Stout Recording Studio

We have sent 10 questions regarding the performance of "Thumper" Custom Drums in their individual studio settings. Here are some answers.

What are the primary elements you expect from any drum in your studio and did Thumper Custom Drums meet those requirements? I try to capture a drum sound that is appropriate for the song. My only expectation is that the drums sound good. If it's not sounding good, I'll make some changes. After recording a full length with the Reducers SF, they came back and did a cover for a compilation. The comp is a tribute the great Irish band, The Pogues. They covered the song Broad Majestic Shannon. The drummer, Scott Nicol, used a 7 X 14" Thumper snare drum.
The song has a down tempo 12/8 feel. The low pitch and depth of tone worked perfectly for the song. There was enough space between backbeats to use some big room reverb in the mix.

When recording with Thumper Custom Drums do you have to use studio tricks such as triggering, gating or digital editing? Again, it depends on the song. I find that most bands tend to be pretty conservative when it comes to effects. They want it to sound the way it sounds when they play live. I played drums on a beautiful song called Keep It Hot by an artist named RS2. The song has a dance hall reggae feel. RS2 wanted a dub style mix on the drums. We dropped in some 16th note delay and huge washes of reverb on the snare. We took the bottom heads off the toms for a dry reggae tone, and saturated them with flange in the mix .

Are the drums easy to tune and keep in tune for the duration of the session? Yes, I do find that Thumper Custom Drums tune up quite easily. I've also noticed that they resonate at a variety of pitches which makes them very flexible. I also like to experiment with de-tuning drums. By that, I mean tuning them up to where they sing the best, then tuning a couple of tension rods down so the drum falls in pitch.

Is it necessary to use dampeners like tape, gel or pillows when working with Thumper Custom Drums, or do they sound good naturally? They sound great when they're tuned wide open. With the variety of head choices on the market, you can achieve the desired sound with little to no dampening. Of course, there will be times when a song calls for a special tuning.
I keep a variety of dampening tools around the studio, just in case.

Can you talk about microphone techniques and how they effect the sound of Thumper Custom Drums? Lately, I've been using upwards of nine to ten tracks on a four piece kit. I close mic all the drums, including top and bottom mics on the snare drum (check the phasing). I've been using two microphones on the kick drum as well. I use a matched pair of condenser mics for overheads. Sometimes I close mic the hi hat, too. It also depends on how much time, patients and budget the client has.

We have heard from a number of engineers that it's quick and easy to dial in the sound with Thumper Custom Drums. Do you find that to be true? The drummers who have played on Thumper drums were very satisfied with the tones I captured. I find that I don't have to manipulate the sound with a lot of EQ. Of course, one of my secret weapons at Stout Recording Studio is my two inch tape recorder. Drummers especially love the rich, buttery sound of analog. I do post-production in digital these days, but it sure helps to hit the tape first. I'm dialing in the sound during every step of production, and Thumpers always deliver the solid goods.

Do Thumper Custom Drums sound good in the studio with different types of drumheads? For example, do the rack toms sound better with an Emperor two ply or an Ambassador single ply head? I have had good luck with lots of different head types. Choice of drum heads varies between drummers. Just remember, the thicker the head, the dryer the sound. Any type of ringer, dot, coating or leather pad will dampen the vibrations.My personal preference is a coated, single ply head. Thin heads tend to be loud and snappy, with lots of ring. You can control the ring as needed with any combination of tools. Ring is also controlled by the drummer's technique. I like external dampeners that clamp to the rim. Sometimes I'll use a bit of tape. Sometimes I will cut off a small strip from a ringer, or from an old drumhead. You can choose the appropriate head when you know what type of sound you're going for.

What artists have used Thumper Custom Drums at "Stout" recently?
Reducers SF, The Sore Thumbs, Filthy Thieving Bastards, Eagle Buckett and Hessian from Indiana. The drummer from Hessian, Mike, was surprised by the affordability of Thumper Custom Drums. Joe from The Sore Thumbs likes them because they cut over the sound of his motorcycle.

Do you have any new techniques or tricks you can share with us? The latest thing I tried was flipping the snare drum upside down. There is this song on the new Filthy Thieving Bastards' record called Like Jack Dalrymple. It has a four bar drum intro. I wanted a super dry, crisp snare sound. The only disadvantage to this is having the snares facing you. It makes for a small playing surface, and the snare side heads tend to be dangerously thin. The song only required backbeats on the snare; no fills.

What type of new innovations would you like to see from a custom drum manufacturer? I would like to see somebody come up with a hand drum that emulates the drum set. Sort of like an acoustic guitar for drummers. Maybe it would have a big chamber for low end, and a couple other sounds for mid range and high end to emulate the snare and hi hat; something that any drum set player could pick up and play a beat with. That would be cool!

 

Stout Recording News!!!

Filthy Thieving Bastards have finished the first of two new records. My Pappy Was A Pistol contains 15 gems including a cameo from "Spider Stacey" of The Pogues. Available on vinyl and CD on BYO Records. This record features drummer/producer "Randy Burk" playing Thumper Custom Drums.

If you would like to talk to a professional from this studio please email Randy@stoutrecordingstudio.com.

Check out this studios' web site & the artists who record there.
www.stoutrecordingstudio.com