This Fri my buddy is having his band lay down some tracks and he wants me behind the mixer. He's going to do individual tracks before I get there, and I'm going to operate the mixer while they play as a band.
This will be my first time mixing/recording drums. What advice can you give me to me for what to expect and/or do?
EDIT: Actually it's my first time recording more than one source at a time, so there's some learning there I need to do as well.
Comments
Right, I think they mainly want me watching the board, but I wan
Right, I think they mainly want me watching the board, but I want to check everything when I get there. You know, make sure everything is set up right and sounding good.
Here's a loaded question. When you set levels on a particular source, you usually leave at least 6-10dB of headroom correct? Well when you record multiple loud things in the same room do you leave more headroom on each source to factor in for bleed during tracking?
Not sure what your role is exactly? You say he'll be laying down
Not sure what your role is exactly?
You say he'll be laying down individual tracks, and you'll be mixing/recording others?
The best advice I can offer (whatever you're doing exactly) when dealing w/ multiple sources is to get each individual source sounding right to start with.
Especially drums. It's much easier to mix if you're not fixing the snare/gui sound, etc.
With drums, I'd get all the close mics sounding as good as you can. Then add in OHs. Then check the whole set alone to make sure you don't have phasing issues. If you do, move the OHs/room mics.
I'm finding the way to get great recordings is to start w/ the source, then mic placement. Then gain staging and eventually mixing allow you to bring out the best of the band.
It's hard to make a great sculpture if your source material isn't good clay, even if you have good technique.
Same goes for recording. The better the source, the better the final result. You don't want to be making up for the way it was tracked.