I like the mic setup.
I would have the bass player play along with the drummer and record all 8 drum mics.

Although, you could really work on your overheads and get the big picture with them and then try to submix your toms to one track(while tracking) and you would be able to record the bass at the same time.

I would give option 2 a "test-run" to see if you like the idea of sub-mixing the toms. If your overs are well placed, the tom mics would be just a support track, not really needed at a high mix balance.

My .02

Cheers,

Hello

Do you really need two mics on the snare and a room mic? I would be tempted to lose either the bottom of the snare or the room mic and use the channel to track the bass. Although you will get the live drum feel by having the bass player playing at the same time, it's then harder to get the live feel from the bass when playing over the drums. The human interaction is a pretty under-rated ingredient.

Cheers

NeilE

Sproll,
First , it is a good question. I like that you are using a second mic for the bottom of the snare, it can really bring out the depth in the snare. I would not change that, but you could consider the following:

I own the Delta 1010 and if I were you, I would buy an Art DPS II, Digital MPA, or DBX 386 or some stereo mic preamp with digital I/O and then use the other two digital channels to mic the following ways.

If you don't have a reverb unit or plugins for reverb I would do the following.
1- SM57 on snare top
2- Audix D2 on snare bottom
3- Audix D2 on high tom
4- Audix D2 on floor tom
5- Audix D4 on kick drum
6- Audix ADX50 overhead
7- Audix ADX50 overhead
8- Room mic R
9- Room mic L
10 - EV RE20 - or DI for Bass

**Note: If you buy a tube preamp, use 9 and 10 for the top snare and kick; because, it gives it a tape saturation type quality. ie. natural compression.

If you have a reverb unit or plugins for reverb I would do the following. In most pro recordings, reverb is not added to the cymbals or bass guitar.
1- SM57 on snare top
2- Audix D2 on snare bottom
3- Audix D2 on high tom
4- Audix D2 on floor tom
5- Audix D4 on kick drum
6- Audix ADX50 overhead
7- Audix ADX50 overhead
8- lipstick condencer directly on the highhat
9- lipstick condencer directly on the ride
10 - EV RE20 - or DI for Bass

**Note: If you buy a tube preamp, use 9 and 10 for the top snare and kick; because, it gives it a tape saturation type quality. ie. natural compression

If you find yourself asking: "What I already get too much highhat and ride in the mix and would not be able to add the direct mics at all?" start using Felt cones (felt material that we used in kindergarten) around the snare, tom, kick mics (if outside) to reject some of the high frequencies from the cymbals. Do not add reverb to 6,7,8, or 9. Reverb makes cymbals sound unnatrual and mushy.

Lastly, if you are producing demos that do not have to sound all "GoldenEared" or perfect, just use a 5 mic setup on the drums and have the bass go direct on 6 and mic the guitar cabs (always in stereo) on 7and and lead on 9 and 10. Doing this will produce great demoswith an amazing live feel.

1- Audix D2 on snare bottom
2- Audix ADX50 overhead
3- Audix ADX50 overhead
4- EV RE20 - or DI for Bass
5- lipstick condencer L guitar cab
6- SM57 R guitar cab
7- lipstick condencer L guitar cab
8- SM57 R guitar cab
9- SM57 on snare top
10- Audix D4 on kick drum (RE 20 if you can)

I love this method. The final mix takes less time and sounds great. If roll off the lows (-2 dB to -5dB) on the overheads during the mixdown and add some highs (+3dB) in the 2500 range and a shelf in the 6000 range the cymbals will have the sizzle they need. I never add reverb on 2, 3, or 4. It makes it too mushy.

I hope this helps,

Dick

I have to agree with one of the above posts, I would axe the bottom snare and track the bass. Save the room mic and just bring in as much as you need. But I have to agree that the feel you get from bass and drums together is harder to get when tracking the bass guitar seperately. That is coming from a bass player. JMO.

guitardick...what school did you go to?