Anyone here recorded drums with 1 or 2 mics?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lttoler
  • Start date Start date
L

lttoler

New member
I have always used EZDrummer for my recordings, but my new band is putting a little demo cd of some cover clips together and I thought about micing the drums for the drummer for a lil more natural sound.

I have an audix pack with a kick mic, snare mic and 2 overheads, but only have a Line 6 Toneport UX2 interface. Im assuming that I have to run all drums to the same track and there wont be much room for editing, which may be fine.

Does anyone have any tips?
 
I record drums with one mic a lot. I set up a 20-20K condenser (AKG 535 EB) on a short stand next to the kick drum aimed at the bottom of the snare. I usually have to boost the lows at mixdown to get some thump from the kick. I usually track with some light compression.
 
Done it with decent results:
one over head mic
one kick mic

Live on stage at a gig sample.

 
Take your two over heads and put them just above your kick drum and under your toms in an X/Y configuration. I know that you'll like it. ;)
 
I have miked kits with two mic's before. One kick and one overhead. It sounded relatively decent. You need a good room to get it to sound perfect.
 
I've come to realize that when using one, two or three mics, how it sounds is actually dependent on the person playing the drums. I can't work out why ! But one drummer can make one/two/three mic miking sound so full, another just exasperates..........
 
grimtraveller said:
I've come to realize that when using one, two or three mics, how it sounds is actually dependent on the person playing the drums. I can't work out why ! But one drummer can make one/two/three mic miking sound so full, another just exasperates..........
Click to expand...

You got that right!
 
There are a few ways i have tried when circumstances require it. They all depend on the sound of the room, the drummer, both physically and musically (as in, how he/she plays) and what sound you want.

Try putting a mic on the kick as normal (eg. an AKG D112) and a condenser above the drummer, pointing down at the snare or the highest rack tom and the snare.

Alternatively, place the condenser as described above, but place a second condenser (preferably a matched pair) pointing through the gap between what is usually the ride and the floor tom, again, at the centre of the snare. This one really does depend on the room and takes a fair bit of fiddling.

Finally, set a blumlein pair up, just above the kick drum pedal, angled slightly towards the drummer.

The XY set up frommoresound is a nice technique too

jan
 
janthemetal said:
The XY set up from moresound is a nice technique too

jan
Click to expand...

I'm telling ya, it's a very good way to record drums with just two microphones .... you don't have to do X/Y you can just point them straight at the drummer crouch for a good capture as well!
 
Search for the "recorder man" drum miking method on youtube. I had to work with that for a while, but I got some great results
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top