I miss big sounding late 1980s recorded drum sounds

[Targalx]

Does anyone else here miss the exaggeratedly huge gated room reverbs and long decay times on drums? Snares that sounded like explosions each time they were hit? I also miss big, boomy toms. More reverb please! I don't miss the power tom sizes though, because that wasn't fun to set up. (I like to play an ergonomically efficient kit.)

Ready to duck at any tomatoes being thrown my way!

 

[bpaluzzi]

You're starting to see some of that coming back -- bands like The 1975 have been doing this for a while with their drum sounds:

Their drummer / producer (George Daniel) has also been producing / playing with some other artists who are pursuing similar sounds, like The Japanese House:

(this one also lays a lot of distortion / compression over the whole track, but the drum sounds underneath the chorus have that same 80s gated reverb.

Anna Calvi has been hitting the Siouxsie / Kate Bush side of things for a while as well:

You're also seeing the big drum sounds starting to creep into some of the electropop / chillwave stuff, especially in the choruses:

 

[Mcjnic]

I really like a big drum sound. Not crazy about those quick pops you get from a lot of tracks. I do prefer a more natural orgainc warm and woody sound from the drums. Not to infer that those overprocesed sounds of the late 80s is that. But ... compared to the quick pops ... yes, the late 80s sounds are much more preferable.

 

[LRod1707]

Does anyone else here miss the exaggeratedly huge gated room reverbs and long decay times on drums? Snares that sounded like explosions each time they were hit? I also miss big, boomy toms. More reverb please! I don't miss the power tom sizes though, because that wasn't fun to set up. (I like to play an ergonomically efficient kit.)

Ready to duck at any tomatoes being thrown my way!

I'm with you man!
Time to put up my tomato shield as well!

 

[Tilter]

Playing a kit like that...not for me. But I still dig it!

 

[High on Stress]

Well Targalx, you knew it was only a matter of time before I posted this!

 

[Tornado]

I really dislike gated reverb, personally. But I do like big sounding drums. Mostly, I just like drums that sound like acoustic drums.

 

[JonnyFranchi$e]

I think that big gated reverb sound on the snare makes it sound so "dated" and it's so conspicuous.

HOWEVER, when mixing, without that big slappy reverb on the snare, I always find myself trying to process drums and wanting MORE SNARE!

I want some kind of slap back or something to give it that CRACK sound.

Then, when I get it, it gets in the way of the vocal track. So usually I just let the singer get drowned out by it. I mean, deserted island, what would you rather have, a snare? Or a vocalist? It makes sense, doesn't it?

So, in short, I miss that huge 80s drum sound but I can't admit it to myself.

 

[JonnyFranchi$e]

Funny, I can't find the regular studio version on the youtubes to link here, but whenever I think of that BIG 80s snare, I remember the track "Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight" by Dylan off his Infidels record. Fantastic huge snare that really adds to the track.

 

[Hop]

Heavily processed/sampled drums, but they didn't get a much bigger sound than this:

Or how about the drum sound... aww who am I kiddin' here, just check out this intergalactic mega-mullet and nose chain on 'Jane Child.'

 

[the_dude]

Simple answer: YES!

 

[Mcjnic]

Well ... maybe I'm misunderstand the "late 80s sound". I am thinking more about the loud booming and long sustaining toms. The bass drum that would cave a chest in. The snare that sounds like it measures 18 inches.
Anyway, that's the sounds in my head ... along with a lot of voices oddly enough.

 

[Targalx]

Well ... maybe I'm misunderstand the "late 80s sound". I am thinking more about the loud booming and long sustaining toms. The bass drum that would cave a chest in. The snare that sounds like it measures 18 inches.
Anyway, that's the sounds in my head ... along with a lot of voices oddly enough.

Yeah! That's what I'm talking about. Well, minus the voices...

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Don't Stop Believin'........

 

[swarfrat]

Yes

 

[Tigerdrummer]

No

Does anyone else here miss the exaggeratedly huge gated room reverbs and long decay times on drums? Snares that sounded like explosions each time they were hit? I also miss big, boomy toms. More reverb please! I don't miss the power tom sizes though, because that wasn't fun to set up. (I like to play an ergonomically efficient kit.)

Ready to duck at any tomatoes being thrown my way!

Not really. Sounds like someone banging on sheet metal. Neither pleasing or musical to me. Sorry to be negative

 

[swarfrat]

We're how many posts into a thread about 80's big drums and no mention of BIB/FTATR? Since everybody is expecting something Back in Black I'll post this one - I love the huge gobs of space they leave around these huge drums in this track:

 

[Houndog]

 

[unicorncop]

BOOOO

 

[langmick]

Like this?