SESSION TIP

11/27/97

The Drum Track Trick #1

STAGE 1
Lately I have exploring a new concept regarding drum tracking. Microphone placement has been an area of recording that seems to be completely covered but let me offer an idea to try next time you are using multiple microphones to get your drum sound. Start by first placing all of your close mics and if you mic the top and bottom, only mic the top for now. Then put up the overheads.

When placing the overheads locate them on the same vertical plane as the tom mics. Hypothetically if you tie a string to the capsule of the right overhead (drummer perspective) and let it hang down toward the floor tom, the string will touch the capsule of the floor tom mic.

Make sure to listen to the overheads solo and that the cymbals sound natural. The cymbals should NOT BE HARSH. If they sound harsher or decay quicker in the speakers then they do in the room, move the overheads higher until they don’t sound nasty.

Do the same on the left overhead as well.. You may place the left overhead above the hi tom or possibly the hi-hat. It all depends on the kit and the amount of stereo imaging you want create. Some kits won’t allow you to use this technique due to the layout of the individual drums, but on standard 5 or 6 piece kits, there always seems to be a way to make this work. If you use bottom mics, place them also on the same vertical plane as the top mic.

STAGE 2 If you are using a digital format or can somehow do track delay, measure the distance of the over head to the microphone directly below. Write down that number on your track sheet next to the individual drum. For example: the floor tom is 25 inches below the right overhead, write on the floor tom track 25 inches. Also write down the distance to the bottom microphone.

MATH 101
Sound travels on the average of .7 milliseconds per foot. Multiply the distance of the overhead to each drum times .7 and write down the number (in milliseconds) next to each track. If you mix your top and bottom mics together when you cut tracks, then only write down the top mic calculation. If you print the bottom mic to a separate track, calculate for the bottom as well.

STAGE 3
After you have finished, set the track delay of each drum to match the number (in Milliseconds) that you calculated from the overheads for the two toms. Then pan both overheads center and bring up the kick drum.

You may add some low end EQ to the overheads to hear the kick drum better. Blend the kick drum mic and the overheads so that they are about equal and turn up the volume. Using your ear start delaying the kick drum until you feel as much punch as possible. On my kits, the kick drum delay falls anywhere from about 5 to 7 milliseconds. I also make the drummer do a series of each drum hit slow and steady at the beginning of the tape so I can 1) make digital samples later for the drum library, 2) after looping the sound with the autolocator, do drum checks for eq and other settings before mixing and 3) set the track delay of each sound for maximum sonic intensity. Sometime I use a dual trace Oscilloscope and feed one of the overheads and the kick drum in the scope and set track delay so that the is no phase delay between the two. Ultimately your ear must
be the final judge. So if you don’t have a scope, don’t grope. The Alesis BRC is good for track delay because the resolution to the millisecond is very high. (EX: kick drum delay = 5.2 ms.)

After you have set the kick drum delay, Move all other non-drum tracks to match the kick delay so that the grove of the song does not suffer due to slight time shifts in the drum sounds.

Next do the same process to other drums IE: hi-hat and or toms between the overheads. When you are all finished pan the drums to exact original location they were in the stereo field (IE: as if you were sitting behind the kit playing). you may opt for an audience perspective but that is a taste preference.

WHY DID I DO THIS? I am trying to create (as close to) zero delay between the time the drums are hit and the time each mic reproduces them. I want the overheads "to hear" the tom hit at the same moment the tom mic "hears" it. When done properly it will increase the low end punch and attack on the overall kit. This is definitely not purist stuff. But if you are looking to make your drums sound monster, this trick may help you find the answer.

Mike Giampa
847-487-9893
Mikeg@dls.net

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