toms are distorting but bass, snare, & brass sound good... why?

[timandjes]

I'm trying to record a drum track and it's coming out either too quiet or distorted. Actually, the bass, snare, & brass all sound good but when I play the toms, I'm getting distortion.

Here's my setup, I've got a kick drum mic and one overhead condenser mic running into a two channel art tube pre. Then, from the art tube, I'm running the out's into two channels of my 4 channel mixer. Also, into the other channels of the mixer I've got another overhead condenser and the snare mic.

From the mixer, I'm running to an Audiophile 2496 sound card. I'm sure I've just got something set wrong somewhere, maybe the gains and outputs of the art tube, maybe the Audiophile soundcard, or maybe both...

The drum tracks are coming out way too quiet when played along with my keyboard track and the toms just sound awefully distorted....

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[pratt]

sounds to me like it's your preamp gain levels...you should keep the audiophile input levels cranked and adjust the levels into the card via the gain on your preamps

also, if the tube's cranked too much on your art....that's going to result in some distortion...I'm not sure how the art is set up - but the bluetube, which is similar in design I believe (dual-stage), has 2 adjustments - one to adjust the gain of the preamp and one to adjust the level of signal running through the tube. you probably want to keep the level of signal running through the tube at a minimum to minimize the noise/distortion...and use the other adjustment to boost your signal level

one other thing that you may want to try...use the preamps on your mixing board for the overheads (condensers) and use the art for the bass&snare mics. If you're trying to stereo mic with a matched pair of condensers....I would try using the same preamp for both to 'standardize' the sound (different preamps do impart different sounds/characteristics). Also, you probably want your condensers to be as clean-sounding as possible.

 

[cwb123]

since drums can vary greatly in output levels, even with consistent technique, it sometimes will be necessary to put a compressor on the mics. this will control the high peaks, and as a result you can have a overall higher average volume output w/o the risk of distortion.