Recording a drum set with individual parts/tracks?

[cthulhu]

Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to the website, and its already helped me out so I'm hoping this can be explained to me also: I have been working on recording drums lately, and the last time I did, was for my friend's local band. I was using a mixer, with 5 mics plugged in, 2 overheads, a snare, a kick and a room mic. I connected the mixer to my interface, which was obviously a stereo out (L/R) connection. I really want to be able to create a different track for each part of the drum set, especially the kick, so I can add some EQ, compression, etc. How do I go about this? Do I need an interface that has enough mic inputs to record a full drum set? Or is there a way to direct the channels on the mixer to a specific track?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[philbagg]

What's the mixer?

 

[cthulhu]

Its a Behringer 12 input mixer, I don't know the specifics right now, I lent it to a friend for the time being.

 

[SnoboarderX27]

Yep you'll need a new interface. Check out Presonus's line of firewire interfaces, I love the FP10. You can also use USB interfaces if you don't have a firewire port, or you can buy a firewire adapter. You won't need the mixer at all. Recording does require a bottomless pit of money, but I guarantee that this is the next big step in making better quality recordings for you.

 

[cthulhu]

Thank you Snoboarder, I'll go check out those interfaces.

So, in professional studios, what are the mixers for? If you say I need a better interface to step up to the next level of recording, why would the pro's all have mixers? I'm sure they do something else, I'm just curious what.

 

[dintymoore]

Thank you Snoboarder, I'll go check out those interfaces.

So, in professional studios, what are the mixers for? If you say I need a better interface to step up to the next level of recording, why would the pro's all have mixers? I'm sure they do something else, I'm just curious what.

I use a mixer so I can use an old Roland sound module I use, a tube eq I have and an old reverb I use. If I didn't have these things I wanted to incorporate into my sound I wouldn't need a mixer. You don't for sure need a mixer anymore.

So people use mixers to use old stuff that isn't computerized like a synth, to use stuff like eq's and reverbs that they feel sound better than the options in their computer... it all ends up being a custom/individual thing that will develop as you grow, add more gear and make songs.

Lots of people do everything "in the box" nowadays, meaning they use just the computer and no external mixer or effects or whatever. The mixers in computer programs are very good and can do almost everything... not quite but almost.

Mixers in pro studios can cost several miliion! Expensive mixers like that are for sure better than what's in your computer (surprised?) but cheap $100 - 1000 mixers (or higher) are debatable if their benefits are worth their negatives (cheap sound).

 

[cthulhu]

Oh, ok that answers my question.

Thanks Dintymoore.

 

[themaddog]

Check out some of the cassette Portastudios that Tascam made in the '80s and '90s. You may be able to get a 4 track or even an 8 track recorder locally for short money.

Great 4 track recorders include the 424 and the 464.

Great 8 track recorders include the 488 and the 688.

These machines record to tape and have built in mixers.

For more information, check out the Analog Only section. You could record on tape, then mix down to 2 tracks using your computer.

-MD

 

[ausrock]

Dinty,

Please define exactly what you mean by "cheap sound"

 

[snatchman]

If you can't do the new interface, you can still apply EQ, compression, etc., the way you are doing now..You have to commit to a 2-track mix tho.( BTW, this is the way it was done in the "old days"....)..Good thing is, you can keep repeating it until you get it right..!.. Insert the outboard on the Behringer's inserts and EQ/compress until it sounds good in the mix, then commit to 2-track..It'll work..Good luck..

 

[grimtraveller]

Recording does require a bottomless pit of money.

No it bleedin' well doesn't !