Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 I'm recording drums with 3 mics;2x akg c1000s(overheads) and d112 (kik). I keep getting this really bright sound, can anyone give me tips on how to change this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 I'm recording drums with 3 mics;2x akg c1000s(overheads) and d112 (kik). I keep getting this really bright sound, can anyone give me tips on how to change this? - Use darker cymbals. - Los the C1000s. - Roll off the high end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 What would be better for overheads then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 Definitely lose the C1000's. I don't even understand why those mics are still in production. They just suck out loud. If you can find any Oktava MC012's or MK012's, those'll work much better and they're still cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 I have used the oktava mics before and I didn't like them at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members where02190 Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 C1000's are very brittle mics. That's probably a good place to start. If you can't get other mics, move them closer to the drums, you'll get less cymbals that way. Oktava MK012's are great mics. If you got similiar results with them, then either the cymbals are too bright or your room needs some acoustic correction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 I do record in my bedroom which might be causing problems. I am looking at the mca sp1 for overheads, had good reviews, does anyone want to warn me about these mics. I don't mind if they are bad because the are really cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 I don't know anything about those mics so hopefully someone else who's used them can comment. Try not placing the mics in actual "overhead" position, especially if you're recording in a small bedroom. You end up getting nothing but cymbals, especially with the C1000's. Try for example placing one mic out in front of the kick drum by a few feet, and just a 2-3 feet up, so you pick up more of the drums than the cymbals. Then place the other "overhead" right about at your chin to chest level as you're sitting at the drums, centered over the snare, so you're getting more of the drummer's perspective and, again, less cymbals. Move the mics around a little from there till you're happy, and make sure they sound good both alone and combined. Often moving a mic just a few inches makes a big difference. But I don't think the traditional overhead setup will work very well in your situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 You will probably need to address the acoustic issues as well, if you are recording in a small bedroom. Ethan Winer's RealTraps page is an excellent resource for acoustic treatment if rooms, whether it's DIY or his products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 thanks for the info lee flier and ustad i will be sure to check out that website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 You're welcome. I don't know what you consider cheap, but Avenson ST0-2s are really good. $550 for a pair. Omni condensers, really natural sounding, definitely not too bright. Omnis are really useful for a variety of things, but if you have a bad sounding room, it can exacerbate that quality. Audio-Technica AT4041s. If you can find these used for cheap, these are a very good value. Sometimes you can find them for $200 used each. You could try and get those absurdly cheap ribbons that are flooding the market if you really want to try and experiment with these, but I don't know how well these work. Cascade Fathead and others make cheap ribbons. Again, caveat emptor. Might suck, might be the bargain of a lifetime, dunno. I mention this last one mostly because you are concerned about overly bright mics, and some people use ribbons because of their mellower sound (while still being clear, at least if the ribbon mic is of decent quality). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members where02190 Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 Samson CO2's, deceptively cheap ($130/pr with shockmounts) amazingly great quality, akin to the SM81. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 6, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 Well at the moment I have about $100 to spend with, so I will probably wait until I have a better budget. What mics do all you people use for the drums? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 Well, the aforementioned Avensons, 421s, 57 or 421 for the snare, AT4051, and a Lawson L251 for a room mic. The 57s are cheap, Avensons and 421s somewhat cheap, the rest more costly. I don't know about the Samsons, but if Where thinks they're decent for the money, they're worth looking into. The AT2020 is cheap (you can pick them up for $79) and is useful on a variety of things including overheads if you have a very sturdy mic stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 When I had access to good mics, I'd use Neumann KM-84s on the OHs and usually (but not always) a Sennheiser MD-421 on the kick. These days when I have the luxury of recording drums at all, I use the aforementioned Oktava MC012s on the overheads, and sometimes a D112 on the kick. Have you tried moving the mics around to see if positioning has something to do with the brittleness? I doubt that'll help the C1000's, in any case. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halljams Posted February 6, 2007 Members Share Posted February 6, 2007 Recording your drums in small room is a killer, if you could get the drums in a bigger space and raise the 1000's up a bit higher it would most likey improve things. Take the harshness out with some EQ later. With a low ceiling you are gonna get destructive reflections in the OH's. Try padding the {censored} out of the ceiling and maby the walls with some heavy blankets etc, that will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members where02190 Posted February 7, 2007 Members Share Posted February 7, 2007 The CO2's are $120 for a pair, with shockmounts. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C02/I know it sounds impossible, but trust me, I'm very picky when it comes to mics, and these little guys sound amazing. Very similiar to SM81's. I've used them on string sections in orhcestral recordings, acoustic guitar, drum OH's, percussion, and they shine every time. They'll blow doors on the C1000's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 7, 2007 Can you give me a sound track of the samson c02's in use. I understand if you wont want to bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Risky Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 Check out this site for placement with four mics: http://www.danalexanderaudio.com/glynjohns.htm I've had great luck with the AT4040's for OH and they're not too expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 8, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 Thanks risky! I'm gonna try out that mic placement tonight first with the c1000s. Would it be okay if i used 2 mics that are not the same, want to try nt-1a c2000b combo. If it's out of phase I can easily fix that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 Thanks risky! I'm gonna try out that mic placement tonight first with the c1000s. Would it be okay if i used 2 mics that are not the same, want to try nt-1a c2000b combo. If it's out of phase I can easily fix that. Yes, it will be fine. And I'm not sure if you're relating the phase issue to this or what, but simply using a different mic shouldn't create a phase issue. Placement of the mic, yes, but simply using a different mic, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steveg Posted February 8, 2007 Members Share Posted February 8, 2007 We sometimes lose the obvious- the mics are too bright, dampen them! You can EQ after the fact, you can cover them in fabric or foam! Point them away from the kit, but them across the room, put them under a pillow, put a sock over them!! Don't feel that anything is taboo, do whatever you think will make them sound the way you want!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 Personally I'd rather address the changes at the source whenever possible. User darker sounding cymbals, don't hit the cymbals as hard, change the mic position, change the way the drums are played, change the acoustics of the room, whatever before putting foam or pillows around the microphone because I wouldn't want to interfere with the midrange. But hey, if it sounds good stuffing socks around your mics, so be it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Sayers Posted February 9, 2007 Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 i think the thing to consider in a thre mike setup is the stereo effect. I treat it as a stereo pair and a kick mike. The idea is to balance the stereo pair so the snare is in the center and place them so that they cover both sides of the kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gone 6 days now Posted February 9, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 9, 2007 John, I was recording the way you just mentioned before, but thanks for commenting anyway.Ustad, I'm gonna try using the 2 different mics. In my room I have this wardrobe and 2 chester drawers, they are made of planks of wood put together and a cloth covering them. Can I use this to dampen the sound?steveg, I never heard of putting socks over your mic, it would be pretty much the same as the foam covers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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