PERFECT DRUMS

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taylor93112
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2010/08/04 11:53:39 (permalink)

PERFECT DRUMS

as you will see in this post, im very new to recording. im getting ready to start recording drums and i want them to sound as great as i can. i have 2 overheads, a kick, snare, and two tom mics. i want to know the best ways to record them so i can edit the drums after recording and it will actually sound great. any tips and techniques would be great.
 
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    Chregg
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 12:05:11 (permalink)
    Try and position one of the over heads to pick up the floor tom, the other over head to get the hat, and mic the rest up as it is(two toms, snare and kick) as far as the over heads go picking up the hat and floor tom, once you have done the recording, use a gate on the tracks(overhead for hat and floor tom) to get rid of over spill, that at least should do the trick, either that or use a bit of common sense with mic placement,hope this helps
    #2
    Chregg
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 12:08:32 (permalink)
    at the same time, watch because most overhead mics are condenser mics, you would want a dynamic for the floor tom, try experimenting with your mic placement, or try and get hold of a dynamic mic for the floor tom(sm 57, cant go worng if **** all else is available
    #3
    Twigman
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 12:12:38 (permalink)
    IME mic positioning is hyper important

    The differences between miking the top, body or bottom of the snare is huge.....and mic bleed can always be a problem

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    CJaysMusic
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 12:24:10 (permalink)
    Here are allot tips for recording and mixing the Kick drum:
    http://audio-mastering-mixing.com/FAQ___Q_A_Page_2.html#40

    Here are some recording and mixing tips for the snare drum:
    http://audio-mastering-mixing.com/FAQ___Q_A.html#37

    Note: These settings are general and you will need to use your ears for final adjsutments.
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    #5
    Music Miscreant
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 13:33:30 (permalink)
    Use a drummer who knows how to tune his kit & 50% of your work will already have been done. 
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    Bonzos Ghost
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/04 19:05:36 (permalink)
    Tuning...yes..very important. Tune the toms to match each song as well. Hassle? Yes, a little, but they'll sound much better.

    New heads! 

    ...and don't pound on the hi-hat like it just killed your dog. Very hard to fix, unless you trigger/replace the drum sounds later. (There's a lot of that done these days.)
    post edited by Bonzos Ghost - 2010/08/04 19:06:45
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    skullsession
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/05 08:52:22 (permalink)
    Lots of things to be learned when it comes to drums with multiple mics.  A few very important points for you to ponder from the very beginning.

    1:  Never underestimate the importance of room or distant mics on a drum kit.  Your ear is NEVER 4 inches from drums when you hit them.  (If it is, it's probably pointless to discuss - because you're deaf by this point!)  Your close mics will sound a bit unnatural.  That's normal.  A combination of the close mics blended with your overhead and room mics will yeild a much more natural sound.

    2:  Never underestimate the power of a single mono overhead on a drum kit.  You'll have fewer phase issues to deal with.  You'll get plenty of stereo spread from panning your tom mics and the rest of the stuff in your mix.

    3:  Remember that the OH mic is not simply a cymbal mic.  It's there to capture a snapshot of the entire kit.  You get a lot of snare and tom attack here.  Also, PLENTY of HH and cymbals.  You also get PLENTY of cymbal bleed in all of your mics - especially your tom mics.

    The smart man starts with OH.  Get the most out of it you can.  Then, add your kick and snare close mics.  Check phase against the OH....and learn about phase if you don't already know.  It's very important to getting punch and tone.

    WAY too many things to mention....read alot on line about it.  Practice, practice, practice.  It takes a real commitment to get it right.


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    #8
    StevenMikel
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    Re:PERFECT DRUMS 2010/08/05 09:41:11 (permalink)
      Check this out http://www.blaxploitation.com/drums/ .I hope it helps. You can also look at the Sound On Sound weeb site,I'm sure they'll have an article or 2 about mic'ing drums.
    #9
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