John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

my room is is 20x20x9. an OK sized room. not huge with high ceiling.. but it's big enough to get the job done. my problem is that when i record drums in there... it actually sounds like a 20x20x9 room and even while the drums are being close miked.. the drums around powerful and sound distant.

my theory is to hang some blackets around the drums to kill the reflections from the bare spots on the walls (but not deadening the room) and putting some bed cushion above the drums. (i have a wood riser under the drums) i think this will clarify my drum sounds and present them in a more controlled/mannered drum sound.

to give an example the type of drum sounds i'm looking for...

go to myspace or purevolume and type in underoath or thursday or as cities burn.

quality of the sites are bad but you're get the idea of where i'm coming from.

Billiam,
A room's acoustics will definately make a big difference in the sound of your recorded drums.
However, there are MANY factors that also may be hampering you getting the sound you want. Microphone choice, placement, drum tuning etc. make a big difference as well. Have you ever recorded anyone elses drums in your room to see if it is the kit? Have you ever recorded your drums in someone elses room and they sounded the way you wanted?
The only reason I bring it up is... I dont think the bed cushion on the ceiling will do much for you. The packing blankets hung around might do a little, but you may need to spend some time building a better solution which would be some broadband absorbers.
First off, the room being square will definately give you modal problems, and a lot of phase cancellation... particularly if you set up your drums in the middle of the room or even the middle of the wall.

Symmetry in your case is going to be your enemy. You might want to keep at least a reflective florr area and one reflective wall, but the rest will need to be absorbed. I have recorded my drums and others as well with very good sucess in a much smaller room than yours and they sounded very good, so the square footage is not your problem.
I think IF your room is the main problem you are going to have to do some serious trapping above the kit to remove the ceiling (acoustically) as well as a few walls particularly ayou dont want opposing walls reflective.

I hope that helps some.

Tom