Hi everyone,

I was recording a drum track last night at my studio and the craziest thing happened!

First let me explain that I play all the instruments and do all the producing/recording/engineering myself, so as you can imagine at times getting a good track can take quite a lot of time (sometimes up to 8 hours with no accomplished result!)

Sometimes, (although with the proper patch-bays/snakes and general hookups I am quite well organized) I will get confused with what I had used a mic with the night before and not realize I should of 1st checked the back of all connections concerned.

I am recording a very Psychedelic/garage-punk type of rhythm section in Mono on a 4 piece kit using all SM-57s on Snare/Tom/Floor Tom Bass drum sometimes uses RE-20, but the overhead usually picks up what I want, so no mic on Bass drum for this recording. The overhead is a RODE NTK Tube (which I like very much!)

OK, my drums are to the side of my guitar rig. (Fender Twin/Marshal 4/12 cab/Peavey Classic 50 head) The bass drum is 3 feet from side front of amps. A Sm-57 is tilted approx 45 degrees facing more towards the floor and tilted in the drums direction, but angled down!

I recorded going into a Mackie 1604 to a Tascam TSR-8 half inch 8 track. The mics on the Toms are quite close and had at first a very boomy response. After a few tweaks everything sounded decent. I was just after a basic drum track in this situation. My tasks on a daily basis are quite gruelling indeed and I was not fussy in this case.

Anyway when I played the Mono Drum track back I was stupefied!

Let me also explain that I had conducted many tests 1st! I of course recorded and listened to just the 3 closed mics, then just the Overhead.

When put together I had the beefiest fattest, most powerful drum sound I had ever gotten!

I use Distressors and good tube gear most of the time, so this was quite a surprise to me and I thought, "Well, that RODE really is a character builder!"

The next day as I was routing a different session I noticed to my utter astonishment that what I thought had been the RODE had really been the guitar mic described!

Firstly, you all know that Science does not always find its logical conclusion in a situation such as this and I will admit that as a producer myself, I felt stupefied for having that mistake pass me by before recording. (the logical mind)

I am sharing this with you all, because I feel that there are no secrets or tricks that should not be revealed.

I remember feeling a little ashamed with myself for making the error and realizing that it is OK not to be perfect (yes, even in the studio!) and WOW Batman, we will have the theme ready for the show!

I love you guys, always keep the faith (the rest you can throw out!)

Mad John
Zythum Studios

"Thw present day Composer refuses to die!" - Edgar Varese - 1921