Whats everyones take on drum room mics knowing that some sample replacement/augmenting will be happening. I usually only use a mono room mic due to channels and the room. I find it kind of pulls toms and stuff back into the middle a little. I have also just used a room mic to take snare samples but often finding my self using room samples anyways.
Tracking Room Mics When Replacing/Augmenting With Samples
- Thread starter Studdy
- Start date
FarBeyondMetal
Member
If the room is good I'll want a mono room in the center of the kit about 8 ft away from the kit, a stereo pair about 12 ft away and a mono way out at the other side of the room or in a hallway or whatever. This way i can have a natural room sound even if the shells end up being augmented heavily.
If the room sucks, I don't use room mic and I just get all the room sound with samples. Not my favorite way of working but it can be done
If the room sucks, I don't use room mic and I just get all the room sound with samples. Not my favorite way of working but it can be done
Genius Gone Insane
http://www.¯\(°_o)/¯.com
Stereo room mics > mono room mics. I am using room mostly for tom fills. And it sounds much better IMO in stereo. I have those guys pretty loud sometimes, which you can't really do with mono. Maybe if you automate the panning as the toms are hit or something. Actually that sounds like an interesting idea.
How are you raising the level on the room mics during Tom fills only without bringing up the rest of kit?
Genius Gone Insane
http://www.¯\(°_o)/¯.com
I automate the room volume down to get the cymbal volume out, if necessary... I am not recording peter wildoer or any virtuosos so most fills are pretty simple, and rarely is this an issue. Maybe have the room mics low passed, get the cymbals out. no rules there, if it sounds good it is good. mind you, i am not andy sneap that's just how we do it,
I *especially* want good room mic tracks when I know there will be a lot of sample reinforcement on the close mics - having the natural variation in the room mics helps hide how sampled the direct tracks may be. Room samples have their place too though.
guitarguru777
Member
For me its ALWAYS Stereo Rooms and a Mono room BEHIND the kit 6 to 8 ft. Like GGI said mainly using them during fills or tom sections to make em sound huge. Volume automation is key. or side chain a gate with a fairly long release. Depends on the drummer really.
amarshism
Member
Kellii
Member
I use mostly stereo but I do more rock than metal. I use mono for dense metal mix's, usually high passed to stop mud and low pass to stop cymbal bleed, I mainly want to add depth to my Snare and Toms. Stereo for acoustic's, cleans or parts of the song when drums on their own, usually with more low end in these parts. You could record both and switch between them during a song (with lots of changes between and clean) too if you're careful about balance, especially cymbals.
~BURNY~
Member
- Apr 20, 2005
- 5,091
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I generally use two pairs of stereo MS room (with mismatched Ribbon mics). One about 2 meters away and one further back. I often add a couple of mono room, one far and one in a random experimental place just to keep things exciting and new.
I love room mics. They're extremely overlooked and I had situations where I didn't even use Ovedrheads tracks because the main room (close) pair sounded better.
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I love room mics. They're extremely overlooked and I had situations where I didn't even use Ovedrheads tracks because the main room (close) pair sounded better.
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I guess I should have reworded the question a little. Obviously if the sound of the kit in the room is dynamite, I would always use room mics, and would also just augment samples taken from the kit. But when the room and kit sound "mediocre", im not sure I don't prefer using samples and room samples. If Im replacing the drums with samples, wouldn't I also want the room samples to be those samples? Thanks for your opinions thus far.
DavePiatek
Member
I find that sometimes my cymbals sound a little sterile with only the overheads if I'm relying heavily on samples. Room mics (either mono or stereo) can help out substantially with this problem. High pass if you need to get rid of the kick/shells.
