The Quest for Oh Natural! (100% Natureal Drums)

[guitarguru777]

OK so here is another test of my Tama Star classic in my studio. You can reference my old thread and sample here.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...help-needed-100-natural-drums-no-samples.html


Ok so heres the deal same kit with a few minor changes to the kit and the mic setup.

Here are the full details:
Drums: Tama Star Classic Birch
Heads: Evans G2 Clear
Snare: Pearl Brass Shell Piccolo 13x3.5
Cymbals: Sabian 14, 16, 16, 18, Dark Crash's
China: Sabian AAX 16"
Ride: Sabian Hand Hammered 20"
Hats: Sabian AAX Accelerator 14"
Room AKG 414 Mono and 5 ft from the kit


Oh's: Audio Technica AT2020
Kick: Sure Beta 91
Snare: Audi i5 Top & SM57 Side of Shell
Rack Toms: e609
Floor Tom: Sure SM57

I think this is A LOT better then the previous sample, I was going for completely OPEN toms with no muting (ala Danny Carey) and I think the tuning is still a bit fucked, as I am still learning how to properly tune a kit.

The main changes made in the setup were just moving the overheads to get the snare in phase. There is also much less processing, more this time just to tame the peaks.

Anything noticeably wrong with it. I really LOVE this snare sound particularly.

One final note please realize this is ME on the kit and my shitty drumming so no "shitty drummer" comments ....lol

http://www.constantinestudios.info/samples/drum_test/natural_kit.mp3

 

[amarshism]

Sounds much better J

 

[crillemannen]

You should try AudioT. ATM450 on toms and snare. Really great microphone for snapp. Sm57 and 450 on snare is a great combo

 

[Charlie E.]

The hi-hat is noticeably louder when you aren't hitting the snare. Are you accent it or is something else going on there?

 

[drew_drummer]

Snare sounds really far away to me.... almost sounds like the snare is partly in the dead-zone of the microphone.... ??

 

[AllanD]

The kick and cymbals sound pretty good, but the snare and the toms sound a bit thin.

 

[guitarguru777]

Maybe I should try with the mics a bit further from the snare and toms? As far as the hats being louder its definitely possible as I am NOT a drummer by any means. If I am accenting its not intentional ....lol

 

[SimonSez]

Sounds good. The best natural drums I have heard are on the song "Boxenkiller" by Cyrill Lützelschwab and Martin Hess. It's not metal but it sounds so good.

 

[Shinozoku]

If you have a small ribbon mic (figure 8, not a HC like the M160), try positioning it between the snare and the hats and use a close mic on the snare for a bit of extra crack. You'll have to phase align 4 mics for the snare, but it should get some mighty CRACK if done right.

 

[jangoux]

ribbon mics (or any fig 8) will work also greatly mic'ing the side of the snare. Lotsa crack!

 

[arv_foh]

Maybe I should try with the mics a bit further from the snare and toms? As far as the hats being louder its definitely possible as I am NOT a drummer by any means. If I am accenting its not intentional ....lol

are you high passing the overheads? you can get quite a bit of body through them if you don't HP them severely

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Not bad, but sounds distant/thin on the snare. Perhaps closer on the snare mic? Also, loosen up the snare wires & let that transient through!

 

[RedDog]

How do shell tone? Ribbon aimed at the vent or just the snare in general? Wil the hats kill it?

 

[guitarguru777]

are you high passing the overheads? you can get quite a bit of body through them if you don't HP them severely

No too too high, at 150hz

As for the Shell, you point a 57 at the side of the Snare, Its a "Massenberg" thing. So I tried it and quite liked it. The Snare is HELLA tight tunes like a marching snare. I tuned it this way for extra CRACK and maybe i went a bit overboard. The snare mic was VERy close as close as I could get without it being ON the snare. Probably just the snare itself.

As for Ribbons, I dont have any Just Dynamics SDC's and LDC's ... I need to expand my microphone arsenal severely.

 

[RedDog]

I've heard the ribbon mic on the shell to be quite the trick for crack, how would I process that?

 

[guitarguru777]

What I did was compress the living FUCK out of and depending on the mic and snare just the the proper EQ Frequency. I am finding good SNARE TONES are a combination of ALL the mics on the kit. OH's + Top / Side / Bottom. OH's add to the BODY and the close mics give it the attack and crack. Im no expert but I do feel I am definitely getting closer

Ill be doing some more work on it all today with a bigger / deeper snare.

 

[Shinozoku]

Red Dog: The point of the ribbon was to pick up the snare and hats with a single mic. So i would personally keep it raw and do any processing on the top mic for the snare. Or just use the OHs for the top and mic the bottom of the snare and flip the phase for extra sizzle...

 

[Line666]

I tried natty drums out on a recent session;

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4363530/drums.mp3

Everyone should be mirin my kick drum micing technique.

 

[RedDog]

Is that the US-1800?

 

[Line666]

Nah it's a profire.