How do you get drum mics into your PC?

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Scottgman

Scottgman

Legend in Own Mind
OK, newbie quesiton here. I was wondering how everyone get's their drum mics into their PC?

Here is what I want to do (and what I assumed was the industry standard): I want a separate track (in Sonar) for each mic on the drum kit (5 mics).

I have a Behringer mixer, MX-802A (and getting a Delta 1010lt). Apparently, after experimenting and reading the manual numerous times, there is only the stereo output on my mixer. So I started looking at other mixers (Mackie, Soundcraft, etc.) only to find that they too seem to have only the stereo outputs. The very expensive "studio" mixers have direct outs for each channel-- but I don't want to lay down that kind of cash.

So, apparently, the only other option is stand-alone preamps. Are you guys using separate preamps for each drum mic? Is there a decent (affordable) preamp with say... 6-8 channels (e.g., SM Pro Audio SM PR8)? Are high quality preamps less important for drums compared to say... vocals?

Sorry if this is rehasing a worn-out topic... I haven't been able to get answers searching this BBS.

Cheers!
 
The Behringer is limited on its output routing options. the Mackie's are much more flexible. Besides the left/right outs there's an ALT 3/4 output and the channels with mic pre's have inserts that can be used as direct outputs on individual mics, which is what you want.
The 802 only has the main outs and two auxs. You could (assuming you're sound card has multiple inputs) pan the kick drum hard right on the mixer and send the right output to track 1 on the computer. Snare panned herd left and send the left output to track 2. Your left overhead mics turn down in the mains and send them in mono to track 3 from which ever aux send that's Pre Fader Send. Less than optimum but it would work.
 
Right, that's what I've done to this point (and wasn't happy with the control over each mic).

I realize that the Behringer mixer isn't going to do what I want to do. But I'm just not sure which route to go in terms of buying gear. Do I buy 3 separate DMP3s? Or a single 6-channel preamp? Or a new mixer (Mackie)?

Is the preamp as "important" for drums as it is for vocals? For instance, would it make sense to buy something like a DMP3 for vocals and an SM Pro Audio SM PR8 for drum mic preamps?

Am I just making this more of an issue than it is? Is the answer: "Just go buy some damn preamps Scott!"?

Anyway, I'm just trying to get a feel for how other people do this.

Cheers!
 
In my opinion, you can get better performance from most stand alone mic preamps than the stock pre's in budget consoles, including Mackie. Good pre's are important no matter what you're recording AND the more tracks you're recording, the quality of your signal chain (mics, pre's, converters, clocks, EVERYTHING) becomes more and more important. I've no hands on experience with the DMP3 so I can't comment specificly but there's a lot of decent ones out there that ARE a step up from the Mackies and Mackalikes. A lot depends on what you need to do and how much money you have.
 
Scottgman said:
I was wondering how everyone get's their drum mics into their PC?
Click to expand...

I usually don't stock my mics in my pc, got shelfs and stuff for that, but if you do like to; I guess sm57s will fit better dan 52's, at least you can put more of them in it.
Good luck!
 
Thanks Track Rat. That's what I suspected. So do you know of any decent and affordable preamps with 6 channels?

It seems like 5 or 6 separate single-channel preamps would take up alot of space and be a hassle to work with.
 
Nevermind that last post. I understand the preamp situation now-- I didn't realize I was rehasing the whole best pre for a bargain issue.

But one more newbie quesiton if you can indulge me...

How do you go from the preamp to the soundcard? The delta 101lt has RCA inputs, but all the preamps I've looked at have either 1/4" and/or XLR outputs. Do you use a 1/4" to RCA cable? Or is something like a patch bay required?
 
I used to use a Behringer MX2004a for recording 8 tracks at one, using the inserts on each channel as direct outs.

I am now using a Fostex 812 with direct outs.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Scottgman said:
Is there a decent (affordable) preamp with say... 6-8 channels (e.g., SM Pro Audio SM PR8)?
Click to expand...

I had an SM PR8, and used it only once or twice, and then sold it to a friend. I didn't like it too much, but he seems to be happy with it, so that could be an option for you...
 
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