What are the uses for multiple channel preamps?

[scorpix74]

Yes or you can have four different mics on the same cab or on the same acoustic guitar.

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[Call_me_Switters]

How do you believe a drum kit is recorded?
And yes people still do that!

[scorpix74]

MIDI drum haha.

[Call_me_Switters]

Originally Posted by scorpix74

MIDdrum haha.

Actually recording something, it would be a crazy thing old people do, for nowdays children!

[Lotus 7]

Originally Posted by Darius1

What are the uses for multiple channel preamps?...Can you actually record two or four instruments at a time in real time? So that each instrument gets a single track in a DAW?

Yes, of course. A lot of musicians actually play together at the same time to make music! (what a concept!)

Live ensemble/band/orchestra recordings are often done with a "main" mic array of 2, 3 or more mics for the ensemble plus many individual "spot" mics for the individual instruments or instrumental groups. Interfaces with 24, 48 or 72 simultaneous channels are readily available and are used all the time. Since such interfaces don't typically include more than (4) built-in mic pres, if any, it's not uncommon to see a rack full of multi-channel mic pres in use. The multi-channel mic pres take up less space than a group of separate single-channel pre-amplifiers and typically have matched characteristics.

A couple of very good eight-channel mic pres:

[chk23]

Originally Posted by Darius1

What are the uses for multiple channel preamps? Like 2-channels, or 4-channels when you're only recording one instrument at a time? Or like multiple single channel preamp units. Can you actually record two or four instruments at a time in real time? So that each instrument gets a single track in a DAW?

You can also track a single instrument with several mics at a time, for stereo recordings for example...

[IamJohnGalt]

I am most often using all 12 mic pres at my disposal as a drummer. Even when recording other parts I rarely us less than 4 at a time.

[scorpix74]

Tracking is oldfashioned...

[IamJohnGalt]

Doing without actually recording tracks may be fashionable but that fashion will pass just like the parachute pant. Emulation of musical performances and instruments isa process once removed.

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[scorpix74]

I was kidding, you can use 16 tracks as you can use just one
and have good or bad results in both cases.
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[SlyMonkey]

Kick, snare top, snare bottom (sometimes), Hats (sometimes), tom1, tom2, tom3, tom4, Overhead1, Overhead2, Room mic, Kick Trigger, Snare trigger, tom trigger1, tom trigger 2, scratch guitar.

I often use 16 mic preamps to track drums. I often don't use some of them after they're recorded, but I have them just in case.

I only have 7 channels of good preamps at the moment, so depending on the style of music I might use..

Focusrite ISA One: Kick
Focusrite ISA 428 1: snare
Focusrite ISA 428 2: tom1
Focusrite ISA 428 3: tom2
Focusrite ISA 428 4: tom3
Great River MP-2NV 1: Overhead 1
Great River MP-2NV 2: Overhead 2

Everything else goes through the preamps built in to my interface.

For a more classic rock or bluesy band, I often use the Great River on kick and snare and the ISA 428 on overheads.

Also, I regularly use 2 mics on an acoustic guitar, 2 on an open back guitar cab, 2 on stereo keyboards, often 2 a 4x12 cab...

Sometimes I record more free-form music with everyone playing at once. At those times, you will wish you had more great preamp channels and more great mics. There never seem to be enough.