Recording Drums in a Big room with a Chimney.

[brooklynhero]

Hello, this is my very first post and while the my searches about bass traps and stone reflections, I'd like to describe the room i'm tracking drums in to see if I'm going to run into any major problems.

First - I'm going for a big room sound. I'm going to add maybe a pair of M179's for the room but up close I'm going to experiement with a few X-Y overhead placements (mostly Recorderman and Johns tech) with a pair of M179s in cardiod and Omni) The a close mic on the snare (sm57), a close mic on the floor tom (sm57 or M179), and a close mic on the kick (D112 or M179)

Lots of LD multipattern condensor usage.

I'm recording into a focusrite saffire pro into Logic - so once again Clean Clean Clean.


The room is a BIG lakehouse style room that is

30' long with windows that start about 3' from floor and continue to the eave

20' wide with a floor to ceiling wood paneled wall on one side and an 8' wide Chimney that runs to the ceiling on the other flanked by two openings that lead into a similarly large room.

10' vaulted ceiling with wood beams that is 10' in the middle and lowers to 9.5 at the eaves of the room.

and a wood floor throughout.

one side of windows has a built-in wood bench with big cushions and cushioned backs. It is possible that this acts as a natural bass trap?

I also have 2 queen sized mattresses that I can use to treat the stone chimney - but the chimney itself has a rough - irregular face.

I'm going to a slightly big and aggressive sound - but not a crazy "in your face" drum sound.

Drummer is using a Tama rockstar kit made of birch and a layer of basswood - like an old Yamaha Recording Custom.

So since there arent too many right angles in the room

should I just use bass traps at the non benched side of the room and up where the chimney meets the ceiling?

Also - what should I do with that huge stone hearth? Wrap a matteress around it - or should I lightly diffuse with a rubber mat?


Thanks for all of your input!

[Glenn Kuras]

I would say that is ONE BIG ROOM (that is a good thing). Put as many bass traps as you can in the corners and use diffusion and thinner panels to control the over all decay time. I have to warn you though that as cool as that room COULD sound, it is going to take a lot to tame it.

one side of windows has a built-in wood bench with big cushions and cushioned backs. It is possible that this acts as a natural bass trap?

No but you could make it into a bass trap. Cut away as much of the wood as possible and fill it with mineral wool or rigid fiberglass.

should I just use bass traps at the non benched side of the room and up where the chimney meets the ceiling?

No, use it every where you can.

Also - what should I do with that huge stone hearth? Wrap a matteress around it - or should I lightly diffuse with a rubber mat?

Read how diffusion really works here. GIK Acoustics presents "How Diffusion Works!"



Good luck on the room. Sounds like a fun project!




Glenn

[brooklynhero]

FYI - I'm ONLY recording Drums and Precussion in here.

AND I only have 3 days.

I'm reading up on how to make bass traps out of pillow cases and duffle bags -

BUT

anyone have ideas on how to use a few queen sized mattresses?


OR

Prehaps I use an omni setting on the overheads rather than room mics.


Hmmmmm


choices choices.

[Dag Elias]

the most important thing is the size and thickness of the cymbals!
and a drummer who knows how to not hit them to hard!
anything else is secondary!

[brooklynhero]

So what do you all think?

Room mics?

or Overheads in omni?