Recording Electronic Drums

G

GmanJeff

New member
After experimenting with different approaches, my band seems to have settled on recording by running direct into our powered mixer head (we don't have a dedicated mixer to record through), and using the mixer's recording outputs to go into a digital multitrack, which feeds a headphone amp. We record our basic parts altogether, to keep that "live" feel, and overdub sparingly as needed. This approach is working pretty well, with one exception: It's difficult to get enough volume from the Yamaha DT Express II drum kit our drummer uses. The bass, guitars, and vocals are all fine, volume-wise, but the gain control on the mixer has to be cranked up almost all the way on the channel we're using for the drums, and even then they're a bit low. The drums are connected to the mixer through a standard 20' high impedence 1/4" instrument cable, as are all the other instruments.

Would a active or passive DI box help bring up the level of the drum signal (I don't own one, so I'd have to buy one to try this approach)? :confused: Does the drum signal need to go through a separate preamp to increase its level before it reaches the preamp in the mixer? Any suggestions would be welcomed!
 
GmanJeff said:
After experimenting with different approaches, my band seems to have settled on recording by running direct into our powered mixer head (we don't have a dedicated mixer to record through), and using the mixer's recording outputs to go into a digital multitrack, which feeds a headphone amp. We record our basic parts altogether, to keep that "live" feel, and overdub sparingly as needed. This approach is working pretty well, with one exception: It's difficult to get enough volume from the Yamaha DT Express II drum kit our drummer uses. The bass, guitars, and vocals are all fine, volume-wise, but the gain control on the mixer has to be cranked up almost all the way on the channel we're using for the drums, and even then they're a bit low. The drums are connected to the mixer through a standard 20' high impedence 1/4" instrument cable, as are all the other instruments.

Would a active or passive DI box help bring up the level of the drum signal (I don't own one, so I'd have to buy one to try this approach)? :confused: Does the drum signal need to go through a separate preamp to increase its level before it reaches the preamp in the mixer? Any suggestions would be welcomed!
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Heres the manual for that drumset

Yamaha DT Express Users Manual

DI will not bring up the volume. As simple as this sounds, did you turn up the volume on the Processing Unit? If not running stereo, are you plugging in to the MONO aux out? Hope this helps..good luck..
 
I have Roland TD8 and TD10 modules so I can't really give specific advice on the Yamaha, but I've never had a headroom problem regarding output, whether into the PA or directly in to the recording console.

Have you tried swapping the channel you're using for the drums with one of the other proven 'hotter' channels?
 
The volume is indeed all the way up on the control unit, and I am going from the mono out on it. I have not yet tried going out in stereo, nor have I tried sending the drums to the usual amp it goes through, and from the amps' recording out back tot he mixer. I might try both of those options; not sure if either will likely provide any boost to the signal.
 
I have not yet tried going out in stereo
Click to expand...

In my opinion you should.Not to fix your volume problem but because you should just record you drums in stereo :)

The output of the DTX is at line level so I can't understand why you're not getting a decent level from it. What do the meters say?
 
Yes, stereo probably is the way to go - will definitely try that. Good point! Unfortunately, the mixer has no input meters; only summed output metering - it's a simple powered box mixer. The drums are clearly audible, and get louder as the gain control is turned, but just end up at a much lower level compared to the instruments and mics which are going into the instrument and low impedence inputs. Perhaps it's just a discrepancy between the gain available between the line-level inputs and the others? I suppose I can always just have the drum levels maxxed out, and everything else turned way down, to end up with the right mix. I was hoping there might be something I'd simply overlooked through inexperience, but maybe it's just a characteristic of the mixer's design. Maybe converting the drums' line-level output to instrument level signal strngth, and then going into one of the mxer's instrument inputs would work?
 
I've got the DTXPressII Kit and always have a really high signal from them. On my ProjectMix I/O I normally have the gains set to about 9 o'clock, this is with the volume set to full on the module and plugged into 2 line inputs on the control surface which eventually ends up in Pro Tools.

You haven't turned any pads on (on the mixer) by mistake which could be making the signal very quiet?

Can't think why you would be getting such a low signal.
 
Just to cover your bases, you might want to try plugging your drums into a different channel strip on the mixer, just in case you have a weak input on your hands.

G.
 
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