Getting real drummers to do drum loops-remote work

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Mbira

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
2,422
Location
Austin, TX
I'm curious what people do these days...I've really been enjoying the drum sounds that Bonobo gets-especially on the album "Days To Come".

He seems to be mixing live drumming and drum machines.  Some of the live videos have a full band.  Anyway, I can program drums, etc, but when it comes to cymbals and subtle ghosting, etc, it seems like such a PITA and I never really get the results as nicely as I'd like. I don't have easy access to a good studio to have a drummer go in and record loops, but I was thinking I'll bet there are great drummers out there that have access to a studio.  it'd be really cool wo write a part and email them a recording from a drum machine then have a drummer learn the loop and record it and send back multitrack broadcast wave stems of the part.

Is this a common thing?  it seems like it wouldn't take much time for the drummer to do-especially if he had a lot of work, and access to a studio.  Anyone know anyone good that does this?
 
I am working with a friend of mine who has a midi drumkit... I upload ideas and sketches of songs on our soundcloud account, and he mails me midi-files. And he uploads the parts he has been playing as an audio mixdown for for me to treat as loops and stuff. This way I am building a library with midi files and loops... 
 
I know some talented drummers and have access to a great studio that's got a classic old sjkool API and a  medium size drum space that sounds great. what exactally do you got in mind?  I am thinking the loops would be mutlitrack vs typical loops that are just stereo mixes that way people could mix it as they please.
 
Thanks for the replies.  I don't have an exact need right now, but I'm seeing that these services are out there-that's good to know.  I guess a real advantage to working in this way (and finding someone whose sound and style I liked) would be the most important so I could use them to achieve a consistent sound.
 
I think it's a great idea.  The detractor is compensation.  What is an artist willing to pay, what does a studio cost and what's left for the drummer? 

When I worked at a studio full-time this was easy to do.  So easy, in fact, that I didn't have to charge much at all.  Most of my stuff was already set up and ready to go.  Now, without a home base for this sort of thing, it's hard to assess a price worthwhile for all parties.  (Note to self: Own a professional studio in close proximity to home.)
 
Yeah-the guys that seem to be doing this seem to have a home studio dedicated to drums...So I agree that then you are relaly trying to find not just a great drummer but someone that is also great at recording their instrument.  But if they have a room set up only for that reason then it's probably a lot easier...
 
just a chime in here...  I find that to get that really intricate full sound when mixing drums and loops is to NOT have the same thing happening on both parts then level to taste.  For instance having real drums (or even samples of real drums works fine) then taking an electronic "flat" sounding loop and mixing them together creates some really interesting things both sonically and rhythmically.

 
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