Recording drums

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Pen

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This will be my first time recording drums and wanted to get some advice before I give it a whirl. I've done a fair amount of reading here and realize that the ideal scenario would be to run the mics into a unit with like 7 channels. Like I mentioned, I'm new and not at the point where I'll be upgrading equipment anytime soon.

mic's: Shur 57's (we've got 7 of these) - I can borrow one Audix F-15 condensor mic if needed. I've got a few shur58's floating around as well
Interface: Tascam US-144mkII
Laptop w/ cubase LE5
mixer: If needed, I can use a 12 channel mixer and mix the drums pre-interface.
Rooms: Soundproofed - but in a basement. I believe the ceilings are 8 ft - not a huge space - but not tiny either.

So, I'm looking to record the drum track. As I'm no drummer, I'll be travelling to my drummer and having him put the track down so I can do the rest at my place. Obviously I'll be bringing my stuff to him and setting up at his place.

As I'm limited on equipment, I'd appreciate any advice so I can get the most out of what I have. Here are my thoughts/options so far....

-Use 1 mic (the condensor) place about 5 feet in front of the drums. Run this mic feed right into my Tascam.
-Mic each drum individually w/ the shur57's and then run those feeds into my mixer. Get the mix right and then run that 1 line into my Tascam.
-Record each drum individually 1 track at a time (although, I'm worried about bleed over and synching the tracs here).

Goal: I realize that this is going to sound amateur as it's my first go - and my equipment isn't pro quality. I would like it to sound balanced. Also, the song (an original) would be catagorized hard rock w/ the drums forefront (similar to led zep - or foo fighters).

Thanks!
 
How about two mics going to the XLR's to get the kit plus a stereo sub mix of what ever other mics to the mixer going line out to the interface?
If you can start with the kit pair sounding good, then all you need is a kick and snare in the mixer panned hard L and R they come up as dedicated tracks.
 
Thanks mixst - tell me if I'm understanding you.

I would use the condensor mic (placed 5 feet in front of the set to get the whole kit mix) into an xlr input on the Tascam. Then, mic the snare and kick with the shur57's, these mic inputs would go into the board - and then from the board (stereo'd) into the other xlr input on the Tascam?
 
Pen said:
This will be my first time recording drums and wanted to get some advice before I give it a whirl. I've done a fair amount of reading here and realize that the ideal scenario would be to run the mics into a unit with like 7 channels. Like I mentioned, I'm new and not at the point where I'll be upgrading equipment anytime soon.

mic's: Shur 57's (we've got 7 of these) - I can borrow one Audix F-15 condensor mic if needed. I've got a few shur58's floating around as well
Interface: Tascam US-144mkII
Laptop w/ cubase LE5
mixer: If needed, I can use a 12 channel mixer and mix the drums pre-interface.
Rooms: Soundproofed - but in a basement. I believe the ceilings are 8 ft - not a huge space - but not tiny either.

So, I'm looking to record the drum track. As I'm no drummer, I'll be travelling to my drummer and having him put the track down so I can do the rest at my place. Obviously I'll be bringing my stuff to him and setting up at his place.

As I'm limited on equipment, I'd appreciate any advice so I can get the most out of what I have. Here are my thoughts/options so far....

-Use 1 mic (the condensor) place about 5 feet in front of the drums. Run this mic feed right into my Tascam.
-Mic each drum individually w/ the shur57's and then run those feeds into my mixer. Get the mix right and then run that 1 line into my Tascam.
-Record each drum individually 1 track at a time (although, I'm worried about bleed over and synching the tracs here).

Goal: I realize that this is going to sound amateur as it's my first go - and my equipment isn't pro quality. I would like it to sound balanced. Also, the song (an original) would be catagorized hard rock w/ the drums forefront (similar to led zep - or foo fighters).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Get an interface with more inputs. For hard rock drums, you're gonna want more than 2 inputs and/or the ridiculous amount of trial-and-error required with running everything into a mixer and then going into the interface as a stereo track.
 
As I mentioned, I don't have the means to purchase additional equipment right now. Are you guys saying that the recording will be so awful with my current setup that it's fully not usable? My expectations are low and I was just soliciting advice on how to make the most with what I have.

My band of 5 years recently broke up and I want to document an original song I wrote before I lost touch with the guys.
 
Pen said:
As I mentioned, I don't have the means to purchase additional equipment right now. Are you guys saying that the recording will be so awful with my current setup that it's fully not usable? My expectations are low and I was just soliciting advice on how to make the most with what I have.

My band of 5 years recently broke up and I want to document an original song I wrote before I lost touch with the guys.
Click to expand...

Anything will work. Use one mic if you want. I'm just saying....if you want good results, it's really, really tough with two inputs and no experience. A 4 or 8 input interface makes life much easier when recording drums.

If you're just doing to document a song idea, then knock yourself out. 2 inputs is fine for that.
 
Pen said:
Thanks mixst - tell me if I'm understanding you.

I would use the condensor mic (placed 5 feet in front of the set to get the whole kit mix) into an xlr input on the Tascam. Then, mic the snare and kick with the shur57's, these mic inputs would go into the board - and then from the board (stereo'd) into the other xlr input on the Tascam?
Click to expand...
Mono kit is one flavor.
But with four inputs I'd try a pair for the kit, something along 'recorder man' going to the interface XLR. (I use them about arm/shoulder height on either side just behind the drummer for example instead of 'above. The idea there is I can get in tighter, and down into my gobos..
Whichever, the placement, it's equal distance to the snare.
Then I was suggesting kick and snare to the mixer, hard panned, (you get a bit of eq maybe?) and line out to the other inputs on the interface.
Four mono tracks in the 'recorder.
 
1 additional question related to my OP. I just found out a friend as a Tascam interface similar to mine. Would i be able to use them both? I was thinking about 2 mic's into his Tascam - his midi out into my midi in - then 2 more mic's into my Tascam. Or is this just getting too cumbersome and would 1 mic offer my best chance at recording this. Like I said, I'm just looking for advice on how to make the most with what i have.

Thanks for the advice above guys - I do appreciate it!
 
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