ok, i have a problem recording my drums that i need help with.
to begin, here's the chain: XY-ed AKG C1000s (dont start.. the mxl603s are in the mail, but i anticipate some of, if not all of the same problems) into a DMP3, out (balanced) into a patchbay (balanced again...) into a Delta1010LT's balanced XLR inputs, being recorded onto cooledit. (for now)
First of all, even with the gain set to 0 on the dmp3, some heavy compression (-36 threshold, 11:1 ratio, 8ms attack, 700ms release - i dont really know what im doing here, if anyone can suggest a better setting i'm open to it) and some heavy EQing (lots of low cuts to tame the problematic snare and toms) Things still clip every now and then. These are drastic measures, and it sounds a little funny (perhaps due to the compression), and it's still clipping? wtf?
I thought perhaps i had set the jumpers on the 1010lt improperly, which would have those two XLR inputs acting like a preamp, but when i put the signal through other inputs, it still gives the same problems, whereas other things.. (d112 -> mackie mixer, sm57 -> mackie mixer and C418s on toms through the mackie also, though they were a little problematic themselves, but were much easier to tame) behave fine. So it's doubtful it's the jumpers causing my woes. Really, though, what else could it be? with the gain at 0 on the pre, how can the overheads still be clipping?! ARg i just dont understand!
Anyhow, onwards... I thought it might be the faders on the delta's software, but i cant think of how else to set them. The faders are near the bottom, which is supposedly where +4 is supposed to be. (there are no markings on the faders in the software, but when i have it set them all to +4 and then look at the faders, that's where they are, and when i have it set them to -10, they're near the top.) Also, when i move the faders up, the clipping gets worse. However, it's possible there's something i'm just not seeing here, and maybe someone can point it out.
Now, the ceiling is only 7' high. I realize this isnt desirable, but there's little i can do about it. I'm going to try and treat the little recession in the wall where the drums are with stuff, but i can't see it making this big a difference... The picture below shows how they're set up, but several things are different... I've put up a carpet against the back wall, going from about 3" under the windows to the floor. Also different from the picture is that the mics are up (obviously) and aren't set up the way the little stand things are pointing. Instead, the bases of them are in roughly the same position, but they're pointing at the opposite side of the kit in an XY fasion, and are pulled back as far as they will go.
I plan to put sound-blocking thingys in the windows and change the drapes to something thicker, (and hopefully better looking), build a plexiglass cage for the drums (they overpower everything else in the room - as an aside, is 6' tall enough, or should it go right to the ceiling?) I also to put some foam on the ceiling. Will this help things? Can you suggest anything else?
Another problem i have is that things sound a little funny in some respects... especially the snare. I looked really closely and the spike on the overheads representing a snare hit is just a hair behind that on the SM57/snare track, giving it a little bit of a reverby sound. Is there any remedy to this? is there any way to get rid of the overheads' snare sound altogether, or at least make it so the 57's overpowers it? I've already cut a lot on and around 250 on the overheads, which is supposedly where the snare sits. it really sounds like shit and the 57's is much better... maybe when i get the 603s i'll like the overhead snare sound better, though. But, is it wrong that the overheads make it a little reverby? should that not be happening? what can i do about it? etc.
Thanks a lot for your help!
Picture:
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?s=&postid=482809
to begin, here's the chain: XY-ed AKG C1000s (dont start.. the mxl603s are in the mail, but i anticipate some of, if not all of the same problems) into a DMP3, out (balanced) into a patchbay (balanced again...) into a Delta1010LT's balanced XLR inputs, being recorded onto cooledit. (for now)
First of all, even with the gain set to 0 on the dmp3, some heavy compression (-36 threshold, 11:1 ratio, 8ms attack, 700ms release - i dont really know what im doing here, if anyone can suggest a better setting i'm open to it) and some heavy EQing (lots of low cuts to tame the problematic snare and toms) Things still clip every now and then. These are drastic measures, and it sounds a little funny (perhaps due to the compression), and it's still clipping? wtf?
I thought perhaps i had set the jumpers on the 1010lt improperly, which would have those two XLR inputs acting like a preamp, but when i put the signal through other inputs, it still gives the same problems, whereas other things.. (d112 -> mackie mixer, sm57 -> mackie mixer and C418s on toms through the mackie also, though they were a little problematic themselves, but were much easier to tame) behave fine. So it's doubtful it's the jumpers causing my woes. Really, though, what else could it be? with the gain at 0 on the pre, how can the overheads still be clipping?! ARg i just dont understand!
Anyhow, onwards... I thought it might be the faders on the delta's software, but i cant think of how else to set them. The faders are near the bottom, which is supposedly where +4 is supposed to be. (there are no markings on the faders in the software, but when i have it set them all to +4 and then look at the faders, that's where they are, and when i have it set them to -10, they're near the top.) Also, when i move the faders up, the clipping gets worse. However, it's possible there's something i'm just not seeing here, and maybe someone can point it out.
Now, the ceiling is only 7' high. I realize this isnt desirable, but there's little i can do about it. I'm going to try and treat the little recession in the wall where the drums are with stuff, but i can't see it making this big a difference... The picture below shows how they're set up, but several things are different... I've put up a carpet against the back wall, going from about 3" under the windows to the floor. Also different from the picture is that the mics are up (obviously) and aren't set up the way the little stand things are pointing. Instead, the bases of them are in roughly the same position, but they're pointing at the opposite side of the kit in an XY fasion, and are pulled back as far as they will go.
I plan to put sound-blocking thingys in the windows and change the drapes to something thicker, (and hopefully better looking), build a plexiglass cage for the drums (they overpower everything else in the room - as an aside, is 6' tall enough, or should it go right to the ceiling?) I also to put some foam on the ceiling. Will this help things? Can you suggest anything else?
Another problem i have is that things sound a little funny in some respects... especially the snare. I looked really closely and the spike on the overheads representing a snare hit is just a hair behind that on the SM57/snare track, giving it a little bit of a reverby sound. Is there any remedy to this? is there any way to get rid of the overheads' snare sound altogether, or at least make it so the 57's overpowers it? I've already cut a lot on and around 250 on the overheads, which is supposedly where the snare sits. it really sounds like shit and the 57's is much better... maybe when i get the 603s i'll like the overhead snare sound better, though. But, is it wrong that the overheads make it a little reverby? should that not be happening? what can i do about it? etc.
Thanks a lot for your help!
Picture:
http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?s=&postid=482809
