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Image Gallery: http://imgur.com/a/…"]Home Recording Studio - Imgur[/]="http://imgur.com/a/…"]Home Recording Studio - Imgur[/]

Microphones: Cad Pro 4 pc Drum Mic kit, Samson CO1U condenser mic for vocals, AT2020 condenser mic for overhead cymbals, Shure SM57 mic for guitar

Audio Interface: Tascam US-1800

Drum Kit: Gretsch Maple Catalina 5 pc, ZBT high-hat, ZBT 14" Crash, ZBT 18" Crash

Guitars (not pictured): DeArmond MP22 (electric, crappy), Taylor 214-CE acoustic-electric

DAW: Adobe Audition CS6 (love it)

Any tips/tricks/comments I could get will be appreciated. I built this thing on a budget, and know that I need lots of equipment (no monitors at all for instance, using headphones for playback).

Comments

RemyRAD Thu, 09/27/2012 - 21:47

I am certainly an Audition lover. Still using version 1.5, most of the time and version 3 when I need it's ASIO hardware compatibility.

You've got a nice startup system there. Tips, tricks, comments, sure. For heavens sake, you need a pair of speakers. Any speakers. The stereo in the living room for instance. Obviously headphones are a no-brainer because of headphones, you'll never get your mix right. They just don't present the right perspective. Things that sound great on headphones sound like muddy crap coming through the speakers later. But stuff that sounds great on speakers also sounds great on headphones. And don't you forget that. LOL

Here's another suggestion. Take the microphone from your drum microphone kit and instead of using the 57 on the guitar put it on the snare drum. Take the microphone intended for the snare drum and put it on the guitar. Then everything will sound right. I could have just told it to go out and purchase another SM57. Maybe a 58? Extra foam pop filter. Use either of those free vocal microphone for recording lead vocals. Don't bother with the cheap condenser thingies. They all sound like cheap condenser thingies. Probably great on tom-toms with the pads on, on the microphones. Then you don't need those other abysmal drum microphones. Yeah, the 2020 just fine for overheads. A pair or just one?

Really I'm serious. The 57 is a great lead vocal microphone with a large foam pop filter on it. Much better than that large diaphragm Chinese condenser microphone sound. Many of these microphones sound over crispy fried. The 57 will give you a smooth quality like a $3000 Neumann. Listen to the vocals of your favorite bands on television. They're singing on 57/58's and they're using them for recording also, in the studio. For real. They're not using cheap Chinese condenser thingies. Cheap Chinese condenser microphones work well when they have their own pads on and you're using them on drugs... I mean drums.

I didn't smoke anything officer...
Mx. Remy Ann David

kmetal Fri, 09/28/2012 - 04:45

May i point out that you are facing the 2020 the incorrect way if using it as an over-head. Right know you are micing, the room, or the wall, depending on which way the 'front' of the mic is facing. The circular part of those mics is the top. On my 3035 the front is the side that says 'audio technica', and the back has the pad and roll-off.

Tips: Don't out rule room micing mic out in the room facing kit, or micing a far wall, w/ the diaphragm facing a distant wall a few inches away from the hard surface. But, these are for ambiance, or 'room sound', a.k.a 'natural reverb'.

Overheads are usually used to pick up an "overall" image of the kit. Your drum sound should sound awesome w/ just your KIK and OH. I recommend you get those two sounding awesome when your getting your sound, then bring the others in order of importance, one at a time, to RE-ENFORCE the two main mics. If the sound doesn't get 'fuller, or deeper', but instead 'thinner' then either move the mic, or use the 'polarity reverse' on the interface, or in audition. Compare, pick the Deepest, Biggest, sounding one. If properly tuned, your drums will romp

I'm not gonna go to deep in this thread, but your room is going to be unruly live, probably end up w/ a cloudy, painying of your kit. Make some panels/bass traps, or buy some foam incarnations of them, order some 'quilted moving blankets" like these [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.uscargoc…"]Moving Blankets & Moving Pads for Sale - Economy Blue Moving Blankets & Pads[/]="http://www.uscargoc…"]Moving Blankets & Moving Pads for Sale - Economy Blue Moving Blankets & Pads[/] . try draping it over the kick. Hang the other ones on the walls and the ceiling over the kit. (ps. these should be fire treated properly perhaps w/ the fir retardant spray, to be hung on the walls, or your insurance may not cover fire damage. It's up to you to choose, but i had to mention it.)

Don't kill the room reflections entirely, with any the treatment, just "tame". When you clap your hands, if you hear any high-pitch echoey-ringing noises, keep adding em. Blankets and foam are only for highs, and mids. Your lows, and low mids require thicker absorbers.

There is an uncanny amount if info on this site if you search for acoustic treatment. Including what they do, why you do/don't need them, how to make them, what not to buy, how to figure out what you need, ect, ect.

for the price of a couple more 57's you can very noticeably improve your recordings, and make it easier to sound great. Your room should do that beautiful drum kit some justice!

I used audition 1.5 for a few years, nice program, nice effx.

You have no idea how much it peeves me to see un-labeled racks, and messy wiring. Two Thumbs UP for that one!