How do you add drums to your recordings?

[Gypsyblue]

Originally Posted by alohachris

...find a percussionist/drummer friend to add what you need. A live body always beats those samples anyway, IMO. That's the way most of us old Boomers did percussion in the past - with real live drummers (not always the most reliable personalities, but better than digital). Live percussion is always imperfect & uneven - two great "qualities" that totally I prefer to digital FX. It makes recordings feel more alive & less metronome-like. But then again, I don't like click-tracks either.

Good luck with your recording.

alohachris

I'm 100% with Chris on this one. Like I said earlier:

Originally Posted by Goldenbird

Yep. I much prefer the sound of hand drums or brushes with acoustic instruments. We used a cajon on my last CD.

[Kurt]

Jeff, are you actually placing a mic inside the cajon, or are you locating the mic outside? Inside, I'm assuming dynamic; outside, cardioid? And LDC or SDC? Just curious what you've tried, more specifically, and what's worked best for you. I'd be interested in others' results, too, either with cajon or djembe as regards mic placement.

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Indeed.

I just have a cheap Meinl. Stick a mic in it, and the sound is pretty remarkable!

And hitting the front with brushes is a really cool sound.

[ferg]

Originally Posted by Kurt

Jeff, are you actually placing a mic inside the cajon, or are you locating the mic outside? Inside, I'm assuming dynamic; outside, cardioid? And LDC or SDC? Just curious what you've tried, more specifically, and what's worked best for you. I'd be interested in others' results, too, either with cajon or djembe as regards mic placement.

I've personally got the best results using 2 mics. I use a LDC in the back, just offset from the soundhole (lots of air comes out of there), and a SDC on the front, pointed toward the top. The cajon I have actually has a built-in mic and an XLR output. It's some type of dynamic mic with windscreen around it. It's very convenient for live stuff (which I seldom do), but the quality isn't fantastic, and I wouldn't record with it.

[mr. beaumont]

Actually inside, just an inch or two--using a 57.

It's on a mic stand craned in there--it's not contacting anything.


That recording is the first I've really messed with it--I'll be interested to see what others do as well. I did a few passes at it with the mic further in and outside of the cajon, but I liked this placement the best...so far...

[ZephyrZ33]

Originally Posted by rrgguitarman

This is really wild. Are you guys talking about a "cajon" = A Box?

This Forum is really awesome.

Thanks everyone for your input.

All kinds of possibilities!

Yes, a "box"!

I use an LP snare cajon and it sounds great. I'm sort of a newb to recording but I find the cajon really easy to control and manipulate in a small home recording setup. It makes the music seem more "organic" or authentic if you will. With some adjustments in mic placement and reverb, you can't even tell it's a box.

[Kurt]

Thanks for the mic tips, gentlemen. Interesting that you're both using different methods -- but then again, we're back to that old adage of try, try, try, and see what comes of it, right? You've given me a couple starting points, and I appreciate that.

[millerzj]

Cool thread...just ordered a cajon myself. Have a set of LP bongos, shakers and tambourine setting in the jam room....I think these add a lot more to an acoustic track than samples or drum machines, more organic sounding, and you can get more "feel and emotion" by using something you can control yourself, rather than something electronic or pre-patterned. Looking forward to the cajon, and recording with it.

[rrgguitarman]

How do you know what Cajon to get?

What brand? does it matter?

I have found a bunch of different brands and sizes.
Thanks.

[ZephyrZ33]

Originally Posted by millerzj

Cool thread...just ordered a cajon myself. Have a set of LP bongos, shakers and tambourine setting in the jam room....I think these add a lot more to an acoustic track than samples or drum machines, more organic sounding, and you can get more "feel and emotion" by using something you can control yourself, rather than something electronic or pre-patterned. Looking forward to the cajon, and recording with it.

Have fun man...you're going to love it.

I am no percussionist but I've had my share of djembes, chinese drums, an assortment of native percussions... and out of all of them, the cajon is probably the most versatile. (next to a full-on drum kit.)

It just goes with a lot of styles, and there's a distinction between snare and bass. It's also versatile enough where you can add drum-pedal, brushes, cymbals nearby etc...

Originally Posted by rrgguitarman

How do you know what Cajon to get?

What brand? does it matter?

I have found a bunch of different brands and sizes.
Thanks.

There are dozens of big-name as well as ambiguous quality brands. Schlagwerk, to name one...and if you frequent any percussion forums, the elitists are probably going to sound off a bunch of names you've never heard before.

I'd say Meinl is the most common but their lower end models seem a little unresponsive to a newb ear like mine's. Out of all the ones I've tried, LP (Latin Percussion) was probably the most bang-for-the-buck in response.

Honestly, if it's your first cajon, I'd just spend a little over a ben franklin and have fun since they're not all too different at a certain price point. Or just go into GC blind and play one.

[K-vegas]

Originally Posted by rrgguitarman

How do you know what Cajon to get?

What brand? does it matter?

I have found a bunch of different brands and sizes.
Thanks.

After reading this thread and a few others i just ordered one myself.

Hard to pick one for sure but i settled one similar to the one the video below.

I really liked the sound it produces on the video. Sounded the most compatible with what i was hearing in my head. dunno but sure it looks like fun.

http://lpmusic.com/Play_Like_A_Pro/T...on_basics.html

[MODELL]

I'm reviving this old post after a search. I just got a cajon and would like to create some basic 2 measure beats to create loops. There is some great information within this post, I just wonder if any of the cajon users have approached it as making a loop as opposed to recording the whole drum track? I have Cakewalk Music Creator, Audacity, a Behringer mixer plus USB interface and a few dynamic and condensor mics. I really just want simple home made beats to use with vocals, acoustic guitars and bass.

[ewalling]

With my DP-02, I use a Digitech RP-155 electric guitar effects pedal (around $100). It has an excellent drum machine with a variety of styles whose speed can be adjusted. I put my condenser mic in front of the amp, set the drum sound going, and that's my first track.

[trion12]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha rrgguitarman ,

I'm glad that you're reconsidering playing/miking drum tracks rather than simply programming samples in & calling them your own.

. . .

I know, I know. I AM old school on this. But too many people think its ok to pass off samplings or others' music as their own. A whole generation feels that that approach is perfectly fine. I do not feel that way. It's BS. If you do something long enough, wrong enough in America, it becomes right. But that aint right.

. . .

I don't think I'll ever change my mind about this approach to music ownership on the recordings I'll share. If you play it & record it, then it's your music. If part or most of it is sampled & you pass it off as yours? Then it's shibai!

I couldn't agree more Chris.

A musician is someone who can MAKE nice sounds with or without others who do the same.

Personally when I want drums I work with a real drummer or play them myself (was a drummer before playing guitar).

Aaron

[Pierrot]

Whatever the drums you choose, be it a cajon or a complete drumset, you should think the opposite way, that is adding recordings to your drums.

[Ty Ford]

Excellent point!

Regards,

Ty Ford