Recording Drums - With 7-kit mics and a Mixer

[golot7]

This is what I have:


Samson 7-kit Drum Microphones (1 Kick, 1 Snare, 3 Toms and 2 Overheads)


Behringer UB1202 12 Channek Mixer

My plan is to plug the two condencers to the XLR inputs (channels 1&2) because they draw 48v Phantom Power, and all the rest to the regular 1/4" Jacks. The Kick and Snare microphones to channel 3 & 4, and the toms on the rest of the channels.

All this would then go via the mixer's output to my mp4 player - which records in .wav with an option to record in ADPCM and in PCM, also choose between 44.1KHz and 48KHz Sampling. What's the difference between these - is there going to be any noticable difference?

What do you say about this setup? Could I get a good drum recording out of a setup like this? Or I absolutely HAVE to have seperate tracks on the computer so I could edit each channel differently (I read that many people use compressing on each channel and edit different stuff with each channel) - is this totally neccessery?

What about EQing? Should I play with the EQs on the channels? (e.g - add more low and mids on the Kick and toms) Or should I leave them just straight?

[brandondrury]

A few problems strike me with this setup.

Will you have mic pres and panning options for all channels? I have a feeling that you won't.

You can record drums straight to strereo, but it is certainly not ideal for the modern tone. You'll need to really listen to what you have and make adjustments before hand.

EQ is a big deal for drums...more than any other instrument. I would definitely EQ going in because you are quite limited going out.

Brandon

[golot7]

I will have total control over Panning for all the mics, each channel has a Pan knob.

That is the problem - I would need to record something, then go and listen to it, hear what there is to fix - then change the setting I wanted - record again - listen to it again and then change whats wrong - this is a long and hard proccess... But this is what I have...

About EQing - how should I EQ? how can I judge what there is to EQ, it will be very hard to distict which mic needs EQ because I would only listen to the whole mix - overheads and all included...

I read many "guides" and stuff on recording drums, they seem to make alot of changes on each channel on the computer - add different reverb, different compression, and other effects. I won't be able to do it in a setup like this! Would that make my recording inferior to a recording with many channels? or is it just a matter of control over the sound? (which is some cases more control=better sound)

[brandondrury]

I will have total control over Panning for all the mics, each channel has a Pan knob.

Are you sure? It looks like you have 4 channels with XLR inputs, EQ, and panning and then you have several stereo line inputs. I don't see EQ for these. You may want to try plugging a mic into channel 7 and see what happens. It may force you to put it on the left or right side.

Brandon

[brandondrury]

Would that make my recording inferior to a recording with many channels?

Depends. There were days where they used one mic for the whole band. No one bitches about Elvis.

You definitely have your hands tied with this setup. It if was me, I would use 3 mics (kick and 2 overheads). I'd get very creative with the placement of the overheads so that you need next to know EQ on everything. If you take as much pride in your playing as you say you do, you should have no problem getting the snare and toms to cut through your cymbals.

The snare mic should be used subtley as should the toms. This is not the ideal way to record. So if I was stuck with this method, I would definitely use less mics.

Brandon

[FarTooFrailMusic]

When I had a 4-track Cassette machine, I used to premix the drums and do exactly what you are saying........ roll tape, hit each drum and cymbal, stop tape, listen/correct/EQ/move mics, try it again. I was mixing kick, snare, rack tom, floor tom, hat mic, ride mic, x-y overheads for cymbals. I had an OLD peavey mixer that mixed the dynamic mics and a Nady rackmount preamp to phantom power the condensors. It all mixed to a Behringer not unlike the one you recently purchased. It is time consuming to pre-mix in this way, but I got some ok drum tracks that way. You are not, in my experience, going to get GREAT drum tracks this way. My old band recorded a whole EP this way, so it's viable if it is all you have.

Good Luck,

Jay
Far Too Frail Music

[Jonny Homicide]

If I got this set up... how would I set it up to go straight to my computer?

[brandondrury]

how would I set it up to go straight to my computer?

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking.

Brandon