How many tracks do you use to record drums?

How many tracks do you use to record your drums?

  • 2 Tracks?

    Votes: 39 8.5%

  • 3 Tracks?

    Votes: 51 11.1%

  • 5 Tracks?

    Votes: 67 14.6%

  • More than 5?

    Votes: 303 65.9%
  • Total voters
    460
I try to keep it simple with 5 to start. If I notice the kick is lacking for whatever reason, then I may have my drummer do another take and mix that in depending on what I feel its missing. At most, I try to have no more than eight. Well, I cant, since the FP10 only has eight anyways =/
 
I use 8 because thats the most I can with my firepod.

I like to track as much as I can and then scrap the tracks I might not need later. It's better to record 6 extra mics that you mute later than to record with one too few.
 
Fyi

Wow, this is an old thread, recently resurrected.

So, I thought some of you might enjoy the recent video segments on audiofanzine, featuring Michael Wagener:

https://en.audiofanzine.com/

The first two segments of the series are on recording drums...
 
I just recorded a hard rock band, and I used.......

Top snare (1) sm57
Bottom snare (1) GT convertible
Toms (3) senns e604's
Kick drum (1) Audix D6
Overheads (2) Studio Projects LSD2 <- rules
Room Mic (2) 1 AT 4050, and 1 SP C1

10 total......sounds monster!

I've used as little as 4 before, which was decent, but didn't have alot of options later. So of course you have to make sure you have the sounds you want from the get go.
 
light40 said:
I use 8 because thats the most I can with my firepod.

I like to track as much as I can and then scrap the tracks I might not need later. It's better to record 6 extra mics that you mute later than to record with one too few.
Click to expand...

You should get a decent 2 channel pre with SPDIF connections, and add two channels to your firepod!
I got a Apogee Mini Me, and hooked it up through that when I had one, and it sounded great....plus gaining two channels didn't suck either :cool:
 
The poll didn't have a choice for "4", which is all I ever use.

4 mics, 4 tracks.

A pair of OH mics in M/S stereo configuration...and then I only spot mic the kick and snare.

Very simple setup, great drum sound.



miroslav
 
I'm about to experiment with my own method using two "studio-in-a-box" digital recorders that only have two simultaneous inputs each. I will mic kick and snare which will record onto one unit, and two overhead condensers in the XY stereo pattern will record to the other unit. I will then bounce all four tracks onto my pc interface for better mixing than the two channel method I used to try to achieve through a live board with 8 inputs recording to only two tracks (left, right). I will have much more mixing capability with the four tracks shared between two recording units..
 
We've been getting great results with 6 mics.

Kick, snare, floor tom, tom, 2x overheads.

I pan the two 'tom' mics hard l/r, same as the overheads. Other two (kick & snare) straight down the middle. there's bleed on all the mics, but it matters not. I might add the drummer's great and knows how to tune his kit, etc!
 
I start with "recorderman" overheads and usually add close mics in the following order depending on how many channels I have to work with and how tighter sound I am looking for:

Kick, Snare (top), Floor Tom, Rack Toms.

Most of the sound comes from the overheads (I'm currently using an SE1 mactched pair which sound great), with the extra mics used to add a bit of extra "smack"
 
I've settled on 6.

5 piece drum set:

snare SM57
one mic split between two small toms SM57
one mic on floor tom SM57
bass drum D6
overhead AT4040
overhead neumann KM184

works for me. I've tried with the bottom snare, didn't make much of a difference IMO so I don't bother anymore.
 
I'm not a drummer but I've been recording with them for years. I used to just use three mics in a mixer onto one track. Now I use at least five tracks {kick, snare, Hi-hat, 2 overheads, 1 left, 1 right}. The overheads pick up the cymbals and toms nicely but I also close mic the toms. All the OH stuff goes thru a mixer onto those 2 tracks. I don't mind bleed. Depending on what I may want the snare to sound like, I may use a track or two to bounce that snare, effected, and add that into the overall signal. Then I make a stereo pair for the drums. I may experiment with the Glyn Johns method to see how that sounds but I used to do something similar and I wasn't vastly impressed. I do like to experiment though.
 
snare- 2 top and bottom
4 toms- 4
kick -3 just in case
hihat- 1
ride-1
oh-2
in front-2
distant room-2
so thats 17 mics and of course no phasing issues:cool: J/k
I only really use 4:D
 
I use 3 tracks, but 4 mics. :p

(Close mic on the snare to one track, close mic on the kick to another track, and the two overheads to one stereo track.)
 
SlowerHand said:
I use 3 tracks, but 4 mics. :p

(Close mic on the snare to one track, close mic on the kick to another track, and the two overheads to one stereo track.)
Click to expand...

I think the OP was referring to mono tracks. So one stereo track = two mono tracks.;)
 
Recently I've been using this setup

Kick - 2-3 (D6 inside, Modified Apex 205 Ribbon 3 - 6" outside (angled down @45) sometimes a SM57 beater side)

Snare Top -SDC on top
Snare Bottom - SDC (or e604 or 57)
Overheads - 2 SDC (recorderman)
Room - 2 Modified 205s

I will close mic toms as well but that depends on the material.
 
The latest setup I had was:

1 x Subkick
2 x Mic inside kick
1 x Snare Top
1 x Snare Bottom
1 x Hi Hats
2 x Rack Toms Mics
1 x Floor Top
1 x Floor Bottom
2 x Overheads
2 x Room Mics
1 x Talkback Mic (mainly for talkback, but slammed into a compressor on the
channel insert so I recorded it for funsies, sounds great)
___
15 tracks on drums
 
philbagg said:
I think the OP was referring to mono tracks. So one stereo track = two mono tracks.;)
Click to expand...

Yeah I figured as much (hence the ":p" in my post), but sadly the OP failed to provide me with the option of 4 tracks. That's why I cleverly merged the two mono tracks into the one stereo track for this poll, thus staying both close to reality and within the confinements of this test.

In the name of Bob, I should win the Nobel Prize for Forum Polls! I never seize to amaze me. It only makes sense anyone else would not comprehend the sheer brilliance.

(I feel I have to note that little to nothing about this post was intended seriously. :rolleyes:)
 
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