum teacher. If it were guitar, I’d say just teach yourself. But playing the drums involves all four limbs working together and other complicated techniques you need to learn to be a good drummer.

But if you can’t afford a teacher, don’t give up. You can still become a drummer.

Taking an online course, watching YouTube videos, and reading helpful resources are good places to start. At some point, you may want to hire a teacher to help you get to the next level. But until then, you can learn on your own and save up the money for lessons.

Resources For Learning Drums

Whatever direction you take, here are some options for helping you learn how to drum:

– – – –

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, TX. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.

Get Your Musician The Perfect Gift – Custom Drumheads & More

Posted on December 4, 2018 - 12:01 am by

Get Your Musician The Perfect Gift 

VintageLogos is offering a coupon this holiday season — for a limited time, save 10% on all of our products.

To save 10%, use the promo code XMAS2018 at checkout. This is good until March 15, 2019, so you may want to act fast. It’s the perfect personalized gift for yourself or the musician in your life!

Don’t know what to order? Give a gift card. Your musician can design their own Custom Bass Drum Head, Speaker Grill Cloth and Bass Drum Shield Logos. Check out all of our custom products and band merch @ VintageLogos.com

VintageLogos wishes you and your family a Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday

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