7
70ssound
Member
If you had a bass drum mike, a mic on the snare, and one single overhead, how would you balance that in the stereo field? Just curious how about how others would handle that
How would you mix three drum mics in the stereo field, bass drum, snare, and overhead?
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I did that on a few recordings some years back. I put the kick fractionally to the left, the snare fractionally to the right and the overhead down the middle. Other times I swapped the snare with the overhead.
To be honest, I didn't really like it. It did the job and for the 3 or 4 songs I used 3 mics on, I'd say I just about got away with it. But this was back in 2010/11. That I've never used a 3-mic set-up again tells you all you need to know.
To be honest, I didn't really like it. It did the job and for the 3 or 4 songs I used 3 mics on, I'd say I just about got away with it. But this was back in 2010/11. That I've never used a 3-mic set-up again tells you all you need to know.
spantini
COO of me, inc.
I'd put the kick center, snare just left of center, the overhead just right of center. I like positioning as if I were a right handed drummer - the overhead getting the toms and cymbals.
7
70ssound
Member
Thanks for the thoughts! Yes, if I had it my way I would have four mike's going: snare, BD, two overheads. But I'm recording to a newfangled 12-track tape setup so with this limited track count (not to mention limited mics) 3 is the number I came up with. I assumed it would be fine, but after recording drum parts, I'm finding blending in the stereo field to be a strange proposition. Right down the middle sounds wrong, but all of the other variations come with some sort of compromise as well.
I've so far settled on something like what you've explained Spantini except to say that my left and right might not be so slight. Grimtraveller, I would never have imagined the orientation you speak of, but I must try it. This is why I created this post. To get different ideas and suggestions, so thanks. I've posted a sample of how the rough mixes are sounding thus far. Hoping I haven't lost the plot.
rob aylestone
Moderator
Works fine like people have said for Jazz, Big Band, folk and other 'more detailed' styles - fails for rock and even rock and roll unless you want the 50s vibe. Put a bit of stereo reverb on it and it's nice enough!
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
Centered for sure. I do it all the time
Farview
Well-known member
With the way you recorded it, center everything and add reverb.
In the future, you might want to do a kick mic and two overheads. Place 1 overhead above the floor tom and the other between the hi hat and 1st tom. Make sure both mic are about the same distance from the snare.
The you pit the kick on the center and pan the overheads to taste.
In the future, you might want to do a kick mic and two overheads. Place 1 overhead above the floor tom and the other between the hi hat and 1st tom. Make sure both mic are about the same distance from the snare.
The you pit the kick on the center and pan the overheads to taste.
Slouching Raymond
Well-known member
It could be my end, but I thought the recording had a lot of left going on.
Papanate
Well-known member
7
70ssound
Member
I tried the Glyn Johns setup a couple of times, and the problem I had was that I wasn't getting very much snare! The snare was always drowned out by the toms. Raymond, yes I'm sure you're right, it's just a provisional recording mix with more overdubs to add. Sometimes the hammond is in the right, left or center for no rhyme or reason.
Centering the three drum mikes? Wow I wasn't expecting to hear that. But it can't hurt to try it again.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I use a 12-track machine but I bounce the drums down to a stereo pair. In the past, I did use 5 mics {all you mentioned + hi hat} but I've evolved to a set-up where I have 4 inputs going to my DAW ~ kick, snare and "overheads" {which are actually underheads. I put them below the level of the cymbals}. But the 2 overheads come from my mixer and in the mixer are 6 mics ~ 4 for the 5 toms and 2 for my overhead pair. I pan the mic toms to where I feel I get the best representation of the kit and I do a corruption / inversion of XY for the overheads and pan them on the mixer hard right and hard left. The two inputs for the O/Hs also go hard left and right into the DAW. It sounds like a lot of work, but faint heart never won fair lady and besides, it isn't hard work.
Papanate
Well-known member
What Microphones do you have for the Drums? That plays an important part in whether the Glynn Johns method works or not.
7
70ssound
Member
The three mics would be 2 EV PL77 (overhead, snare) and a Shure 565SD on the bass drum. They're all pretty old, mid 1970s. The 12 tracks is just 3 a3340s synced together by backwinding the supply reel with three tapes and feeding them to three different machines
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grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Ah.
Papanate
Well-known member
The Shure 565SD is not a very good microphone - the EV PL77s are decent but I would use them as overheads.
7
70ssound
Member
Yeah it definitely sucks. I'm envious of anyone with a good mic complement, but I'm flat broke (now and in the foreseeable future) so that's pretty much the end of that.