Drum Recording Tips Please (Mixer Or No Mixer?)

unicursalhex

New member
Hi everyone, let me preface by saying I am inept when it comes to this stuff. I have an Echo Audiofire 12 interface, and a fully mic'd drum kit. Main question is do I need a mixer to control the levels properly or can the interface and some software do the job? I noticed the interface uses 1/4 for all the inputs, if I can indeed do a good job without a mixer would I just use XLR to 1/4 adapters? I do realize these are 1+1=2 questions and I appreciate the help. If using a mixer would be the best solution what mixer do you recommend that gives good sound that doesn't cost an arm and a leg (under $1000)? Thanks again.
 
skip the mixer. you'd only have control over the stereo track in your DAW that way.
xlr-1/4 adapter= thumbs up.
 
What you need is preamps. Whether by a mixer with direct outs from each channel, or stand alone units. The Echo has only line level inputs. A microphone needs a preamp to get it to 'line level'. A mic without a preamp, does not have the output level to be recorded via line in.
 
You would be better off buying an interface with enough preamps built in, to mic your kit. How many mics are you using?
 
skip the mixer. you'd only have control over the stereo track in your DAW that way.
xlr-1/4 adapter= thumbs up.
No, that interface expects a line level signal, you can't pug mic straight into it.

You either need a mixer with direct outputs for each channel or enough stand alone preamps to handle the number of mics you are using.
 
Damn... Thats a bummer I just bought that interface... I just opened it and could return it, any recommendations for its replacement? Is it worth buying a preamp and keeping the Echo? What would a mixer be good for from a recording standpoint? I should have consulted youguys before I started buying shit!
 
Man, yeah..........Probably should have asked. Though you can probably resell for half that you paid for the unit.

Get a Tascam US1800. By the way, who did you piss off to get the neg rep 'red' thing there man? It usually takes more than 23 posts to get an enemy here. lol!
 
Damn... Thats a bummer I just bought that interface... I just opened it and could return it, any recommendations for its replacement? Is it worth buying a preamp and keeping the Echo? What would a mixer be good for from a recording standpoint? I should have consulted youguys before I started buying shit!
 
Man, yeah..........Probably should have asked. Though you can probably resell for half that you paid for the unit.

Get a Tascam US1800. By the way, who did you piss off to get the neg rep 'red' thing there man? It usually takes more than 23 posts to get an enemy here. lol!

Its new from Musicians Friend so they will take it back... I'm not sure why I would have a ding on my record, I'm always polite
 
Damn... Thats a bummer I just bought that interface... I just opened it and could return it, any recommendations for its replacement? Is it worth buying a preamp and keeping the Echo? What would a mixer be good for from a recording standpoint? I should have consulted youguys before I started buying shit!
 
who did you piss off to get the neg rep 'red' thing there man? It usually takes more than 23 posts to get an enemy here. lol!

I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact 3 of his posts in this thread are exact copy and pastes of each other. I don't know, I didn't neg rep for that, but I'm guessing that's what someone found annoying.

OP, how big is your kit and how are you micing it. 9 mics (plus you said you might add 3 more) is a lot of mics for most 5-piece kits, so I'm assuming you have a pretty big drum set.
 
I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact 3 of his posts in this thread are exact copy and pastes of each other. I don't know, I didn't neg rep for that, but I'm guessing that's what someone found annoying.

OP, how big is your kit and how are you micing it. 9 mics (plus you said you might add 3 more) is a lot of mics for most 5-piece kits, so I'm assuming you have a pretty big drum set.
I don't know why this cockamamie site keeps doing that to me, it may have to do with me using the URL from the post to get back to the site (from my history), the site should be smarter than that, most forums have a duplicate post alert... My kit consists of 2 rack toms, 2 floor toms, 2 kicks, 2 overheads, and a snare. I may add another tom and another mic for the bottom head of the snare and a mic for my electronics which play through a PA. While doing a bit of research I found that the dynamic mics should be fine without phantom power, the overheads will be the only ones that require a preamp, is this accurate? If this is the case a nice little 2 channel tube preamp might do the trick for me. Hopefully it doesn't post this reply 5 times haha
 
You may want to avoid the start of a question, by talking smack about the site you are asking for advice on. I am going to go to bed now. I'll help ya in the morning.

Peace out,

Jimmy
 
You may want to avoid the start of a question, by talking smack about the site you are asking for advice on. I am going to go to bed now. I'll help ya in the morning.

Peace out,

Jimmy
Relax there Jimmy, it was lighthearted commentary. I appreciate the help
 
Relax there Jimmy, it was lighthearted commentary. I appreciate the help

All good man. Glad you have the ability to return the Echo. You could keep it, but you would need to buy 9+ channels of preamps, and patch cables. You would be much better off IMO, getting the Tascam I mentioned earlier. $300 gives you 10 preamps out of the box. And phantom power is what you need for condenser microphones. Assuming that is what your overhead mics are, the Tascam has that as well. To get your three extra mics going, you would only need one 2 channel preamp. For less than $500 you can have it all working.

You didn't mention whether you want to record other instruments at the same time. The 1800 has a total of 16 input channels that can be recorded simultaneously. You can add preamps to make use of the rest of the line inputs. Some members think I sound like a rep for the Tascam, I know, but I just have found nothing in the price range that gives as much bang for the buck.
 
All good man. Glad you have the ability to return the Echo. You could keep it, but you would need to buy 9+ channels of preamps, and patch cables. You would be much better off IMO, getting the Tascam I mentioned earlier. $300 gives you 10 preamps out of the box. And phantom power is what you need for condenser microphones. Assuming that is what your overhead mics are, the Tascam has that as well. To get your three extra mics going, you would only need one 2 channel preamp. For less than $500 you can have it all working.

You didn't mention whether you want to record other instruments at the same time. The 1800 has a total of 16 input channels that can be recorded simultaneously. You can add preamps to make use of the rest of the line inputs. Some members think I sound like a rep for the Tascam, I know, but I just have found nothing in the price range that gives as much bang for the buck.
Thank you sir. A guy who seemingly knows what he's talking about said you don't need preamp power for dynamic mics, only for condenser mics. The dude at guitar center today said that you don't need preamp power but it helps the sound quality. Whats the dealio? Would a mixer with preamp power (Mackie Onyx?) be beneficial? I'm trying to figure out what the best scenario would be for me. I think I could use a mixer in the future for live jamming so everyone could have a mix into some headphones among other reasons. My drum gear and all my other stuff is at the tippy top of high end so I want it to sound great recorded but I do realize that the tippy top of audio stuff is off the charts so I want something in the middle ground. I'm not afraid to throw some money at it I just need to know where to throw it. Also, what is a good interface that will do what the Tascam you mentioned can do around the $1000-1500 range? I have heard good things about the RME Fireface but I have also heard that there are others that can do the same thing with the same quality for less $$$.I don't plan on recording anything other than drums and the electronic pads at the same time BTW
 
Guitar Center dudes don't usually know what are they talking about (with some rare exeptions), so forget everything they have told you :D
Anyway the first guy was right - you need phantom power only for condenser mics.

I'm using Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 firewire interface for about half year now - great interface imo
 
A guy who seemingly knows what he's talking about said you don't need preamp power for dynamic mics, only for condenser mics. The dude at guitar center today said that you don't need preamp power but it helps the sound quality. Whats the dealio?

You need phantom power for mics that rely on it to run head amplifier circuitry and/or to polarize the capsule of condenser mics. Usually phantom is for condensers, yes. The Royer R122 is an exception. It's a ribbon mic, not a condenser. It has active electronics that need phantom to run. Most ribbon mics aren't like this but there are a few of them on the market now. Something like a tube condenser mic will usually have its own supply, so you don't need phatom for something like that.

Usually.

If you have ANY kind of mic that you'd want to use for decent recording or sound reinforcement duties, you need a preamp channel for that mic. Regardless of the phantom power. A mic preamp boosts the low output of the mic to line level so you have a useable signal. Phantom is an additional feature for devices that need it.
 
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