Just some Newb questions

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ziplock43

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1. I hear people say some things sometimes like "the drums seem very far away" or "the vocals are up front like they should be". . . how would you make something "up front" or "far away"? Make it louder/softer? Frequency editing?

2. What's the best way to Mic drums with only 2 mics? The snare and the bass?

3. Frequency editing. . . yeah. . . could I just have a ballpark idea of what this is? I have no clue what it is/how to use it.

Any help with these topics would be greatly apreciated. . . thanks!
 
By the way, EQ is usually used to make a good performance sound excellent. In most cases it wont fix a bad performance. I find it better to record without any EQ and make sure that the tracking process is as flawless as possible etc. and then adjust EQ where needed with the software later on.


Mike
 
If you only have 2 mics to use for drums I would recommend a couple of large diaphragm condensers placed in front or above the set. I wouldn't recommend trying to mic a drum set with less than 4 mics though.
 
Do a search on the forum of EQ carving - even a search engine search of the net - REALLY important stuff & understanding it early on will solve a whole pile of probs.
Soft & loud but you can also have upfront close vocal confessional that isn't about loudness but capturing nuances.
 
ziplock43 said:
1. I hear people say some things sometimes like "the drums seem very far away" or "the vocals are up front like they should be". . . how would you make something "up front" or "far away"? Make it louder/softer? Frequency editing?
Click to expand...

For a closer sound, put the microphone closer to the source, for a more distant sound, move it further away. You can also use the faders on the track to turn down the volume and give the sense that it is further away than everything else. Reverb can also be used.

ziplock43 said:
3. Frequency editing. . . yeah. . . could I just have a ballpark idea of what this is? I have no clue what it is/how to use it.
Click to expand...

Look up how to use an equalizer.
 
High frequencies will be higher, low's will be low, that'll give the up and down distance, how loud & low the sound is gives it distance, reverb, will give it ambiance.
 
ziplock43 said:
2. What's the best way to Mic drums with only 2 mics? The snare and the bass?
Click to expand...
What 2 mics do you have? I've gotten decent results out of my 2 overheads. I have my drums in a small room, 12X12, kick pointed towards a wall. It won't sound great, but at least decent. You have to compress them quite a bit to bring the snare and kick out better.

This is a pair of MSH mics, panned left and right.

Clip
 
I've just got two cheap dynamic mics. :o

I can't get a job till the summer, but the first thing I'm gona buy once I get some money is two quality mics.
 
Just personally, i would try the following. Get your hi-hat as close to the snare as you possibly can and then use one mic to mic both the snare and the hi-hat. It wont sound great (not at all actually) but its a good alternative if you only have 2 mics. Use the other mic for the crash and ride (place the crash and ride very closely together and put the mic somehwere in the middle and equidistant). Then track your drum part. After that, go back and track your bass drum by itself.
It'll still sound very bad, but I see it as the best alternative with only 2 mics.

Mike
 
i think the best advice for a beginner is to try different mics in different locations and analyze the results. If you like the way one scheme or setup sounds, then go with it until you don't, then start experimenting again.

Experiment experiment experiment. Never limit yourself to a certain number or type of microphone because someone on a message board says so. Eliminate mic's and placement schemes through experience.

You'll learn a lot more, and a lot faster.
 
I've been experimenting recording single hits from my kick, snare, toms, cymbals etc., programming in Cubase using those sampled sounds, and then recording the same drum take live with a single condenser mic just in front of the kit, about 6 inches above tom height.

Again, doesn't sound great but with my single input preamp it's better than it could be...
 
Elton Bear said:
I've been experimenting recording single hits from my kick, snare, toms, cymbals etc., programming in Cubase using those sampled sounds, and then recording the same drum take live with a single condenser mic just in front of the kit, about 6 inches above tom height.

Again, doesn't sound great but with my single input preamp it's better than it could be...
Click to expand...


i've gotten some really great sounding drum recordings with one condensor mic in the drum room. granted, my room sounds good, but i wouldn't necessarily rule out a single mic approach for recording a full drum set
 
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