Drum miking with 16 inputs

[Ericlingus]

How would you mic drums when you only have 16 inputs? Would you use trigger tracks or just just use an actual miked track to sample replace? I was thinking 2 for OHs, 1 snare, 1 kick, 4 tom mics, 1 mono room, 1 hi hat/or ride, and trigger tracks for the 6 remaining inputs OR the same but instead of the 6 remaining inputs for trigger, use only trigger tracks for kick and snare and use the remaing 4 for 1 ride/or hi hat(so I have one for hi hat and one for ride), snare bottom, and then the 2 left over inputs can be used for guitars for scratch tracks as they play along to the drums.

 

[Plendakor]

As a noob who's never recorded real drums yet, I thought triggers were MIDI! Thanks for enlighting me

 

[bryan_kilco]

I'd do kick, snare top, snare bottom, toms 1-4 (top), hat, china, ride, mono room and a pair of OHs. Use the remaining 3 free tracks for maybe spot micing crashes or try a stereo room setup. Or even try a mic on the kick batter head as it'll have some crazy attack that may be useful. Mess around, post results!

Trigger off the mics, its easy enough.

 

[rapucore]

16 tracks for drums is plenty IMO.

 

[bryan_kilco]

16 tracks for drums is plenty IMO.

This. I've been limited to 8 inputs and that's barely enough to squeak by. My chinas always get lost in the mix because I don't quite have enough to spot mic without sacrificing something else.

 

[Trevoire520]

You could grab a midi drum module to convert your triggers into midi, leaving you your full 16 inputs for mics, have your cake and eat it too!

 

[Mago]

if you don't have the inputs to spare it's better not to use it for triggers IMO. In your case the 6 remaining inputs are better off for a second kick mic, snare bottom, spots for Hihat AND Ride, and for certain cymbals (china, and some smaller splashes if the drummer has them).

You can trigger from nicely miced shells just fine with slate trigger, imo.

 

[JeffTD]

kick, kick trig (2)
snare top, bottom, trig (3)
toms (4)
hat/ride (2)
OH (2)
Stereo room (2)
Mono room (1)

16 total, I would be unhappy with anything else. If it was a straight-up metal band I might ditch the kick mic for a china spot.

 

[greyskull]

Only? It's more than enough, when I have 24 it's nice, but it sure isn't a problem!

 

[mva801]

What Jeff said. If you have extra cymbals to single out maybe ditch the mono room or snare bottom.

 

[Trevoire520]

To be honest it depends on your room/kit/drummer too. If the drummers double kick is inconsistent then there's no point in putting up 2 kick mic's that will just be replaced anyway. If your room sucks then there's not much use going mad with room mic's. Think ahead to whats likely to be needed in the mix and use that to make informed decisions.

For what it's worth this would likely be my setup if I was limited to 16 ins:

1 - Overhead L
2 - Overhead R
3 - Hat
4 - Ride
5 - China
6 - Snare Top
7 - Snare Bottom
8 - Tom 1
9 - Tom 2
10 - Tom 3
11 - Tom 4
12 - Kick In
13 - Kick Out
14 - Room
15 - Snare Trigger
16 - Kick Trigger

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

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

 

[J.Lindmann]

kick, kick trig (2)
snare top, bottom, trig (3)
toms (4)
hat/ride (2)
OH (2)
Stereo room (2)
Mono room (1)

16 total, I would be unhappy with anything else. If it was a straight-up metal band I might ditch the kick mic for a china spot.

What is the benefit of two mics for a stereo room plus a mono room?
I mean...why the additional mono room?

 

[rapucore]

Most likely for crushing to death.

 

[Ericlingus]

cool thanks guys. I was wondering how many of you spot mic additional cymbals like the china. What mics do you typically use for spot miking? Do you prefer dynamic or condensers for it? Maybe to be safe I would just put a trigger track for the snare and kick and leave the toms to trigger off the mic. Maybe more spot mics are the way to go especially in a shitty room which I'll most likely be tracking in when I record. Do you guys record guitars or other instruments along with the drums even just for scratch? How do you handle that? Or do you pre record the scratch tracks to a click and then record the drums?

 

[Trevoire520]

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.

 

[J.Lindmann]

Most likely for crushing to death.

But you could do that with your stereo room as well.
I still don’t get it.

 

[KHE]

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!

 

[Ericlingus]

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.

 

[mva801]

But you could do that with your stereo room as well.
I still don’t get it.

OPTIONS

A mono room mic placed closer will give a completely different vibe than a stereo room pair placed farther back, or spaced out. If you guys have recorded drums in a nice big room with plenty of rad mics to choose from, you'll understand why multiple room mics are essential.

In a small room/ bedroom and especially for metal, the rooms arent quite as featured.