Drum room help!

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dwkman0117

New member
Hello, Here is a pic of the room my old drums are in... I get too much "live" feel to them now when recording, I need to dead up the room a bit for a better recording - any suggestions?
Here is the hitch - this is a room used for other activities in the house, I am just recording for mainly fun and the oblivious self fulfillment.. I am not trying to setup a professional studio - I am just looking for some easy non major room changing ideas - thanks in advance.!!!!

The room is 20 x 50 with high 10' ceilings - all plaster, carpeted floors..

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I'd suggest definitely bringing the drums out of the corner.

Also you could build a few gobos which you could place round the kit when recording, then store when not, and use in the corners or first reflection points when you mix.

Close miking will also reduce reverb in your recordings.
 
pandamonk said:
I'd suggest definitely bringing the drums out of the corner.

Also you could build a few gobos which you could place round the kit when recording, then store when not, and use in the corners or first reflection points when you mix.

Close miking will also reduce reverb in your recordings.
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thanks! I will try the close miking and then try to get some temp walls to put up...
 
dwkman0117 said:
thanks! I will try the close miking and then try to get some temp walls to put up...
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What I mean by gobos is movable absoption panels. I think the best free thing you could do is get the kit out the corner/away from the walls and close mic. Then if you need a little less reverb and have some money, build some rigid fiberglass panels on stands/with feet that you can place round the drums, etc.
 
Do you have an audio clip? Most people would kill to record drums in a room that big. Mine is roughly 1000 sqft with hardwood floors and it sounds AMAZING.

Def get them out of the corner. I also suspect it is you mic technique and not the room itself.
 
NL5 said:
Do you have an audio clip? Most people would kill to record drums in a room that big. Mine is roughly 1000 sqft with hardwood floors and it sounds AMAZING.

Def get them out of the corner. I also suspect it is you mic technique and not the room itself.
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That's what I was thinking. I'll be recording drums in a 9'x5'x7' box :(
 
Yep - you have a huge micing/mixing problem. If anything that room is too dead IMHO. Move the kit out of the corner and a at least a few feet out from the wall.

I'd like to hear how you mic'd the kit. All I can really here is WAY loud cymbals. They are drowning out the entire rest of the mix.......
 
NL5 said:
Yep - you have a huge micing/mixing problem. If anything that room is too dead IMHO. Move the kit out of the corner and a at least a few feet out from the wall.

I'd like to hear how you mic'd the kit. All I can really here is WAY loud cymbals. They are drowning out the entire rest of the mix.......
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Yeah, the snare sounds really far back. Needs to be brought forward a lot(louder), with close miking. With vocals you could do with close miking too, with a mic far back so you can add a little reverb if you need to.
 
CAD 4-Piece Drum Microphone Pack - I use a mic in the kick one on the snare and I had a cheap overhead that killed the sound - as you mentioned correctly. I just bought a CAD M177 Cardioid Condenser Microphone for the overhead. I hope that clears thing up.
 
pandamonk said:
Yeah, the snare sounds really far back. Needs to be brought forward a lot(louder), with close miking. With vocals you could do with close miking too, with a mic far back so you can add a little reverb if you need to.
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I had a mic right on the snare, I just added reverb to it since I didn't care for the sound... it almost sounded like it was a peaked level or something... if that makes sense?
 
2' above the cymbals or 2' above the toms? Does the OH track capture a nice balance between the toms and cymbals, or is it really mainly capturing the cymbals?
 
NL5 said:
2' above the cymbals or 2' above the toms? Does the OH track capture a nice balance between the toms and cymbals, or is it really mainly capturing the cymbals?
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I am using it for the cymbals - for the song I did, I didn't need the toms miced, so I did not mention them - but usually I will put a mic on each tom.
 
dwkman0117 said:
I am using it for the cymbals - for the song I did, I didn't need the toms miced, so I did not mention them - but usually I will put a mic on each tom.
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IMHO if you are using overheads, they should contain a nice blend of the drum kit. I would then add the close mics to the kit to kind of "fill out" the sound. I would try moving the drums as I said above, and try placing your overhead so that it is high enough to balance the snare/toms/cymbals (maybe just a tad more cymbal in the mix). Then, when mixing, turn the kick and snare mics way up from where you have them in that manson song, and bring the OH down some. (just the new mic position should correct most of the problem with th OH mic). Once you get in the ballpark, you can experiment and develop your own drum technique.

Or, lookup the recorderman technique, and give that a try with the drums moved. I've heard great results from it.

Anyway, here is a clip with drums from my room. 12 foot vaulted cielings 1000 sq ft, hardwood floors, and no acoustic treatment at all.



Pretty roomy sound. Toms are all just in the OH's (save the intro), and about 75% of the snare is from the OH's.

You are really lucky to have such a big room! :D
 
NL5 said:
IMHO if you are using overheads, they should contain a nice blend of the drum kit. I would then add the close mics to the kit to kind of "fill out" the sound. I would try moving the drums as I said above, and try placing your overhead so that it is high enough to balance the snare/toms/cymbals (maybe just a tad more cymbal in the mix). Then, when mixing, turn the kick and snare mics way up from where you have them in that manson song, and bring the OH down some. (just the new mic position should correct most of the problem with th OH mic). Once you get in the ballpark, you can experiment and develop your own drum technique.

Or, lookup the recorderman technique, and give that a try with the drums moved. I've heard great results from it.

Anyway, here is a clip with drums from my room. 12 foot vaulted cielings 1000 sq ft, hardwood floors, and no acoustic treatment at all.



Pretty roomy sound. Toms are all just in the OH's (save the intro), and about 75% of the snare is from the OH's.

You are really lucky to have such a big room! :D
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I think your drums sound great - I will have to try what you suggested when I get my new mic.. If I could get the same sound you have I would be really happy..
Nice cover also - good sound!

Thanks for all of your help
 
One last thing - be aware that going to a condenser from a dynamic OH is gonna add MORE room sound. But that will be a good thing when you get a handle on everything. :)
 
dwkman0117 said:
I think your drums sound great - I will have to try what you suggested when I get my new mic.. If I could get the same sound you have I would be really happy..
Nice cover also - good sound!

Thanks for all of your help
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No problem.

You CAN get that sound. It just takes some practice. Also, your mixing technique is very important to the drum sound, but that's a whole 'nother topic.

I also recommend posting clips in the MP3 clinic - you will get a ton of great advice.

Good Luck!
 
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