miking the durms during recording

Paddy420

New member
do I mic the ride cymbal with its own mic like I would the hi-hats or is it picked up by the overhead mics, and do I use EQ on the drums during recording or wait till mix down, basicly how do I make the drums sound
professional during a full on recording session...THANKS
 
whats mics are you using?

I usually dont mic the cymbals or the high hat, I let the overhedas take care of those. And I dont usually eq to tape either. It's all a matter of prefrence though.


ametth
 
I used to only use 2 overheads until I actually miced the hi-hat one day. Man what a difference. I don't mic the ride, but if you have the extra channel I would for sure mic the hi-hat ... really makes it sound more professional.
Another big improvement in my cymbal sound recently has been the stereo imaging ... made possible by a $7 stereo mic bar from musiciansfriend.com.
As far as EQ, I try to leave that for during mixdown. If you're recording onto tape, though ... and you need to add hi freqs, I'd do that while tracking to avoid adding extra tape hiss during mixdown.
Actually ... what are you recording to? 8trk? 16?? ... and do you plan to submix the drums to 2 or 4 tracks?
I don't think you mentioned it ...
If you're going to submix while tracking ... you have to do all EQ and outside processing while tracking. You can't when it's all mixed together.

Good Luck
 
4 Darwin 8track units, No mixer or mixers yet. I want to keep a tight full sound while
recording so each on its own track. is it all ways best to record drums and so on with compressors,limiters,and gate, And what type of mic would yall recomend for recording hi-hat...thanks

Paddy420
 
Mike the hats!!!! You will be pleased!
Such a smoother sound. (My preference)

I use an SM81.
Other popular ones are:

AKG blue series condensor w/ the 180degree adaptor (it looks bent - Max Weinburg on Conan uses one!)

AT4033

AKG C414


Most popular for toms - Sennhieser MD421
Bass Drum - Electro Voice RE27n/d

Record yer drums w/o any compression, efects, etc. on different tracks cause then you always will have the opportunity for different sounds.

[This message has been edited by CJWalker (edited 06-29-2000).]
 
I don't use an extra mike for ride but I do for HiHat. Try drawing a line through the kick and snare and placing your overheads either side of that line which will put one mike over the floor tom and the other over the top tom. Balance them by getting the drummer to play the snare so that the snare sound center in your overheads. Your cymbals will then be spread L/R and the toms will sound L/C/R. This helps alot in your overall sound. Best hihat mike is the KM84 if you can get one. beyer M88 for kick, Senn MD421 or U87 for toms, SM57 snare top and bottom (Bottom phase reversed) AKG414 o/heads.
Oh by the way - yes EQ to tape a little. You will usually need to add tops to snare and overheads. A dip at around 350Hz on the kick also works well.(resonate frequency of shell) leave toms flat for eq later in mix.


[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-02-2000).]
 
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