Week 10 -- AA

This weeks class was drum recording. *(1) The class was long, but really interesting as always, and I learnt lots about the drums I didn't know. Not just in a recording sense, but the tuning and placement and things.

I'm very proud of myself this week actually, because I did everything myself. No-one was there to help me at all, which is a first. So everything, from the set up (although my drummer helped with that) to the recording to the pack up I did. I wasn't sure I could actually do it all, but I worked it out fairly easily and quickly. Always good.

And the sounds are :

FIRST RECORDING

For this one I used 2 KM 84's (Possibly not the right mic, definitely KM something, but I didn't write it down, and now I've forgotten... sorry) as overheads, and a Shure 56 (?) Beta just outside the hole of the bass drum. I quite like the sound, but some sounds are being drowned out, and the toms aren't as prominent as some drummers would probably like. Also, this technique has the problem of being un changeable as we discussed in class. If the drummer wants more toms, then it's too bad. It's set as it is.

SECOND RECORDING

The second recording is a lot the same as the first, except I used U 87's (?) as room mics instead of the overheads, and the bass mic was inside the kick. It's not too bad, same problems as the other one. Except I clearly needed to turn it up more, because it's really quiet, and there are hardly any cymbals. Not a choice I'd use often, I prefer the other to be honest.

I also forgot to take photos, so here is a picture of the ProTools window, as helpful as that may or may not be.







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*(1) Steve Fieldhouse, Audio Arts Lecture, Monday 14th May, 2007