recording an electronic drum kit

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peteuk90

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Hi,
I have been in and out bands for (damn! I feel old) a decade or so!! Now my friends and I have decided playing live is not an option! So recording is what we would like to do. I have a great little bit of software called "Magix" Music Studio7 and it sems pretty easy to follow. To record, bass, guitars, vox, keys etc seems staright forward. (now this is the bit where I need someone's help) Drums? We have decided to get an electronic kit, mainly due to the volume level (living in a residential area, acoustic drums are limited if ever viable)

As with guitars, mics etc is the only way to record an electroic kit, is to "mix" the output sound on the kit itself, thus meaning one channel on the PC? We would obviously love to mix each individual drum. Can this be done? If so.. how? Would my our PC need 8(?) inputs at the back?

Please someone help... a drum machine isn't an option.. our drummer isn't ready for retirement yet!

Any help or advice is seriously appreciated.

Thanks in anticipation.

Pete
 
Ok... so practically.. how do I do it..? Do they do 8 input soundcards????
 
You don't need an 8 input sound card to do this depending on the drum kit you get. I HIGHLY recommend the Roland V-Sessions. The new set is $5000, but you can pick up a used set on e-bay for about $2500. It's the only e-drums I would record with. If you are familiar with midi (and if you are not, I suggest you bone up on it) , just record a midi track from the V-sessions. Sync the drums (via midi) and then record each drum to a different track (they each have their own output, along with a stereo output for the whole set), with multiple passes. Or, you can mix the drum right on the drum brain (TD-10), and run it into the PC in stereo with only 2 inputs.

If you still want a sound card with 8 inputs, I recommend the M-audio Delta1010. It's going to run about $450.
 
Sure. The M-Audio Delta 1010 for example. I just bought a 1010LT, which is a cheaper version without the breakout box (but with two mic preamps, without phantom power, which is pretty much pointless and in the way.)

Recording the MIDI instead is a good idea if you plan to use an external analog mixer. In which case you want a soundcard with many outputs. Which is the same Delta 1010. ;)
 
Recording with an electric drum kit is like recording a guitar direct. You can tell it's an electric kit but it still sounds fine....

Most roland electric kits will have four outputs on the back of the brain.
Configure the four to have something like,
Output
1 - Snare
2 - Kick
3 - Cymbals
4 - Toms
Atleast this way you will have slightly more control over your mixing....

This is better than just recording stereo....hope this helps...
Lee.
 
I beg to differ. The V-sessions have 8 direct outs (2 double as stereo master out L and R). This years model (TD-20) also has digital out. The Roland TD-10 w/expanded td-1, or the TD-20 are a step above any other e-drums in sound. The average joe will never, ever, ever notice the difference. Not only do they sound real, the mesh heads play much closer to "real" drums than the rubber pads found on lesser e-drums.
If you record a midi track from the drum brain, and then sync it with your pc (PC midi out to drum brain midi in), then you can isolate each drum to a different track via mutli passes. This is very helpful if you are limited on input to your sound card or mixer.
 
The mesh head idea of course pioneered by the Ferraris of electronic drums (and virtual analog synths): Clavia. http://www.clavia.se/ddrum/

Recording each drum on a different take is possibly, but unweildy and slow. The 2-300 dollars a multi-input card costs you is worth it.
 
MIDI can be annoying but what you're trying to do is a perfect use for it.

not that you asked but when you're finished tracking the drums, send them out via your speakers into the room and mic the room. it'll help glue them together. you can also do just the snare separately. stand a real snare up on the floor (on it's side) and put the speaker right next to it's head. then put a mic on the other side. it just adds that thing.
 
Wow, nice idea's! I'm gonna try that. :D I would have to say that the snare is the only thing that seems to lack a bit. It's not bad, but it's not prefect.
 
I just learned more in the last 9 posts than I did all day.... I have a friend with an older Roland kit.... I wonder what brain it has (he upgraded it last year). I am going to try it out...

Thanks everyone, for making my day!!!!
 
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