It is well known that the world of recording has become more accessible in recent decades. What used to require a significant investment can now be achieved with much more affordable means. Just a few years ago, it was unthinkable to send a song to someone thousands of kilometers away, have them record drum tracks, and send them back to you within hours. Today, that is no longer new, and that is the scenario in which MDV Drumlab comes into play.
However, even though technology allows us to make drum recordings ‘in chain,’ as if it were just another part of a production line, our approach is different. We want to reclaim the artisanal approach that recordings used to have and use technology to make you feel like you’re in the recording studio from your own home. We know that each and every element that makes up the recording chain is important, and that the quality of the recording will only be as good as the weakest link in that chain. From the performer themselves, through the instrument (and its components), the recording room, and all the electroacoustic elements are equally important. Here, we’ll briefly focus on two of them: the instrument and the room.
THE INSTRUMENT
Indeed, the drum kit is an instrument made of instruments. In fact, that was the purpose of its creation. Therefore, there are several elements that we need to consider to ensure optimal recording quality. Starting with the shells (which would be the wood of the drums), any high-end drum kit, regardless of the brand, will serve us well. We need to pay close attention to the drumheads, as they are the element that wears out the most and effects how the wood resonates. Finding the sound we’re looking for will be more or less straightforward depending on the condition of the drumheads and how we tune them.
This is precisely where we dedicate a significant amount of our research time. We want you to be fully satisfied with the drum sound of your song, and we will achieve this by finding the ideal selection of all the drum kit elements and optimizing their interaction. Lastly, the cymbals. There are many types and sizes, each contributing its own ‘color.’ At MDV Drumlab, we have a wide range of cymbals to choose from.
THE ROOM
From the moment we conceived MDV Drumlab, we wanted the studio to have maximum versatility. For this purpose, we needed its dimensions to be sufficiently spacious and adjustable according to production needs. We communicated this to the architecture workshop AJO, and they designed a 35m2 room, 4 meters high at its highest point, with specific proportions among its three dimensions to minimize the effect of room modes, and where there are no parallel surfaces. This initial setup ensured highly favorable acoustics.
Additionally, we have a set of movable panels with variable acoustics that can be arranged to achieve a very dry or more reverberant sound as required.
Lastly, we carefully selected electroacoustic elements tailored for drum recording, and we will gradually expand them to further enhance our service. As mentioned earlier, these aspects summarize our philosophy when approaching each recording.
If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us, and we will be happy to assist you.
