Recording drums at home

  • Thread starter Thread starter TamaSabian
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TamaSabian

TamaSabian

Peruvian skin beater
I want to share with you my latest drum test. I used the Glyn Johns setup, fast and accurate IMHO. Just four mics, pro 25 on BD, 57 on top (SD) and two 603 for OH's. I like to know what you think about the sound and what would yo do to improve it. Could you find some problems with the room after listening to the test or do you think it´s fine??. I put some foam on the ceiling to avoid reflections but it´s not enough. The room has armchairs, wood bookshelfs, curtains and a big window, drums are placed next to it, the armchairs are on each side of the kit, a sofa is 5ft from it. The room has wood floor and concrete walls (3). There´s no control room.
I want your advice because I don´t know what´s next. I´m looking for a RNC or a compressor/gate and mics for toms. If I go for that I´ll leave the room as now. If not I will sound treat it doing something very basic to it that could work for me and my budget.

Here´s the link

http://www.nowhereradio.com/tamasabianexperience/singles

I cut & paste this clip to make it shorter

Thanks in advance
TS
 
That´s the same setup I used for that clip. I printed that page, but lost the link thanks for finding it again.
 
Hey come on!!, 16 people have played the track and just one comment. I´m sure you have some advice for me. ;)
 
everything is pretty quiet ...what kind of cymbals do you use?
 
i sounds like you are bearly even hitting the cymbals

therefore you arent getting the full potential out of them
 
Thanks Nick. My cymbals are SABIAN AAX. Two 16" crashes, the one I hit the most is a brand new studio crash, the other is a stage.
I try to "balance" my playing and hit the cymbals so they don´t stand out in the mix. That´s the big problem when you record with 4 mics, you need that the OH's capture cymbals and toms. If you hit cymbals too strong they will be in front of you, then you have to edit. I´m sure that this won't happen if I put some kind of absortion to my room, there´s a lot of reflection.
The mix has a lot of snare, need more OH's, I think.

TS
 
drums sound pretty good. Tighten the kick a little, sounds a little floppy. Sounds like the bottom head on your snare is too loose. Tighten it. Dig into your cymbals. Its crazy. You hit everything to softly. for the resonance of any of your drums or cymbals, you gotta dig in more, so you get everything moving, not just the heads. On the cymbals, when you get the bell to move a little, thats when the tone comes out. thats y a lot of light playing jass guys use bell-less cymbals.
 
DuoToneBand said:
drums sound pretty good. Tighten the kick a little, sounds a little floppy. Sounds like the bottom head on your snare is too loose. Tighten it. Dig into your cymbals. Its crazy. You hit everything to softly. for the resonance of any of your drums or cymbals, you gotta dig in more, so you get everything moving, not just the heads. On the cymbals, when you get the bell to move a little, thats when the tone comes out. thats y a lot of light playing jass guys use bell-less cymbals.
Click to expand...

I have to be honest, the main reason why I hit so soft is because I don´t want to bother my family. :o Need isolation now!!!!
 
yes yes its pretty good

I do agree with the others about the playing cause you can't be sure until you beat the shit out of them to test the levels

I think you need to either replace your bass mic or play louder on it or something cause its really dull

the snare is ok but you need to turn those overheads up to compensate for the snare, and to get the rest of the mix together, cause I believe I heard some tom rolls in there but they were almost inaudible

these are just my thoughts but I'm a bassist what do I know
 
Thanks a lot for your comments. It´s nice to know that my drums sound pretty good. I can´t say the same about my drumming :rolleyes:
I remember that my monitoring was a little high, I was having a blast listen to the whole kit through the cans while playing. That could be another reason why I didn´t hit hard.

DTB I made some adjustments to kick & snare. I didn´t track it yet but it looks like it sound better know, more tight end on the kick. The snare sound different now but I think it needs a new top head.
BTW I didn´t mention that there´s no EQ, things are totally flat.

Thanks again
TS
 
where's the improved recording?

i wanna hear it.

EDIT:

btw, while i was searching for some more info on glyn john's setup i stumpled upon this

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/fa/1602/0

here's a quote from the original poster.

no other mics..only 2 MXL V67G in a glyn johns set up..and a little EQ
+3dB in 5k........and -3db about 400......no comp..or REV..only my room.



can this sound really be achieved with two MXL V67G? it sounds amazing.

i guess two B1s wont sound too bad either, eh?

i'm especially fond of the snare sound and the kick as well as the toms.
what the hell did he do to them to make them sound like this?
 
It's impossible to say without hearing them in context of a song. In an aggressive mix I'd bet they'd dissappear. In a light jazz or blues tune they might be OK but I'd also bet there that the kick and toms would be weak. All just guesses though as the real test would be to hear them in the tune they were recorded for. Just my opinion.
 
visa said:
where's the improved recording?

i wanna hear it.
Click to expand...

Hey visa you have to wait until I do it again, maybe this weekend.
About recording with two mics, I think that it´s possible but I´m not so sure if it will work for all situations or music styles. You could experiment and see if you end with something good.
 
visa said:
i'm especially fond of the snare sound and the kick as well as the toms.
what the hell did he do to them to make them sound like this?
Click to expand...
That is strictly a function of the drums themselves and especially the drummer himself and of course, the room. One mic can sound fantastic IF the drums sound fantastic in the first place and the drummer has the control. The only problem I have with minimal miking on drums is the inconsistancy of drummers.
 
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