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I need to know if I'm passing over something silly here that renders this idea entirely useless.

So I need to record some drums. My mixer has 4 mic channels which then runs to my into my 2 ch. interface. (DOH!)

Obviously, 2 channels for drums is pretty...inadequate. So here's what I was thinking.

Say I mic the drums with 4 mics using the 4 inputs on the mixer, 2 running to input #1 on the interface and 2 running to input 2. Using 2 stereo tracks in my tracking software, pan mics 1 & 3 100% left and mics 2 & 4 100% right. After recording, I seperate the 4 channels into seperate tracks, do some copy/pasting and badda wham bam bong. 4 stereo channels of drums?

Something tells me it doesn't work like this, so I'm counting on one of you to tell me that it will work just fine.

If this DOESN'T work...would it be ridiculous to consider tracking the drums in 2 takes? 2 mics on the first pass and 2 mics on the second? Would the bleed screw this all up? Is a decent drummer going to be able to play the exact same set twice in order for it all to sync together? Am I out of my mind?

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rorysound Fri, 01/21/2005 - 04:52

Hi Combatwombat 8-) ,
It seems to me your trying to over complicate things really. Drums will only ever be in stereo (I've never heard a surround mix of a kit so i could be wrong!!)
If you have 4 ch.'s on your mixer then the best thing to do, in my opinion, is use a mic each on the kick and snare and a pair of overheads. Mix this down to the stereo outputs of your mixer using the pans on the mixer ch.'s to pan your overheads only and record into two mono tracks on your interface. Then pan these hard left and right and badda wham bam bong.... Stereo drums!
With 4 ch.'s of stereo drums your walking into a lot of phasing problems so try the above and see how you go......

Good luck and enjoy
Rorysound :wink: