recording drums

[Greg_L]

im currently using a 5-piece kit with 4 mics. my current recording method is to run all 4 mics into a mixer, and then run one output into my tascam us-122 which gives me one drum track that conatins everything. i dont particularly like this method as id rather have a track for each piece for better sound quality. how do i do this? is it possible with my tascam?

 

[jndietz]

With the Tascam US-112 I think you are limited to recording two mono tracks simultaneously. You would need something with four-in/four-out or something like that.

This might be something to look at:

M-Audio Fast Track Pro

or this:

M-Audio Firewire 410 Mobile Audio

That is a four-in/ten-out interface. It would be a little overkill for you, but it would give you some growing room for future productions

 

[Greg_L]

With the Tascam US-112 I think you are limited to recording two mono tracks simultaneously. You would need something with four-in/four-out or something like that.

This might be something to look at:

M-Audio Fast Track Pro

or this:

M-Audio Firewire 410 Mobile Audio

That is a four-in/ten-out interface. It would be a little overkill for you, but it would give you some growing room for future productions

hmm, well that sucks. i guess ill just have to make-do with what i have. im actually considering playing the drums 4 times and recording each take with a mic pointed at different drums. i know its goofy, but i dont know what else to do.

anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Yeah, the 122 is a two-channel interface.

What I'd do in that case is to mix your drums to true L/R stereo and then send those stereo tracks to the 122 for recording as two mono tracks. Then in your editor you can pan the tracks back as stereo by throwing one left and the other right, adjusting width of those two tracks as desired for your mix (though it will never be wider than your original stereo image from the mixer.)

EDIT: Playing and recording the drums four different times is a recipe for disaster, as the is no way that you can humanly play the exact same way four times. Put those individual tracks together and they'll be so out of groove with each other that it'll sound like you gave a chimp the sticks . Stick with the stereo recording.

G.

 

[jndietz]

Yeah, the 122 is a two-channel interface.

What I'd do in that case is to mix your drums to true L/R stereo and then send those stereo tracks to the 122 for recording as two mono tracks. Then in your editor you can pan the tracks back as stereo by throwing one left and the other right, adjusting width of those two tracks as desired for your mix (though it will never be wider than your original stereo image from the mixer.)

G.

How would the microphones be set up?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

How would the microphones be set up?

However you have them set up now. If you have four mics, I'm assuming you have two OHs, a kick mic and a snare mic, or something along those lines. That's fine.

I'm just saying that instead of mixing to mono, submix your drums to stereo, setting the stereo image you desire on the mixer. It may be something like OHLleft panned 35°L, OHRight, 35°R, Kick 5°L, Snare 15°R, just as an example; you can do it to taste.

Send those as panned to your stereo buss out on the mixer and send the those two buss out lines to the two inputs on your 122.

G.

 

[Greg_L]

Yeah, the 122 is a two-channel interface.

What I'd do in that case is to mix your drums to true L/R stereo and then send those stereo tracks to the 122 for recording as two mono tracks. Then in your editor you can pan the tracks back as stereo by throwing one left and the other right, adjusting width of those two tracks as desired for your mix (though it will never be wider than your original stereo image from the mixer.)

.

thanks for the tip, but i dont understand entirely. how do i record 2 tracks at once? i didnt even know that was possible.

 

[Greg_L]

However you have them set up now. If you have four mics, I'm assuming you have two OHs, a kick mic and a snare mic, or something along those lines. That's fine.

I'm just saying that instead of mixing to mono, submix your drums to stereo, setting the stereo image you desire on the mixer. It may be something like OHLleft panned 35°L, OHRight, 35°R, Kick 5°L, Snare 15°R, just as an example; you can do it to taste.

Send those as panned to your stereo buss out on the mixer and send the those two buss out lines to the two inputs on your 122.

G.

ah, i see. thank you for the help.

 

[jndietz]

thanks for the tip, but i dont understand entirely. how do i record 2 tracks at once? i didnt even know that was possible.

You have to set your DAW up to take one left channel on one track, and then accept the right channel on another track.

 

[Greg_L]

man i had no idea this stuff was even possible. i think ive been using about 1% of what im actually able to do. thanks for the help everyone.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

thanks for the tip, but i dont understand entirely. how do i record 2 tracks at once? i didnt even know that was possible.

Oh yeah, thats why they call it "multitrack recording" . In the case of your 122, its limited to two tracks at once at the most, but it is two simultaneous tracks (if desired; you can do just one, of course.)

The key is to set your recording software to record each input from the 122 seperately.

G.

 

[Greg_L]

Oh yeah, thats why they call it "multitrack recording" . In the case of your 122, its limited to two tracks at once at the most, but it is two simultaneous tracks (if desired; you can do just one, of course.)

The key is to set your recording software to record each input from the 122 seperately.

G.

jeez, i think its time to break out the manual. im so lost