Screening off drums

[theshadow2001]

My drummer reckons that if he makes an enclosure from ply wood that it will make his drums sound better when recording.
We're talking a three sided thing left right and rear. I have my doubts and think isolation is the only thing to be gained from doing it. Since he's recording the drums with out any other instruments playing at the time, I think it's pointless. Can anyone confirm or deny the benefits of this?

 

[fenderhutz]

My drummer reckons that if he makes an enclosure from ply wood that it will make his drums sound better when recording.
We're talking a three sided thing left right and rear. I have my doubts and think isolation is the only thing to be gained from doing it. Since he's recording the drums with out any other instruments playing at the time, I think it's pointless. Can anyone confirm or deny the benefits of this?

A Drumbrella helps with Cymbals when recording, but unless he's playing live at a church and wants to dampen his sound, he is going to get nasty reflect and echo. (a drumbrella looks like a big umbrella with dampening material in it).

 

[Lucas G]

we started using a wall made out of heavy, heavy corrugated cardboard to isolate the drummer when we record practices and stuff. it made a WORLD of difference. it's probably 48" high, so we can still maintain eye contact with each other, but it got rid of probably 90% of the bleed from our amps in to the drum mics, and the overall drum sound is way better.

Of course, we record everything live. if you are recording things one at a time, it might make the kick drum a little punchier, or it might make everything sound terrible. it's worth experimenting with, anyway.

 

[theshadow2001]

I Drumbrella helps with Cymbals when recording, but unless he's playing live at a church and wants to dampen his sound, he is going to get nasty reflect and echo. (a drumbrella looks like a big umbrella with dampening material in it.

Yes that pretty much confirmed my thoughts. The acoustics in his garage are pretty poor but it's not going to improve things. Whats a drumbrella. I did a google search and came up with nothing.

 

[fenderhutz]

Yes that pretty much confirmed my thoughts. The acoustics in his garage are pretty poor but it's not going to improve things. Whats a drumbrella. I did a google search and came up with nothing.

There is a recording studio in Falls Chruch VA that has one. You find the biggest outdoor umbrella you can find, hang it about 5 feet above the kit after lining it with foam (simliar to the egg crate bedding material). Also look what they do behind the kit.

http://www.cuerecording.com/The Red Room.htm

Link Removed

Here is a list of bands that used that studio.

Dave Matthews Band
New Edition
Mariah Carey
Larry Fast of Peter Gabriel
Toni Braxton
SWV
The Rollins Band
Michael Jackson
Salt 'n Pepa
Cracker
Everclear
311
Mary J. Blige

Just to name a few.

 

[chrisp2u]

My drummer reckons that if he makes an enclosure from ply wood that it will make his drums sound better when recording.
We're talking a three sided thing left right and rear. I have my doubts and think isolation is the only thing to be gained from doing it. Since he's recording the drums with out any other instruments playing at the time, I think it's pointless. Can anyone confirm or deny the benefits of this?

Better, of course, is subjective. That would seem to be mostly good for isolation if other stuff was being recorded at the same time. Otherwise, (depending on the material used for the screen... less or more reflective, absorption properties) it'll just focus the sound a bit more potentially, and limit the "room" sound some.

Of course, if your room is acoustically treated and well balanced (low-end absorption and high frequency reflection deadening), this shouldn't be necessary. If not... it might help a bit. Some people like a bit of a live room sound for stuff, and some people like a really dead, isolated sound. Depends on the sound you're going for mostly, or what's expected in the particular genre of music being recorded.

Only way to really know if it works for you guys in your room is to try it.
---
c

 

[theshadow2001]

Yeah I can see how the drumbrella might help deaden sound a bit. I think that he was just going to make a plywood box and stick his drums in it. No insulating material at all. I think the real issue is just the crap mics he's using and the thing he's using to mix the drums on. I don't think the room acoustics are playing much part in the over all bad sound. since he's close micing everything. Things get real unclear when he uses open hi-hats and cymbals.

 

[DocBop]

My drummer reckons that if he makes an enclosure from ply wood that it will make his drums sound better when recording.
We're talking a three sided thing left right and rear. I have my doubts and think isolation is the only thing to be gained from doing it. Since he's recording the drums with out any other instruments playing at the time, I think it's pointless. Can anyone confirm or deny the benefits of this?

I would agree pointless in general. If getting some unwanted standing waves off other stuff in the room some damping material in the room would help, probably help everything done in the room. I would say more work on mic selection and positioning is probably the better solution.