Which YES album has the best drum sound? [Archive]

Bugeyes

10-26-2006, 10:48 AM

Talk...is primal to me.

:yikes: Don't hurt me. It is the lp that makes me focus on drums. Most of the other lps, the drums seem subliminal.

But I'm temporary. Is it okay if I change my mind after more replies?

Yes_Fan_4_Life26

10-26-2006, 10:53 AM

90125. :)

allen toth

10-26-2006, 10:57 AM

Talk...is primal to me.

:yikes: Don't hurt me. It is the lp that makes me focus on drums. Most of the others lp the drums seem subliminal.

But I'm temporary. Is it okay if I change my mind after more replies?
Hi Peggy! I think Talk should be removed from the list, because it is not Alan's Drums being used, it's a machine. Check out 90124, and you will hear the same "set".

Bugeyes

10-26-2006, 11:02 AM

Hi Peggy! I think Talk should be removed from the list, because it is not Alan's Drums being used, it's a machine. Check out 90124, and you will hear the same "set".Hi again Allen, so nice to run into you here. :D

Damn electronics. They are just no fun to play. :lmao: I push buttons all day long. Alls I can say is I want a piano! I'll NEVER play an organ. New fangled electricty thingys take all the pleasure of breaking silence to me. I'm a noisy girl at heart. Electricty is cheating!

Andrea YouAndI

10-26-2006, 11:02 AM

Drama is pretty killer. :drummer: Only two words need to be said:

Machine Messiah

:bowdown:

emerson_brady

10-26-2006, 11:18 AM

Hi Peggy! I think Talk should be removed from the list, because it is not Alan's Drums being used, it's a machine. Check out 90124, and you will hear the same "set".

Starting with 90125, Alan started playing samples (mostly of his own drums) via triggers. Tervor Horn is not very good at recording live drums, at least that's what someone told me who's into producing and stuff. Talk was probably just Trevor cutting and pasting everything together on his computer.

Yes.2

10-26-2006, 11:22 AM

Relayer.

nitrus

10-26-2006, 11:26 AM

Talk, Talk, without any doubt, Talk. Those drum sounds are one of the main reasons why I love Talk so much.

Are you sure it's a drum machine? I've always thought it's Alan's playing, albeit heavily boosted by Trevor's production.

Purple Wolfhound

10-26-2006, 11:39 AM

Drama is pretty killer. :drummer: Only two words need to be said:

Machine Messiah

:bowdown:

I agree - just about everything sounded better, well, except for the vocals. ;)

TNyesfan

10-26-2006, 03:15 PM

I've always loved the drums on BG. I think Alan saves that record.

Albedo

10-26-2006, 03:16 PM

Hard to pick, but I liked the drums on 90125 even though I'm not a big fan of the album overall.

Jackaranda

10-26-2006, 03:20 PM

Tough call, but I'll go with Relayer, just ahead of Talk.

south_side

10-26-2006, 04:30 PM

Tough call..I never liked Alan's sound nearly as much as Bill's. 90125 was his best sounding overall.

somissound

10-26-2006, 04:42 PM

Starting with 90125, Alan started playing samples (mostly of his own drums) via triggers. Tervor Horn is not very good at recording live drums, at least that's what someone told me who's into producing and stuff. Talk was probably just Trevor cutting and pasting everything together on his computer.

:thinking:
huh?? There is a ton of live drums on 90125, minus Owner and Leave It. Owner is just kick, snare, and hi hat -with electronics and samples.

Trevor Horn is very, very good at recording live drums..Drama, 90125, Big Generator have some of the best real drums Alan has recorded..In my opinion. Tempus Fugit, Hold On, Shoot High Aim Low are top notch..:headset:

Talk is Trevor tweaking Alan with drum samples..but it does ROCK. Just not very natural.

shortexchanges

10-26-2006, 04:43 PM

Alan seems to still live in the shadow of Bruford. Alan is the YES drummer. Listen to Relayer (sound chaser) and Drama for studio. On you tube you see the going for the one - tormato - yes in the round. See Alan and Steve crush Close to the edge. Listen to Alan subtle nuance on Close to the Edge on the keys live.

Picking out one studio album DRAMA kicks ass

Timmo

10-26-2006, 05:06 PM

Although I've learned to like "Drama," it certainly isn't my favorite Yes effort.

However, I must give credit where credit is due. Alan really shone on this one...although it was a tight choice between "Drama" and "Relayer," I went with "Drama."

Chris too.

emerson_brady

10-27-2006, 09:09 AM

:thinking:
huh?? There is a ton of live drums on 90125, minus Owner and Leave It. Owner is just kick, snare, and hi hat -with electronics and samples.

Trevor Horn is very, very good at recording live drums..Drama, 90125, Big Generator have some of the best real drums Alan has recorded..In my opinion. Tempus Fugit, Hold On, Shoot High Aim Low are top notch..:headset:

Talk is Trevor tweaking Alan with drum samples..but it does ROCK. Just not very natural.

Trevor Horn does know how to get a great drum sound, there's no denying that. It's just that the drums sounds very "un-live" or "processed" to me, if that makes any sense. If you listen to 90125 and then to, say, "Laughing Stock" by Talk Talk or some jazz record record from the 60s, you'll know what I mean. Real, live drums just don't sound the way they do on 90125. That's not to say they don't sound good; to the contrary, they fit perfectly for that type of music.

Talk is an even more extreme example of studio trickery - the creation of an illusion that could never happen like that in real life.

BlankReg

10-27-2006, 09:34 AM

While I like the playing on Talk, I never liked the drum sound. Too processed – way over-compressed & gated. (I also always thought it was Alan playing triggered samples. I seem to remember an interview during the making of Talk where Trevor stated that Alan played every note.) Drama is good for a "live in the studio" feel, and Open Your Eyes is good for a “processed but natural” sound. But I chose Keystudio, mainly for the opening of “That, That Is” – in my opinion, one of Alan’s best moments. The sound on “<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Mind Drive</st1:address></st1:Street>” is great, too.

Yesed

10-27-2006, 09:47 PM

Unfortunately, its not a White album. Its a Bruford album, 'Fragile', I think White would admit this himself.
On the the other hand I dont think, or at least, I cannot imagine anyone sounding any better on that masterpiece, 'Tales' than Alan White. JMO. Ed

yuppy

11-15-2006, 02:59 AM

Hello everyone,
The first thing that came to mind when I read the question re. Alan's drum sound was either DRAMA or 90125 (both Trever Horn productions...HHHHMMMMMMMM!!! I wonder.)
On DRAMA (If there are any) and on 90125 the electronic stuff was mostly seasoning ("Leave It" was an exeption).
What amazes me about the drum soud on these two records is the role the play in the whole statement of the song. I think this is Trevor Horns genious...nothing is an adendum. Not to mention the the various vocings and sense of space...and of course I think Alan was at his peak during those years. The performance on DRAMA simply destroys me every time I hear it ("Tempus Fugit"...F*@#!!!).
As far as 90125 goes, Cinima was recorded live. Thems are real drums. Drum machines were just in there infancy in those days, as well as samples and electronic kits. Believe it or not, I recall hearing on a radio interview that the drum intro to Owner of a Lonly Heart was real, although heavily produced.

Scooty

11-15-2006, 03:15 AM

Alan White:

Drama

Crisp, clean...precise.

True Believer

11-15-2006, 04:23 AM

Tales

11-15-2006, 04:24 AM

Drama

allpurechance

11-15-2006, 04:39 AM

Relayer.

Possibly the most amazing drum album ever.

Rhythm section album ever.

pianozach

11-15-2006, 04:41 AM

It's really tough trying to separate favorite drum sound from favorite yes albums, or even favorite drumming.

But I'll take the question literally . . .

With all of my Yes collection inside the computer with the ability to quickly sample all of the albums in minutes, I'd have to say that I like the SOUND of the drums on the Keys (studio) albums the best . . . it's crisp, and not buried and thuddy sounding.

MrCalling06

11-15-2006, 04:47 AM

I agree with the fact that Drama has very close to percise drum qualities that have been possibly positioned further back in the mix on some other albums. The ambience of the drums are very clean and atune on Drama and 90125 album as well. I love what Trevor did on those.

Dr.Bass

11-17-2006, 02:33 PM

Were it ever to be remastered I'd say Big G, but it has to be Talk. If the question was which were the best album for playing... well, that's a hard choice.

The Whale

11-17-2006, 02:37 PM

CTTE, but out of the ones listed Relayer because of how they work with the keys. Alan and Pat redifine rythem section on Relayer.

westvic

11-17-2006, 02:46 PM

Gosh--hard pick--Scooty is right Drama had amazing production--Big Generator had a killer drum sound--natural reverb in the castle and all

MrZuLu

11-17-2006, 02:48 PM

Hi Peggy! I think Talk should be removed from the list, because it is not Alan's Drums being used, it's a machine. Check out 90124, and you will hear the same "set".
wow no chit???!?!??!?!!?

So on July 10, 1994, that was a machine up on stage playing the drums???

OMG that really was some great acid that day... definitely fooled me!

I guess Alan White's Grand Mother, who I had the pleasure to meet that day, is the machine's Gramma?

Sheerah

11-17-2006, 02:48 PM

90125. :)

That was my vote.

Deliriumyes

11-17-2006, 05:20 PM

I chose Relayer, but it was a tough call. Tales is killer!

Jackaranda

11-24-2006, 10:42 PM

wow no chit???!?!??!?!!?

So on July 10, 1994, that was a machine up on stage playing the drums???

OMG that really was some great acid that day... definitely fooled me!

I guess Alan White's Grand Mother, who I had the pleasure to meet that day, is the machine's Gramma?

Well that's one reason so many people prefer the live versions of the songs from Talk...Alan is playing the drums.

I remember on Rockline when Talk came out, he made some remark about the producer being a better drummer than he was.

spoukeego

11-25-2006, 07:07 AM

drama and 90125. especially 'hearts'. killer. absolutely killer.

i'm pretty sure aw used the same kit for drama, 90125, and corresponding tours.

IHeartYes

11-26-2006, 08:22 PM

From the albums I've heard so far, I think I like the drumming on Drama the most.

tormatotork

11-27-2006, 04:04 AM

I would go with Drama

Buglunch

12-05-2006, 05:16 AM

Topographic Oceans by a mile. Particularly Ancient and Ritualare amazing! Consider it was Alan's FIRST studio album with Yes.
I went Relayer ; Alan told us Thursday in drum clinic that Topographic Oceans wasn't recorded well and took forever- Eddie Offord chopped up side 4 tapes by accident and had to splice the bits all back together by hand.

This is what we hear on the vinyl, which I bought on release in Alberta, still love it, though. Yes did a lot of experimenting with gear and sound that pushed limits on Relayer.

Whitefish

12-12-2006, 10:35 PM

I would have voted for Talk, but because of posts saying it is a drum machine or sampled, I voted for Big Generator. Drama is could have easily gotten my vote too. Both sound fantastic. 90125 is great too. Those 4 albums get my vote!

I find it hard to believe that Talk is all drum machine or programmed. But I would not put past Rabin to do something like that.

Scooty

12-13-2006, 12:06 AM

westvic

12-13-2006, 12:38 AM

Drama

MrZuLu

12-13-2006, 01:06 AM

I am not so sure about Talk being a drum machine. Tracks like Endless Dream and The Calling are most definitely Alan playing...without a doubt.When in doubt ask the horse!

Saturday I intend to ask Alan about this!

Scooty

12-13-2006, 01:10 AM

When in doubt ask the horse!

Saturday I intend to ask Alan about this!

Good man Michael...

I find it incredibly hard to believe that there was a drum machine when so much of Talk actually has some of his best recorded drum work since Drama.

MrZuLu

12-13-2006, 01:17 AM

Good man Michael...

I find it incredibly hard to believe that there was a drum machine when so much of Talk actually has some of his best recorded drum work since Drama.
I could not agree more...

kinda defines ROCK

very solid!

Scooty

12-13-2006, 01:26 AM

Tell Alan Scooty says hi, will ya' Michael?

MrZuLu

12-13-2006, 02:57 AM

I shall, Scott...

Whitefish

12-13-2006, 03:13 AM

Yeah, I don't think that could be programmed drumming on Talk. It just does not sound like it whatsoever.

You listen to any Moody Blues from 1981-now and that is all programmed. Guaranteed! Most of it anyway!

I really believe that Talk is all Alan playing. 100%. Even Trevor Rabin could not do that!

srtopepis

12-13-2006, 04:09 AM

Hi gang.

I voted 90125, because I think it marks a new start in Alan's sound. His playing's been always amazing, but I think it didn't have the production it deserved (I'm thinking on Going for the One or Does it really Happen now)

There's been other great drum sounds from 90125, some of the too "processed", but it's incredible how an album from the early 80's can sound so grrreat still today.

I think Alan rocks and I never miss Brufford. For me Alan is Yes drummer and I preffer Bill playing with Fripp, so we got two terrrific bands with both terrrrrific and completely different drummers