Drum kit acoustics

[Marko]

Me again...

 

I

[jackcheez]

 

I guess the actual question is, should I treat the wall and ceiling before even bothering experimenting, or is there a possibility that what reflections I get might be acceptable, or even a possible beneficial reverb effects?   So, it is

[Todzilla]

From what little I can see of that room, you've got your work cut out for you.

 

Ethan Winer has some good info, and also there's an acoustic forum at recording.org.

[Marko]

 

From what little I can see of that room, you've got your work cut out for you. Ethan Winer has some good info, and also there's an acoustic forum at recording.org.

 

 

Yeah

[Phil O'Keefe]

As jackcheez said, it costs nothing to try it as is... but I can pretty much guarantee you that the room will benefit greatly from the addition of some acoustical treatment. Over the drums should be pretty broadband absorbent IMO in a room with average to low height ceilings.

[Rubber Lizard]

Before you try anything, fold a pillow over your head and secure it with duck tape. That should dampen reflections, both early and fashionably late ones.

 

Seriously though, if it sounds okay, then it probably IS okay for now. So worse case is "ok". You can only make it better with treatment. Unless that treatment is carpet on the walls and egg cartons on the ceiling. Stick with Ethan Winer' type treatments.

[Ethan Winer]

Now I see that the overheads are gonna pick up a lot of reflections from the walls and ceiling there.

 

Yes, and I can pretty much guarantee those reflections will not be flattering simply because the walls and ceiling are so close. Sure, go ahead and try it. Then be prepared to put absorption on all nearby surfaces.

 

--Ethan

[witesol]

I see pretty much nothing on any walls. Treat now, at the very least with some easy stuff, like packing blankets or bed comforters(sleeping bags are great) hung out from the walls a few inches, something overhead. Drape over a PVC pipe or something. Those little closet semi cup thingies that hold the closet dowel bar can be an easy way to get a horizontal pipe/bar/ dowel spaced out from the wall a few inches..

57s for OH?

[Phil O'Keefe]

Yeah Kel, I meant to comment on the "57's as overheads" idea too... I certainly wouldn't select those as my first (or second) choice in that application.

[Weatherbox]

If 57s is what ya got, use 'em. This isn't really a "first choice" scenario. I'd maybe get the drums a little bit more off that wall, and definitely deaden the ceiling above them as much as possible. Low reflective ceiling and carpeted floor is unfortunately pretty much opposite of what makes drum tracking easy - especially what with all those cymbals.

[witesol]

attending to the acoustics will make all the drums and cymbals sounds cleaner, more pinpoint focus and allow the mics to hear the source. The 2 57s in XY, perhaps out front would work...just not ideal.

sometimes setting up in the corner can make the walls less parallel..still put some thick soft something up

 

That is indeed a lot of stuff. as a recording and live sound engineer, that set is a little worrisome.

[matthewmilner]

i would say experiment - if you can try to get the kit away from the wall and into the center of the room. i know that might not be a possibility - depending on room size, number of people recording and whatnot.

 

also - it may help to take off the kit any cymbals and drums that aren't being used. getting the kit down the bare essentials and making sure the drums are tuned really well will help out tremendously.

[UstadKhanAli]

I agree with the others that the room definitely does not look ideal for drums as shown in the photo.

 

I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that I've heard about people using 57s and other dynamics (Heil, for instance) as overheads to great success. Usually, people tend to use condensers, obviously, but depending on the music and effect that you are going for, you may be able to use your 57s as overheads. You're obviously not going to get a more nuanced, detailed sound or a full-bodied sound, but you may get something really usable and cool.