Could use some tips on how to record my drum kit

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BBlack

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I use a 3-piece kit - snare, kick, floor tom, hi-hat and a crash. I'm planning on putting a 57 on the snare, 57 on the floor tom, D112 on the kick, and putting two Samson condensers as overheads. But I'm not sure where the best place to put the overheads would be. Should I use the Recorderman technique along with the close mics? Any tips would help.

Also, what exactly is phasing? I keep hearing this term...don't understand it though.


THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
 
Should I use the Recorderman technique along with the close mics?

yep. that's EXACTLY what you should do.

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Also, what exactly is phasing?.

you prolly won't need to worry about it if you mic it like you described, but in case you are SLIGHTLY curious:

When using more than one microphone you need to be wary of phasing, or cancellation. Due to the way sound waves interfere with each other, problems can occur when the same sound source is picked up from different mics placed at slightly different distances. A common example is an interview situation in which two people each have a hand-held mic - when one person talks they are picked up by both mics and the resulting interference creates a phasing effect.
 
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=192773

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=250899

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=302110

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=283437

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=39030

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=303379

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=302604

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=301121

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=299010

Maybe you've read all these and more and are thoroughly tired of seeing words dance across the screen :D but if you're up for a good read, there you have it. I notice that you asked pretty much the same question a few weeks ago and got about 9 replies. To be honest with you, most of what was said there is going to be multi-duplicated not only in the links to other threads, but in pretty much whatever you find. Having read up extensively on what many of the drummers, musicians and engineers here say, and having experimented over the last 10 months with variations of mic set ups (anything from 3-11 mics, with, in some cases, one mic surprizingly getting everything), combos of condensers and dynamics and all dynamic mics and a variety of kit set ups (2, 3, 5 toms, 2,3,4,5 cymbals) plus different drummers, I'm left to conclude that there are so many different ways around this and that means that no matter what someone says in regard to the way to go, you are going to have to painstakingly experiment and try different things and combinations of things, which is not to say you haven't already been.
 
The Recorderman technique doesn't seem to pick up the cymbals well enough..I don't think I put them exactly in the right place, but they were pretty close. I'll give it another go and be more careful, but if not, I think I may just put them as a spaced pair, one for each cymbal, and that way everything will be miked. Does that sound smart? Or is the R.M. tech the best?
 
if not, I think I may just put them as a spaced pair, one for each cymbal, and that way everything will be miked. Does that sound smart?

no. i did that for years and was never happy with my overheads.

The Recorderman technique doesn't seem to pick up the cymbals well enough..I don't think I put them exactly in the right place, but they were pretty close.

get 'em in the right place.

or try the spaced pair, i guess. wouldn't hurt.
 
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