First attempt at recording acoustic drums - Rush YYZ cover

  • Thread starter Thread starter Johnka
  • Start date Start date
It's all in the EQ, or in how you don't EQ them. I went to an Audix 'drum mic' clinic not that long ago. I know, I hadn't heard of a clinic on micing drums, either. Anyway, some bigwig from Audix moved mics around and changed them altogether while some local hotshot played drums. We sat in the audience and listened to them through a PA. Yes, it's not the same as recording, but it was a demonstration. The point is the placement made much more difference than I had thought possible, to the end result that I thought that was the worst mic I had ever heard. Then he moved it around, and made sure the board was 'flat'. Apparently the EQ is built in via the frequency response. The D6 has a boost at 80Hz, so there is no need to goose the low end on your board. That was his lesson; EQ everything flat, and let the mic do its job. I learned something.
I don't use any Audix other than a D6 and an i5. The rest aren't different enough for me to put the others away and go all Audix. And even an i5 isn't that different from a basic SM57. But the D6 is a nice change. Try it again.
If you're a Neil Peart fan, try and determine how he set up in the studio. You know it was recorded at Le Studio in Qubec back in 1981. Then you couldn't grab a D112, so I wouldn't expect a D112 to get that same sound. Thanfully, 1981 is before he switched to Simmons. The drums are likely still that red TAMA kit. That won't sound like a maple Gretsch kit. There were no emad heads then. You get the idea. If you want to recapture that sound, think like you were back in 1981 and pick gear.

I'm getting more and more intrigued by Audix. I may end up getting a few D2s to replace my cheapo digital references.
 
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