Drum miking with 16 inputs

[JeffTD]

Most likely for crushing to death.

This.

Pre-recorded scratch is best if you're planning on editing to the click imo.

For cymbal spots I tend to use condensers, though often use the SM7B on the hi-hats which is a dynamic. In a pinch even a SM57 should do the trick.

+1

for me, crushed mono room mics are "character faders". sounds and feels completly different than crushed stereo room mics, i use them for different goals.
if you have one spare channel, just give it a try!

This!!

 

[mva801]

thanks a lot guys. Know of any good MIDI drum modules to convert the trigger tracks? Something not too expensive either. As far as spot mics, I have an sm7b but don't have many options for the rest of the spot mics. Pretty much really cheap condenser mics or maybe an extra 57. What do you use for outside kick mics? I probably wouldn't even use it anyways to free up inputs and lack of extra mics. I'd use a D6 for inside kick mic. Would you use an sm7 for the floor tom or hi hat mic if you had to choose? For floor toms I either have that, a 57 or an E609s.

I'd use the sm7- hats. D6-floor tom. 57 on the Kick. You're going to replace it anyway I'm assuming.

Either that or the e609 on the floor tom., d6 on the kick.

Really the primary thing you should be doing is experimenting. Try all options. Move shit around. take a few minutes to listen and see whats missing. Make sure the cymbals show up. Make sure you're getting all you can from the toms. Any extra cymbal mics should be a condenser if possible.

 

[Ericlingus]

yeah I was thinking 609 for floor tom and sm7 for hi hat. What do you use for a mono room mic? Whats a good cheap option?

 

[crillemannen]

Well mono room sounds good in theory but for me they have always rendered useless in the mix because of the mono source you end up with allot more bleed in the center which i don't like. That's why i like stereo rooms better. I tend to put the mic's a bit closer to the floor (tip i picked up from here) because you get a Little less cymbals and more of the kick and snare.

I tend to use this setup:

Kick
Snare, only top cause I don't like bottom snare mic, totally personal reference though!
Tom 1
Tom 2
Tom 3
OH L/R
Hihat spot
Ride spot if needed
China spot if needed
Stereo room

I don't use dtriggers because they tend to kill the sustain and the sustain is the key to a good snare/tom sound!

 

[Sloan]

I really don't work with triggers, so i would ditch them in favor of a software solution which affords more inputs for whatever.

1 kikN
2 kikO
3 snrT
4 snrB
5 hat
6 t1
7 t2
8 t3
9 t4
10 ohL
11 ohR
12 cymSpot (optional)
13 cymSpot (optional)
14 ambL
15 ambR
16 ambM

 

[Ericlingus]

yeah I have slate Trigger. It's just I have found it easier to use it with trigger tracks do to less bleed and also it makes editing easier as well.

 

[HRdrummer]

I recently did a session:
1 Kick Pad
2 DM5 (monitoring)
3 Snr Top
4 Snr Top (with HW Eq and Comp)
5 Snr Bot
6 T1
7 T2
8 T3
9 HH
10 HH
11 Splash Spot
12 OH L
13 OH R
14 China
15 Mono Room

Even had one channel to spare

 

[JeffTD]

Triggers are for editing and gates as much as they are for replacement. A trigger is always more useful for utility purposes than just a snare track or kick track.

 

[Studdy]

I have Roland triggers I still use now and again, but honestly when I record I don't find myself really needing a trigger track, I mean it may be handy but not really necessary for me, I find todays drum replacement software works quite well off of a microphone. And I can easily manipulate the track to trigger how I want very quickly. For example I notice the triggers are less dynamic so i get a more consistent triggered sample quicker. But I can easily compress the mic signal before triggering to more closely match the trigger. I obviously see the benefits of triggers but I tend to not need them and if I was limited in inputs (not that I think 16 tracks in limited.) I would ditch the triggers and get a great drum sound with mics. For the record I tend to keep drums around 10 inputs or so. I have done more and obviously less but if I cant get a get drum sound with 10 great mics and signal paths I can't see 16 mics sounding better. I generally record fairly standard size drum sets though.

I'd go
1 Oh left
2 Oh right
3 Kick(if I wasn't sample replacing the kick Id probably use 2 mics on kick)
4 Snare
5 snare bottom/side/taped sdc
6 Tom1
7 Tom2
8 Tom3
9 Hats
10 mono room

If kit is large or has more toms more mics would be needed. I also tend to get enough ride / splash / China etc out of my overheads but could spot mic if desired. I have a small to medium fairly dry drum room I get a decent room sound with one properly placed room mic, stereo room mics don't seem to really work for me. I also tend to still add a touch of artificial space to simulate stereo room mics. If you have spare inputs I guess track the triggers , k I'm done ranting..

 

[kernelxsanders]

Remove the highest tom to free up a track. Not the mic, the tom.

Lol, this guy.

 

[Sonic75]

1 kick in
2 Kick out
3 kick trig
4 snare top
5 sn bottom
6 sn trig
7 ride
8 hat
9/10/11 toms
12/13 OH
14/15 Stereo Room
16 Mono Room

 

[Studdy]

Can I ask what is it that you use the the trigger tracks for that can't be accomplished with the close mics? I have Roland triggers but only use them live.

 

[Manicompression]

Using a trigger track to key gates and or samples is better, more accurate, and less fuss than just using the shell tracks in most real world cases. This is not to say that triggering off of the microphone audio cant be done with a little work in most cases, its just that with triggers you will experience no bleed from other sources and preserve the most dynamics of the actual performance. Often the best place for a microphone is a compromise between the sound you want and an amount of bleed you can live with, so its not always ideal for re-sampling or keying dynamic processing.

 

[TonyS.]

Just a note to that disuccsion about triggers: If you use protools buy MasseyDrt! Never recorded a trigger again, since I bought that.

 

[Studdy]

Using a trigger track to key gates and or samples is better, more accurate, and less fuss than just using the shell tracks in most real world cases. This is not to say that triggering off of the microphone audio cant be done with a little work in most cases, its just that with triggers you will experience no bleed from other sources and preserve the most dynamics of the actual performance. Often the best place for a microphone is a compromise between the sound you want and an amount of bleed you can live with, so its not always ideal for re-sampling or keying dynamic processing.

I bought them for those reasons but I came to the conclusion that i got better sampling dynamics from the microphone signal. Plus with todays software (Drt, Drumagog 5, Slate trigger), you have to have some pretty brutal bleed to not be able to set it up to trigger properly. Also from a gate standpoint id rather use the duplicate identical track and nudge it back than rely on a trigger. BUt really i dont use gates to much, id rather edit bu hand if it really needed gating. No right way to do things, to each their own and i appreciate the response. I still dont really see the need for the trigger unless triggering midi/samples live. For what its worth I have DRT, Slate, and I like Drumagog 5 the best overall. I know that no one else on here ever says that but i find it super accurate and i like the gui. Also sorry for hi jacking this thread, it did tie in i suppose. Cheers

 

[GeertSamuel]

1 Kick mic
2 Kick trigger
3 Snare top
4 Snare bottom
5 tom 1
6 tom 2
7 tom 3
8 tom 4
9 oh left
10 oh right
11 hihat
12 ride
13 room left
14 room right

Tried using spot mics on china's, but I felt it was unnecessary due to the volume of those.
Anyway, when I started out...in only had 8 ins...and it worked back then, however this is much better.