Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:24 am Post subject: Session Drummers
Hi,
I just wanted to get an idea how much it would cost to hire a session drummer for recording. Music style is Hard rock / progressive metal and it will be for 8 songs. Any advice?
Joined: Nov 26, 2005 Posts: 266 Location: Emerald, VIC
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:58 pm Post subject:
Depends on how much time is involved and each project is different.
If you're recording live drums "To tape" and need perfect takes, well then you need more time with the drummer. I had a session guy play my TD25 live and then we edited the midi later to tidy up any issues. This allowed a minimum of time commitment from the drummer, and ultimate freedom for us to edit later.
For reference, I paid less than $500 and because we flew through it, we got 9 songs in an 8 hour session. I'd suggest you'd need at least two studio days for someone not familiar with the tunes, and allow enough time for them to learn them.
Further, if you're asking them to write the drums, are you giving them APRA rights?
Depends on how much time is involved and each project is different.
If you're recording live drums "To tape" and need perfect takes, well then you need more time with the drummer. I had a session guy play my TD25 live and then we edited the midi later to tidy up any issues. This allowed a minimum of time commitment from the drummer, and ultimate freedom for us to edit later.
For reference, I paid less than $500 and because we flew through it, we got 9 songs in an 8 hour session. I'd suggest you'd need at least two studio days for someone not familiar with the tunes, and allow enough time for them to learn them.
Further, if you're asking them to write the drums, are you giving them APRA rights?
APRA rights reflect Melody & Lyrics. There is no reason to give a drummer songwriting credits for a hired session unless they have either contributed to the melody or lyrics, or it is a negotiated part of their payment.
As a drummer myself, I would never expect credit for songwriting for which I had no part.
So you'd think that the drums to "We will rock you" aren't right-worthy?
Of course. The drums neither contributed to the melody or the lyrics.
I haven't looked up the exact details of this track, but I do know Queen was a band where all members wrote, and the credits were designated to the writers of each particular song. For example, Bohemian Rhapsody is credited to Freddie Mercury, Another one bites the dust is credited to John Deacon.
I'm not saying Roger Taylor isn't deserving, i'm simply saying that this is the way collection agencies such as APRA work out how to distribute funds to the songwriters. If he wrote the lyrics or melody that would be a different story.
Joined: Apr 23, 2004 Posts: 12625 Location: The Grassy Knoll...
Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:11 am Post subject:
Redlich wrote:
The_Fiddler wrote:
Depends on how much time is involved and each project is different.
If you're recording live drums "To tape" and need perfect takes, well then you need more time with the drummer. I had a session guy play my TD25 live and then we edited the midi later to tidy up any issues. This allowed a minimum of time commitment from the drummer, and ultimate freedom for us to edit later.
For reference, I paid less than $500 and because we flew through it, we got 9 songs in an 8 hour session. I'd suggest you'd need at least two studio days for someone not familiar with the tunes, and allow enough time for them to learn them.
Further, if you're asking them to write the drums, are you giving them APRA rights?
APRA rights reflect Melody & Lyrics. There is no reason to give a drummer songwriting credits for a hired session unless they have either contributed to the melody or lyrics, or it is a negotiated part of their payment.
As a drummer myself, I would never expect credit for songwriting for which I had no part.
For session work, there is certainly no reason to give the drummer writing credits as Redlich has stated.
If the drummers contributing as part of the songwriting process, that may be a different story however if they're putting drums down to an existing song already written in a session environment, it would be unlikely their work would satisfy the requirements that they've contributed to the lyrics or melody and require writing credit.
Depends on how much time is involved and each project is different.
If you're recording live drums "To tape" and need perfect takes, well then you need more time with the drummer. I had a session guy play my TD25 live and then we edited the midi later to tidy up any issues. This allowed a minimum of time commitment from the drummer, and ultimate freedom for us to edit later.
For reference, I paid less than $500 and because we flew through it, we got 9 songs in an 8 hour session. I'd suggest you'd need at least two studio days for someone not familiar with the tunes, and allow enough time for them to learn them.
Further, if you're asking them to write the drums, are you giving them APRA rights?
APRA rights reflect Melody & Lyrics. There is no reason to give a drummer songwriting credits for a hired session unless they have either contributed to the melody or lyrics, or it is a negotiated part of their payment.
As a drummer myself, I would never expect credit for songwriting for which I had no part.
APRA rights reflect Lyrics and Music. It used to be lyrics and melody. Ultimately it comes down to what you agree on with your co writer and how you can prove that agreement. If you pay a session drummer for their playing and or musical input then make it clear in writing what you are paying for. $500 a day is pretty common. _________________ Geelong Guitar repairs
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