Mic Pre's on OH or Kick & Snare...

[drumsound]

I'm knda the odd man out here (and in most of life...). I like the whole drum-set done with the same mic pres.

True, but let's say you only had only two channels of your Neotek and two channels of something lesser. How would you set it up?

That's part of how I know I prefer using the same pre. I did a live record where I used outboard or the BD/SD and a small A&H took care of the rest of the drums (and bass and gtrs). I don't think anyone would thunk anything was 'wrong' or funky but I fought to make the blend right.

[tactics]

If it's me, and it's the best sounding room in my house...overheads. In the mix, I like to build drums around the overhead image. Just seems more natural to my ears, even for thick rock mixes.

Yep, i'm with you there, with drums being an acoustic instrument also.Personally i have UA 2108/AKG 451's on OH's, i've tried others and always go back to this combination.

[Dave-H]

I guess my questionis how are the mic pres in your board?? I like to use my ART Prochannel on snare & bass drum-then run the overheads through the pres on my Peavey board with a low cut on on them. I play with my cymbals pretty high & mainly just worry about cymbals in the overheads.
I like to use a MXL 603 for overheads & & also on my hats.
All in all I want to get 3 more Pro channels to end up with 4. I just like what I get sound wise with them. Some don't care for the EQ section but after fiddeling around with mine I really have a feel for it.I think most of their stuff is great but there is a fine line between great & sux & you just have to really hunt for that great sound. To me that is the fun of recording.
Guess I kind of rambeled on but I am a beliver in Art's equipment.
Dave Huffman

[punkrockdude]

Though my some what limited knowledge and being on an amateur level, I know that a Shure SM57 into a Electro-Harmonix 12AY7 preamp does wonders. I think I now know what people mean about some mics acting totally different with certain mic preamps. I have to get myself at least one or two more of these preamps but it is too bad they are not in rack units like many others also have complained about.

Compared to my Groove Tubes The Brick preamp, the 12AY7 preamp doesn't seem to tame the higher frequencies that I find great with the SM57 that doesn't have alot of high frequency clarity anyway and it makes the SM57 sound more forward/close. Though, the The Brick is amazing for taming the LCD Studio Project C1's loads of high end shine.

Best Regards

[Rodgre]

Rodgre - What're you using for pre's/mic's on your overheads?

I usually switch around between Stapes if I'm not tracking other loud instruments at the same time and Audio Technica ATM33a for overheads through a Great River MP2 NV. Sometimes I insert a compressor on the Great River (either a pair of DBX 161s or an RNC) but sometimes not.

I find that the Great River lets me run the preamp gain hotter for a bigger overall drum sound, while I can dial the output level down on the way to the recorder. A lot of things have to be in place in order to get a killer drum sound, most importantly a great drummer playing a great drum part on a great sounding kit, but I at least know that if I can get a solid overall drum mix happening in my overheads, I won't have to mess around too much at mix time.

I also tend to use a separate mono drum overhead, often a ribbon of some sort, which often becomes the "glue" that puts the kit into focus.

Like I said, over the years, I have relied more and more on more "global" drum mics, like overheads and distant room mics to give me the meat of the sound. I'm sure I'll cycle back to other techniques eventually. That's just my thing lately.

Roger