basic drum recording question

[molovesco]

I'm running a drum kit through the standard 57's and a beta 52, into a mackie mixer, then to a Boss BR-8. I have been doing a lot of research and found a lot of stuff about rolling off, cutting, and boosting frequencies; and have found a lot of setting to try for the snare and kick. However, since the BR-8 has limited inputs, I am just getting a good mix through the mackie then running it stereo into the BR-8. Is there a way I can control the frequency response of individual drums, or can I only use the one EQ from the drum track on the BR-8? Or, do you have some better suggestions of how to record my kit? Also, would I benefit from copying the drum track and pasting it onto another track to make the drum sound more full? Thanks.

[littledog]

Since I assume your Mackie has EQ on each channel, if you want to EQ individual drums, that would be the place to do it. Once it's in your Boss, though, you are stuck with whatever EQ you added from the Mackie, so it is a good idea to make sure you REALLY like the sound - as you will be committed to it.

Doubling the drum tracks by copying them onto additional tracks will only change them by making them louder (assuming they don't get accidently time shifted) and accomplishes nothing more than wasting tracks, unless you planned to give the copied tracks some kind of different treatment (compression, eq, weird fx, etc.)

[molovesco]

is doubling any track effective, like on vocals or anything? I've heard of people copying tracks and sometimes having the singer sing another vocal track and using them both.

[littledog]

Doubling by recording a second pass is used a lot on vocals and rhythm guitar and string parts. Not usually done with drums or bass, because the slight inconsistencies that add to the fullness of vocals, strings, and rhythm guitars, would make the bass and drums sound rhythmically imprecise and muddy, especially in the low frequencies.

Just so it's clear - doubling is done by recording a second unique performance that is blended in with the first. Simply copying a track will not accomplish the same thing, although you can fake an inferior version of doubling by copying a track, and then changing it with small amounts of delay, panning, detuning, and processing. If you simply copy a track and do nothing to it, you're only making the part louder.

[molovesco]

Okay. I gotcha. Would it be okay to record a second vocal track, get the mix for it, then bounce the main and the second vocal tracks to one track to free up space?

[littledog]

Absolutely, as long as you are willing to commit to the bounced blend.

[molovesco]

In the professional studios, do they use some sort of vocal corrector to make the two tracks blend near perfect? I messed with doubling a little last night and I did hear a difference in the "thickness" of the melody, but it is hard as hell to get everything to line up well. Should I just keep taking tracks untill one is as close as possible? Thanks for your input so far

[littledog]

A good general rule of thumb when recording is: keep tracking until you get the sound/feel you want. "Fix it in the mix" is better left for last resort.