Re-amping Programmed Drums

[caseyLA]

So I'm working on an album with 100% sampled drums/percussion. Most of the songs are very electronic in feel and sound and the programming is a must. But there are 2 songs in particular that could really use some live drum atmospere, and I'm missing that 3-D, stereo glue factor that can be acheived with overheads.

So.....I sent all the samples out to separate speakers in my drum room and placed them in the approximate positions of a real live drum kit, using adjustable height stands to move them back and forth, up and down. Then I did a spaced pair overhead mic set up. Recorded the tracks and fine tuned the phase, compressed, etc.

The fake "overheads" can really make a difference in sampled drums. At least that's my conclusion. Anyone else doing this with their electronic/dance projects? Any different techniques? I was thinking maybe an X-Y arrangement might work as well.

[Rodney Gene]

I have been doing something like it...

I take a genuine stereo mix of the drums and treat it completey seperate from the samples...I mix it down in a way that resembles a genuine overhead pair...kick drum kind of thin...cymbals kind of loud...hat kind of loud snare ...kind of 'distant' toms a little pokey'...

Then I treat it with a little bit of convolution verb for the room effect...

Then I hit it with Nigel...!!

I don;t know that it makes it sound any more 'authentic'..I think that is in the programming myself...but it is fun anyway and it does a little something extra...

P&R,