Adding live percussion to programmed beats NEED HELP

[Chaotic]

Here's the deal. I need to record various live percussion (djembe, congas, bongos, cymbals, tambourine, cowbell) over my programmed beats. My style of hiphop is grimey and warm, like Madlib, Portishead, WuTang. So Im NOT looking for that pristine Scott Storch, Dr Dre sound.

Whats the best sounding, yet cost effective method to do this??

For Pres I have a GT Brick, Presonus MP20 (2ch) and the pre's in my Digi002.

for mics, I have some 57s, a D112 and a pair of ADK Hamburgs (i was also thinking about picking up some cheap ribbons).

Now, should I mic some individual drums and set up the Hamburgs as room mics? or can I get away with just room mics??

If Im gonna use multiple mics, I have a little bit of a budget ($500) for either another pre or maybe a decent old analog mixer (maybe a TAC Bullet, Soundcraft, A&H, Tascam M30). What would you suggest??

[Chaotic]

wow, looks like you guys have a case of the mondays

[audioalchemy]

well,

first, for hand drums like congas and djembes you want to use some small diaphragm condensers above and something like the D112 or maybe a FET47 underneath the djembe if it is one of those big honkin ones.

as far as not wanting that pristine Scott Storch sound, you need to rid yourself of your DIGI002 pres becuase they are very transparent. If you want color you need to use pres like neves etc.

as far as your micing technique I would have the djembe/conga player sitting with the drum, and use a stero pair overhead, with the D112 on the open bottom side (don't forget to flip the phase. Pan the overheads hard left and right and bring the D112 right up the center.

peace,
AudioAlchemy

[Chaotic]

well, unfortunately Neve's are out of my price range. Im looking at either another Brick (with my other brick and MP20, that gives me 4 ch) or possibly the Sytek (maybe a little out of my range) OR some kind of small format mixer. any suggestions??


or could I get a pretty decent sound using just room mics?

[matt thomas]

for the sound you want just whack up the hamburgs (or even just one) in front of the player, adjusting distance to balance room sound, through your brick, and you're done

narco

[James Lehmann]

For some grungy percussion overdubs it looks to me like you have all you need, no?

[Chaotic]

Thats why Im asking, I wasnt sure if I could get away with just room mics. Obviously you dont know unless you try, but if it was highly recommended that I mic up the drums individually, then I was gonna start shopping for more gear.

[matt thomas]

if you really want the attack of the sound then mic up close as well, but I think for what you're describing just room will be fine

narco

[Chaotic]

And you think my Hamburgs will cut it? Ive heard that ribbon mics were used a lot back in the day for that application.

[kenm]

Are you doing all the percussion at once or one instrument at a time? You can use 57s on hand percussion (congas/bongos/djembe) and it sounds great. For Tambourine/cymbals/cowbell, a large diapraghm condenser would be good. I don't think you need a room mic, but it couldn't hurt for ambience sake.

What about setting up a stereo pair of mics in the middle of the room, then track each instrument positioned relative to the mics where you are going to pan them. So if you are going to have the cowbell on the right side of the mix, stand to the right of the mics. The stereo pair will give a sense of space because there are reflections from the room. Anyway, that is something I've been thinking about lately, so you might want to try it, inspired by Bruce Swedien.

Ken

[matt thomas]

I've never used hamburgs, but my guess is that yes, they will cut it (mostly because I know the sound you after is all about character and not hifi-ness, so any mic should work)

narco

[Chaotic]

I'll most like track djembe seperate, but congas bongos, timbale, clave, cowbell, cymbals, etc. will be tracked at the same time, so my 2 percussionists can just go nuts.

[Matti]

Just mic the drums as fit and forget the room mics for starters...
Matti

[Chaotic]

Why do you say that? Listening to a lot of the old soul and jazz records that have the sound im looking for, it sounds like mostly room micing was used.

[Matti]

...and then blend in the room mics as fit assuming yuo´re in a good acoustical space,or use a good convolution reverb with good IR samples.
Matti