patlang12 said:
As I type this a friend and I are trying to record a drumset using recorderman's overhead technique. We have them set up like he said. We also have a sm57 on the snare. We built a little windtunnel with rycycling bins, but we are pretty happy with the bass drum. The problem is that the snare is way too loud in the overheads. Even when we turn the snare mic off the snare is way too loud. If anyone has any idea of what we should try please tell me. Please help soon because I don't know how much longer we cand record for. Thanks a lot!
well, I believe you're talking about modified spaced micing, right? where you attach a string to the center of the snare and the center of the kick then bring it up to a point to one side of the drummer, put a mic there, then using the same point, you move it to the other side and put a mic there?
if that's the case, you've probably done it perfectly and that's what having the snare perfectly in phase in the overheads sounds like. but is the snare really that much louder than the cymbals? i've used that technique and didn't have that problem. I have 2 ideas that should help.
you can just try compressing the overheads.
or
you could try scooping about 250 hz using a moderate to wide Q. then scoop somewhere around 1 to 3k with a thin, to moderate Q. I wouldn't scoop more than like 6 db at the max, as you used that micing technique for a reason and will probably defeat the purpose of using that technique.
scooping in the 200 to 300 hz range will remove some of the body of the snare and scooping 1 to 3k will remove the attack. so it should make it quieter in the overheads without effecting the the other drums and cymbals too much. It will effect the cymbals a little bit, but if you keep the Q thin enough, it shouldn't be a problem in the mix.