Drum mics?

[SansPants]

Instead of purchasing a pressure sensor, try this:

First place the mics as you usually do, whatever your taste. Have the drummer play each tom, snare and kick individually and record it, letting each hit ring out. Have them hit each one at least 2-3 times. Then, when you're ready to record the kit put the mic as close as possible to the skin (I make contact because the tom mics I use aren't spectacular and can take a beating). Make sure you turn the gain down and record away. Use that track to trigger the samples that you liked the best. I've had pretty good luck with this method on drummers that lack stick control and/or poorly tuned kits.

I use
D112 on kick, but the Audix D6 is starting to change my interest
SM57 on top snare, but just got an Audix i5 that I'm excited to use
SM57 on bottom
Samson Q Tom (for the toms, der)
Usually use Samson CO2's for overheads

The style of play is just as important as the tuning, too. I've noticed that drummers who record like they play live don't get the greatest result. Conversely, if they hit softer they don't have the 'live feeling' to get in the groove. You have to find a balance to get a good take.

[brandondrury]

I've had pretty good luck with this method on drummers that lack stick control and/or poorly tuned kits.

I don't think there is any way of getting around a drummer with poor stick control. Taking out some of their performance is more like damage control than going for a great recording. If a drummer doesn't know how to balance his kit, I think it's more important to record him how he is and let him learn from his mistakes. In a year or two, he may be ready to make a REAL recording.

Then again, experience has taught me that gimmicks are HIGHLY over rated. With that said, I usually dont' play the "making bad less bad game". I'm trying to make it GOOD!

Then, when you're ready to record the kit put the mic as close as possible to the skin (I make contact because the tom mics I use aren't spectacular and can take a beating).

I guess you are just using these as triggers, but wouldn't that deaden the tom?

I've noticed that drummers who record like they play live don't get the greatest result.

This is only for drummers who don't play well live. A good drummer will sound good in any situation. I think this notion of there being a different mindset live and in the studio is WAY over rated.

Conversely, if they hit softer they don't have the 'live feeling' to get in the groove.

I can't recall EVER asking a drummer to hit softer overall. In fact, I usually encourage them to hit their drums WAY harder than normal. An exception is the cymbals which need to be controlled.

I don't see a correlation between "live feeling" and balancing the kit.

While I certainly deal with my share of drummers who are "still learning" the drummers who are really good don't have any of these problems.

Brandon

[Newsboy]

So, here's my immediate solution to my drum recordings:

1. New mics! Audix D-6 kick and a Sennheiser E604 tom mic 3-pack.
2. New heads! Aquarian Performance II Power Dot for snare and toms and Evans E-Mad for the kick drum.
3. New interface! PreSonus Firestudio 8-channel interface, which will finally give me 8 more mic pre's, bringing my total to 10.
Can't order this stuff until Tuesday so if anyone sees a major no-no in there, there's still time to stop me!

Also, ANY micing techniques you think I should try would be awesome!

[SansPants]

By balance I meant that I've found some drummers I've recorded need to not be cymbal bashers like they are live. So we would try and find a balance between how they're comfortable hitting the cymbals and keeping the energy (that might lack with some during recording v. playing live). The few bands that I've recorded I have noticed there is a difference between studio and live. Some people just can't get into it, or they feel some sense of pressure.

"First place the mics as you usually do, whatever your taste. Have the drummer play each tom, snare and kick individually and record it, letting each hit ring out. Have them hit each one at least 2-3 times."

If you do that first, it won't matter what kind of sound you get out of the toms because you'll have each hit to trigger the sample that was recorded earlier.

I guess that was my point, that you summed up nicely, Brandon. Bands that I record want something right then and there. When I tell them a lot has to do with performance, they don't understand until they hear the playback. The damage control I apply is to help get a bit better recording out of them at that moment.

[brandondrury]

Also, ANY micing techniques you think I should try would be awesome!

What other mics do you have?

PreSonus Firestudio 8-channel interface

I've been really happy with mine thus far. I'll be writing a big review on it in the near future. I've been doing a lot of paid gigs recently and that doesn't allow me the luxury of tinkering.

Hook a dude up and get it at Musician's Friend.

If you do that first, it won't matter what kind of sound you get out of the toms because you'll have each hit to trigger the sample that was recorded earlier.

Oh that's right. You said that your sample included all the mics. I was thinking you were keeping overheads and just replacing the close mics.

The few bands that I've recorded I have noticed there is a difference between studio and live.

Keep at it, dude. You'll this percentage of drummers who do this decrease as you and your clientelle get better. I still have to do deal with it on occassion.

When I tell them a lot has to do with performance, they don't understand until they hear the playback.

I've learned to be flat out honest. If I don't like something about their playing or their kit I ALWAYS point it out to them. I'll say "Ideally we'd have this this and this. And that and that". After that speech, the pressure is on them to a certain point.

The damage control I apply is to help get a bit better recording out of them at that moment.

What are you triggering your "samples" with? Drumagog?

Brandon

[ferguson66]

I buy quite a bit of stuff from Musicians friend, should I be linking to buy it from your site somehow? Let me know how and I'll make sure to do it everytime.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

What other mics do you have?


I've been really happy with mine thus far. I'll be writing a big review on it in the near future. I've been doing a lot of paid gigs recently and that doesn't allow me the luxury of tinkering.

Hook a dude up and get it at Musician's Friend.



Oh that's right. You said that your sample included all the mics. I was thinking you were keeping overheads and just replacing the close mics.


Keep at it, dude. You'll this percentage of drummers who do this decrease as you and your clientelle get better. I still have to do deal with it on occassion.


I've learned to be flat out honest. If I don't like something about their playing or their kit I ALWAYS point it out to them. I'll say "Ideally we'd have this this and this. And that and that". After that speech, the pressure is on them to a certain point.


What are you triggering your "samples" with? Drumagog?

Brandon

I'll be getting all of it through MF, so I'll use your link to do so.

[brandondrury]

What other mics do you have, dude? Maybe I can give some suggestions to try out.

Brandon

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

What other mics do you have, dude? Maybe I can give some suggestions to try out.

Brandon

My mic collection isn't so grande:

1 Shure SM57
2 Peavey PVM Daimond 22
2 MXL 990
1 Peavey DMS-5 Drum Mic Kit (3 tom-tom, 1 snare, 1 kick) all of which are pretty bad for drum recording as they can't handle SPL that well.

[Ryan D]

I don't want to be a thread hijacker, but I could also use an update I think.

A while back I was looking at the AKG Perception 200 but decided to get a Bad Horsie 2 wah pedal in favor of it, since I already have microphones but no wah pedal. Now I'm starting to look back at it, on the last days of the $30 rebate.

My drumset recordings are painful when it comes to kick and cymbals. I have an SM57, SM58 and three Nady SP-5 microphones, all dynamics. I've just been shoving one of the cheap $20 dynamics in the kick drum, and have been getting some relatively disgusting results.

Would the Perception 200 be able to help me at all in those areas? Or is there something else I should be looking at?

Thanks guys.