Another drum critique thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter RideTheCrash
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RideTheCrash

RideTheCrash

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Alright guys, I want you to listen to a sample of some drum recording. I know it's not very good, but I'm just wondering on ways to improve it (bit of compression, notch of EQ here and there, whatever). It has only been put together in Cool Edit, my board currently isn't setup for me to mix on it, and I've only been able to hear it through crappy computer speakers.

I also realize there is a lot of clipping, especially on the end with the cymbals hits..there is some distortion. The drums are pieces of crap, but the cymbals are all Sabian AAX stuff. It was recorded with 2 ECM8000 overheads, a SM57 on the snare, and a crappy Shure PG48 in the kick (haven't gotten a proper mic yet). The overhead setup is the John Glyns technique and the mics are fairly close to the drums.

Unfortunately, and I can't change this for now, the drums are in a corner of an untreated room, so I get all the nice echos and whatever that go with it, not to mention my overheads are omni. Go figure. The mics go through my board and into my Delta 1010lt, then Cool Edit.

So there is all that stuff to take into consideration...the playing is just rough, me screwing around...you know. And the "mix" job if you can call it that, is also rough. I'm still learning how to use compression effectively (i.e. trying to get rid of the ring after the snare hits). I lined everything up to be in phase, but I'm not sure if the kick is.

So here it is: http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=2784
 
No can do my friend. They used to be in my basement, also in a corner, but I had to move them a few months ago. I have no choice unfortunately. I also have low ceilings. Great eh?
 
Yeah, well when I'm older and have my own house, I'll have a dedicated music room. Until then, any suggestions on tweaking the current sound is appreciated...
 
well bro the recording itself doesn't sound that bad, once you get a new kick mic it should be pretty good. the cymbals seem a little too covering to me, just my opinion though.

the snare sounds like it might need a tad of muffling unless thats the sound youre going for.
 
I think the snare is fine, but I'd like to get rid of that short ring afterwards. But mind you, it is a piccolo snare...
 
I think its a very usable sound. But it does need a kick mic and when you can afford it I would ditch the omni mics. Being in the corner is where your overheads are going to be a big problem cause they are getting alot of reflecting off of the walls. But like I said its not a bad sound and would be usable on a song.
 
Thanks guys, makes me feel a bit more comfortable about it. I don't think I realized the whole omni thing until after I bought the mics. I could easily afford nice mics...I'm very careful with money and like to have a certain amount in the bank, but I'm not one to spend a lot...new condensors will come eventually....and the ECMs can still get used, I like them on my acoustic.

For my kick I was thinking of this Apex mic, I made a thread about it in the Mic section, but never got a reponse: http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=186913&highlight=apex

The lowest frequency for the Apex is 50Hz and a SM47 is 40Hz. I'm assuming though that the Apex would be more tailored to pick up the bottom end though. Or am I wrong?
 
Hey bro. I'd look into something more like a Beta52, while some of the frequencies below like 50 are very hard to hear, they can be felt. That's very important to the overall feel of a song. Nothing like the kick drum in your chest in a good rock song..
 
I've seriously been considering buying an AKG D112 mic sitting at a local store. I rarely see bass drum mics around here and they've been impossible to find used. It's selling for $199 (which is good because it's Canadian, so it's not quite as much as it could be).

The lowest range of the current mic I'm using is like, 76Hz? It's obviously not a kick mic. I have more than enough to buy the mic, but I'm always hesitant on buying things (I'm careful with my my money). I think it's because I rarely get to drum now because I have a 5 month old daughter who is terrified of the drums right now...so...

My drums aren't the greatest, but I've gotten some good clicky sounds from the cheap mic. The only problem is the lack of low end. Combined with the OH sound, it's not great. I can hear it, but I can't feel it. I can only listen through Yamaha computer speakers (w/ a sub) until I get a desk built this summer, but there is a difference between my kick and other raw tracks I download from here. A recent example is the prorec.com article that someone posted about getting rid of snare ring. I listened to his drum sound, and even though it was through the cheap speakers of mine, it still had more low end than my sound, and I could feel it.

This is pretty much a rhetorical question, but I just felt like ranting I guess.
 
you could try a superlux fk2 they are 40 bucks and are suposedly a pretty good kick mic
 
sounded pretty damn good to me, bring the cymbals down a little more, toms sounded a little flat to me but, its all preference there.
 
sounds great to me for what it is but my sound system (klipsch 5.1) makes everything sound good but as far as what i heard tonight it was nice
 
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