Tracking Drums #3

Tracking Drums

Steve Albini

  • Recording

Join us at Studios La Fabrique for a comprehensive tutorial on drum recording techniques! Hosted by the legendary rock engineer Steve Albini, this video series dives into great detail on tracking a drum kit in fully analog fashion with a Neve 88R console and Studer A800 MKIII tape machine. Albini takes you through his microphone preferences and positioning for bass drum, snare, toms, overheads, stereo drum kit, and room ambience. He gives concise reasoning for the types of microphone used and their placement, while suggesting suitable alternatives. Furthermore, he reveals his clever processing techniques to reduce bleed, enhance natural reverb, control dynamics, optimise phase relationships, and more. He demonstrates the use of his techniques by recording a live drummer, and draws diagrams on a white board to clearly impart his extensive knowledge!


Steve Albini

About Steve Albini

Steve Albini is a well-known engineer, mixer, and studio owner who lives and works at his Electric Audio studio in Chicago, Illinois. He is also the guitarist and main singer of the grunge band Shellac. Albini continues to work almost entirely in the analogue domain, being known for recording "live in the studio" as much as possible. He also places particular emphasis on the selection and use of microphones in achieving a desired sound, and to best capture the ambience. In 2004, Albini estimated...

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