Your stuff?

[peter c]

OK, Lads... I won't bring it up again.

I still dig you!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

[Lee Collins]

Peter, could I get some advice from you please. I've done a rough test recording of part of zapata, of which I memorised what you hear, but I need to write myself some dots for the whole thing as there's a lot of phrasing going on, so I'll do that. What do you think of the drum balance, too loud, too soft, does it detract from the piece or blend well? What do you think of my direction in it? Am I playing the right things with ride , bass drum and hihat? Am I catching too many accents with the brass or is it correct? At 1.13 there are some snare accents which are too loud, so do you think I should still make them on snare but quieter, or on a different drum, or leave them out? Should I play busier? Thanks [img]smile.gif[/img]
http://jamesseph.phpwebhosting.com/DRuM'sStuff/Testzapata.mp3

[peter c]

Rudy,

You're way up in the mix. You
have to push back - way back.
Drop everything, especially
the cymbals and kick.

You have also made a Samba out
of the rhumba. Now, alot of
players are not used to rhumba.

The problem with Samba is that
there's too much happening on
the beat. Notice how all the
kicks are off the beat? Carry
this into all of the verse.

95% of it is off the beat. If
you're going to kick the beat,
let it be only on the one.

The mix will help. Make sure
you are getting the same mix
in your headset too. Remember
you are a part of the band.

Latin bands do not usually
have drums in the mix and in
the rare event that they do,
they are pushed WAY down.

I'm not worried about the
kicks. It's just the samba-
kick and the mix. Listen to
the bass-line and note what
the keyboard's doing. Hang
with them more. Try and feel
what they're doing but esp-
especially how bass is leav-
ing spaces in his walk.

On the kick pattern, think
'One' and the 'Uh' before
'Three'. For the snare, if
you use it, think 'Two' and
the 'Uh" before 'Four'.

Anticipate everything. On your
own, use that Intro as an ex-
ample of the accenting pattern
used in this tune.

It's going to feel better and
better. Already, you are sound-
ing great!

This is awesome, Rudy! You are
going to thrive in this dir-
ection. You are going to really
grow and love it!

Let me hear some more!

I love it!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 24, 2004 04:04 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[Manu11]

is freaking hard to play latin man!!

[peter c]

Manu - It's letting it get
under your skin. I'm telling
you - This music can make us
much better drummers! You just
can't have more fun! Try it!

You will love it!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 24, 2004 04:07 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[Lee Collins]

Thanks for the advice peter. Could you do me a favour and record it yourself, like you did with your other tracks? That would show me exactly what you mean. I'm not really sure now how to play this based on what you said, but I also know you're right since you seem pretty experienced on authentic latin playing. I've only played slow rhumbas, and the speed of this made me think it was more samba based. I'm not sure where you mean I should make kicks or snare hits, and are you saying I should or shouldn't keep that ostinato bass drum pattern? Thanks. [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[peter c]

Rudy,

First, I'm not the authority on Latin
playing. I might just a little more
experienced than you and that doesn't
mean that I can do more.

You sound like you can do whatever you
want. Believe that.

http://www.thediametrixletter.com/zapata7.mp3

There's the recent one I did for you.
Check out the mix and my accents, all-
around. Latin is primarily off-beat
and 'implied'. Tell me if it gives you
an idea. You don't have to do what I
did but I want you to think as I did,
mix-wise and accent-wise.

It's not perfect but it gives you
an idea I think. Even my mix is a
little hot. Go even lower. It's a
rough even close idea, though.

Yes, the ostinato usually is not a
part of the equation in Latin..

YOU SOUND GREAT, MAN!

You are right with them!!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 24, 2004 04:20 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>

[Lee Collins]

Cheers pete, loading your version now [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[Lee Collins]

Aha, nice peter! You gave it more of a backbeat than I did. I actually thought of playing it much like that, so I'll do that next time. When you say drop everything except bass drum and cymbal, I thought you meant no snare drum, but you've got snare running all the way through. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I prefer your approach, as the backbeat and off beats you play give it more of a laid back lilt, plus I would find it easier to play I think. Very nice, thanks for letting me hear what you meant. [img]smile.gif[/img]

edit: peter, for the most part, I thought my mix was fairly balanced? It should at least be as sonically strong in line with the percussion and not quieter, no? Otherwise it sounds like the drummer is tapping along and shouldn't be there.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 24, 2004 04:57 PM: Message edited by: Rudy_Ment ]</font>

[peter c]

Rudy,

I thought I said especially the cymbals
kick and snare.

Just bring it down a touch. Experiment
with it. Try working from to low on up
rather than too high and then on down.
I hear you over them and remember that
it's the vocals too. We are their slaves.

While I make it sound a little back-beat,
see how many hits are actually on the
beat. I think you'll find that there are
not that many but again, try different
things. Just remember to anticipate.

I'm excited about what you're doing!

I can't wait to hear it!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ February 24, 2004 05:20 PM: Message edited by: peter c ]</font>