[ddots-l] Re: micking drums
- From: Bryan Smart <bryansmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:23:04 -0400
Omar, while you're learning what works for you in terms of how you'd like to
hook up the mics, and how you'd like to position them, you should take some
time to become familiar with Sonar's track template feature.
As a simple example, say that you're using a 4 mic setup: kick, snare, and
stereo overheads. On your interface, you plug the kick mic in to input 1, the
snare to 2, and the overheads to 3 and 4. On the computer, you add 4 tracks,
one to record each mic, and set their input control to the appropriate input on
your interface. You also add a stereo bus called "drums sub mix", and set the
output of each of the drum tracks to that bus. Finally, you can select the drum
tracks, bring up the track context menu, and select save as template. That
saves the entire drum setup to a file.
Later, if you're working on a project, and want to record drums, you can open
the Insert menu, select template, and pick your drum template. Sonar will add
those 4 tracks, already set to the correct inputs, and will also add the drum
sub mix bus. Once you get a routine established, you can quickly start a drum
tracking session by inserting your drum tracking template in to the project,
plugging in the mics, and start recording.
Of course, it is important that you remember the inputs that you used for each
mic. In the example above, you'd always want to be sure that the kick and snare
were connected to inputs 1 and 2, respectively. A good/fast way to remember
this is to put a hint in the track name. Of course, you can always check a
track's input column, but naming tracks like "kick in1", "snare in2", etc
speeds things up. When you load a template, you need only arrow through the
tracks in order to remember how all the mics should be connected.
Another cool time saver of working this way is that you can save several
setups. You might have one template for use when you track drums quick and
dirty, where you have just a kick mic and stereo overheads. Another template
might be your huge 8 mic drum tracking setup. Templates are useful for all of
these situations, as they help you avoid mistakes. If you make a template, test
it, and verify that the drums track correctly, then loading it in to a new
project will also result in correct tracking. You could always accidentally
hook the mics up incorrectly, but at least you can avoid mistakes on the Sonar
side. Templates will always save you time and mistakes, but they save more time
and mistakes, the larger the setup. There aren't too many settings to get right
in a 2 or 3 track drum recording session, but an 8 track session offers many
more opportunities. Plus, with the drummer there, ready to record, your natural
impulse will be to rush through setup in order to get a move on, and rushing is
just asking for a mistake. It would really suck to be listening to the drum sub
mix as the drummer is tracking his best take, only to solo the hat later and
find that nothing is there, and you were actually just hearing the hat through
the overheads. No one likes to be accused of burning client's studio time and
running up the clock. Of course, you aren't doing that, but lots and lots of
tinkering can make others wonder, particularly when they don't understand what
you're doing.
In general, when-ever you work out a good setup for recording something: a
vocalist, acoustic guitar, bongos, etc -- anything -- save it as a track
template. Try to keep your templates general-purpose. What I mean by that is
that, when mixing, you might put some compression on an acoustic guitar, tweak
the EQ a little, and maybe even put some soft chorus on it. However, that is
too specific to a particular song and mix. Try to only do the things in the
template that you do all of the time. If you rutinely put on a compressor or
expander for acoustic guitars, put them on the template, but use very soft
settings that will help, but won't be too specific to any particular situation.
If you record an old electronic instrument that has hum/hiss, or some other bit
of sound that you always must work on removing, then put that removal work in
to the template. You have to stay general purpose, since, if you don't,
templates will work against you. Imagine an over-blown, mix-ready acoustic
guitar, as I mentioned above. If you are recording someone just playing guitar
and singing, you can load your acoustic guitar template, but then you'll waste
time trying to clear out all of the chorus, pulling back on the compression,
nulling out the EQ, etc.
Bryan
-----Original Message-----
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Omar Binno
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:12 PM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
yes the drummer already has the necessary mics. so i think i'm going to go with
the presonus digimax or just get another mixing console.
----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Wicketts <mailto:steve.wicketts@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 8:00 PM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
Hi Omar,
See if the drummer uses microphones when performing live.
The Drummers who I've worked with for live work have used between 3 or
7 microphones.
This could mean less microphones for you to purchase which intern will
give you more to spend on the sound card.
Steve W
----- Original Message -----
From: Omar Binno <mailto:omarbinno@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 12:25 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
actually, i have a better budget to work with now. the client
is giving me some of the money in advance. so that should increase my options.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Christer <mailto:m-christer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 7:03 PM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
After all, he did say something about a budget?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan Smart" <bryansmart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2010 7:14 PM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
The Mackie 1202 only has 4 XLR inputs. If you want
something to use as a sub
mixer, you'd do better getting one of the 16 channel
Mackies. Those have XLR
input on all channels.
Bryan
-----Original Message-----
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Mike Christer
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 8:26 AM
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
Anything by Mackie, a VLZ Pro 12 channel, for
instance...
----- Original Message -----
From: Omar Binno <mailto:omarbinno@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 11:20 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
hmm, I haven't used mixers in about 3 years. Does
anyone have any
recommendations for a high-quality budget analog mixer?
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Christer <mailto:m-christer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 8:18 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
In this case, something you use to get a basic stereo
mix of your
microphones in to your soundcard, then in to your DAW...
It's referred to as a sub-mixer coz its not there for
the entire production
process, only during the recording!
I guess, you could refer to it as a quote transitory
quote mixer instead...
----- Original Message -----
From: Omar Binno <mailto:omarbinno@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 10:50 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
thanks mike. what do you mean by a sub mixer?
----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Christer <mailto:m-christer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 7:26 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: micking drums
You really need a quote sub quote mixer, then feed the
stereo outs from
there in to your RME...
Failing that, you could be really rad, & employ the
ancient technique of
miking a kit with only 2 microphones!
Basically, one on the bass drum & a cleverly placed
overhead mike.
This method duzz require a fair bit of experimentation,
but its been used a
myriad times on thousands of hitz from yesteryear...
l8r
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: Omar Binno <mailto:omarbinno@xxxxxxxxx>
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 9:36 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] micking drums
Hello,
I'm going to be recording live instruments soon, and
it's the first time
I've done this. I'm using the RME fireface 800, and it
has only 2 mic
inputs. I'll be recording live drums, and I'll need
about 6 mics for those.
If the fireface has only 2 mic inputs, what's the best
solution to record
all the drums at the same time? Would i need to use a
mixer for the extra
mic inputs, or is there another alternative?
Thanks.
Omar Binno
Website: www.bigoproductions.net
AIM: LOD1116
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