Can I get a good stereo signal for drums with this setup?

[CorpseGRINDER]

I am recording straight to my computer..My setup is a 3 channel mixer going to my computer. I connected the RCA main out on the mixer to the computer using a left/right RCA jack, to one way 1/8'' input to the line in on my computer.. Am starting to record using the drums, am using 3 mics to go to the mixer, one mic on the bass drum, one overhead for cymbals and toms, and one for snare and high hat... My question is how to get a true stereo sound after mixing with this setup.. I am using Cool Edit Pro for editing and mixing, by recording straight to the computer harddrive. How can I get a true stereo sound from this setup? and if so.. how do I mix it in Cool Edit Pro to a stereo sound with the one signal recording of drums I get in CEP with my setup..

Im sure this ? has been asked before...
Just couldn't seem to find it in the previous threads
Thanks for your help.....

 

[camn]

if you want a good stereo sound you need to do one of two thinks:

a) isolalte your mic sounds. That is, track them one at a time... or two at a time, one all left and one all right. THEN do your panning during mixdown.

OR

b) record a good stereo sound to begin with.

I would choose choice b. to do it you SHOULD get more mics and a bigger mixer.
Given that that is impossible, you should fly 2 overheads and a kick. Pan the overheads far L and R and center the kick. you WILL NOT be able to adjust level individually after recording so get them right the first time. This will give you the best sound.

xoxo

 

[CorpseGRINDER]

Ok.. thanks for the advice camn..
i still have a few more questions though....
so if I use the setup with two overheard mics(one panned far left, the other far right) and one kick mic... all three going to the mixer at the same time, and being recorded at the same time I can still get a true stereo sound?? I am just worried that the way the mixer goes to the computer with the RCA main out I am using, It may not have a stereo sound.. cause I am using a Y cable to go from the two RCA outputs from the mixer, to the one 1/8inch input on the line of the computer....

Also, could I make the drums in stereo on Cool Edit after I record the one signal I am going to get? or should I just make it in stereo and pan signals before I record?

I know I have asked tons of ?'s.. As you can see I am a newbie here... Thanks a bunch........

 

[S8-N]

hmmm... I guess the question is: is that 1/8" jack a stereo jack? I guess the best way to tell would be to record something and see if it is in stereo. I think you need to tell Cool edit that you want to record a stereo track in the recording preferences... I have used Cool Edit Pro a bit, but I am having a hard time picturing it.
If you record one track of drums in stereo, you should see two waveforms appear in a split track...
If only one track appears, then you are recording in mono. If you have cool edit set up to record stereo and your jack is a mono jack... then two tracks will appear but one will be blank. I think...
I dont know... you are confusing me. I would try recording with 2 mics at first to simplify things and see if you get two tracks that are different.
A final note: I wouldnt sweat it if you arent recording in stereo... with 3 mics, there isnt going to be a huge difference... I'd rather have a mic on my snare then have the cymbals in stereo... but thats just me... I use 2 mics on my cymbals and still get very little seperation.