communicating your picture of ‘your inner mix’
to the FOH engineer, and what advice do you
have for Church drummers for establishing
the same kind of rapport with volunteer sound
techs?
[Garrett] Each drummer is going to have
their own perspective on their internal drum
mix that they’re doing live, each drummer is
going to have their own needs and wants. I can
give an example of what I always do. Anytime
I’m working live with a new sound engineer
that isn’t used to the music that we’re playing,
I’ll go up and talking to him, and ask him if
he’s listened to the songs. The Heavens tour
for instance, I went up to the front of house
and said, “Hey man, I’m Garrett, and I’m the
drummer, I’m curious if you’ve been listening
to the songs? Are you aware of how these
What is so beautiful about the bass drum is a chorus or the bridge, where the bass guitar is songs are mixed, and how the drum tones
drummer that is extremely gifted and has really really driving those open notes and he’s already and everything is being communicated through
dove into the bass drum… Jojo Mayer. He’s a taking up a majority of the frequencies, I’ll our mix?” And to our benefit it was a yes, he’d
jazz guy, he’s a drum and bass guy, and has burry the kick a little bit more which allows me been studying the songs and learning how the
a band called Nerve. But if you want to see to get more of the attack and then get out of vocals sit in the mix, how the drums sit in the
someone who has mastered the bass drum, the way for him to have more of the woofiness mix. That’s the best starting point, is if they’re
check this guy out. Essentially what he does in his subs. I think just little details like that, of also aware of what you’re trying to achieve.
is… it’s incredible, he plays it like it’s its own exploring the overall sound spectrum of your Because if that’s the case when he’s doing the
instrument, he’s burying the beater, he’s not instrument is knowing how to achieve certain sound check, and you’re going through the
burying the beater, he’s able to get so many sounds. If you can achieve those sounds drums, he is already has a base line going… to
different tones out of the bass drum just with without a mic and you’re able to manipulate the mix the drums to the room by how he hears it
how he hits it with his riff. So, I encourage sound and resonance and the tone, whenever in the record. That allows him to do what he’s
people in the drumming world, to achieve the the drums are mic’d up you’re going to have used to and I can, if I want to add or take away,
sound and be aware of it, without anything on, that much more control over the sound of the I know what that’s going to feel like in the room
just listen to and work with your bass drum. Get room. That is a big question because it goes because I know how he is already mixing me.
to a point where you can play your bass drum, into technique, it goes into really knowing how let the beater hit, and then come off the head. to control your dynamics. Much like a front of I guess if you find that isn’t the case, I think
What that’s going to do when it’s miced up, house engineer, unlike any other instrument, that’s still the number one step, to go to the
it’s already going to allow so many more sub the drummer has four limbs that are playing sound engineer and try to communicate what
frequencies under a mic. different instruments. So already you’re having you are as a player. Something I do in the
to treat your limbs like faders and you have to contrary cases, I’ll say, “Hey, this is the sound
Then on the flip side of that, when you bury it have an internal mix of the drums. Depending I like to achieve, I’m not really heavy on the
like normal, it’s going to get the attack but it’s on what the song is you have to treat your limb cymbals.” I bring the cymbals back a little bit,
not going to get as much sub. Something I do like a fader to adjust your personal drum mix because naturally cymbals are extremely harsh.
naturally when I play live is, depending on what that’s being sent out to the band. I think some of the best mixed drummers are
the music calls for, in a verse for instance I don’t
those who have extreme control over their
burry the beater, I hit the head and the beater [WM] That brings up a really interesting cymbals but get a really full sound out of the
comes off the head and this allows the drum point. When you walk into the room, you’ve drums. So, when they want those moments
to resonate more and it’s going to fill up the studied the songs, arrangements and crafted where the cymbals really punch out and hit
subs just slightly more. Then say we get to the your parts accordingly. How do you approach you in the face, they have that control because
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