probably dumb mic question

[recordingn00b]

i am very new to recording as i got my first mixer 2 days ago. it is an alesis 12 channel usb mixer. with some money i got i am looking to buy a 7 piece drum mic set off the net but i have a few questions about it. i see that all 7 mics have a different input so do i have to buy 7 mic cables??? if the answer is yes then how do i record with them because my mixer only has 4 mic inputs. im sure im doing something wrong, please help!

 

[robin watson]

i am very new to recording as i got my first mixer 2 days ago. it is an alesis 12 channel usb mixer. with some money i got i am looking to buy a 7 piece drum mic set off the net but i have a few questions about it. i see that all 7 mics have a different input so do i have to buy 7 mic cables??? if the answer is yes then how do i record with them because my mixer only has 4 mic inputs. im sure im doing something wrong, please help!

Each mic will need it's own cable, unless it's a wireless one, a magical one, or it has a telepathephonical diaphragm. You could go buy three female-to-female XLR mic cables and stick a mic on either end of them - this would reduce the number of cables you require to connect all the mics, but would be of no use to you whatsoever, other than as highly effective weapons (training time could increase depending on your choice of cable length).

The only other thing you're doing wrong is buying a mixer with only 4 mic inputs, when in fact you want to use 7 mics. That's a no-no.

Before you go out and buy those mics with some money you've got, consider buying them with someone else's money. It's an old engineer's trick that saves you wasting your own.

Have you ever considered cooking or something like that? There's a bunch of nice recipes out there on the Net, and with that money you've got, you could get the ingredients from the local grocery store and get cracking right away, not need for mic cables in this case.

 

[Big Kenny]

There are also micing techniques that require only four (some 2 or 3) for recording drums. Try the recorderman method ( I use it with aan extra mic on kick and snare)

 

[L mandrake]

There are also micing techniques that require only four (some 2 or 3) for recording drums. Try the recorderman method ( I use it with aan extra mic on kick and snare)

I agree, especially if you are new at it. The 'recorderman' tecnique (well covered in this forum) will yield great results. The thread is a monster to read in one sitting but the first couple of pages will be all you need to get it going. Good luck

 

[Rust E-Z]

You could get an stand alone mice pre and connect it to the line inputs via rca.
you'll need 1/4 to rca adapters. (probably easier to return your current mixer for something els) I agree w/ other saying use a three or four mic set-up. I think it sounds better alot of time.

 

[kojdogg]

You could get an stand alone mice pre and connect it to the line inputs via rca.
you'll need 1/4 to rca adapters. (probably easier to return your current mixer for something els) I agree w/ other saying use a three or four mic set-up. I think it sounds better alot of time.

fewer mics will mean fewer phase issues as well, plus you can spend more time making sure the mics you're using are positioned well and sound good!

 

[Adam P]

Regarding the drum mic kit, if I were in your situation I would opt for buying a couple decent mics instead of seven that are mediocre at best.