Suggestions for recording guitar/drums duo in rehearsal room with zoom h6

[ella_guru]

Hi,

Long term lurker, first time poster here.

Briefly, we are a guitar drums duo, where we both sing.

I'm looking to put together an EP to test out some songs, using the limited gear I have and also to learn about the recording process. I have been using various DAWs for the last 12 years, but this is my first concentrated to get a proper band recording done.

Our sound is electric guitar and drums. Guitar is usually on the edge of break up with some occasional heavy distortion. Vocals veer between regular singing and very loud screaming.

I have a zoom H6 with the XY and Mid/Side capsules.
I am planning on using one of these capsules to record the drums and then also micing the kick drum to allow later adjustment.

I would record the vocals directly from the Aux outputs of the PA mixer in the rehearsal room, this would take 2 inputs (Shure SM58s for vocals)

The one remaining input would be used to close mic the guitar cab (w/ Shure SM58)

I understand my gear is very limit and do not expecting amazing results, but hoping to get down some tracks with decent seperation so that I can build out the arrangements in logic (add bass, keys etc....).

The room is approx. 10' * 15' with high ceilings.

(If anyone is familiar with the Sweatshop studios in Brooklyn, NY it would be a room in here)
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Anyway, considering my (long description above, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions people may have to get the most out of this situation.
Ideally. the sound would be raw and dynamic and reflect our live sound.

It would like to keep it as simple and efficient as possible, much more about the vibe of the recording.

Thank you.

 

[rob aylestone]

While you might get away with this for light jazz, it's just not going to give you the sound for a genre where heavier styles require close miking. Why not invest in a small mixer or multichannel interface and some budget drum mics? The thing with tracks is they need to be dry and intimate, so when replayed the sound gets the room ambience, not a double dose of distant mics replayed and getting even more.

 

[mjbphotos]

From your description you are trying to record it all 'live' - drums + guitar + vox? You're just not going to get 'separation' in a room that size.

 

[BroKen_H]

My advice would be to get everything set up separately. Mike the drums/play the drums/move the mike until it sounds best. Repeat for the guitar. Give a great performance and see what it sounds like when you're done. You stated you weren't looking for great sound, but I'd imagine with a bunch of SM58's and an XY on the drums it's not going to be crap. Give it a shot and see if it meets your expectations.
The guitar, when close miked, will have decent separation. The drums, however, will not. The XY will pick up the guitar amp on whichever side the amp is on and you'll have a hard time getting it out of that channel...and of course, the vocals will have everything in the background, but if you have a strong voice, you can gate or cut the noise from between without having a lot of bleed. It's done live all the time.
It sounds from your description like there are two rooms available. Play the guitar from one room and the drums from the other to minimize bleed. If not, you'll have to record drums first, then guitar, then vocals or some other order of that set...