Drum Session: Best Use of My Pre's

[seanmccoy]

Rather than hijack the other current "drum pre" thread I thought I should start a new one. I'm about to have my first drum session with all the newfangled slutty mic pre's I've bought recently thanks to this evil forum, and I'm looking for opinions as to how folks would use them given what I have. Which is:

3124
Pacifica
GTQC
312A
Vintech 1272
ISA428 (x2)

My inclination would be to use the 312A and GTQC on kick and snare (with the Aurora on whichever one needs fattening), Pacifica on OH, 3124 on toms, 1272 on room, ISA428 on hat and whatever else. I realize the player, kit and room make specific recommendations a crapshoot, but I'm still interested in any suggestions anyone cares to give. TIA!

[taperocket]

I would say sell some of those pre's and buy some really good mics and room treatment. I'm no pro but in my 6 years of recording I've learned that when people say the order of importance is source->room->mic->pre's/converters they are right! Preamps and converters do make a difference but not as much as the other three.

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by taperocket

I would say sell some of those pre's and buy some really good mics and room treatment. I'm no pro but in my 6 years of recording I've learned that when people say the order of importance is source->room->mic->pre's/converters they are right! Preamps and converters do make a difference but not as much as the other three.

Well, I already have a lot of good mics and a decent room. You are definitely correct in your order of importance list. I've recorded hundreds of sessions, but this will be my first one using this combination of mic pre's. Hence the request for how best to use those particular units.

[numrologst]

Pacifica-Overheads
Aurora-Kick/Snare
API-Toms

Or

Aurora-Overheads
Pacifica-Kick/Snare
Api-Toms

[peeder]

What mics (and how many and where) and what genre. Everyone, for instance, will knee-jerk "421 through 312 for toms!" but I am personally very bored of that sound. And don't say it's worked on countless hits--it wasn't the tom prints that made those hits.

[numrologst]

Originally Posted by peeder

What mics (and how many and where) and what genre. Everyone, for instance, will knee-jerk "421 through 312 for toms!" but I am personally very bored of that sound. And don't say it's worked on countless hits--it wasn't the tom prints that made those hits.

though the tom itself, and tuning have more impact that the preamp difference between the available preamp options

[seanmccoy]

Originally Posted by peeder

What mics (and how many and where) and what genre. Everyone, for instance, will knee-jerk "421 through 312 for toms!" but I am personally very bored of that sound. And don't say it's worked on countless hits--it wasn't the tom prints that made those hits.

Don't worry, I won't say that! This particular session, according to the producer, will be "pop rock," whatever that means. Not metal, I guess!

I hate to take up too much space with a big mic list, but here goes:

421 x4
57's x6, Beta 56 x3, SM98 x2, Audix D1, E-V ND 308, 408, RE-20
D112, Beta 52, PR40, ATM25
KM140 x2, 451 x2, A-T 4051, MK012 (Chinese version) x3
UMT70S x2, 4033 X2, 414 (Jim Williams mods) x2
U87i, L47MP
M160 x2, R84

Plenty of options. Maybe too many for me, in fact! Should I just roll dice?