More micing information

[Bish]

I'm sure this information is here somewhere but if it's scattered about it might be hard to come to any conclusions.

What I've found in my home when attempting to record is too many mics are not a good thing. I backed down and went basic.

I started with two overheads. This picked up everything rather well. Then for final mixable results, I added a bass drum mic, snare mic, and hats mic. This is for tweaking the mix and letting those 3 entities control the rest of the mix.

With those 3 "focused" mics doing they're thing, I readjusted the overheads to better pick up the cymbals and toms more effectively.

Trial and error and now I think I have a decent mix on my kit. I'll let you know more once I do some trial recordings.

[CycleDude]

Sounds cool. I can't wait to hear 'em.

[Bish]

Well...let's see if this works...

Here's my first recording with the setup you see in the pictures.


http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7541686

[CharlyG]

Hey man! I Like it! I cranked my stereo and it sounds great. I'm enough of a sound nut that I have a sony rcvr and Paadigm Titan speakers for my iMac. not quite nearfield monitors but plenty of bass and dynamic range for computer music.

[Bish]

Thanks, Charly. I appreciate you taking time to have a listen.

It's taken me almost all week to get to this point. ( Of course it's only been an hour to two per night with rehearsals and G-Kids around. )

[CycleDude]

Sounds great Bish. I love the kick. Does it have any additional muffing with a pillow, or is that just the SK11?

[Bish]

Thanks, CD. Just the SKII batter head and matching ported reso.

[pastor_bob]

Bish, I've actually been thinking along the same lines, so thanks for your input. I've been thinking of reducing the individual mics, and trying an additional condenser mic to catch the ambient sounds.

[gretsch]

hey awesome job man! and umm im wondering what equipment do you need to do that.
and about how much does it cost?

[CycleDude]

To start, you could get away with JUST 2 condenser overhead mics. You'll still need cables, stands, and mixer, but good mics aint cheap.

Watch this....

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiFOD1EeKhQ"]YouTube - Recorderman Overhead Drum technique[/ame]



There's a million ways to skin this cat, but for Bish's set up.... Well, You'll need 2 condenser mics for overheads, a third condenser to close-mic the hi-hats, a snare mic and a kick mic. That's 5 mics total.

You'll still need need cables, (x5) some way to hold the mics, (either stands or clamps) a mixer and software for your 'puter.

For quality gear, you're looking at about $1000 total, depending which mics and mixer you go with.

Don't cheap out... You'll get frustrated and end up buying the good stuff anyway and then you'll have spent more $$$ and time because of the junk you bought first. OTOH, you don't need to break the bank either. There's lots of recording info here to browse through.

[CharlyG]

A good rule of thumb for recording.....
if ya wanna adjust the level independently of the other drums, mic it. That way you have a separate channel to mess with effects and vol ctl for that particular drum/mic.

[gretsch]

what im thinking about is buying 2 condenser mics only, because i found 3 mics laying around the house (mom used to sing) ill probably buy a kick mic. i have a drummer friend who already has a mixer for a party company he owns and ill probably just borrow his when i need. and i have cubase 4 because it came with an effects pedal my bro bought, will that work?

[CharlyG]

looks like yer gettin close gretsch!

[pastor_bob]

Nice video reference CycleDude. Thanks for posting that.

[Bish]

Pull up a chair and grab a snack. Let me go into depth and I'm waiting for DW and Robert to bail me out....

I have one condensor angled over my floor tom/ride area. Incidently, it's angled poiting behind me which is how the mic balances the volume of the floor tom and ride. If I point it too directly at either, the cymbal dominates.

The second condensor is on my left and left of the hats and crash. It's closer and more focused to the hats and crash pointing in towards the snare. The other TWO are snare and kick. I'm really only running one overhead.

For ease of positioning I opted for a 3 leg extendable boom mic stand. To get the signal to the board they require an XLR/Low Z cable connected to my ANALOG mixer. Now with analog here's where you are limited. Mine is stereo some are not. So for the most part you can only go two channels out (stereo). So ultimately you have to do your "magic" on the sound at the board before it goes to the digital world.

(in my case) My next move was getting the signal to the digital device so the computer can then grab it. In my case I am using an M-Audio 410 two channel mixer that outputs to firewire or 8 quarter inch analog channels. I have a PCMCIA card for my laptop that has firewire inputs. The 410 came with software. That is how I get the computer to "hear" the signal from my mixer. From there I record it into Audacity and from there export it as an MP3. From there it went on the website and you heard it.

I used a minor bit of eq from the mixer but other than that, no effects were used.

[STICKSWIZZARDDRAGON]

Well...let's see if this works...

Here's my first recording with the setup you see in the pictures.


http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7541686

HOLA como estas mi amigo BISH 008 SECRET SPY DRUMMER ANCIENT WISE OWL BIRD CAT * within great wisdom aware-ness knowledge **EXCELLENTE **you know bish that I make a liveing within STUDIOS *
AND the reall pros that are the wizzards (ENGINEERS) would like some of your AWARE-NESS KNOWLEDGE* these cats ARE AMAZING to work within **anyways AMIGO EXCELLENTE' ITS ROJO CALIENTE '' gracias

[Bish]

Thanks, SWD. Yeah a couple of your engineers called last night to ask some questions. I was at band rehearsal so I have to call them back.

[CycleDude]

[Bish]

One thing I did want to add from above that has to do with mixers.

What I'm learning is that maybe a "firewire/USB" (digital) mixer for home use might be better utilized than a standard analog mixer.

First, if you connect it firewire, you will most definitely be able to make use of more than just two channels and will probably get some decent software, as well.

Second, you eliminate additional external gear. ( In my case, the M-Audio 410 firewire mixer and adaptor card for firewire to my laptop.) This could then be a direct out from the mixer to the firewire connection within the PC.

If anyone is interested in a good inexpensive option, I've found a brand called Phonic. The one I'm looking at is this one.

[CharlyG]

you be correcto on dat idea (re: digital connection to pc) Bish!

[Bish]

Thanks, Charly. I'm slow but I'll get there.

[Russ]

i have a 7 piece kit with 3 cymbals. do i need two mixers for enough mic inputs if its one mic for each item?

[Bish]

i have a 7 piece kit with 3 cymbals. do i need two mixers for enough mic inputs if its one mic for each item?

First of all, is the micing for live or recording purposes?

If you plan to mic everything then one channel per mic. However, I don't recommend micing every cymbal. Maybe a close proximity mic for the hats and one overhead for the other cymbals.

For the drums I might suggest doubling up...7 pc usually means two floor toms and perhaps 3 rack toms? Put one mic between both floors and maybe use just two mics centered between the 3 rack toms.

Definitely have one mic for the snare and one for the bass drum to ensure they are prominant in the mix.

[Russ]

2 bass drums, snare, 4 toms, 2 crashes, and a hi hat- plus whatever is added in the future. your saying dont have one mic per instrument?

[CycleDude]

One thing I did want to add from above that has to do with mixers.

What I'm learning is that maybe a "firewire/USB" (digital) mixer for home use might be better utilized than a standard analog mixer.

First, if you connect it firewire, you will most definitely be able to make use of more than just two channels and will probably get some decent software, as well.

Second, you eliminate additional external gear. ( In my case, the M-Audio 410 firewire mixer and adaptor card for firewire to my laptop.) This could then be a direct out from the mixer to the firewire connection within the PC.

If anyone is interested in a good inexpensive option, I've found a brand called Phonic. The one I'm looking at is this one.

The Phonic mixer is the one Kev (DWDrmr) uses for his videos.

I'm thinking about the Alesis Multimix 8 firewire. 4 xlr inputs so I can do 2 condensers overhead a la "recorderman" and then a close mic on the kick and snare.