How do YOU sample gear?

[ArroldW]

I am sure this has been asked very frequently but I've searched the Sneap forum and the question seems to be buried in other topics. Pretty much, I am trying to sample my own gear [snare, kick, toms, ect]. Here are 3 questions for the snare: [but the questions are meant for everything]

1. Do I use a preamp on the top AND bottom snare mics?
2. How many mics per item that I am sampling??
3. How do I go about processing everything for each item?


Long story short I would like to know how everyone on the forum is sampling their own gear. Thanks for your time.

 

[Josh M.]

Hey man, to answer your questions:

1. You need a preamp to get any usable signal out of a microphone in the first place so yes, you will need one on both. Whether or not you use a nice, higher end mic pre (separate from your interface), which is what I think you're asking is down to your personal preference. Some people sample drums using their interface's pre amps and still get good results.

2 and 3. This is down to the gear you are using and sounds you want to get. As anyone here will likely tell you, there are too many variables to be taken into account to give a definite answer. If we were limited by standards then we wouldn't learn anything, right? Just experiment as much as you can and use your ears and you'll find that your skill as an engineer will improve not just by what others have taught you but by what you have taught yourself.

Samples will require slicing once they're recorded and I would usually do this as close to the start of the transient as possible.

Sorry I didn't share how I do things because...well...I actually haven't sampled much, but I hope this will answer your questions.

 

[Trevoire520]

You need a mic pre for every mic you're using. This is recording 101 stuff dude.

For sampling drums I tend to use the following mic's:
Stereo Overheads
Top
Bottom
Room

I also use a LDC on the side of the snare.

For processing I find it can be helpful to load up some good sounding reference samples in your DAW so you can switch between that and the sample you're working on and hear the difference in punch/eq.

 

[egan.]

Given your questions you may want to revise your user title ("Sound Engineer/Producer") before the flame war ensues.
I've never done it when I wasn't micing the whole kit. Generally that would mean snare top/bottom, stereo OH's, and room for each piece that could potentially get used but I roll on everything and once. Then I pick what I want and mix, print and slice to taste.

 

[crillemannen]

"Sound Engineer/Producer"

good one haha

 

[ArroldW]

haha when I meant preamp, I wasn't talking about the mic going into the interface, I actually meant a "tube preamp" to add color to each mic that I was using.

 

[mva801]

You can use a tube preamp on whatever the hell you want to use it on. If it only has one channel, you can only use it on one mic. All you're doing is using that pre to bypass the pre in your interface. They both do the same thing, just with different colorations on the sound.

 

[egan.]

You want it to sound as good as possible so experiment with preamps and mic placement to get the best sound you possibly can.

 

[ArroldW]

Okay thanks guys. ALSO besides eq'ing, cutting and multisamples; do I do anything else to the samples before throwing them into trigger or drumagog? I was already thinking about throwing max bass on the toms samples to add a bit more punch but I have NO IDEA what to do for the snare or kick besides eq'ing and maybe some mild compression.

 

[Gustavo_Loureiro]

troll

 

[Fox Mulder]

-_-