How should I use my RNC here?

S

Speedy VonTrapp

New member
See the attached drawing of my bands current set up.

I'm planning on mic'ing the guitar players amp with a 57, run the vocals and bass direct, and have an SP B1 sitting where it's shown by the drummer in the corner.

The double lines surrounding the drummer, and near the bar at the bottom of the pic are partitions. I have many more available, so if it's beneficial to add them, I'm open for suggestions.

This is all just for practice purposes right now, so I'm not going to be super hung-up on levels, as long as we can all hear each other well. I will be tracking the session, but just for practice reasons. I'll record some songs 4 track, and others 1 track, just for space reasons on the mini-disks.

I'm thinking I should put the RNC on the B1, but I'm not sure where to start as far as settings. If anybody has any ideas for it, I'd really appreciate it. We live far enough away from each other, that time is a real disadvantage for us. So, hopefully I'll get some good suggestions here, so we don't have to cut into a whole practice.

He's got a fairly large kit. Pearl Export, I believe. Sabian and Zildgan cymbals, although I'm not sure where. The kit itself is only about a couple months old. It's on Gibraltar cage, with 7 shells total, and 6 cymbals, I think.

Any ideas to do it better than what I'm suggesting would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-Speedy
 

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I think you'd want to give the drummer cans, instead of having the pa speaker blasting into the drum mic. If you only have one mic for drums, move it out front, so you'll pick up the kick. Experiment to find optimal height. You might want a partition in front of the drums, if it's bleeding into the other mics.
 
The corner is the worst possible place for a mic. Stick it above or in front of the kick.

You will probably want to use the RNC mainly for limiting. Set the ratio all the way to the right. Adjust the threshold until you get a couple lights blinking on the meter. Adjust the output for a good level. Try about 10'oclock on the attack and 9'oclock on the release.
 
Thanks, guys. That pretty much answers some questions I've had about the mic placement, too.

I tried placing the B1 in an area that would coincide with some things that I've read about being above the snare. But, he's got so many cymbals, I'm afraid that's all we'd hear. So, I moved it away from the top of the kit, and back into the corner.

We were "this close" to putting a partition in front of the kit. I think that I may do that now as a starting point for tomorrows rehearsal.

Tex, thanks for the tip on the RNC setting suggestions. I'll start just like that, and see how it works, and adjust accordingly.

Just to verify the setting, I assume that since you didn't say SuperNice mode, that it should just be used in regular mode. Would that be a correct assumption?

We can probably move the couch that's by the kit back to the pool table. That will give more room for the mic in front of the kit. I know picking up the kick will be a priority in front, but I still want the mic quite a bit off the floor, right?

Thanks again,

-Speedy

edit:

Oh yeah, and we'll all have headphones. The PA speakers are just there for when we don't so that he can hear me. ;)

The vocals and bass will be running direct. I hope that I can get some good levels. ;)
 
Yo Speedy: [you don have a cuzin who runs mucho rapidamente?]

I have no doubts about the RNC settings offered by Tex.

Here is another suggestion.

Put all the dials about straight up and push the Real Nice Compressor button.

Listen to what you get and you can, of course, make adjustments even with the RNC button engaged.

Green Hornet:D :p :D
 
I almost always use the Super Nice mode. It's so damn transparent you can get about 8db of compression without really hearing it.
 
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