Do you experience this with drums in jazz recordings?

b345t

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May 10, 2020
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Hey guys,

As my system gets better and the soundstage grows wider and deeper, I feel like the way drums are mixed, it doesn't seem realistic, especially on modern recordings. They keep pushing the cymbals to the far edge of the soundstage. So you have the ride cymbal and crash on opposite sides most of the time. My speakers are 2m80cm apart, when you factor in the edges of the sounstage that goes well beyond the speaker boundary, it must be something like 3.5 - 4m total sound stage. The drums feel unrealistically big most of the time. Maybe they are focusing on the headphone users more than the speaker community? Do you experience this too?
 
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Alrainbow

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I feel the same as you but it’s what they wish. Being a lifetime headphone and speaker user there is a profound effect if mixed as you said. i doubt it’s for headphones as I’m not sure who does what for us types. i like close mic recordings but do also like a bit back to get the presence.
jessica Williams live at YOSSI’s is a bit back so the venue is in play.
there are older recordings that trough a stage where all had a place and height of each too. headphones yield little in this kind of stage reproduction I think.
 
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treitz3

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I have always felt the same but not only with Jazz. When listening to Little feat's, "Waiting for Columbus" album (for example). Everything on the sound stage is where it is supposed to be on stage....BUT the drums. I've never heard a 30 foot wide drum set. Yes, I know they have more than one drummer. I'm taking about the main drum kit.

Jazz usually doesn't have a plethora of musical information going on all at the same time, so it may just be more noticeable (slower passages) but this is one gripe that has always been a hard one for me to personally ignore. I just chalk it up to, "it is what it is".

Tom
 
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b345t

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Yes it is surprising to me, especially given that a record gets heard by so many people before it is released, mastering engineers etc. They have good systems that image well and so on. It just doesn't make sense to hard pan the drumkit on either side. There are other things to create 'space' and 'air; around the drums like side chaining the reverb and playing with that on the entire soundstage. But hearing the right and left tom 4 meters apart just seems ridiculous to me.
 
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APP

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Oct 1, 2014
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Hey guys,

As my system gets better and the soundstage grows wider and deeper, I feel like the way drums are mixed, it doesn't seem realistic, especially on modern recordings. They keep pushing the cymbals to the far edge of the soundstage. So you have the ride cymbal and crash on opposite sides most of the time. My speakers are 2m80cm apart, when you factor in the edges of the sounstage that goes well beyond the speaker boundary, it must be something like 3.5 - 4m total sound stage. The drums feel unrealistically big most of the time. Maybe they are focusing on the headphone users more than the speaker community? Do you experience this too?
I completely agree. That is why the old 50'and 60'jazz albums still hold their ground. Here is Elvin with One mic for the whole set;
 
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b345t

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May 10, 2020
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Elvin the goat. But even with a multi track setup with a 5 microphones on the drums, stop panning toms and cymbals hard left and right! I'll upload some examples of what I perceive as well 'mixed' drums regarding soundstage and some bad ones later on in the day. I'm going to a dealer in a few hours to listen to the Marten Parker Quintet, excited!
 
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Hey, what are some recordings that you find this effect the most evident on? Indeed, sometimes the stage is just "too large" and may sound artificial, and unfortunately, I've had this happen with other genres as well...
 

b345t

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Here are a few more of how it should and shouldn't sound:

Wrong:

1) Don't know whats going on with the left channel at times with the amazing Brian Blade playing.


2) Just amazing music, but so random with the drum mix placement.


3) Great album that was recently released. Way too wide on some drum rim shots and cymbals.



Right:

1) Great live sound and feel.


2) The new generation, Emmet Cohen amazing player. Jimmy Cobb, no introductions needed there. Great recording.


3) One of my favourite ballads by Brad Mehldau

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cREkVI1M2aI&ab_channel=BradMehldau-Topic
 
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Tim Link

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treitz3

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I'll tell you one that nails it! Check out Tool's, "Chocolate Chip Trip".

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin'bout!

Tom
 
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Al M.

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On this great drum track you can hear that it has been done "wrong" already in the year 1961.
 
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