Need help with my mixer, and drum recording questions...

[Speedy VonTrapp]

Here's my situation:

I have a band that wants me to record them. Right now, it's just to have something to listen to for practice reasons, and working on material. For that, I've got no problem. All that really matters is that I capture the idea, not the specific sounds from each instrument.

Once they are ready, however, they want me to make a recording for them. I can record most instruments ok, with 2 mics, I'm just not too sure about my recording set up for drums.

Here's what I have:

Mixer - Behringer UB1204FX-PRO

Mics - SM58, Peavey Diamond V22, SP B1, a couple not so great mics, (low grade Peavey, and 2 Radio Shacks that the band owns.)

Lexicon CORE soundcard

Cakewalk Pro Audio 9

Now, here is my delima. The Behringer mixer doesn't have direct outs on it. It's got main outs, and alt 3/4 outs on it. The Lexicon only has 4 inputs on it, but that's more than the mixer will output, so I'm stuck with the bottleneck that the mixer gives me. (Unless I don't understand the connections properly.)

This is a picture of the back of my mixer.
http://www.behringer.com//UB1204FX/UB-1204-FX_rv.jpg

This is a pic of the top of the mixer.
http://www.behringer.com//UB1204FX/UB-1204-FX_top.jpg

This is a quote from the manual:

"ALT 3-4 OUTPUTS
The outputs are unbalanced and carry the signals of the channels that you have assigned to this group using the MUTE switch. This can be used to route a subgroup to a further mixing console for example, or it could be used as a recording output working in tandem with the main output. This means you could record to four tracks simultaneously."

I think that one of my problems is that I don't fully understand how bussing works. According to this quote, it seems that I should be able to have four tracks. If that's the case, I could mic the snare, the kick, have an overhead, and perhaps one mic between the 2 top toms? That doesn't sound great, though.

I just don't know how to make the mixer work that way, i.e.-to get 4 tracks out of it simultaneously. Unless it's talking about hard panning the mains, so that the left is one track, and the right is one track? And the 3/4, how do I determine which channel is which? Would it be dumb to assume that channel 3 is alt 3, and 4 is alt 4? All of the channels have the alt 3/4 buttons, so I can't assume that, it seems. I know I could do better than the Behringer, but it's what I've got, for now, and upgrades aren't in my immediate future.

I'm just a bit lost with how to operate it. Anybody that can give me some guidance here, I would really appreciate it.

Once I figure it out, and can manage to get 4 tracks out of it, should I even bother, or would it be better to just use 3, since I've only got one good overhead mic?


Thanks a ton for any advice!


-Speedy

[Jblount]

I think this is correct, but you will have to test it out. You can use channels 1-4 as mic inputs. Send any 2 of those channels through the main outs via panning.(pan one hard left, and one hard right) Then your mains would be a seperated direct out of those 2 channels. Then take the other 2(amd they dont have to be track #3or 4) and hit the mute on both. Pan one hard left(and it should be direct out of aux3) and pan the other one hard right (and this one should be the direct out of aux4). You can assign any of the channels to either of the aux3/4. Even the 5/6 and 7/8 can be routed through the aux3/4.

[Speedy VonTrapp]

Assuming this is correct, (I'll test it to be sure)...

That gives me 4 tracks. Once they get into Cakewalk, I just recenter the tracks, and voila, I have what I want, and can play with their panned locations during mix time. Yes?

Thanks for the reply, Jb. And, for the quickness, too.

Now, assuming that solves my 4 track problem, about the mic usage and placement...

Would it be wise to just stick to 3 mics, since I only have the one overhead mic? And put the other 2 on the kick and the snare?

I guess that I can't see the advantage of adding the 4th mic between the 2 mounted toms, since he's got 2 on the floor, too, and uses them both.

My guess here now, is that I'll go with the 3 mic set up, unless someone tells me that I'll do better with another set up. I realize that my mic locker isn't the best in the world, either, so if it's better to not even bother with the RS and the low end Peavey mics, than it would be to have the extra tracks, I can live with that.

Thanks again, Jb!

-Speedy

[maddrummer]

What Jblount said is exactly correct but just remember that anything you have not assigned to alt 3-4 automatically goes to the mains. So if you wanted to record the drums and have a bass player or keyboardist or whatever play along with him, but not be recorded, you can't plug him into the mixer because his signal would go to the main mix. Just a reminder.

As far as the mics go, try different configurations. It's nice to have stereo overheads, so try different combos to see what works.

[Bulls Hit]

How about a mics on kick, snare, overhead into tracks 1 - 3, then put one of the cheaper mics between the mounted toms and another between the floor toms, and route both to track 4

[Speedy VonTrapp]

Hey, I like that idea, Bull. I'll have to try that out.

Thanks for the help everyone!

-Speedy

[13th_Omen]

I would use your Aux sends ( i think you have 2) as 2 of your tracks and do the pan thing for the other two tracks. I think you're gonna be running around like a chicken with it's head cut off without at least a good overhead mic or 2 and a good bass drum mic.