Drum Recording...I Must Be Doing Something Wrong!

J

justinm.

New member
I am sure these questions have come up over and over...sorry. Can you guys please advise me of how I can record drums? I'm really unhappy about the sound I am getting and I know that I could certainly improve it somehow.

I don't think I can do anything about the actually room because of various reasons. I would still hear out any suggestions though. I use a Tascam digital portastudio 2488. I do not have drum recording mics. I also do not have a pre amp, although there are preamps built-in to the Tascam, though they make the drums sound kinda...not bright, they do come out louder though...I just don't like the sound.

Can you recommend mics or...something. I read a lot of suggestions for drum machines but I really want real drums.
 
It would help to know what you're doing now and what specifically you don't like about the sound beyond "kinda...not bright". An audio sample would also be useful.
 
justinm. said:
I'm really unhappy about the sound I am getting

I do not have drum recording mics..
Click to expand...

Maybe after getting some mics you'll like the sound ? ;)

What/how many mics to get will depend purely on how much you're willing to shell out. I'm gonna assume you have a standard 5 piece kit with a few cymbals. If you can get 7 mics, 2 OHs, and one each for kick, snare, and 3 toms, you'll be set. There are loads of different options for each. For the snare you'll be fine with a 57. For kick AKG D112, Audix D6, Sennheiser e602, among others, are great. For Overheads, don't skimp out. These will capture your entire kit (they're not cymbal mics). Look for a nice paired SDC. You could go with LDC too, it's a matter of personal preference. For Toms you'll be fine with a 3,4 dynamic mic kit. Look up the Samson QTom mics, the Nady tom pack(both around $100). If you want to spend more get 3 SM57s, or Sennheiser e604s.
Remember, even after you get all the mics, the game has only just begun. You'll need to work on your mic positioning, technique, room, and mixing skills to get a truly good sounding drum mix. It's a lot of work, but the sound of good sounding, real drums in a mix truly is a treat.
 
Have you read Greg_L's sticky on drum recording? It has everything you need to know to get a good start.
 
No, I did not read that, but thanks for pointing it out to me. I'm reading it now. Thanks you guys for replying.

@saads A lot of people recommend SM57s, but then a lot of them also say they are really great but only if you're in a studio setting and not so good if recording at home. I've only put off getting drum mics because when I recorded with a 4-track, I just stuck 1 mic in front of the drums and 1 at the snare and I kinda liked the sound...but that doesn't work with the new digital studio.
 
There's nothing wrong with the 2488's pre-amps. They're not the reason you don't like the sound.

Get some drum mics, read up on drum micing, experiment, get some experience....then, maybe, you can start blaming equipment.
 
I haven't read that sticky, but I would bet the first thing it says about getting a good recorded drum sound is to start with good sounding drums. That would entail using good drums, new heads and proper tuning. And then they have to be played well.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I haven't read that sticky, but I would bet the first thing it says about getting a good recorded drum sound is to start with good sounding drums. That would entail using good drums, new heads and proper tuning. And then they have to be played well.
Click to expand...

that would be a safe bet.

the clif notes; tune your drums, know your parts, experiment with mic placement. if I had to guess, EVERYTHING you might read about recording drums would start and finish with this...








...but isn't that true of anything you want to record?
 
I use a pair of rode m3's as overheads (recorderman style), a 112 on the kick and a harmonica Mic under the snare, into a tascam US1800 and I really like my drum sound. A total of about $450 for the lot of mics. Microphones make all the difference.
 
Last edited:
I posted this in another thread but it I think it is relevant so I am reposting it here.

This was my first go at (actually) recording acoustic drums....I have been a member of this forum for years and had read/studied/scoured all the information I could get my hands on for about 4 years before I ever pushed record. I purchased my equipment bit by bit as I could afford until I had enough "stuff" to start putting together what I felt was a solid recording rig.

Not saying that this is the pinnacle of acoustic drum recordings...but I am proud of how it turned out and thought I would share with some other's just starting out. Hope it helps.

My recording set up at the time:

Focusrite Sapphire Pro 10

ART MPA Gold (on kick and snare)

M-Audio DMP3 on OH's

RODE NT1-a for OH's

Audix D6 on kick

Audix i5 on snare

Reaper

I used the Jon Glyns technique

http://www.blaxploitation.com/drums/glynJohnsMethod.pdf

The drum tracks were recorded in my untreated bedroom (16' X 12' 10" X 7' 10")

I can't remember the brand of kit the drummer used, I believe it was a Ludwig, don't quote me on that, but the kit sounded great and the drummer is VERY talented.

Here's the raw drum tracks....they are panned with a limiter on the master bus to bring it up to a reasonable listening level.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22186849/SIX...awDRUMSwav.wav

Not too shabby considering the room and my limited experience.

Here are the processed drum tracks.....

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22186849/SIX...ocDRUMSwav.wav

I use UAD plugins almost exclusively and these were were processed with their Neve 88RS channel strip emulation and an EMT Plate 140 reverb.

Here's the drums in the context of the full mix. (About 75% complete and unmastered)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22186849/SIX...TOWNpromo2.wav

Hope that this illustrates the point that good results can be achieved with 4 mics in an untreated room with modest to average consumer gear.

PS I talked to the drummer this last weekend, it was a Gretsch kit with a Ludwig snare on this song.
 
OK so let's all post our drum tracks accompanied by our life story and turn this into a spam-fest. :rolleyes:
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Glyn Johns
Click to expand...

Ah yes....aren't we all familiar with John Glyns and his son Johns Andy? My bad....good catch.

But seriously, how is what I posted even remotely close to spam....do you people even know what spam is? Do you think I am trying to get hits on my dropbox shared folder?

Guess I'm a schmuck for thinking that might actually be helpful to anyone who felt intimidated or confused about recording drums.

I included what I thought was pertinent info to the story...meaningless trivial things like, the equipment used, the technique, and my level of experience.

Sorry my contribution wasn't "Rami accepted".

What a joke.
 
@showstone If it makes you feel any better I appreciate your response, and would like to check out the links you posted, however, the dropbox ones aren't working for me.
 
get 2 condensers and 2 dynamics use the recorder-man method on the overheads, and then mic up the snare and bass drum u might wanna dampen a lil, and tune or course. but my band did this and got a really good sound in an untreated room with decent acoustics and a tama swingstar.
 
Look at me!!!! Look at me!!!!

I'm pretending to help you, but I really just want to blow my own horn and show you my mediocre drum tracks. I've done this in at least one other thread.

Look at me!!! Look at me!!!!!



:rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top