Recording a kit: what would you do with this setup?

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nuemes

nuemes

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I'm recording an indie/folk band this weekend with a drummer that has a small drum kit. We're recording the drums alone. I've already got a clue as to which mics I'd use for what and where I'd use compression but I'd like to get some other opinions to find out if I've overlooked anything. What would you do with the following setup?

Mics:
AKG C414 ULS
Blue Baby Bottle
SM57
(2) SM58
(2) MXL 603s
MXL V67g

Preamps:
Avalom M5 (single channel)
Mackie 1202 VLZ
Presonus BlueTube

Compressors:
Joe Meek MC2
Presonus BlueMax
Ensoniq DP4 (4 compressors each with EQ)

EQ:
3 channels of Rane parametric
 
im not sure about the akg...but just off the top of my head...baby bottle through the avalon on snare, 57 on kick, 58's on toms. id probably use the mackie on the toms. 603's overhead through the presonus bluetube. Id worry about compression and eqing during mixing.
 
You might try a minamalist approach.

Being that you said indie/folk you might not need that close mic's sound at all.

Do you have time to try a couple of different things??

Try the AKG or Blue Bottle or V67 through the M5 in front of the kit at about the height of the top of the kick / botom of snare and about 6' or more away.

No compression.

See how that sounds ...... you might be suprised.

Alternately .... put the AKG/M5 as a single overhead behind the drummer and pointing directly at the snare.

The use the V67/VLZ about 2-3' in front of the kick.

Keep in phase.

Again I would wait on the compression but I would start with SC2 if you felt you really needed it.

I dont know what the sound of the "indie/folk" band your recording is but to me that lable speaks of open and warm sounds.
You can leave the sound open by not close micing ..... if it fits their music.

...... of course if you have a really terrible sounding room for tracking the drums then this approach may not yeild the best results.

YMMV.

-mike
 
formerlyfzfile said:
I dont know what the sound of the "indie/folk" band your recording is but to me that lable speaks of open and warm sounds.
You can leave the sound open by not close micing ..... if it fits their music.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's the sound I'm hoping to achieve. The problem may be (as you forewarned) bad room sound. The room is a 8x9 box with carpeted walls and cement/drywall behind that with a low ceiling :(

We'll have all day with the drums alone so we'll try your suggestions and see how the room reacts. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!
 
I totally agree with formerlyfzfile.
I record drum kit at least weekly,and if I had your gear that is what I would do.
Evetually you will want to pick up a kick mic, but you are pretty well covered otherwise.
I will reiterate. The fewer mics you can get by with, the better.Fewer mics will give you clearer imaging, less cloudy buildup, particularly if micing drums is not something you have a lot of practice with.
The problem with a bad sounding room is trying to get far enough away from the kit to get a good / balanced picture of the kit , but not too far where you get too much of the room.

Have fun!

Tom
 
I'd put ye old 414 on the snare if you trust the drummer, the 603's oh, and experiment with kicks... a lot of the indie stuff i've heard lately (decemberists come straight to mind) have the snare top/bottom... in which case, you can do the 57 top, 414 bottom, which can ROCK... remember to flip phase on the bottom mic, whichever you decide on

you want your OH mics to be the CLEANEST possible, so use your best pres for this... you can cut down to a single OH (414), possibly in omni for a pretty nice sound, augmenting the kick and snare.
 
603s as OHs
57 on snare
58 inside kick
58 on whichever tom gets used the most, or in between two toms
Baby Bottle or MXL v67 outside the kick
AKG 414 room mic, center, up high

Haven't used any of that outboard gear, but I'd put the 414 through the M5
 
When people say 'flip the phase' for micing the top and bottom of a snare, how is this done? I understand why it needs to be done, I'm just not sure what needs to be done. ;)
 
Most preamps will have a phase invert switch. It takes the signal and flips the phase 180 degrees. Some software programs have a phase invert button too. I know Cubase has it.
 
thare's a pad on the 414 correct????
if thare is try it outside (outside) the kick.

hell, put it in fig8, and place it on the front head (yes front, kinda to the side) of the kik
and see what that sounds like.

ya never know. :eek:
 
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