[Dixielandjazz] Recording Jazz

Tue Jan 27 10:25:02 PST 2004

>the engineer wanted to put the drummer IN A >DIFFERENT ROOM adjacent to the
rest
>of us.

    That's the way it's done now.  You don't need complete isolation,
usually a Plexiglas shield in front of the drums that's a little higher than
the tallest cymbal will usually suffice.  They are even using the shields in
clubs now so the sound man can balance things easier. (Please don't tell me
about sound men...I know!)
     Your band may be acoustic, but you still have to play into microphones
in order to record.  The shield is to keep as much drums as possible out of
the other players' mikes.  The drums are miked separately.  The guys in the
studio can still hear him but it allows a better balance in the final mix.
     Pat Cooke


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Durham" <mikedurham_jazz at hotmail.com>
To: <bowermastergroup at qwest.net>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2004 6:02 AM
Subject: RE: [Dixielandjazz] Recording Jazz


> The "pillows under feet" phenomenon that Kurt relates below is enshrined
for
> all time in the title of Clarence Williams' "Cushion Foot Stomp".......
>
> Incidentally, when we went to record in a new studio around 1997, the
> engineer wanted to put the drummer IN A DIFFERENT ROOM adjacent to the
rest
> of us. Makes a mere blanket seem very small change. Needless to say, we
> "educated" the young gentleman in the art of recording an acoustic band,
and
> got a decent result (but never went back there again).
>
> Mike D.
>
> >From: "Kurt" <bowermastergroup at qwest.net>
> >To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> >Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Recording Jazz
> >Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 08:16:21 -0600
> >
> >Digging out this morning from five inches of snow with more on the way
> >today!...
> >
> >
> >Pulling out Bill Crow's "Jazz Anecdotes" book again...
> >
> >On page 107, H.O. Brunn describes some of the problems at the first date
at
> >Victor with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band:
> >
> >"The stamping of a foot would be heard very clearly, and at this time
they
> >had not yet discovered a method of "erasing" an unwanted sound from a
> >record.  For this reason, LaRocca  was not allowed to "stomp off" his
band
> >in the usual fashion.  Instead, the musicians were instructed to watch
the
> >red signal light, count two after it came on, and then begin playing.  It
> >is
> >indeed miraculous that they were able to start out together, and even
more
> >of a wonder that they immediately fell into the same tempo."
> >
> >The book goes on to say...
> >
> >Musicians have always had to adjust their playing to the limitations of
the
> >recording equipment of the day.  The earliest recording machinery
couldn't
> >tolerate any sudden loud sounds such as bass drum beats or rim shots on
the
> >snare.  Each technical development that freed musicians from one
> >restriction
> >came at the price of other restrictions peculiar to the new equipment.
> >
> >Rudi Blesh writes of the technical problems on King Oliver's record date
> >for
> >Gennett in 1923 with Louis Armstrong and Lil Hardin:
> >
> >"The music had to be played into a long tin horn which was connected at
its
> >narrow end to a steel needle that cut grooves in a revolving disc made of
> >beeswax.  The vibrating sounds  were transformed onto the disc in the
shape
> >of wavy lines.
> >
> >The King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, apprehensive but well prepared, was
about
> >to make musical history.  But when they grouped around the bell of the
big
> >horn, there were problems.  The two trumpets drowned out the rest of the
> >band.  King Oliver and Louis had to move back away from the horn, while
the
> >clarinet was pointed directly into it.
> >
> >Baby Dodds' bass drum couldn't be used.  He had to get along with snares
> >and
> >a set of woodblocks.  Then when Oliver and Louis began playing side by
side
> >as usual, it became evident that Oliver couldn't be heard.  To achieve a
> >balance, Louis was moved back even farther, away from the band.  Lil
later
> >said that 'he was at least twelve or fifteen feet from  on the whole
> >session'."
> >
> >Here's another recording story from page 109:
> >
> >Cuba Austin described some technical problems on a date at Victor with
> >McKinney's Cotton Pickers in 1928:
> >
> >"We had a lot of trouble with the engineers.  In those days everybody
took
> >off their shoes and had a pillow under his feet so the thud from beating
> >the
> >rhythm didn't ruin things.  Well, on Millenburg Joys the band was beating
a
> >fast rhythm and then, bit by bit, the pillows kept sliding away.  We
ruined
> >several takes that way.
> >
> >Now the worst of all was Prince Robinson.  Don Redman hit on the idea of
> >lashing Prince's ankles and knees together with rope to hold him steady.
> >We
> >started another time and things went smoothly 'til Prince started a solo;
> >then he began to bob up and down with his feet tied together, and finally
> >gave up in the middle of it -- looked at Don and said, 'Aw, Don.  I can't
> >play tied up like this.'
> >
> >But finally we got a good one.
> >
> >
> >Here's one, as a drummer, I really love...:
> >
> >When Sam Woodyard joined Duke Ellington he decided it was time to make
the
> >engineers adjust to the musicians.  Woodyard said:
> >
> >"The first time I went into Columbia with this band, a guy came out of
> >control with a blanket before we ever started playing.  I broke him of
> >that.
> >
> > 'Put it over your bass drum." he said
> >
> > "For what?"
> >
> > "We do it for all the drummers who come in here.  If you don't cover the
> >bass drum the needle starts jumping."
> >
> > "That's your business.  Don't tell me how to play my drums.  You just
move
> >the microphone back, because I'm going to play the way I usually play for
> >the band."
> >
> >
> >Enjoy,
> >
> >Kurt "don't throw a blanket over me" Bowermaster
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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>
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