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Drums reproduction

Considering audio's desire to reproduce live performance as accurately as possible, why do you think the drums are recorded so far back in the mix? I've attended many jazz and fusion performances and many drummers are at the sonic forefront of their bands. Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, et all sonicly fill the room like nobody's business. Even less powerful drummers are on equal footing with their bandmates. Why does it not sound so on recordings? The drums are politely included for percussive colorations but in no way dominate like live. Example: Elvin Jones live powerfully fills every bit of the room to the point that it can border on exhaustion. But on recordings he can sound like a pipsqueak in comparison, just another polite member of the band. Please don't confuse the performance of the musician. It seems like it is the producers choice. Why?
richardmr

Showing 1 response by sidssp

sidssp
1,077 posts
 
I think it has more to do with marketing and sales.

In order to reproduce drums close to live level, you need top notch equipment and a well-treated good size room. I don’t know how many of us have the amp and speakers that can reproduce that kind of dynamic. I know mine cannot. Also, most of the listening rooms have standing wave problem. If drums were recorded at live level, the bass from these recordings will overwhelm the room, triggering all kinds of resonance; causing heavy, unarticulated, one-node bass, and robbing most of the details of other instruments. I don’t think too many people will buy recordings sound like that.

So in order to make recordings sound good in average system, they got to tone down the drums.
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