recording drums

[szekt]

My band istrying to record our first cd and the only thing in our price range is a Fostex MR-8, if it's possible how would we record the drums onto the MR-8 we're not looking for professional quality.

 

[slide_blues]

I recently used my vf80 to record drums. Because it records only 2 tracks at a time, I had to put my mics into a mixer, then get a balance between the mics and send the stereo out to the vf80. I used 4 mics on the drums: kick, snare, and two overheads. The results were OK, but I should have spent more time getting just the right levels between the 4 mics. The downside of this is that once you commit to a drum mix, you can't change it later, e.g., put in more kick only.

Anyway, unless you just record drums with only 2 mics, you'll need a mixer of some sort to combine mulitple mics and mix down to only 2 tracks.

 

[Paj]

. . .we're not looking for professional quality.

Sure you are---it's OK to admit it's usually expensive (and "professional" is a vague term as is). What mics & mixers do you have available?

Paj
8^?

 

[Nasty Critter]

Couldn't you record your d-tracks on up to 6 channels then eq., pan, effects them, and them bounce them over to one?

 

[YeshuasFan]

If price limitations are a factor--why not spend $100 more for the MR-8HD? It records four tracks at once--so you could track the drums on four individual tracks before either bouncing, sub-mixing, or transferring to computer.

 

[szekt]

Brand new to recording and money is a problem

We can get the mr-8 for $120 (our budget isnt much higher)and like new minus the manual which I found online . We have 4 regular mics, dynamic? We're happy as long as everything can be heard. Just want something so sell at up comming gigs thats half decent. We raised the recorder money by selling demos recorded off a kareokee machine using two mics and the only complaint we're the drum's sound. Reading the responses I think we need to connect the "drum" mics to a mixer first. What would happen if you plug all the mics in at once either using different inputs(1/4", XLR) or using splitters?

 

[Rokket]

Couldn't you record your d-tracks on up to 6 channels then eq., pan, effects them, and them bounce them over to one?

I wouldn't. It's better to bounce them to 2 to get a stereo image, and avoid getting things jumbled together. The more tracks you have, the more control you have over the final mix. That way you can cut the eq on the kick without affecting the snare, et al.