question about recording drums

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thomas19

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is it possible when using multiple mics while recording drums to have each mic record to seperate track? like the toms, snare, and kick all in seperate tracks so i can EQ each sepertely? i've never been able to figure out how to do it. im connecting my mics to a PV8 board..then connect that to an M-Audio Fast Tack...this has got 2 inputs. one half inch and one quarter inch. i connect them through the main R/L outs on the PV8 Board. From the M-Audio..i use a USB port and connect it to the back of my comp. I record with Cakewalk Home Studio. Im able to record everything fine...the only problem i have is that i have NO idea how to record each drum into a seperate track in stereo..or even if thats possible. any info would be helpful, im willing to buy whatever is needed to do this. thank you.
 
yup quite possible. in fact its one of the best features of computer recording.. being able to edit each drum is key. The feature you are missing is having a soundcard with multiple inputs. If you have a mixer already, you need a soundcard with 6+ inputs. something like the delta1010 www.midiman.com or the echo layla www.echoaudio.com would work well.
 
You cant go through the mixer though (im pretty sure) because it doesnt have an output for each channel....you would need to put the drum mics through a preamp and then into your (new) soundcard....If this is incorrect by all means correct me...also why cant you just eq them on the PV8?
 
thomas19 said:
i've also got just a normal..soundblaster live audiocard
Click to expand...

Then you can only record two tracks at a time maximum.

Elmo89m said:
You cant go through the mixer though (im pretty sure) because it doesnt have an output for each channel....you would need to put the drum mics through a preamp and then into your (new) soundcard....If this is incorrect by all means correct me...also why cant you just eq them on the PV8?
Click to expand...
If the mixer has channel inserts and/or direct outs, these will allow you to get a direct signal from each individual channel of the mixer.

Of course you will still need a sound card with enough available inputs to accept them.
 
Most mixers have ways of getting 6 separate outputs. It just isn't very straight forward, you have to use aux sends or inserts as direct outs. Your main problem is that your soundcard doesn't have enough inputs.
 
Yep... Your limitation is the soundcard.

The number of inputs will dictate how many tracks you can record simultaneously. In this case you have 2 inputs... so two tracks. Unless you want to record snare hits by themselves after the fact (for example), you wouldn't be able to record any more tracks than that.

You might want to check into getting another soundcard. Not only would some of the ones suggested offer, more inputs, but they would also probably have better converters and improve the sound quality of your recordings.
 
im not sure how many outs this mixer has.
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--PEVPV8

there is a link to it.

its got the main L/R out...then there is ctrl/room but im not sure what that does or if i could use that for the outs..it also has mon send and efx send..could i use all 6 of those outputs?
if so would that mean i wouldn't need the maudio interface anymore? i would just buy a soundcard with half/quarter inch inputs?

i could spend about 250 today on a soundcard are there any good ones for this price?
 
that's basically what the m-audio delta 1010 is: a soundcard with 8 1/4 inch ins and 8 1/4 inch outs. m-audio will be your soundcard if you get that one. the 1010LT by m-audio is a similar soundcard but is toned down a bit. it has no breakout box and has unbalanced I/O.
 
I think you can pick up the Delta 1010LT for that price.

IMO it's a lot more awkward to work with than the 1010 (no breakout box, and various dirrernet input connections), but otoh it is cheaper and also includes a couple a pre-amps.

I think there are a couple of members who have one (jagular?). However, you can probably post in the Sound Card forum asking for opinions from people who own one.

Personally, I have owned the 1010 for several years and think it is an excellent piece of equipment.

You could also look into the Delta 66 in this price range, but would be limited to just 4 input connections.
 
thomas19 said:
im not sure how many outs this mixer has.
http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/item--PEVPV8

there is a link to it.

its got the main L/R out...then there is ctrl/room but im not sure what that does or if i could use that for the outs..it also has mon send and efx send..could i use all 6 of those outputs?
?
Click to expand...
The control room out is for your monitors.
You can use the insert on the 1st 4 channels as direct outs (with no EQ) by plugging a cable half way in.

You can use the monitor out as as send.

You can use the fx out as another send.

If I wanted to get 6 outputs, I would go direct out of the first 4 inputs using the insert, and I would send the other 2 channels out of the fx and monitor sends (1 each) into the sound card. Plug the monitors into the control room out and have a great day.
 
Layla

thomas19 said:
any suggestions on what to get with about 250$?
Click to expand...

For about that much or slightly more you can pick up a used layla 24 on ebay. That's what I did. I now run 8 individual tracks through my layla and then into my laptop via the PCMIA adapter. The desktop unit is usually cheaper.

It works very well and I set it up in minutes. I now have two tracks for overhead condensors, one for snare, one for kick, one for each tom, and I use one condensor for the small toms and my high hat. It records my set great and I can go back and adjust levels and apply effects to each track individually. There is a little bleed from mic to mic and into the condensors, but it is exponentially better than when I ran them all through a mixer and then into a stereo sound card.

Sometimes when you start to lay down the rest of the instruments, you find that you need more volume or a greater effect on a single drum component and until I started doinf it this way I could not do that.

Paul G.
 
Recording Drums

thomas19 said:
is it possible when using multiple mics while recording drums to have each mic record to seperate track? like the toms, snare, and kick all in seperate tracks so i can EQ each sepertely? i've never been able to figure out how to do it. im connecting my mics to a PV8 board..then connect that to an M-Audio Fast Tack...this has got 2 inputs. one half inch and one quarter inch. i connect them through the main R/L outs on the PV8 Board. From the M-Audio..i use a USB port and connect it to the back of my comp. I record with Cakewalk Home Studio. Im able to record everything fine...the only problem i have is that i have NO idea how to record each drum into a seperate track in stereo..or even if thats possible. any info would be helpful, im willing to buy whatever is needed to do this. thank you.
Click to expand...

thomas19...I use Cakewalk Home Studio V9. I use a mic mixer and run the stereo output of the mixer (RCA phono jacks) into the "line-in" of the computer's sound card (stereo mini-phone jack/plug) and assign each separate track (in the track view = column 6 :"Source") (with Left or Right channels) so that (for instance) Left channel is assigned on track and Right channel is assigned to track 6! Then you have two separate tracks from which to remix or EQ those different drums ( I played drums with the BeeGees in 60s... hope this helps good luck!
 
Small mixer and limited I/O dilema... ;)

So, basicaly you need two things beside mics:

1. Soundcard with multiple I/O. (at least 8 in).

2. Mixer with 8 preamp mic and 8 output (either main out, bus out, aux out, fx out, channel insert, etc.). The idea is you can route at least 8 mics into 8 separate out of the mixer. If you're limited, then think creative. For example, you can send mic 1 & 2 to aux 1 & 2, mic 3 & 4 to fx 3 & 4, mic 5 & 6 to channel insert 5 & 6, and mic 7 & 8 to main out. Leave the monitor room connected to your monitor amp. Pay attention on aux behaviour of your mixer, were they Pre or Post. Pre means channel's fader won't interfere signal sent to aux out, while Post will.

Sometime I record drums to 1010LT thru Mackie 1202, it has 4 mic preamp with channel insert. So mic 1 & 2 go to 1010LT input 1 & 2 (built in pre-amp), mic 3~6 go to Mackie, send insert to 1010LT 3~6, and mic 7~8 to external preamp (phantom powered) to 1010LT 7~8. While recording, I monitor everything thru Delta's control panel, Delta out 1~2 to the same Mackie 1202 5~6 input to monitor/headphone.

;)
Jaymz
 
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