Drum preamp/mic selection help for recording on monday

[tomwehrle]

Hey, I'm gonna record drums on Monday for a bunch of songs, and pretty much just get this one day with this drummer, so I wanna make sure I use what I have correctly because I dont record drums very often. So here's what I have for pre's API A2D, Portico, Pacifica, Sytek, Dav BG1. The style is pop/rock, kinda on the acoustic side, think Coldplayish to Beck Mutations cd. My mics aren't as good as the pre's but i have 2 KSM32's, Audix i5, Audix D1, Audix D6, 2 SM57, 3 Oktava MC012's, AKG D112, Blue Blueberry. I'm recording the drums in a carpeted room, and it has low ceilings, its pretty much a very dead cause there is a lot of stuff to dampen/catch all the sound.

Enough info?

My org idea was to use the KSM32's on Overheads with the API A2D, but am now thinking I should use the Pacifica or something...that's my main concern, cause when I mix, it seems most of the sound I get is from the overheads.

I'd really appreciate anyones opinions and feedback. Thanks :)

[Fuel]

I would use the Pacifica on the snare for sure....o the API.

if you can find Millennia ..try them are so natural for drums!

[tomwehrle]

Originally Posted by Fuel

I would use the Pacifica on the snare for sure....o the API.

if you can find Millennia ..try them are so natural for drums!

thanks for the suggestion, but i dont have a millennia, my options are as i stated above...

[AMIEL]

I would try Portico on the Kick, Pacifica on the Snare(top) ..(not a fan of snare bottom here) , API on the toms and the other pacifica channel on the Floor tom.
I will use the shures on OH and try an octava on the HH.
Please let me know what did you use in the recording and your results!

Good luck!

[tomwehrle]

Originally Posted by AMIEL

I would try Portico on the Kick, Pacifica on the Snare(top) ..(not a fan of snare bottom here) , API on the toms and the other pacifica channel on the Floor tom.
I will use the shures on OH and try an octava on the HH.
Please let me know what did you use in the recording and your results!

Good luck!

thanks for the suggestions, i guess people around here dont use the portico, pacifica, api, dav, and sytek pres or the mics i mentioned either, thus the whole "2" suggestions, yeah a lil odd...but yeah, i'll keep ya posted seeing as though there was so much interest

[seaneldon]

the truth is you don't know what any of the preamps are going to make the microphones sound like on any of the drums in the room you'll be in. and you know who knows way less? anyone else who isn't in the room with you.

i'd be way more concerned about making sure the drummer, drum kit, cymbals, and room are up to snuff before worrying about whether preamp A or preamp B will sound good with mics A and B. plus, it takes just a few minutes to try a different combination if for whatever reason you don't like what you initially went with. patchbays are your friend, and your speakers will tell you a lot more about what sounds good with what than anyone here could.

[digibird]

If you are used to getting a lot of your drum sound from the OH mics and you are going to be in a room with a low ceiling, try using your OH mics as "close ambient" mics instead. Around 3 ft. in front of the kit and 3 ft. off the ground, say, between the top of the floor tom and a crash cymbal. How far apart is up to your ears and desired image, but this works better for me than overheads in any room, and especially a low-ceiling room. (Using a pair of AT 4047 into Great River). I'd love to try the API 3124 in this situation as well.

[tomwehrle]

Well this is the setup i used for 9 of 14 songs...

kick in > Audix d6 > api a2d
kick out > akg d112 > portico
snare top > audix i5 > api a2d
snare bottom > audix d2 > api a2d
tom 1 > sennhieser e604 > sytek (burr browns)
tom 2 > blue blueberry > sytek (burr browns)
overheads > ksm32's > pacifica
ride > oktava mc012 > sytek
room > oktava mc012 > dav bg1

I had written out a more detailed thing on this before, but the page went down when i tried to post it, and i dont feel like repeating it all, haha, but here is a clip of one of the songs to hear what the drums sound like without any eq or compression on them...

[Nu-tra]

I would use the pacifica for overheads with the Ksm's the pacifica shines there.
For the toms I would use the Oktavas with the syteks. I would get a 15 db pad for each one and remove the stock pad on the mic so you don't over load the sytek. IF he doesn't hit hard go stock pad. Use the Api with the i5 on the snare top Use the d1 under the snare with the Dav Bg1or sytek channel IF you only have two toms then use the third oktava on the hihat with sytek or dav.
I would use the portico for the kick with the if you are only going to use one mic on the kick then use the d112. If you are going to use two use the D112 or 57 inside for the click and the d4 for the bottom

The blue berry can be the fun mic to throw furthur back in the room with whatever channel you have left

This would be my list

Kick- Portico- d112 by itself or a 57 inside and a d4 outside.
Snare top- i5- api
Snare Bottom- D1- Sytek or api
Toms- Oktava- sytek
hihat oktava sytek
Overs- ksm with pacifica
Room/fun mic Blue berry with dav

Originally Posted by joemeekfreak

Hey, I'm gonna record drums on Monday for a bunch of songs, and pretty much just get this one day with this drummer, so I wanna make sure I use what I have correctly because I dont record drums very often. So here's what I have for pre's API A2D, Portico, Pacifica, Sytek, Dav BG1. The style is pop/rock, kinda on the acoustic side, think Coldplayish to Beck Mutations cd. My mics aren't as good as the pre's but i have 2 KSM32's, Audix i5, Audix D1, Audix D4, 2 SM57, 3 Oktava MC012's, AKG D112, Blue Blueberry. I'm recording the drums in a carpeted room, and it has low ceilings, its pretty much a very dead cause there is a lot of stuff to dampen/catch all the sound.

Enough info?

My org idea was to use the KSM32's on Overheads with the API A2D, but am now thinking I should use the Pacifica or something...that's my main concern, cause when I mix, it seems most of the sound I get is from the overheads.

I'd really appreciate anyones opinions and feedback. Thanks :)

[tomwehrle]

Pics of the setup...

[AMIEL]

Originally Posted by Nu-tra

I would use the pacifica for overheads with the Ksm's the pacifica shines there.
then use the third oktava on the hihat with sytek or dav.
I would use the portico for the kick with the if you are only going to use one mic on the kick then use the d112. The blue berry can be the fun mic to throw furthur back in the room with whatever channel you have left

Yeah I would do that too!

[AMIEL]

Dear Joemmek why don't you send just the Stereo Drum audio file! would be cool!!!

[tomwehrle]

Originally Posted by AMIEL

Dear Joemmek why don't you send just the Stereo Drum audio file! would be cool!!!

Haha, then other people could use it if they wanted...

[AMIEL]

hahaha!! well so just send a couple of bars and put some beeps! hahaha!

[C.Lambrechts]

Originally Posted by joemeekfreak

Hey, I'm gonna record drums on Monday for a bunch of songs, and pretty much just get this one day with this drummer, so I wanna make sure I use what I have correctly because I dont record drums very often. So here's what I have for pre's API A2D, Portico, Pacifica, Sytek, Dav BG1. The style is pop/rock, kinda on the acoustic side, think Coldplayish to Beck Mutations cd. My mics aren't as good as the pre's but i have 2 KSM32's, Audix i5, Audix D1, Audix D6, 2 SM57, 3 Oktava MC012's, AKG D112, Blue Blueberry. I'm recording the drums in a carpeted room, and it has low ceilings, its pretty much a very dead cause there is a lot of stuff to dampen/catch all the sound.

Enough info?

My org idea was to use the KSM32's on Overheads with the API A2D, but am now thinking I should use the Pacifica or something...that's my main concern, cause when I mix, it seems most of the sound I get is from the overheads.

I'd really appreciate anyones opinions and feedback. Thanks :)

This is probably a bit late ... but here's my couple of cents anyhow.

I would make sure that the kit your going to record is in top shape. Meaning :

1. make sure the skins are in excellent shape and sound appropriate for the music / style you want to record.

2. make sure the drummer spends enough time tuning the kit .... take your time to listen inside the room how it sounds. If something sounds bad or weird or whatever in the room that you do not want to hear in your recording ... FIX it right there at the source. Do whatever is necessary to make sure it sounds allright in that room. I'm thinking stuff like 'zooming toms' .... or a snare tuned with too many overtones etc etc ... FIX it.

3. if your room doesn't sound good .... on the room mics ... too bad but it ain't worth wasting time to put room mics in a room that sux.


From what I can see what you have at your disposal gearwise you should be pretty fine to be able to do a decent recording. The Audix mics are excellent, the D112 is kinda a no brainer .... like you said it yourself ... that's the gear you're going to use ... use it .... period.

As for Api on this, portico on that and all that kinda blah .... You can either follow some of the valid advises allready given in this thread or you can go and break the rules ... whatever ....

As long as you realize that no matter what combination you make is going to sound pretty damn good if the kit sounds pretty damn good and that it is going to pretty damn suck if the kit sucks ... then you should be set.

Oh ... Of course I presume the drummer knows how to play ....


And a last 'oh' .... I'd stick with the D112 on the Bassdrum ..... when I say break the rules ... I don't mean go use the D112 as an overhead ... but then again .... prove me wrong.

[AMIEL]

Originally Posted by C.Lambrechts

... I'd stick with the D112 on the Bassdrum ..... when I say break the rules ... I don't mean go use the D112 as an overhead ... but then again .... prove me wrong.

Chris that was cool!!!

[tomwehrle]

Originally Posted by C.Lambrechts

And a last 'oh' .... I'd stick with the D112 on the Bassdrum ..... when I say break the rules ... I don't mean go use the D112 as an overhead ... but then again .... prove me wrong.

That made me laugh, haha...and yeah, done with recording drums for a lil bit, we did 14 songs in those two days, I think the drummer is pretty amazing myself, he comes up with some great stuff in my own opinion...I guess I'm happy when i can walk away after him not hearing any of the songs, and only spending 9 hours recording those 14 songs, thats including setup, breaks, eating, etc...ya know...i've never worked with a quicker drummer.

[Doser]

421 Toms
B52+Fet47+Beta 91 Kick
SM57top Senn 431 Btm Snare
SM57 Hat
U67 OH
M50 Room

This was a accoustic rock band setup.