Seeking advice and experiences with recording drums in a large warehouse type space..

[drew_drummer]

Hey guys... I think we've found a space to record drums, but I am looking for experiences and suggestions on how to make sure I don't come away with shitty and phase-incoherent recordings. Here is the space:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/630473/Space/FURNITURE1JPG.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/630473/Space/ReStore US Shipment 10 Feb 2006 033.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/630473/Space/Restore warehouse.jpg

I'm quite excited by the prospect of this place. There will most likely be plenty of furniture that can be used as baffles, and there will be plenty of space. The ceiling is very high, so the main thing I'm worried about is reflections from the high ceiling coming back and hitting my close microphones on the kit itself.

Seems to be a concrete floor, with a very high metal roof, with breezeblock walls in particular places in the warehouse. It isn't acoustically ideal, but the space is ideal and I reckon with enough pre-planning I will be able to get a good sound.

Just looking for some suggestions really.

 

[Revson]

That place is awesome! You should be able to get some killer reverb on the room mics. With that high of a ceiling I'm not sure you have too much to worry about, especially since it isn't flat. One thing you may want to do is prop up a couple gobos (or mattresses wrapped in packing blankets) behind you will tracking instead of simply relying on the furniture for diffusion. If you want to go the extra mile, I highly recommend utilizing that space to surround yourself with a mattress Stonehenge. It may not be acoustically sound, but it's 110% badass.

On a more serious note, have you actually been inside the place to hear it?

 

[drew_drummer]

Haven't been inside it yet, will be doing that next week. Our selection of places is very limited, and spatially this one is the best one. Financially, it's also the best one. I have sixteen inputs to utilise, I had the same thought on the room mics

Good call on the gobos. We'll have to McGuyver some together, but we've got a lot of foam, matresses, furniture, and other big bulky objects at our disposal.

 

[Sloan]

Make some impulses of the space dawg.

 

[Tommy Gun]

^ What Revson said.

I think you'll find it very easy to get a killer drum sound in there. Plenty of air space and diffusion, especially with some makeshift gobos. Can't wait to hear it.

 

[WesNyle269]

What I would do is get some good rugs and some cubical walls. Id hang a couple cubical walls flat from the ceiling, like 15ft. Then place some around the kit, don't enclose it though.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

You can build an acoustic cloud over the kit if the ceiling reflections are that big of an issue. I wouldn't worry that much though, the ceiling looks to be at a pretty serious angle. You should avoid any early reflection issues. Just move the kit around the room till you find the sweet spot.

 

[DullElysium]

Pleeease make IRs. Would be killer. I'm not experienced and all but looks sweet!

 

[drew_drummer]

Don't think I'll have chance to make IR's.

 

[guitarguru777]

I record ALL of my drums in a space very similar to this. I LOVE THE FUCKING ROOM VERB!!!!

Seriously you should have no major issues with reflection due to the size of the room. Just find the sweetspot and rock out!!

 

[greyskull]

Gobo the kit of slightly around the cymbals, helps to prevent the splashyness of the cymbals killing the room mics when you inevitably spank the shit out of them later, and allows more BOOM to come through, also helps to keep the close mics cleaner.

 

[drew_drummer]

Really looking forward to this