Time Aligning Room Mics?

[Link555]

I was reading on the net,
somebody suggested time aligning room mics.

I had never done that before, as I always wanted the room sound.

So I tried it, basically yes you do get more low end, but it sounds like the mic is in front of the kit, almost like you shrunk your room.

My question is when and why would you do this?

 

[Link555]

Oh and if I could also ask,
what do you time align the most?

I will often adjust the kick mics so they are in lined up with the overheads.

 

[GeckoMusic]

Aligning the drum microphones depends on how everything sounds in the mix. If there are several other live microphones in the session, typically it will sound too live. In this case aligning each spot drum mics to the overheads will clear things up a bit. If the mix is dry, then aligning the microphones can make the drums sound small, but it will get rid of the comb filter through the tone. However on drums, a comb isn't always bad because there is no real pitch to them. (In fact, a comb filter can be applied to the upper harmonics of a kick to get more tone and less noise creating that basket ball sound)

Most of the time I end up aligning each spot microphone to the overhead to get a cleaner sound, but sometimes I want big over clean.

 

[Link555]

Interesting thanks for the comments. Usally I put up a room mics, to capture the room and make the drums bigger, but I guess there other uses for room mics.

Thanks!

 

[RemyRAD]

One of the reasons for time aligning microphones.

Harley-Davidson, makers of fine oil leaking motorcycles, have made "motion recordings" of Harleys, while they were standing still on a dynamometer, shifting through the gears, reeling in the years. The sound of it approaching & passing were from stationary microphones. The numbers of which I believe were something like 36 separate microphones? It was definitely produced by a number of Ph.D. university geeks in a scientific manner of course. Just what everybody needs. Maybe they could get a good recording of me streaking?? All they'd hear is my giggles, running in place strapped to a dynamometer. Going from right to wrong.

Buoyant when I don't exhale
Ms. Remy Ann David