Mixing toms to one track

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stethedrumgeek

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Hi.

This is my first post on the forum and I'd be greatful for any help offered.

Righty- o, some background

I'm a film production student interested in sound production but as a hobby I'm a musician in the form of a drummer and guitarist in no particular order...
I'm trying to put together some means of recording demos (yes, just demos for practicalities and not great in quality by a long stretch) for personal recordings and future band recordings.

This means I need to record my drumkit. Now, I have a few questions on this because I've never done it personally, always gone into studios.

I'm thinking either a PCI delta66 (or 1010 if the 66 wont achieve what I want) going into an Athlon XP 2k with a decent amount of ram and hdd space. This in conjunction with a basic Yamaha MG 12/4 mixer (which I've read good things about in here), using Cubase SX software.

My question is: With my snare, kick and cymbals all taking an input each- Will the above equipment allow me to record my toms as one track via each tom mic being input to the MG mixer, mixed, then out of the mixer to the Delta66 breakout box as 1 input to be mixed as 1 track in Cubase? Is this the best way to achieve this anyway?!

Cheers guys and happy Christmas to all whom it applies

Ste
 
I would say you want at least two tracks. I think the delta 66 can do more than one input, no?

Most people like to pan the toms from left to right, and pan the cymbals to odd places. So you can input everything into your mixer, do all the panning you like, then output two tracks (left channel and right channel) to your delta.

Does that help?
 
Hi Nilbog, thanks for the reply.

Yeah I could do that, but what I really want to do is have each part of the kit on a seperate track on the computer.

For example:

Kick: track 1
Snare:Tract 2
Toms: Track 3
Cymbals etc

Since the delta 44 has 4 inputs, I would need to mix the toms together on the mixer before the breakout box. I'm trying to research if this is possible with the Yamaha MG 12/4
Then I would need to mix together the three toms to one output on the mixer going through to the delta 44 or whatever. I was reading about using the 'inserts'?

Ummm I think I've started to really confuse myself, I woke up at 4am...

To reiterate...

Ideally I'd want snare, toms, kick, cymbals all on different tracks on the computer, cymbals as a stereo pair of condensers- but I'm not sure if the Yamaha 12/4 and the delta 44 together would allow me to do that? If they wont- what combination of equipment (not too far out of that area of pricing) would?

Phew...
 
With only four inputs, you could only hope for
Track 1=kick
Track 2=snare
Tracks 3 & 4=a submix of the toms and overheads OR...
Track 3= a mono submix of the toms
Track 4= a mono submix of the overheads.
Option two has more controll but no stereo. Personally, I like the controll. YMMV.
 
Drumgeek, you may really want to consider the Delta 1010 8 I/O for what you want to accomplish, providing this unit isn't out of your price range.
1-bass drum
2-snare
3-tom
4-tom
5-tom
6-oh
7-oh
8-hh

8 mics into your mixer and direct outs to the 1010. JMHO-Ralph
 
Thanks TrackRat, that pretty much answers my question, I'd go with you on the control thing over the stereo, if my toms and cymbals are stereo but sound like crap when adjusted together- ill go with mono.

If I want to go with stereo- I guess I'll save for the 1010, but at risk of throwing myself in at the deep end, I wont!

Hopefully a student bursary will go towards paying for this, god bless the arts council.

Thanks again

Ste
 
One moree thing to think about;
Track 1=kick
Track 2=snare
Track 3= a single overhead directly over the snare about two drum sticks length end to end from the center of the snare to the mic.
Track 4=a mic (I like eithher an AT-4033 or a GT AM-52) out in front of the kit about three feet at about the height of the top of the kick shell.
 
Thanks Gidge and Track Rat

Mics are next on the list, after the mixer and soundcard

I think I will go for the 1010lt since I dont really need the rack box and for a mixer a 16/4 Yamaha MG- which will keep things a bit more open ended.

Thanks Track Rat, I'll try out that method along with whatever wacko Steve Albini approaches I can find

Cheers fellas, I'm pretty chuffed with the welcome

Ste
 
I'll co-sign the Delta 1010....

You should use the Delta 1010.

BTW.... What software program will you be using for recording?

spin
 
Thanks all- I see the general consensus is the 1010

I can stretch to that... I think, I'll look into ordering from the US, since I'm in the UK things arent very sensibly priced.

That permitted, I think I'll go for the 16/4 Yamaha mixer too.

I'll be using cubase SX which my housemate has given me.

I havent heard of Nuendo Nilbog, what's it like?

Cheers guys

Ste
 
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