The Way hanibal mixed animal style

[thedon]

please tell me how to record a snare bottom the right way. We're learning with every recording session and trying to get it better every time.

I'm not Marconi... but:
Mike Senior has written a great post on snare tracking http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/k...techniques

The take home lessons from the article, and from studio experience are:
- snare bottom may or may not be tracked at all - your choice
- sm57 always cheap, and good for snare bottom - medium distance, 5-10 cm, depending on the genre and the drummers' hit energy
- far MORE important for the whole snare sound is to experiment with a large dia mic at some distance to the TOP SIDE of the snare, to capture the fullness of the snare sound

If I remember well, from the tracks you've published of the "Way of Life" the snare bottom track was a little too weak in preamp gain. Gain adjustment is also key.

I never went into gating the snare bottom during tracking, as Mike mentions.

Then there's perfect snare tuning.
Then there's the drummer - your job!
But this is beyond snare bottom mic-ing.
cheers

Nice sounding mix Hanibal,
Maybe a touch less double vocals.
I agree a well tuned kit and a good drummer like till is the key.
For me the room and overheads sound quality takes priority especially if I don't have much time.
Usually trying different positions with kit and mic's and trying to tame things like wooshing hi hats, Ride cymbals , ringing resonances on the snare and toms with what ever it takes like tape ,tissues, toilet paper LOL .
Sometimes have had to record a sample of close mic of the snare, toms, Kick ect , with different mic's and positions
Preferably in the same room or add other samples which usually end up doing if unable to do so but takes some work to get to sit in the mix.