Mixing with the recorder man drum technique?

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Re-tox_stl

Re-tox_stl

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Ok, so when i just record drums i just use two Behringer C2 mics as overheads in the recorder man position (my budget doesn't allow for a big interface and full mic setup). So my question is, does any one have any advice on how to add compression/reverb/eq, etc. and actually get good results? Like for instance, I tried to add a little more low end punch for the kick, but that made everything sound a little on the muddy side. So any and all help is appreciated :)

Much love, Drew
 
I know right:laughings:! Im on a pretty tight budget, so until I can get a bigger interface and some more mics, its all that ive got. It yeilds some pretty good results though, believe it or not
 
To get some low end punch you can make a homemade sub kick and adjust it to your taste. If you have an old speaker, XLR cable, and an attenuator you have it covered.
 
You could make a copy of the drum track,then use a parametric eq to cut the highs and boost the low frequencies,then mix it with the original track. You could also make copies of the track, and cut all but certain frequencies which would allow you to add compression and/or reverb separately to those frequencies without killing your original drum sound. It's similar to using a multiband compressor but this way you don't smear your original track.
 
Re-tox_stl said:
Ok, so when i just record drums i just use two Behringer C2 mics as overheads in the recorder man position (my budget doesn't allow for a big interface and full mic setup). So my question is, does any one have any advice on how to add compression/reverb/eq, etc. and actually get good results? Like for instance, I tried to add a little more low end punch for the kick, but that made everything sound a little on the muddy side. So any and all help is appreciated :)

Much love, Drew
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Try sending the overheads to a convolution reverb with real room/hall/studio convolution loaded up - use a high pass filter on the reverb channel at about 150hz. This can add a lot of depth to the drums.

You might also try some parallel compression to add a bit more meat.
 
While I have never actually recorded drums (please don't tune out yet!!!) I have researched it a great deal!!! The recorderman method really is a cool option for tracking drums and one of the coolest things about it (IMHO) is that what you track is what you get. I'm a HUGE FAN of making concrete decisions early on. So the sort of minimalistic "lo fi" (if you want to call it that) tracking you get for drums ..... well, that's what you get. To me adding a bunch of eq and compression and what not to it doesn't make sense. Think of it like this .....

If you were able to magically put a microphone on each string of an acoustic guitar and track it without phase issues, then you would be able to perfectly EQ each string and each note until it sounded exactly like you wanted it to...

but you don't. you put a few mics in front and then you EQ the WHOLE INSTRUMENT.

IMHO......
rethink your approach to drums. Allow the whole kit to be an instrument. Work hard at the mic placement phase of your tracking and move forward. If you aren't getting the sound you want from recorderman .... try a spaced pair. this video does a decent job of showing some different configurations. Including recorderman.

**NO i'm not advocating sloppy recording or a "no effects" agenda. Just so we're clear.**
 
Not ideal but if you can only use 2 mics with a limited budget then use a cheap dynamic on the bass drum and just one overhead to get more lower end punch than you have now.
 
Theres the problem, my interface is a 2x2, so more inputs isn't an option at the moment. But i like what Nate is sayin, i think Im gonna go give that a shot and see how it turns out.
 
Try boosting the fundamental frequincies of the kick. Mabye between 40-80hz. Where were you trying to boost? That should hopefully get you more lowend in your kick, but be too low to muddy things up too much. Just give it a shot. I've have mixxed results in the past. But that's how I started out. And try a pretty narrow band eq.

Another thing to think about is your monitors probably don't do too well below 80hz or so. Unless you have a sub. Try listening to it before and after eq in different speakers.
 
You could try just one overhead pointed down at the snare and the other mic out front, pointed downwards towards the bass drum. You'd be surprized what you can get with that.
 
If I only had two inputs to track drums, I'd go with "room" mics instead of overheads. A couple condensers about 4 or 5 feet out in front of the kit at about 4 feet high--instead of overheads. You still get the whole kit picture like with overheads, but you get a lot more of the kick.

I was once tracking drums with a fairly standard overheads + mic on each drum set up and didn't realize that I had my room mic channels open & recording as well. I was amazed at what a full picture of the kit they got.

Certainly not as nice as the overheads combined with all the individual drum mics, but definitely better than the overheads by themselves.
 
WhiteStrat said:
I was once tracking drums with a fairly standard overheads + mic on each drum set up and didn't realize that I had my room mic channels open & recording as well. I was amazed at what a full picture of the kit they got.

Certainly not as nice as the overheads combined with all the individual drum mics, but definitely better than the overheads by themselves.
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I'll second that. I'm still amazed by what one 'room' mic captured. And even more amazed that it was better than the overheads.
 
WhiteStrat said:
If I only had two inputs to track drums, I'd go with "room" mics instead of overheads. A couple condensers about 4 or 5 feet out in front of the kit at about 4 feet high--instead of overheads. You still get the whole kit picture like with overheads, but you get a lot more of the kick.

I was once tracking drums with a fairly standard overheads + mic on each drum set up and didn't realize that I had my room mic channels open & recording as well. I was amazed at what a full picture of the kit they got.

Certainly not as nice as the overheads combined with all the individual drum mics, but definitely better than the overheads by themselves.
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I agree that this is worth trying. The Recorderman method might "technically" be a 2-mic technique, but I don't know anyone that doesn't at least add a kik mic to it....and a snare in most cases. But definitely at least a kik mic.
 
Buy something with more inputs. If you don't have the money, sell something. Unless you're playing really soft music with lots of space, and your kit and room sounds incredible, you're not gonna be happy with only 2 mics on drums.
 
Yeah, I know, but Im currently saving up for a presonus fp10. So hopefully i will have that soon. But I am in fact quite pleased with the results, considering the circumstances.
 
You could get a small 4 channel mixer and run the stereo outs to the two interface inputs. Maybe not the best option, but still an option. You could eq each track and pan them before they hit your interface.
 
Re-tox_stl said:
Yeah, I know, but Im currently saving up for a presonus fp10. So hopefully i will have that soon. But I am in fact quite pleased with the results, considering the circumstances.
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my studio partner got a firepod for his setup, he's a drummer.

but in the simple days before he had that he used my 2 input lexicon alpha being fed by whatever decent mixer we could get our hands on, from a little 4 channel to huge church boards, to record his drums.

i agree that having control over each mic is preferable, you may want to try to perfect your style with what you have now. i believe that it will make both your ears and instincts stronger. i Am overwhelmed with almost EVERY part of recording, but for mic-ing and mixing drums before they hit the tape, i feel confident EVERY time i do it and i think i owe that to the years i only had two inputs to work with.

learn how to make a 2 channel setup kick ass, then your 10 channel setup will kick ass almost without trying., just a thought dude.;)
 
Greg_L said:
Buy something with more inputs. If you don't have the money, sell something. Unless you're playing really soft music with lots of space, and your kit and room sounds incredible, you're not gonna be happy with only 2 mics on drums.
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I call bullshit.
 
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