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  #1  
Old 10-05-2000, 05:19 PM
music music is offline
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Default drum signal path options/opinions

I am currently researching different signal path options for drums into pro tools system.

Do you take fav mic and run into distressor (or fav compressor/limiter) into PT?
Or do you run mic into board then PT?
Or do you run mic into fav mic pre then into PT?
Or do you run into fav mic pre then into compressor then into PT?

I know different drums will be treated differently. Maybe snare does not need distressor. Or maybe cyms need no compression etc. There's also grouping and sending to bus for dynamics then to PT.

Many options, just curious what others are doing for different set-ups. Any tips would be great.

Thanks,
Keith

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  #2  
Old 10-05-2000, 06:55 PM
Ang1970 Ang1970 is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

It depends not only on the drum, but several other factors including but not limited to: the room, drummer, music style, and most importantly the song. Ask yourself "what does the song want me to do?" and "does the song like what I'm doing right now?" Maybe the song wants you to put a distressor on the snare? Maybe the cymbals want to be sqashed to an inch of their life? Every case is different.

If you're tracking a mess of songs in a row, and don't have the luxury to be able to mess about with the mics/pre's/comp's etc, just try to get everything as clean as possible. I try to aviod any compression at all at that stage, unless I know for sure it won't get in the way when mixdown comes.

And again, the situation is going to dictate what you use for mics/pre's/adc's. Start with everything in the console. If the console pre doesn't cut the mustard on a particular mic, use an outboard. If the console sounds fine, but you have some nice outboard choices, pick out the mics that need the most help and try it out. If the outboards don't improve the situation, go back to the console. Everything depends on everything else.



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Angelo Quaglia
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  #3  
Old 10-05-2000, 10:48 PM
music music is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Great answer Angelo,

Of course you are correct in the first part of your post. I was looking for info. on what people are tracking with minus the obvoius room drummer etc. I fortunately have a great drummer,mics and room so I am mainly interested in signal paths only.

Thanks for the comments,

Keith
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  #4  
Old 10-06-2000, 03:08 AM
Jules Jules is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Kick n snare outboard pre/eq then Tube Tech compressor on each, just a bit....

room mic's, outboard pre/eq then distressors on "nuke" or Joe Meek

Overheads (ribbon mic's best IMHO for digital) outboard pre/eq then SSL compressor (or Alan Smart)

Toms / hi hat / ride uncompressed.

Thats my usual; set up, I've found getting happy with Overheads and finding good sub sonic phat 'bass drum air puf" the hardest in this new media (digital) to achive, I'm getting there...I feel the need to sort some things out on drums 'old skool' style before they 'hit' PT.
None of the plug in compressors have impressed me that much on drums, however, the Fairchilde Bomb Factory one (and their Pultec EQ) are better than 'not bad' finaly, (I tried them at the AES a few weeks back). Someone IMO needs to emulate the famous SSL compression sound., a DBX 160 emutator also would not go amis.

Jules


[This message has been edited by Jules (edited October 06, 2000).]
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  #5  
Old 10-06-2000, 10:17 AM
music music is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Tube Techs, mmmm sounds tasty.
I tried the BF 1176 and thought it was pretty sweet but I have to agree not great. As far as a plug goes I would say very good.

Thanks alot,

Keith
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  #6  
Old 10-06-2000, 01:33 PM
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Great advice cash,

Which limiters do you use?
What mics?
Just curious as to what others are using.

Thanks,

Keith (esteemed poster I guess) ha!
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  #7  
Old 10-07-2000, 12:17 AM
CCash CCash is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

I can't be classed with our above esteemed posters, but as a minumum, I always run limiters when recording drums, to get tighter levels and avoid any ugly overs. But not changing the sound in any way.
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  #8  
Old 10-07-2000, 10:55 PM
CCash CCash is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Me? Junk, lots of junk. My personal setup is pretty much just low-end gear. I have some Ashley and Behringer compressor/limiters. For drums I like the Composer because it has a Peak Limiter, in addition to the full compressor/limiter section. You just set a threshlod with it. It's sort of brick-wall, but will definitely distort if you hit it too hard. It's not super-fast (good for program material - that is - if one were to do that), so I use the comp/limiter section as a limiter with the attack at almost 0, just to push down a couple dB. Then the Peak Limiter will grab anything that would send me over (my stuff is all 16 bit). I have it doing almost nothing while we're getting sounds, cause invariably the drummer will be playing louder when we record. They're OK for this purpose I think. But a distressor sure wuld be nice.

The mics I use for drums are pretty typical- A D112 on the bass drum, Senheiser 421 or some Peavey N-dyme mics (the horror) that look pretty impressive and sound true on toms. SM 57(s) for the snare. Was using CAD's for the overheads, but just got some KSM32's. Haven't mic'd a kit yet with them but so far they're pretty great. ?E tu?

Curt
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  #9  
Old 10-08-2000, 06:22 AM
Jules Jules is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Several Co's make 8ch mic pre's Aphex make one with mic pre's (remote controlable via midi and with limiters built in option) they output ADAT light pipe, so with just 2 x adat bridge I/o you could get a rock band into PT with them...(but flat)
Cashmeister, many purists would fight you about your saying limiters exist that don't effect the sound in any way, but not me!

Jules
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  #10  
Old 10-08-2000, 01:22 PM
CCash CCash is offline
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Default Re: drum signal path options/opinions

Oh no, I wasn't saying that Jules. I don't think I'm even qualified to say that. I just meant that I'm not going for a "sound" like I would at mixdown... you know, the sound you probably get from your Tube-Techs (but not quite the same)!
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