X-Y Overheads: Am I doing this "properly"?

[aaronmcoleman]

Panning the close mics top compensate for an improperly portrayed stereo image isn't something I'd like to do, but is a consideration if I'm at a complete loss that day for whatever reason.

As for the close mic'ing being a lot of work, that's just how a modern rock drum sound is done these days in a large amount of situations.
I like:
- Snare with a plate reverb and slight compression
- kick is dry with slight compression
- toms non-compressed with a hall reverb
- overheads dry and non compressed
- Each source eq'ed to sound the best in it's range (usually cuts rather than boosts)

That's what works for me, anyhow.

I don't like separate reverbs on everything just because it sounds like a bunch of different instruments in different rooms rather than one unified kit. When I do it it sounds weird. Plus it's way too much work for me. I do like a different verb on the snare sometimes. And I will eq the snare and kick but that's about it. I like a minimal 70' sound anyway.

 

[moresound]

Panning the close mics top compensate for an improperly portrayed stereo image isn't something I'd like to do, but is a consideration if I'm at a complete loss that day for whatever reason.

As for the close mic'ing being a lot of work, that's just how a modern rock drum sound is done these days in a large amount of situations.
I like:
- Snare with a plate reverb and slight compression
- kick is dry with slight compression
- toms non-compressed with a hall reverb
- overheads dry and non compressed
- Each source eq'ed to sound the best in it's range (usually cuts rather than boosts)

That's what works for me, anyhow.

I don't like separate reverbs on everything just because it sounds like a bunch of different instruments in different rooms rather than one unified kit. When I do it it sounds weird. Plus it's way too much work for me. I do like a different verb on the snare sometimes. And I will eq the snare and kick but that's about it. I like a minimal 70' sound anyway.

I like it almost as what RecordingMaster describes (pending the session) - That brings every drum into it's own space.

 

[Greg_L]

I don't like separate reverbs on everything

Me neither. When I reverb the kit, I treat the kit as a kit, not seperate pieces. All the individual tracks get bussed to one reverb.

 

[RecordingMaster]

Me neither. When I reverb the kit, I treat the kit as a kit, not seperate pieces. All the individual tracks get bussed to one reverb.

Yeah, I used to do that when I had limited resources (had no multitrack audio interface, just an analog mixer board), so I'd run everything through an Alesis Multiverb II and adjust each mic with however much reverb I wanted. I can still see doing it all into one bus, at least toms, hats, kick and overheads, but for the snare I find a lot of times the main body of the snare is prolonged and embellished (in a good way) when I throw a plate on it. To each their own I guess.

Greg, for your style your snare sounded pretty dry which suited it well.