Room mic technique

O))) · Post by **O)))** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:59 am

I was visiting a studio recently and the engineer was doing something with the room mic that sounded great.

He was compressing the room mic heavily and gating it, keying the gate from the snare. It sounded great, very explosive.

But do you think gating it during mixing would be very different? I'd be much more comfortable with that...

Anyone ever do this with their room mic(s)?

the finger genius · Post by **the finger genius** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:25 pm

Hmm, he was doing this during tracking? And you're asking if you could the same result during mixdown?

If that is your question, I don't see any reason why you couldn't get the same results during mixdown....

O))) · Post by **O)))** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:13 pm

Oh, right, I failed to clarify that. He was gating during tracking.

greatmagnet · Post by **greatmagnet** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:39 pm

So, another dumb question: what you are saying is that he was triggering the gate on the room mic using the snare...meaning that whenever the snare was hit the gate opened up and allowed the heavily-compressed room mic to be heard? So that essentially the compressed room mic added bombast to the snare sound but nothing else?

I think that's whatcha mean but I just wanted to make sure you weren't saying the exact opposite, which would keep the room mic from being heard WHEN the snare is hit...a totally different sound but maybe also damn interesting! Not sure if you'd USE a gate for that though...maybe a compressor set for "ducking" instead?

roygbiv · Post by **roygbiv** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:40 pm

I vaguely recall reading that the snare-triggered-room mic was used on the Clash's "Give 'em enough rope" album (somebody correct me if I'm wrong).

Always wanted to try that, as that is one of my favorite albums ever. Seems like a cool idea.

O))) · Post by **O)))** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:47 pm

The gate was opened with the snare.

AstroDan · Post by **AstroDan** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:45 pm

I believe what you're describing is the method Hugh Padgham originated for Peter Gabriel's 3rd album. Those very famous gated drums.

roygbiv · Post by **roygbiv** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:05 pm

I'm not sure if they did this before Peter Gabriel, but the Clash with Bill Price definitely did this with one of their early albums (London Calling , NOT Give them Enough Rope, but still a great album!).

Quote from the Article:

"On the song "London Calling," Price recorded the stereo ambience mix on tracks 17 and 18 (see track sheet) and recorded the same ambience mix to tracks 7 and 8, but gated through Kepex gates and triggered by the snare mic."

See the 6th paragraph down from the top:

http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_london_calling_clash/

firesine · Post by **firesine** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:49 am

Well I don't know on which album this technique was originated, or by whom, but yes you can do it in the mixdown. Smash the room mic, gate it hard and set the snare track as the key input to the gate, sit back and smile. I do this all the time and sadly i don't know what my snare sound would be without it.

p.s. mono room mics rule!

Dave Stanley · Post by **Dave Stanley** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:42 am

I'm unclear on how to do this in the box.

I cant get my head around how to set the smashed/gate room track to be triggered by a snare track AUX send.
Any tips on how to do this ITB?

thieves · Post by **thieves** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:03 pm

yeah, this is a great effect, especially since i'm much more of a fan of getting a lot of the snare sound from the room rather than the actual snare mic.

firesine · Post by **firesine** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:05 pm

stonewall40 wrote:I'm unclear on how to do this in the box.

I cant get my head around how to set the smashed/gate room track to be triggered by a snare track AUX send.
Any tips on how to do this ITB?

ITB there is really no need to use an AUX at all, at least with the gates on the DXB and in Logic8.
What you need to find is the Key Input or Sidechain Input on your gate, they are the same thing as far as I know.
Then, in the drop-down menu for this input, you simply select the Snare Track, ie. track 2 on my normal sessions, and you have done it. Simple!

firesine · Post by **firesine** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:07 pm

thieves wrote:yeah, this is a great effect, especially since i'm much more of a fan of getting a lot of the snare sound from the room rather than the actual snare mic.

Roger that!

Dave Stanley · Post by **Dave Stanley** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:54 pm

firesine wrote:
stonewall40 wrote:I'm unclear on how to do this in the box.

I cant get my head around how to set the smashed/gate room track to be triggered by a snare track AUX send.
Any tips on how to do this ITB?
ITB there is really no need to use an AUX at all, at least with the gates on the DXB and in Logic8.
What you need to find is the Key Input or Sidechain Input on your gate, they are the same thing as far as I know.
Then, in the drop-down menu for this input, you simply select the Snare Track, ie. track 2 on my normal sessions, and you have done it. Simple!

Thanks so much!

KilledByAlbany · Post by **KilledByAlbany** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:51 pm

Great technique. I've started going crazy with this in my spare time, keying several SETS of room mics at various points from the kit from the close snare track, which is essentially strangled by a heavy comp with a moderate attack.

The results are often mixed, but always interesting.

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