Ideas for Recording Acoustic
Drums
10/06/09 04:33 Filed in:
Drums
Recording
Acoustic Drums
Recording acoustic drums in a home studio environment can be a
daunting task. With the myriad of software based rhythm creation
tools out there and all the amazing tools to get incredible
sounding guitars, killer bass and exquisite vocals, one would
wonder why anyone would go anywhere near a drum kit with a
microphone anymore. Unless of course you have a drummer! Here are
some ideas to help you get solid drum sounds.
Preparation
First thing you want to do is dampen any and all reflections you
can. The last thing you want is sound bouncing all around the room
getting into the wrong microphones! Next the Tuning of the drums is
very important. Start by making recordings of the kick and snare
drum. Then listen back and decide what needs to be done in terms of
tuning and microphone placement. This process of trial and error is
boring and tedious and you’ll be glad you did it! Once you have the
kick and snare squared away, move on to the toms and finally the
cymbals. Here are some tips for microphone placement.
Recording
You have some decisions to make here. Depending on the band and the
type of project you must decide if you want to record the entire
band live off the floor or if you want to use the traditional
“drums and bass” then over dub the guitars, keys and vocals etc.
Sometimes you luck out and the guitarist has some sort of effects
device that allows direct plug in. This way you can have the entire
band wear headphones and play together. You can keep only the parts
you want to use with the understanding that only the bass guitar
and drums need to be near perfect performances. If you can record
the other musicians you should because you never know when these
tracks can be added in to thicken the sound or provide a slightly
different texture.
If you have any questions about digital home recording, use the
contact form at Http://www.MaximumHomeRecording.com
Tags: Recording, Drums
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