Preamp application choices

D

deafen

New member
I'm preparing to do some drum tracking for the first time since significantly reworking my rig, and I'd appreciate some advice regarding which preamp I should use with each track.

The tracks I plan to record are:

Kick, Sennheiser e602
Snare top, SM57
Snare bottom, ECM8000
Overheads: 603s (matched pair)
Hat: AKG D880 (ball removed)
Rack toms (2): MXL V57
Floor tom: RS 33-3032

The room isn't all that great, so I'm not planning on using room mics. I've been happy with the V57s as overheads before, so I may swap them with the 603s and use the 603s on toms. Everything's going into a Delta 1010, and from there into Cubase VST/32.

The preamps that I have are a DMP3, an ART Dual MP, and an Alesis Studio 12R. The music is rock, but it's pretty laid-back. I'm looking for smooth and clean rather than raunchy.

I was thinking to run the overheads through the DMP3, the kick and snare through the ART, and the rest through the Alesis. Does that sound like a reasonable choice?

D
 
deafen said:
I was thinking to run the overheads through the DMP3, the kick and snare through the ART, and the rest through the Alesis. Does that sound like a reasonable choice?
Click to expand...

That's probably what I'd do.
 
I would like to think that running the snare thru the DMP3 would produce and overall improved signal quality for its than the ART MP which is better suited for DI'ing git's and basses.
Just my .00000001 cents.
 
Yup looks like the way to go...Maybe check the snare between the Art and the Alesis..The snare might like the one better than the other..Good luck



Don
 
I agree with your choices. I think the DMP-3 is your best pre, and the 603's are pretty good overheads. I think your pres aren't good enough to benefit from overmic'ing the kit. I would lose the Rattio Shack mic. I like the D880 or SM57 on snare. Different sounds, both work. The Behringer will pick up unreal boom from the kick, and is noisy to begin with. If you're just experimenting with mic'ing up as many drums as possible for a learning experience, cool. If you want the best sound you can get with your gear, I'd think in terms of 4-6 tracks, max, and 4 would probably be best. One thing you can do, for a surprise, is build a tunnel for the kick, and put one of those ECM8000's at the end of it. You may be surprised at what you hear. I think a kick mic upgrade should be a priority, then deal with the preamps. Best of luck.-Richie
 
Richard Monroe said:
The Behringer will pick up unreal boom from the kick, and is noisy to begin with.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why I've relegated it to the snare bottom. That way I can ruthlessly highpass it at 500 Hz and keep it low in the mix. (I've done this before. :) )

Richard Monroe said:
If you're just experimenting with mic'ing up as many drums as possible for a learning experience, cool. If you want the best sound you can get with your gear, I'd think in terms of 4-6 tracks, max, and 4 would probably be best.
Click to expand...

Ehh, yes and no. I've done a very similar setup with a slightly different set of mics (e602 kick, 57 snare, ECM800 snare bottom, D880 hat, MXL V57s overhead, 58 on rack, 57 on floor) and was very pleased with it. At the time, I was using the preamps in a pretty nice EV board (the Made-in-Germany kind). I didn't always use all the tracks, but I was really glad that I had the option.

Richard Monroe said:
I think a kick mic upgrade should be a priority, then deal with the preamps.
Click to expand...

Well, I know the e602 isn't the *best* thing around, but I know it; I've learned how to get the most that I can out of it. After my last GAS binge, all of my recording-related money is going into acoustic treatments and instrument upgrades. :)

Thanks for the advice! I'll try that kick-tunnel thing. I've been meaning to, but had forgotten.

And chessrock, Q, Dot, and Don, thanks for your help too. Glad to know I'm not heading down *completely* the wrong path. ;)

D
 
What are the drums like ? If the set sounds good and the toms are open sounding (coated heads) and its a thin shelled kit (maple). Then, I would be tempted to use the overheads as much as possible. You did not state wether the bass drum is has a hole cut in it or not. Also, I have thrown away as many bottom snare and hihat tracks as I have used.

My advice, (bachelors of perc perfomance and graduate of sound school) is when going for a clean sound get the overheads and the kick and the snare right and then worry about mic pres. The biggest impairment to recording a good set of drums is Drums tuning, crap cymbals, and microphone placement, and bass drum microphone choice.

I believe that if you are recording drums right and you are going for a clean sound, most of it comes from the overheads. You will maybe mix 20% of the close mics into the signal. Go for a spaced pair or X Y over the drummers head and put on some cans and monitor as you move the mics around. Also get the height of the overheads correctly which often has alot to do with the surfaces and size of the room.

I am wary of someone asking what pres to put where when micing a kit because so much of it is in the placement ... If you already know this then I peacefully, thankfully digress.

Get the drums right at the source.
 
I doubt you'll need that hat mic, but you can always ditch it in the mix if unnecessary. The overheads should take care of that just fine.
 
Deafen, if you *had* a nice EV board, I'd be giving you different advice. Putting a whole shit load of mics on a kit and then running them through cruddy pres will not make it sound better, in fact, the opposite. What I'm saying is that you have no front end for all those mics. I could get better sound than you will get from all those mics using 2.-Richie
 
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