I love the energy and really great interpersonal tips. Some corrections from my experience: 1. 10-15 minute soundcheck? Unless you are a national act and you soundchecked before playing and you leave your drums on stage, most drummers here get a 1-2 minute soundcheck in front of the crowd that they'll be playing for. The drummers that need this video are new who will only get 1-2 minutes. By the time they have enough experience for a 10-15 minute soundcheck, they'll already know what to do. 2. As for tapping the mics, most sound guys have your monitor muted until after you have soundchecked. 3. No sound guy has ever said to play Bass/Snare/Hihats. It will always be Bass -> Snare -> 1st Tom -> 2nd Tom -> 3rd Tom -> Maybe HiHat -> Full Kit 4. You are going to get yelled at and people will think you are stupid if you play a cymbal when the sound guy asks for you to play a tom. 5. Don't change what tom you are soundchecking until they tell you. They will get annoyed. They will think they need to rush because they are taking so long. The whole tone of the video was spot-on. I just wanted to offer the experience that most drummers watching this video would run into.
KevinOnTheDrums Absolutely, I have assisted to plenty high profile soundchecks to know that a good drummer only plays what the soundman is asking for. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, they never do the monitor levels before because they have to do the gain at first. I’m guessing what he’s talking about with tapping the mics to check his in ears is only because they’re using the same show file every show and the in ear mixes are already done.
Couldn't agree more. These tips don't reflect my personal experience with small bands at all. Also this guy heavily contradicts himself. He gives the most important advice right at the beginning to cooperate with the sound engineer, then tells people to just add stuff or switch to a different drum to "speed up the process". What do you hope to gain by speeding things up, a worse drum sound? I feel like I would be insulting the sound person's intelligence if I reminded them of how many toms I have. They mic'd the toms up and have the channels in front of them on the mixing console, they're probably going to remember...
Yeah, I've had sound guys get nervous when they're right in there adjusting the mics, I just put the sticks on the snare, in a very obvious way, so they know I'm not going to blow out their ears.
Ace a sound check: 1. Be on time. 2. Have all your gear ready and in good condition. 3. Don't noodle. 4. Give the engineer exactly what is asked for; no more, no less. 5. Continue not noodling. 6. If you don't have an aviom/personal monitoring solution, don't waste time trying to dial in a perfect monitor mix. Get the couple things you need for reference and move on. 7. Continue to discontinue noodling. 8. EDIT: forgot to say play with the same energy and volume you will during the show/recording. They are trying to set levels accurately, give them accurate information. You're done.
Wouldn't you agree careful "finger" touching to check if those signals are patched through to your (the drummers') monitoring cans or in-ears won't really move those mics, unless they're hanging on a string?
@@michaelschack Or you could, you know, play the drum the mic is over to see if its coming through the monitor mix. If the sound tech took his/her time to put the mics in exacting positions, then, if for no other reason than professional courtesy, don't touch them.
When i get to on stage and check the kit, mics arent even placed properly and they forgot to place the overheads, then it doesnt even matter if you move or even place them properly for the engineer. In my experience. But I definitely agree with what your saying as well. Hands off if they have been placed strategically. But typically i prefer to make the engineer wait before i quickly setup my kit first. And actually, dont tap the mics man.
Some good tips in here with some sketchy ones. 1. Don't feel the need to ask them what mics they're using, it can come off as interrogating 2. Don't. Tap. Microphones. They're made to withstand acoustic energy, not getting physically rattled. If you really have to check on a mic then lightly scratch the grill. 3. Don't hit anything the engineer doesn't tell you to. 4. A lot of these "helpful suggestions" (e.g. reminding the engineer about the floor tom so they "don't forget") will actually bug them out in real life
Agree. Plus, many of these "helpful suggestions" are only great in theory. But, e.g. it rarely happens that you think the sound guy is "taking a little bit too LONG for that single rack tom". On many gigs there simply isn't time at all. Many times you wish you actually had the time to do soundcheck a bit longer & more detailed. So, if the sound guy is taking his/her time to get things right in detail- don't rush, be grateful and enjoy/relax! Reality is: if you're a new, unexperienced band opening the night for 2 or 3 other bands, you likely will do a line check of 5-10 minutes, that's it. Plus, the person behind the mixing board will (not always but unfortunately often enough) have only very little interest about your sound since they soundchecked the other 3 bands for hours already + the owner just told them that "doors will open in 5 minutes". So you better be even more focused about what you're doing ;-).
Ok I’m sorry but speaking as somebody who has been on both sides of this (sound engineer and regularly gigging drummer) half of what this guy is saying is wrong. Sound engineers are very busy and have to work very fast, do not start asking them questions about cymbal panning while they’re are trying to sort everything out. 9 times out of 10 they’re not going to appreciate it, they’re not going to think “whoah this guys paying attention”, they’re going to think “why is this guy interrupting me to tell me how to do my job”. If you have a question about panning or anything like that then either ask before the soundcheck or wait until they ask if you’re happy (which all good sound engineers will do). DO NOT START TAPPING YOUR SOUND ENGINEERS MICS. Can’t actually believe that has to be said. It’s going to make you look like a dick. It’s going to frustrate and stress out your sound engineer cos they’re going to think you’re trying to speed him up, and that you think you know better. Chances are they have you muted until it’s your turn to play anyway. Also definitely don’t start adding in drums on top of what they’ve asked for. If they’ve asked for the kick, they want ONLY the kick. Adding in snare is not going to impress them or be helpful to them, they’re just going to ask you to stop or put up with it but not be able to do their job as well. Sound check each element of your kick in the exact order they’re asking for, for as long as they ask for. Don’t do things like if you’re checking the rack tom “suggesting” moving on by starting to play the next drum. That’s a genuinely terrible piece of advice. The sound engineer doesn’t need your help speeding things up, they’re not stupidly (mostly), if they haven’t asked you to move onto the floor tom it’s for a reason, all you’re doing by moving on is wasting people’s time and making yourself seem arrogant. Don’t start doing cymbals before toms unless they ask for that. Good bit of advice for any drummer that I can give is to come prepared with a “soundcheck song”. He partially covers this in the video but I wanted to expand on it. This is for when they ask you to play the whole kit. A lot of drummers at that point will start just randomly soloing or playing something that doesn’t incorporate the whole kit, so come to your soundcheck with a beat prepared. Make it something fairly loud, the point of them asking you to do that is so they can balance everything and get a good overall level, if you play something super quiet it’s going to make thing difficult for them later when you break into some blast beats. And make sure it involves every element of the kit in some way. Also make sure it’s something that is similar to what you’re going to play in your set, whether that’s one of your songs or somebody else’s within a similar drumming style. My go to for this when I’m the drummer is the main verse beat from “Song For The Dead” by Queens of the Stone Age. It’s fairly loud, it’s similar to my usual playing style, and it involves every element of the kit (including the hi hat foot pedal if you’re playing it right). Plus usually half the other drummers in the room look up when they hear it because they recognise it which gives a nice conversation starter later. But yeah anyway, this is an excessively long comment. No offence at all to the guy in this video but a lot of his advice is legitimately bad.
This is EXACTLY RIGHT. Especially about asking the sound guy about the mics. Don't fucking bother the guy with stupid shit like that -- he doesn't need a new friend.
You know what you are talking about. I am a sound engineer and a drummer too... And for the love of God, play with the dynamics of the actual show in the he check!!!
all the points I was gonna say, the sound engineer just wants you too do what he asks, nothing more nothing less. If he wanted you to do something he would say its his job
As a live sound engineer, DO NOT tap my mics. First thing you do is set your stuff up when you get there. After that, my team and myself will do the basic line check so we know if things are working or not. After that, I do a quick "this, that, the other thing" around the kit as a basic re-test of the line check, then I tell the drummer to just play the kit as if playing a song but with fills every 2 bars. and then I bring up a basic mix. Then I'll go into specifics again to fine tune, re-play to re-check mix(it will need tweaking). DO NOT speed up my process, I will let you know when to move on. Typically, a drum set can end up being anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Once the basic mix is done, then it's into the drummer's specific mix for his drums only. All monitor checks will need to be adjusted once the rest of the band is done as well. As a sound engineer, I'm fine with dialing in the monitor mix as we add elements. I can typically run an entire 4-7 piece band in 30 minutes or less, and then another 5-10 minutes for the monitor adjustments.
Hey man, I have only had one soundcheck before and I told the sound guy that I hadn't done a soundcheck before so he could just tell what to do whenever he needed me to to whatever. When playing extreme metal with fast double bass does the same rules apply when you say "play the kit"? Should it be as it is gonna be live with the fast drumming or just a chill/mid tempo beat incorporating all the pieces of the drum kit? 🙂
As a sound engineer myself, I really don't agree with this video. If drummers started doing what you have suggested during my sound check, I would get very annoyed, very quickly.
I think what he is trying to say is .......be nice and friendly to the sound engineer. Respect his time and he will do favors for you. In other words dont act like you know how to do his job.
@@kunns123 be nice. Absolutely. But start by tapping the mics, it's unlikely they will be gained up at the very beginning of a sound check, and if they are, the Tom mics would be gated anyway. So you wouldnt hear a small tap. Don't move onto another Tom before the sound engineer has told you to move on. If the engineer hasn't told you to move on, they haven't finished checking it. Basically just make sure your drums are tuned correctly and let the engineer run the sound check.
@@MrLR94 that is true. The sound engineer knows what he is doing. So instead of trying to help, just listening to what he has to say would be more beneficial.
@Leyton Russell, I'm with you. He's saying be nice which is fine, but even though his intentions seem to be in the right place, it'd definitely come off the wrong way. Even starting with set up, if I'm still setting up mic's and d.i.'s and anything else that's needed i probably don't have the time for anything other than a brief introduction.
10-15 minutes? I've never had a drums sound check last more than 4-5. Tech: "Ok, give me some snare." Me: *gives some snare* Tech: "Rack tom." Me: *plays rack tom* Tech: "Floor." Me: *Floors* Tech: "Kick" Me: *plays kick* Tech: "Hats* Me: *plays for 10 seconds or so closed hats, 10 with alternating open notes, 10 with wide-open hats* Tech: "Ok, play me something on the whole kit." Me: *plays something involving crashes, ride, open and closed hats, and any auxiliary percussion* Tech: "Great man, sounds good. Me: "Cool. If you didn't hear anything that grabbed your attention, I'm happy if you are." Tech: "Cool." Sound check = Done.
But as a drummer and sound guy I wouldn’t like it if the drummer did a lot of this stuff because I want him to do what I ask him to do,I will have a process in my head and a list and go through that list 1 by 1 and it’s easiest and fastest doing exactly what I say,but most important staying consistent when I say hit the drum and only hit the drum I say
From my experience the best way to do a soundcheck is just to do what the sound guy ask you to do, as simple as that. Every sound engineer have slightly different work flow, the best you can do is let him do his work the way he used to. Unless something is really really wrong then you can politely ask them.
BionicleSaurus Thanks to China. But thats just for non domestic sales. They can still sell them in Japan, Europe and NA, just not as international border sales. But whose to say a drummer going to Japan couldn’t have it shipped back since it was bought in country. Im glad I got mine when I did, only gonna retain their value more. But yea, since China wants to mass consume everything, international laws have to be enforced. Bubinga is a tier 2 protected species simply because of its color, nothing else. Shame.
I don't know, man. At all the gigs I've been at (small ones albeit), just do what the sound guy says. In soundcheck, he's the boss. At small and medium sized gigs, the sound guy is usually rushed/miserable/sick of dealing with dickhead musicians for the past 20 years, and just wants to get set up and then get his beer (and rightly so). He might be soundchecking five bands that night. Don't second guess him, don't try to be more helpful beyond what he asks of you. Just be on time, be efficient, be attentive, and most importantly, if you're not doing anything else, be QUIET. And DON'T touch the snare mic. Say hello on the way in, thank him when your sound check is finished, and thank him on your way out of the venue. Maybe catch a beer with him later on in the night and make friends if you get the chance. Make yourself memorable by making his job easy and smooth, and being a cool guy afterwards. ...AND DON'T FUCKING TOUCH THE SNARE MIC.
Another sound guy here, yes the last thing we want to hear is suggestion well intended or not. We normally have a system and are ocd about the order things are done.
from my own experience as a live sound-engineer, I can appreciate musicians who introduce themselves and are friendly and patient. they'll wait their turn to play their instrument(s) as I am moving down the line on my mixing desk and they play only that one instrument when asked to play. musicians who listen to what you tell them to do, are awesome to work with, because as an engineer, it's all about creating a balance in the music and turning your guitar amps up to eleven isn't helping anyone, when there are vocals to be dealt with. most engineers that I've met over the years seem to work in a specific order of assigning instruments to channels and for the drums, usually it goes: kick (in and out) snare (top and bottom) high-hat after checking these 3(or 5), I ALWAYS ask for a kick-snare-hh- combo, then I move on to the toms tom 1 (rack-tom) tom 2 (rack-tom) floor-tom overhead left overhead right personally, I don't appreciate when musicians start playing their instruments while I'm checking other instruments and I absolutely hate it when I'm on-stage checking or setting up mics and they start blasting or banging right next to my head. tune your stuff either before you go on-stage or when there are no engineers in the near proximity of your amps or drums. as for monitors, I always do those last and I maintain a system where I ask everyone who needs an instrument in their monitor to raise their hand until they're good and at the same time I ask that the musician who plays that instrument plays that instrument until everyone's good. I use the same order as I did for the soundcheck. this usually works fine for me. tapping microphones is not a good thing to do. if you want to test them, only do so if the engineer asks you to and then scratch them with your fingernails.
Word! Scratching microphones can work too, but please go back into the clip : for a drummer sound checking his drums, which is a loud instrument, checking incoming microphone levels into your monitoring in ears or speaker is the way to go just to make sure the microphone signal is fed back into your monitoring feed instead of bashing a way on the drums and not being sure the feed is coming in.
Honestly a great video that sets the tone right: the sound engineer and the drummer are on the same team. But what I know from years of experience in metal gigs: play what the sound guy tells you to play. If he wants you to play the kick for 10 mins: play that. Also I recently learned that when they tell you to play "the full kit" they don't mean "please go absolutely bananas and butcher the intro to Painkiller horribly". It is much more helpful to play a simple rock beat with some fills few and far between. The sound guy really meant his "thank you" after those types of sound checks.
"listen to the soundguy"... this is probably the most important one. we don't want to hear your amazing drumskills. we want to hear how your kit sounds. keep the solo's for during the show! :p
What I've learned when checking toms is; hit the tom, and let it ring out until it dies. This way, they can get the gate dialed in if they're using one. Usually "1-rest-2-rest" is enough.
And learn your Soundengineers Goddamn name!! I hate being called Dude, Cheif, Bro or whatever. Personally, I've always asked the drummer to play the first verse of Highway to Hell. It has a great tempo for soundcheck. It really clues you in to how the drummer plays. I really don't like doing sound on the kick and snare bit by bit..... too much time wasted. And smile at the grumpy soundguys, often we're not even angry... usually we just need some sleep, and sometimes we just need a hug :)
The sound check I get 99% of the time is just - Bass drum until stop, at the medium pace suggested Snare until stop, same pace Rack tom - Floor tom - Full kit, and there I play a four on the floor, with a simple 8th note around the toms, 4 hits on each, then both crashes, and back to start.
Two stories: First: I once had a soundguy say "Alright, play it all" after we had individually done each drum and whatnot... So, I played the intro to "Painkiller" by Judas Priest (Hey, I thought it was a good idea so they could hear how it all sounded.) The guy ended up saying "No, no, no, I wanted you to just go: kick, snare, tom, tom, then tom again." Needless to say, we didn't like that guy very much....the younger dude with him was super chill though. Second: I had just bought a Double Bass kit (From Dan Carle of After the Burial actually) and I was gonna use all of it, so prior to the show starting I said to the sound guy that "I'm actually gonna be using both kick drums, and I brought a second kick mic and stand because I knew you wouldn't have two." (Most bands that come through Duluth, Minnesota don't have two kick drums.) He made both kicks sound just like each other, even with two different mics! We've all had horror stories of some sound guys, but when one is supplied I'm trying to be as helpful as possible for them since they're still working while the band is having fun. Don't get me started on doing your own sound live...haha
Rio Mariuccci- First off, there was nothing wrong with your sound guy. What he asked you, and the way he asked you to play the kit, is actually the way it should be. When a sound tech says "play everything", he means : hit each drum one at a time so he can hear the drum on its own in order to tweak any inconsistencies in the sound. Only someone who's inexperienced would start a sound check by playing pile driving double bass drum patterns and snare during a tune like "pain killer" . That is NOT how a sound check is done. The real way to sound check a drum kit, is to hit each drum individually until the sound man tells you to move on to the next drum, and so on. When he determines that the overall sound of the drums sound good, he'll then tell you to "play everything", which is when you are now free to pile drive double kick patterns and fills as much as you want, or for as much time as has been given to you for a sound check. Trust me. I've been playing theaters for many years and this is usually how it goes. So, what I see here is that you misunderstood that sound man and had some miscommunication.
Another tip, hit at the velocity you are going to use when playing the show! I’ve done a lazy soundcheck hitting softly thinking when I play louder I’ll be louder in the gif! 🤦🏻♂️ Also don’t show off, it’s a sound check not a chop check
I'm not sure about the tapping on the mics tip because a lot of the time they might have them muted untill they bring them up also I've had multiple sound engineers tell me tapping on the mics aren't good for the microphones
Tapping lightly on dynamic mics (usually snare and tom mics) doesn't hurt them at all. The condenser mics (typically overheads) are a lot more sensitive but if you tap on the side instead of the front they should be ok as well. Of course if the soundguy is worried about it, I wouldn't do it at all. Another option would be to snap your fingers in front of the mic.
Check out my precise point in the video : mic tapping is to check on mic signals coming through your monitoring feed / in ears! Slight tapping with fingers didn't ever damage any microphone made for drums!
I’m fortunate enough to work with guys that don’t play anything until our sound guys ask them too. Same with me. I only give the sound guys what they want! I never move to another drum or add something until they ask!
I would always bring Danny who was the sound guy for The Mad Monk a huge joint. My drums always sounded amazing and got some really nice soundboard recordings from him. Be prepared follow directions and try and be helpful.
if i ever soundchecked my drums the way this dude does, i'd get yelled at by every engineer around. when they ask for kick, i give them kick. when they ask for snare, i give them snare. i do give them heads ups like "hey, my ride is a bit on the loud side, how would you like to go about that?" because i use a 23" K Sweet Ride. from there, i let the engineer do his thing and give him exactly what he needs and asks for. simple.
U have to respect all people ; but for us who are on the road, i always says ''Be gentle with the Waiters and the Sound Engineers and u'll be in heaven'' ! LOL !
great video and explanation, specailly for those new to gigging or those who need a refresher. on a more personal note, through full-range speakers, the rack tom sounds slightly dead to me?
When i get to on stage and check the kit, mics arent even placed properly and they forgot to place the overheads, then it doesnt even matter if you move or even place them properly for the engineer. In my experience. But I definitely agree with what your saying as well. Hands off if they have been placed strategically. But typically i prefer to make the engineer wait before i quickly setup my kit first. And actually, dont tap the mics man.
@@stripedfrog1122 You´re SOOO wrong I can´t even begin to tell you. Hope no ones follows your advice. You need to behave like a PRO before been a PRO. Moving on.
@@JulianFernandez tapping on the mics and starting to hit the next tom before being asked and stuff like that doesn't make anybody a pro... makes a dusche with a massive Ego who always thinks he knows better. So yeah, move on!
@@stripedfrog1122 Nothing make you more of a douche (dusche! haha) than upvoting your own posts. Go shed man (and keep quiet if you trying to tip a pro musician)
Yeah.. the vibe I've gotten from soundpeople in my area was not one of taking suggestions well. For instance asking to pan something differently? They take that as an insult rather than constructive.
"Listen to the engineer. If he asks you to play the bass drum, play the bass drum ONLY" Next tip: "Just start adding shit even though no one asked you to LMAO"
Years ago I tried the Dave Rat method and have stuck with it. Tell the drummer to play his whole kit with a medium tempo. My headphones give me enough isolation to solo what I need and the drummer plays more like he will during the show. Which leads to less of the OMG gain adjustments when the show starts. Its easier for the drummer and any others that have to listen.
It’s great to see this video triggering so many comments! Shows this one is necessary. I learned a lot while working with some super sound engineers along my touring ways. But, dear commentators, check the title of this video : these tips are suggestions for drummers to fix THEIR soundchecks and connect better with sound engineers to enhance the gig performance and also cope with (some grumpy) sound engineers who might not always put in the effort for making drummers comfortable too. Also, regarding the tapping on the mics : softer tapping or scratching DRUM microphones is NOT a problem, as they’re designed to cope with loud level sound sources and I do suggest this to check on incoming monitoring signals, NOT with the FOH PA speakers in full mix action. This works particulary during a short line check or change over to make sure signals are being sent to your inears or monitoring setup without having to play each instrument and annoying the other musicians quickly setting up on stage, especially when monitoring signals are still being sent a bit low. Great sound engineers respect musicians to the max when they suggest particularities like panning for instance, it shows sound engineers drummers are caring too. There’s definitely a lot of grumpy club sound engineers out there who might got stuck in their routine, I’ve alsovmet a lot of those while on tour, so it’s always ok to wake ‘em up and show them you’re a drummer who is conscious and wants them to shine as well with the sound content you’re sending them.
If he asks for a kick give him a snare. If he asks for a crash give him a cowbell. Need to test the sound mans sense of humor. You may have lost the gig but it was fun.
nice Video, i Would suggest that you Play the way you Play during the concert. if you gonna Play high volume deathmetal Dont Play Boss Nova Style at the Soundcheck. i go for the highest Dynamic Level i have to play that gig. this way the soundguy can Set the right gain Level and others settings. Simply speaking, if you Play Low volume during Soundcheck an High volume at the Show or the others way around you will ende up with distorded signals, Bad Sound and worth.
NEVER tap a microphone! You're putting a ton of sudden pressure on the diaphragm and it could pop a speaker on the other end. They weren't designed to be tapped. Also, I've learned from my experience not to be too proactive with a soundman. This guy is too much like an eager puppy dog, and I can see him rubbing some sound people the wrong way. You need to be ready and cue off of his lead. If you are being overly proactive, you're probably going to be making the sound man feel like he's being rushed.
David, check the video again : it's to check the incoming signals to the drummers' monitoring before front of house sound checking. I say this literally. "Woofy!" (eager puppy dog sound)
What do you do if you have an incompetent sound guy who refuses to give you a monitor? What do you do if your sound guy has your levels so high that the drums feedback?
Many happy sound guys and girls in my daily world of touring though...And some very positive reactions here as well, both from sound engineers and drummers. I guess it all depends on personalities as well.
It can be used to dampen both cymbals and drums. With cymbals, it can help with unwanted freq in the wash of a ride or crash. With drums, it works like moongels and whatnot.
I've never done it or thought about doing it but why shouldnt you? I dont imagine feedback would he an issue at all. Is it sensitivity like too much sound would come through
@@colesisler582 some mics are really delicate but even if this is not the case, mics are made to convert air pressure variations (and not mechanical energy) into an electrical signal. If you hit them you are basically using them wrong.
Alot of real DIY gigs: Me: Excuse me, I think this cymbal should come out of that speaker instead of that one. Can you maybe reverse the paning? Sound dude: STFU! This is my show, I tell you stuff. You know shit! Everone is here for me and my skills. Who the F is you anyway? I have done this for 20 years. *smokes a joint*
Awesome work Michael. Clearly well informed content here. How do you deal with the ever common grumpy sound engineer even after you've tried to build rapport?
I have a feeling this guy is talking about European soundcheck verses American soundcheck. European 15 min, American 3 min tops unless you are a national headliner.
I must disagree, I did tour Canada and US often and in lots of cases just saying "hi" and synergizing with the sound guy or sound girl changes those 3 mins in 5 to 10 mins, at least.
I like that Drumeo only responds to the good comments and not the ones that have actual issues with the content that they're putting out. "Tips" and "Tricks" like these have the potential of ruining shows and possibly even losing gigs. Listen to the sound guy and do exactly what he says and no more.
Please allow the drummer to get completely set up. I’ve seen sound techs (live) mic the kit, then the drummer has to move cymbal stands around the mic stands. (especially around the snare/HH area)There would be no need for the drummer to mess with any mic placements if drummers kit was set up first.
These arent at all astounding things to hear at a soundcheck or a fast line check. That said, its not something id suggest any drummer do. Dont try to rush the soundguy through it. Thats just rude.
BUT, there are some sound enginer, that say "play only kick, only snare, only tom 1, 2, floor, only cymbals, all drums"... not every sound enginer in the world, are like the video :V
I think he forgot to mention the purpose of that gaffer tape. Is it to shut someone up? Abducting the sound technician and replacing him/her with your mother?
I love the energy and really great interpersonal tips.
Some corrections from my experience:
1. 10-15 minute soundcheck? Unless you are a national act and you soundchecked before playing and you leave your drums on stage, most drummers here get a 1-2 minute soundcheck in front of the crowd that they'll be playing for. The drummers that need this video are new who will only get 1-2 minutes. By the time they have enough experience for a 10-15 minute soundcheck, they'll already know what to do.
2. As for tapping the mics, most sound guys have your monitor muted until after you have soundchecked.
3. No sound guy has ever said to play Bass/Snare/Hihats. It will always be Bass -> Snare -> 1st Tom -> 2nd Tom -> 3rd Tom -> Maybe HiHat -> Full Kit
4. You are going to get yelled at and people will think you are stupid if you play a cymbal when the sound guy asks for you to play a tom.
5. Don't change what tom you are soundchecking until they tell you. They will get annoyed. They will think they need to rush because they are taking so long.
The whole tone of the video was spot-on. I just wanted to offer the experience that most drummers watching this video would run into.
KevinOnTheDrums Absolutely, I have assisted to plenty high profile soundchecks to know that a good drummer only plays what the soundman is asking for. Nothing more, nothing less. Also, they never do the monitor levels before because they have to do the gain at first. I’m guessing what he’s talking about with tapping the mics to check his in ears is only because they’re using the same show file every show and the in ear mixes are already done.
Couldn't agree more. These tips don't reflect my personal experience with small bands at all. Also this guy heavily contradicts himself. He gives the most important advice right at the beginning to cooperate with the sound engineer, then tells people to just add stuff or switch to a different drum to "speed up the process". What do you hope to gain by speeding things up, a worse drum sound? I feel like I would be insulting the sound person's intelligence if I reminded them of how many toms I have. They mic'd the toms up and have the channels in front of them on the mixing console, they're probably going to remember...
Lots of sound guys ask for kick-snare-hats if they have more than ten minutes to do a line check.
too real
I couldn't agree more, I've been gigging since I was 14 and I'm now 26, 6 minutes in I found my self screaming "NO!" at this video.
You forgot: “Don’t hit the snare, the bass, or a crash while the sound guy has his head close while adjusting the mics.”
AMEN to thàt!!
dont hit anything when the sound guy is on stage at the kit
Yeah, I've had sound guys get nervous when they're right in there adjusting the mics, I just put the sticks on the snare, in a very obvious way, so they know I'm not going to blow out their ears.
Ace a sound check:
1. Be on time.
2. Have all your gear ready and in good condition.
3. Don't noodle.
4. Give the engineer exactly what is asked for; no more, no less.
5. Continue not noodling.
6. If you don't have an aviom/personal monitoring solution, don't waste time trying to dial in a perfect monitor mix. Get the couple things you need for reference and move on.
7. Continue to discontinue noodling.
8. EDIT: forgot to say play with the same energy and volume you will during the show/recording. They are trying to set levels accurately, give them accurate information.
You're done.
Sound engineer here.
>>>DO NOT
Wouldn't you agree careful "finger" touching to check if those signals are patched through to your (the drummers') monitoring cans or in-ears won't really move those mics, unless they're hanging on a string?
@@michaelschack Or you could, you know, play the drum the mic is over to see if its coming through the monitor mix. If the sound tech took his/her time to put the mics in exacting positions, then, if for no other reason than professional courtesy, don't touch them.
When i get to on stage and check the kit, mics arent even placed properly and they forgot to place the overheads, then it doesnt even matter if you move or even place them properly for the engineer. In my experience.
But I definitely agree with what your saying as well. Hands off if they have been placed strategically.
But typically i prefer to make the engineer wait before i quickly setup my kit first.
And actually, dont tap the mics man.
well drummer here.
>>>DO NOT
Some good tips in here with some sketchy ones.
1. Don't feel the need to ask them what mics they're using, it can come off as interrogating
2. Don't. Tap. Microphones. They're made to withstand acoustic energy, not getting physically rattled.
If you really have to check on a mic then lightly scratch the grill.
3. Don't hit anything the engineer doesn't tell you to.
4. A lot of these "helpful suggestions" (e.g. reminding the engineer about the floor tom so they "don't forget") will actually bug them out in real life
Agree. Plus, many of these "helpful suggestions" are only great in theory. But, e.g. it rarely happens that you think the sound guy is "taking a little bit too LONG for that single rack tom". On many gigs there simply isn't time at all. Many times you wish you actually had the time to do soundcheck a bit longer & more detailed. So, if the sound guy is taking his/her time to get things right in detail- don't rush, be grateful and enjoy/relax!
Reality is: if you're a new, unexperienced band opening the night for 2 or 3 other bands, you likely will do a line check of 5-10 minutes, that's it. Plus, the person behind the mixing board will (not always but unfortunately often enough) have only very little interest about your sound since they soundchecked the other 3 bands for hours already + the owner just told them that "doors will open in 5 minutes". So you better be even more focused about what you're doing ;-).
I would suggest snapping your fingers in front of the microphone in lieu of touching, tapping, or scratching.
so . . you're the sound guy
@@llock3hart yes, this is even better
@@keselekbakiak you caught me ;)
Ok I’m sorry but speaking as somebody who has been on both sides of this (sound engineer and regularly gigging drummer) half of what this guy is saying is wrong. Sound engineers are very busy and have to work very fast, do not start asking them questions about cymbal panning while they’re are trying to sort everything out. 9 times out of 10 they’re not going to appreciate it, they’re not going to think “whoah this guys paying attention”, they’re going to think “why is this guy interrupting me to tell me how to do my job”. If you have a question about panning or anything like that then either ask before the soundcheck or wait until they ask if you’re happy (which all good sound engineers will do). DO NOT START TAPPING YOUR SOUND ENGINEERS MICS. Can’t actually believe that has to be said. It’s going to make you look like a dick. It’s going to frustrate and stress out your sound engineer cos they’re going to think you’re trying to speed him up, and that you think you know better. Chances are they have you muted until it’s your turn to play anyway. Also definitely don’t start adding in drums on top of what they’ve asked for. If they’ve asked for the kick, they want ONLY the kick. Adding in snare is not going to impress them or be helpful to them, they’re just going to ask you to stop or put up with it but not be able to do their job as well. Sound check each element of your kick in the exact order they’re asking for, for as long as they ask for. Don’t do things like if you’re checking the rack tom “suggesting” moving on by starting to play the next drum. That’s a genuinely terrible piece of advice. The sound engineer doesn’t need your help speeding things up, they’re not stupidly (mostly), if they haven’t asked you to move onto the floor tom it’s for a reason, all you’re doing by moving on is wasting people’s time and making yourself seem arrogant. Don’t start doing cymbals before toms unless they ask for that. Good bit of advice for any drummer that I can give is to come prepared with a “soundcheck song”. He partially covers this in the video but I wanted to expand on it. This is for when they ask you to play the whole kit. A lot of drummers at that point will start just randomly soloing or playing something that doesn’t incorporate the whole kit, so come to your soundcheck with a beat prepared. Make it something fairly loud, the point of them asking you to do that is so they can balance everything and get a good overall level, if you play something super quiet it’s going to make thing difficult for them later when you break into some blast beats. And make sure it involves every element of the kit in some way. Also make sure it’s something that is similar to what you’re going to play in your set, whether that’s one of your songs or somebody else’s within a similar drumming style. My go to for this when I’m the drummer is the main verse beat from “Song For The Dead” by Queens of the Stone Age. It’s fairly loud, it’s similar to my usual playing style, and it involves every element of the kit (including the hi hat foot pedal if you’re playing it right). Plus usually half the other drummers in the room look up when they hear it because they recognise it which gives a nice conversation starter later. But yeah anyway, this is an excessively long comment. No offence at all to the guy in this video but a lot of his advice is legitimately bad.
tickbox ok
This is EXACTLY RIGHT. Especially about asking the sound guy about the mics. Don't fucking bother the guy with stupid shit like that -- he doesn't need a new friend.
You know what you are talking about. I am a sound engineer and a drummer too... And for the love of God, play with the dynamics of the actual show in the he check!!!
all the points I was gonna say, the sound engineer just wants you too do what he asks, nothing more nothing less. If he wanted you to do something he would say its his job
As a live sound engineer, DO NOT tap my mics. First thing you do is set your stuff up when you get there. After that, my team and myself will do the basic line check so we know if things are working or not. After that, I do a quick "this, that, the other thing" around the kit as a basic re-test of the line check, then I tell the drummer to just play the kit as if playing a song but with fills every 2 bars. and then I bring up a basic mix. Then I'll go into specifics again to fine tune, re-play to re-check mix(it will need tweaking). DO NOT speed up my process, I will let you know when to move on. Typically, a drum set can end up being anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Once the basic mix is done, then it's into the drummer's specific mix for his drums only. All monitor checks will need to be adjusted once the rest of the band is done as well. As a sound engineer, I'm fine with dialing in the monitor mix as we add elements. I can typically run an entire 4-7 piece band in 30 minutes or less, and then another 5-10 minutes for the monitor adjustments.
Hey man, I have only had one soundcheck before and I told the sound guy that I hadn't done a soundcheck before so he could just tell what to do whenever he needed me to to whatever.
When playing extreme metal with fast double bass does the same rules apply when you say "play the kit"? Should it be as it is gonna be live with the fast drumming or just a chill/mid tempo beat incorporating all the pieces of the drum kit? 🙂
You guys should do a follow up video where a sound engineer reacts to this video
was thinking the exact same thing! Please do!!!
I'm not volunteering! I would sure love to see that video though. 🤣
As a sound engineer myself, I really don't agree with this video. If drummers started doing what you have suggested during my sound check, I would get very annoyed, very quickly.
I think what he is trying to say is .......be nice and friendly to the sound engineer. Respect his time and he will do favors for you. In other words dont act like you know how to do his job.
Okay, so what do you suggest? His point is be kind to the sound engineer. Is there anything you would like to add?
@@kunns123 be nice. Absolutely. But start by tapping the mics, it's unlikely they will be gained up at the very beginning of a sound check, and if they are, the Tom mics would be gated anyway. So you wouldnt hear a small tap. Don't move onto another Tom before the sound engineer has told you to move on. If the engineer hasn't told you to move on, they haven't finished checking it. Basically just make sure your drums are tuned correctly and let the engineer run the sound check.
@@MrLR94 that is true. The sound engineer knows what he is doing. So instead of trying to help, just listening to what he has to say would be more beneficial.
@Leyton Russell, I'm with you. He's saying be nice which is fine, but even though his intentions seem to be in the right place, it'd definitely come off the wrong way. Even starting with set up, if I'm still setting up mic's and d.i.'s and anything else that's needed i probably don't have the time for anything other than a brief introduction.
10-15 minutes? I've never had a drums sound check last more than 4-5.
Tech: "Ok, give me some snare."
Me: *gives some snare*
Tech: "Rack tom."
Me: *plays rack tom*
Tech: "Floor."
Me: *Floors*
Tech: "Kick"
Me: *plays kick*
Tech: "Hats*
Me: *plays for 10 seconds or so closed hats, 10 with alternating open notes, 10 with wide-open hats*
Tech: "Ok, play me something on the whole kit."
Me: *plays something involving crashes, ride, open and closed hats, and any auxiliary percussion*
Tech: "Great man, sounds good.
Me: "Cool. If you didn't hear anything that grabbed your attention, I'm happy if you are."
Tech: "Cool."
Sound check = Done.
Same. It's amazing that some of this had to be said.....
I think this was more for Concerts/studio where it’s not set already and you need to eq and add gates and gain from scratch
But as a drummer and sound guy I wouldn’t like it if the drummer did a lot of this stuff because I want him to do what I ask him to do,I will have a process in my head and a list and go through that list 1 by 1 and it’s easiest and fastest doing exactly what I say,but most important staying consistent when I say hit the drum and only hit the drum I say
From my experience the best way to do a soundcheck is just to do what the sound guy ask you to do, as simple as that. Every sound engineer have slightly different work flow, the best you can do is let him do his work the way he used to. Unless something is really really wrong then you can politely ask them.
JESUS that 16 floor tom is utter THUNDER. What a sound, maaan.
BionicleSaurus Tama I believe. The best.
Tama does fantastic work. It's a shame that all their Bubinga stuff is being discontinued.
BionicleSaurus Thanks to China. But thats just for non domestic sales. They can still sell them in Japan, Europe and NA, just not as international border sales. But whose to say a drummer going to Japan couldn’t have it shipped back since it was bought in country. Im glad I got mine when I did, only gonna retain their value more. But yea, since China wants to mass consume everything, international laws have to be enforced. Bubinga is a tier 2 protected species simply because of its color, nothing else. Shame.
Damn, I thought it had to do with the species of tree being endangered or something. That's too bad.
Absolutely on the money with this advice!! Years ago i remember uncasing my 82 Yamaha RC kit and the sound guy got really happy!! LOL!
The first thing you said is the KEY! Connection and synergy. RESPECT
I don't know, man. At all the gigs I've been at (small ones albeit), just do what the sound guy says. In soundcheck, he's the boss.
At small and medium sized gigs, the sound guy is usually rushed/miserable/sick of dealing with dickhead musicians for the past 20 years, and just wants to get set up and then get his beer (and rightly so). He might be soundchecking five bands that night. Don't second guess him, don't try to be more helpful beyond what he asks of you. Just be on time, be efficient, be attentive, and most importantly, if you're not doing anything else, be QUIET. And DON'T touch the snare mic.
Say hello on the way in, thank him when your sound check is finished, and thank him on your way out of the venue. Maybe catch a beer with him later on in the night and make friends if you get the chance. Make yourself memorable by making his job easy and smooth, and being a cool guy afterwards.
...AND DON'T FUCKING TOUCH THE SNARE MIC.
Sound engineer here. Thanks for the mention of not touching the snare mic and "in soundcheck, he's the boss"
Another sound guy here, yes the last thing we want to hear is suggestion well intended or not. We normally have a system and are ocd about the order things are done.
from my own experience as a live sound-engineer, I can appreciate musicians who introduce themselves and are friendly and patient. they'll wait their turn to play their instrument(s) as I am moving down the line on my mixing desk and they play only that one instrument when asked to play. musicians who listen to what you tell them to do, are awesome to work with, because as an engineer, it's all about creating a balance in the music and turning your guitar amps up to eleven isn't helping anyone, when there are vocals to be dealt with. most engineers that I've met over the years seem to work in a specific order of assigning instruments to channels and for the drums, usually it goes:
kick (in and out)
snare (top and bottom)
high-hat after checking these 3(or 5), I ALWAYS ask for a kick-snare-hh- combo, then I move on to the toms
tom 1 (rack-tom)
tom 2 (rack-tom)
floor-tom
overhead left
overhead right
personally, I don't appreciate when musicians start playing their instruments while I'm checking other instruments and I absolutely hate it when I'm on-stage checking or setting up mics and they start blasting or banging right next to my head. tune your stuff either before you go on-stage or when there are no engineers in the near proximity of your amps or drums. as for monitors, I always do those last and I maintain a system where I ask everyone who needs an instrument in their monitor to raise their hand until they're good and at the same time I ask that the musician who plays that instrument plays that instrument until everyone's good. I use the same order as I did for the soundcheck. this usually works fine for me.
tapping microphones is not a good thing to do. if you want to test them, only do so if the engineer asks you to and then scratch them with your fingernails.
Word! Scratching microphones can work too, but please go back into the clip : for a drummer sound checking his drums, which is a loud instrument, checking incoming microphone levels into your monitoring in ears or speaker is the way to go just to make sure the microphone signal is fed back into your monitoring feed instead of bashing a way on the drums and not being sure the feed is coming in.
Honestly a great video that sets the tone right: the sound engineer and the drummer are on the same team.
But what I know from years of experience in metal gigs: play what the sound guy tells you to play. If he wants you to play the kick for 10 mins: play that.
Also I recently learned that when they tell you to play "the full kit" they don't mean "please go absolutely bananas and butcher the intro to Painkiller horribly". It is much more helpful to play a simple rock beat with some fills few and far between. The sound guy really meant his "thank you" after those types of sound checks.
"listen to the soundguy"... this is probably the most important one. we don't want to hear your amazing drumskills. we want to hear how your kit sounds. keep the solo's for during the show! :p
This should be the start of a whole video series on stage etiquette!
What I've learned when checking toms is; hit the tom, and let it ring out until it dies. This way, they can get the gate dialed in if they're using one. Usually "1-rest-2-rest" is enough.
This is there best soundcheck lesson video ever.🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
Thank you!
And learn your Soundengineers Goddamn name!! I hate being called Dude, Cheif, Bro or whatever.
Personally, I've always asked the drummer to play the first verse of Highway to Hell. It has a great tempo for soundcheck. It really clues you in to how the drummer plays. I really don't like doing sound on the kick and snare bit by bit..... too much time wasted.
And smile at the grumpy soundguys, often we're not even angry... usually we just need some sleep, and sometimes we just need a hug :)
From a drummer to a sound guy, mad respect brother.
The sound check I get 99% of the time is just -
Bass drum until stop, at the medium pace suggested
Snare until stop, same pace
Rack tom -
Floor tom -
Full kit, and there I play a four on the floor, with a simple 8th note around the toms, 4 hits on each, then both crashes, and back to start.
Two stories:
First:
I once had a soundguy say "Alright, play it all" after we had individually done each drum and whatnot...
So, I played the intro to "Painkiller" by Judas Priest (Hey, I thought it was a good idea so they could hear how it all sounded.)
The guy ended up saying "No, no, no, I wanted you to just go: kick, snare, tom, tom, then tom again."
Needless to say, we didn't like that guy very much....the younger dude with him was super chill though.
Second:
I had just bought a Double Bass kit (From Dan Carle of After the Burial actually) and I was gonna use all of it, so prior to the show starting I said to the sound guy that "I'm actually gonna be using both kick drums, and I brought a second kick mic and stand because I knew you wouldn't have two."
(Most bands that come through Duluth, Minnesota don't have two kick drums.)
He made both kicks sound just like each other, even with two different mics!
We've all had horror stories of some sound guys, but when one is supplied I'm trying to be as helpful as possible for them since they're still working while the band is having fun.
Don't get me started on doing your own sound live...haha
Rio Mariuccci- First off, there was nothing wrong with your sound guy. What he asked you, and the way he asked you to play the kit, is actually the way it should be. When a sound tech says "play everything", he means : hit each drum one at a time so he can hear the drum on its own in order to tweak any inconsistencies in the sound. Only someone who's inexperienced would start a sound check by playing pile driving double bass drum patterns and snare during a tune like "pain killer" . That is NOT how a sound check is done. The real way to sound check a drum kit, is to hit each drum individually until the sound man tells you to move on to the next drum, and so on. When he determines that the overall sound of the drums sound good, he'll then tell you to "play everything", which is when you are now free to pile drive double kick patterns and fills as much as you want, or for as much time as has been given to you for a sound check. Trust me. I've been playing theaters for many years and this is usually how it goes. So, what I see here is that you misunderstood that sound man and had some miscommunication.
You misread my comment.
Carefully read through it again, because yes, I DID do the individual drums before the sound guy said "Play everything."
@@rio_mn Is your first story sarcastic or a joke, because it reads like one?
@@KEVBOYMUSIC
How did you know?!
@@rio_mn You've honestly made it hard to tell.
Toffe video! Heeft mij echt al superveel geholpen
Thank you! So many good points here
Thank YOU!
as someone who only gets to soundcheck in small clubs and various gigs im doing, this gave me a hearty chuckle, aint nobody got time for any of this.
Michael, always entertaining and so engaging. Fantastic mate cheers from Australia
really good and also important video to watch !!!! thank you for making this
Thank you for the appreciation!
Touchy breed, sound engineers.
Insensitive, situationally unaware bunch, drummers.
Another tip, hit at the velocity you are going to use when playing the show! I’ve done a lazy soundcheck hitting softly thinking when I play louder I’ll be louder in the gif! 🤦🏻♂️ Also don’t show off, it’s a sound check not a chop check
i thought the title was "FIX YOUR SOUNDCHECK, NOPE"
One of the most helpful video i have ever show...tnx Man...
I'm not sure about the tapping on the mics tip because a lot of the time they might have them muted untill they bring them up also I've had multiple sound engineers tell me tapping on the mics aren't good for the microphones
Unknown010799 true true, I was thinking more of a studio environment so you’re right
Tapping lightly on dynamic mics (usually snare and tom mics) doesn't hurt them at all. The condenser mics (typically overheads) are a lot more sensitive but if you tap on the side instead of the front they should be ok as well. Of course if the soundguy is worried about it, I wouldn't do it at all. Another option would be to snap your fingers in front of the mic.
If you can, it doesn't hurt to double check with your sound engineer before hand. :)
Check out my precise point in the video : mic tapping is to check on mic signals coming through your monitoring feed / in ears! Slight tapping with fingers didn't ever damage any microphone made for drums!
I’m fortunate enough to work with guys that don’t play anything until our sound guys ask them too. Same with me. I only give the sound guys what they want! I never move to another drum or add something until they ask!
Engineer: Ok dont play im going to place and adjust the mics around the kit
Drummer: Yes
THIS IS HUGE!!!! Thanks guys!
This video is so amazing
I loved this guy when he was singing with Midnight Oil
I would always bring Danny who was the sound guy for The Mad Monk a huge joint. My drums always sounded amazing and got some really nice soundboard recordings from him. Be prepared follow directions and try and be helpful.
if i ever soundchecked my drums the way this dude does, i'd get yelled at by every engineer around. when they ask for kick, i give them kick. when they ask for snare, i give them snare. i do give them heads ups like "hey, my ride is a bit on the loud side, how would you like to go about that?" because i use a 23" K Sweet Ride. from there, i let the engineer do his thing and give him exactly what he needs and asks for. simple.
Go back to the beginning of the clip : it all starts with giving him or her what he/she wants FIRST. Think synergizing instead of discussing.
Loved this very much, thanks
Man I love this dude
Bài học rất có giá trị.
Nice sir. very helpfull
Michael Schack! One of the best Belgian drummers in the world! You absolute legend
U have to respect all people ; but for us who are on the road, i always says ''Be gentle with the Waiters and the Sound Engineers and u'll be in heaven'' ! LOL !
This would be hilarious in a "Don't vs. Do" format (like Chris Rock's "How to deal with the police" video)
Nice, be friendly 👍 that's it me and my band do, so, we always have a god sound
Michael is probably a Very good sound engineer as well.
Don’t blame Michael, he’s used to just sending a stereo-jack to the FoH from his E-drum...
Excellent!
great video and explanation, specailly for those new to gigging or those who need a refresher.
on a more personal note, through full-range speakers, the rack tom sounds slightly dead to me?
Great video, good advice... coming from a sound guy :)
Very good flenglisch speaking
Melci!
When i get to on stage and check the kit, mics arent even placed properly and they forgot to place the overheads, then it doesnt even matter if you move or even place them properly for the engineer. In my experience.
But I definitely agree with what your saying as well. Hands off if they have been placed strategically.
But typically i prefer to make the engineer wait before i quickly setup my kit first.
And actually, dont tap the mics man.
Maybe it would be better just doing the exact thing what is being asked by the sound engineer. Not less, not more.
¿? Newbie wanna give tips to a world touring pro. Gotta love the interwebs.
If you are not a touring pro, than you don't need to behave yourself like a touring pro.
@@stripedfrog1122 You´re SOOO wrong I can´t even begin to tell you. Hope no ones follows your advice. You need to behave like a PRO before been a PRO. Moving on.
@@JulianFernandez tapping on the mics and starting to hit the next tom before being asked and stuff like that doesn't make anybody a pro... makes a dusche with a massive Ego who always thinks he knows better. So yeah, move on!
@@stripedfrog1122 Nothing make you more of a douche (dusche! haha) than upvoting your own posts. Go shed man (and keep quiet if you trying to tip a pro musician)
Great video thaks!!!
Love this🤘🏽
Yeah.. the vibe I've gotten from soundpeople in my area was not one of taking suggestions well. For instance asking to pan something differently? They take that as an insult rather than constructive.
Fantastic tutorial! Thanks for sharing.
You are very welcome!
Quadrolls and Blast beats soundchecks the best :D
"Listen to the engineer. If he asks you to play the bass drum, play the bass drum ONLY"
Next tip:
"Just start adding shit even though no one asked you to LMAO"
5:59
Was waiting for NIN Closer to start playing
Years ago I tried the Dave Rat method and have stuck with it. Tell the drummer to play his whole kit with a medium tempo. My headphones give me enough isolation to solo what I need and the drummer plays more like he will during the show. Which leads to less of the OMG gain adjustments when the show starts. Its easier for the drummer and any others that have to listen.
Sound man: floor tom
Drummer: wipeout it is
It’s great to see this video triggering so many comments! Shows this one is necessary. I learned a lot while working with some super sound engineers along my touring ways. But, dear commentators, check the title of this video : these tips are suggestions for drummers to fix THEIR soundchecks and connect better with sound engineers to enhance the gig performance and also cope with (some grumpy) sound engineers who might not always put in the effort for making drummers comfortable too. Also, regarding the tapping on the mics : softer tapping or scratching DRUM microphones is NOT a problem, as they’re designed to cope with loud level sound sources and I do suggest this to check on incoming monitoring signals, NOT with the FOH PA speakers in full mix action. This works particulary during a short line check or change over to make sure signals are being sent to your inears or monitoring setup without having to play each instrument and annoying the other musicians quickly setting up on stage, especially when monitoring signals are still being sent a bit low. Great sound engineers respect musicians to the max when they suggest particularities like panning for instance, it shows sound engineers drummers are caring too. There’s definitely a lot of grumpy club sound engineers out there who might got stuck in their routine, I’ve alsovmet a lot of those while on tour, so it’s always ok to wake ‘em up and show them you’re a drummer who is conscious and wants them to shine as well with the sound content you’re sending them.
Is it me or was that an awkward handshake at the beginning?😂 Great video guys!
not at all
Nice one mike :) don't forget to buy him a pint of beer!
If he asks for a kick give him a snare. If he asks for a crash give him a cowbell. Need to test the sound mans sense of humor. You may have lost the gig but it was fun.
Nice drumming
nice Video, i Would suggest that you Play the way you Play during the concert. if you gonna Play high volume deathmetal Dont Play Boss Nova Style at the Soundcheck. i go for the highest Dynamic Level i have to play that gig. this way the soundguy can Set the right gain Level and others settings. Simply speaking, if you Play Low volume during Soundcheck an High volume at the Show or the others way around you will ende up with distorded signals, Bad Sound and worth.
can you also do a video for when you have a 20 minute change over
Why? That wouldn't change the core message/point at all.
What do you do if the sound check lasts 5 hours?
You leave the audience in as soon as possible before they all go home in the end.
5:10 "Ey dumbass! I told you to play the kick!” xD
NEVER tap a microphone! You're putting a ton of sudden pressure on the diaphragm and it could pop a speaker on the other end. They weren't designed to be tapped.
Also, I've learned from my experience not to be too proactive with a soundman. This guy is too much like an eager puppy dog, and I can see him rubbing some sound people the wrong way. You need to be ready and cue off of his lead. If you are being overly proactive, you're probably going to be making the sound man feel like he's being rushed.
David, check the video again : it's to check the incoming signals to the drummers' monitoring before front of house sound checking. I say this literally. "Woofy!" (eager puppy dog sound)
What do you do if you have an incompetent sound guy who refuses to give you a monitor? What do you do if your sound guy has your levels so high that the drums feedback?
You fire him. And you tell him that he should start his own band:)
6:52 This was my favorite... haha
This should be called "everything to piss off a sound guy"
Many happy sound guys and girls in my daily world of touring though...And some very positive reactions here as well, both from sound engineers and drummers. I guess it all depends on personalities as well.
Rename. Sound check in studio.
Maybe if it's a really professional engineer but the guys I work with would take a lot of this as a hit to the ego
Mich is dope
For a video on soundchecks, there sure is a lot of audio level pumping.
Giving the sound man $20 doesn't hurt either.
Hey so I got a question, what/ why is gaffer tape needed for on a drum set?
Muffling toms or taping mics/wire
It can be used to dampen both cymbals and drums. With cymbals, it can help with unwanted freq in the wash of a ride or crash. With drums, it works like moongels and whatnot.
Preview: "Fix your soundcheck" - t-shirt print: "NOPE"
The perfect shirt. :)
A few good tips.. But ironically, some of the worst-sounding drums ever recorded in the Drumeo studio..
Great!!
DON'T *TAP* MICROPHONES.
Why not?
I've never done it or thought about doing it but why shouldnt you? I dont imagine feedback would he an issue at all. Is it sensitivity like too much sound would come through
@@colesisler582 some mics are really delicate but even if this is not the case, mics are made to convert air pressure variations (and not mechanical energy) into an electrical signal. If you hit them you are basically using them wrong.
@@socrateslopes Gotcha that makes sense.
Something that all drummers and engineers should know. Great video!!
Alot of real DIY gigs:
Me: Excuse me, I think this cymbal should come out of that speaker instead of that one. Can you maybe reverse the paning?
Sound dude: STFU! This is my show, I tell you stuff. You know shit! Everone is here for me and my skills. Who the F is you anyway? I have done this for 20 years. *smokes a joint*
Awesome work Michael. Clearly well informed content here. How do you deal with the ever common grumpy sound engineer even after you've tried to build rapport?
Keep the positivity going and don't let it ruin your day. :)
@MarsHolst20 PAHAHAH LEGEND
@@DrumeoOfficial Wise words. Thanks :)
I have a feeling this guy is talking about European soundcheck verses American soundcheck. European 15 min, American 3 min tops unless you are a national headliner.
I must disagree, I did tour Canada and US often and in lots of cases just saying "hi" and synergizing with the sound guy or sound girl changes those 3 mins in 5 to 10 mins, at least.
I like that Drumeo only responds to the good comments and not the ones that have actual issues with the content that they're putting out. "Tips" and "Tricks" like these have the potential of ruining shows and possibly even losing gigs. Listen to the sound guy and do exactly what he says and no more.
He vontz ze kickdrum. Geev heem ze kickdrum.
Please allow the drummer to get completely set up. I’ve seen sound techs (live) mic the kit, then the drummer has to move cymbal stands around the mic stands. (especially around the snare/HH area)There would be no need for the drummer to mess with any mic placements if drummers kit was set up first.
Drummers who watch this channel aren’t playing this level of gig.
False
True.
These arent at all astounding things to hear at a soundcheck or a fast line check. That said, its not something id suggest any drummer do. Dont try to rush the soundguy through it. Thats just rude.
BUT, there are some sound enginer, that say "play only kick, only snare, only tom 1, 2, floor, only cymbals, all drums"... not every sound enginer in the world, are like the video :V
you should see his clinics....
I think he forgot to mention the purpose of that gaffer tape. Is it to shut someone up? Abducting the sound technician and replacing him/her with your mother?