Change in How I Mic up the Drums

Well we changed how we mic the drums here at DSC.  Some of this was an experiment by me and some out of necessity because of our new favorite kick drum, lovingly called The Donkey. It is an old marching bass drum that our drummer Ian added some hoops and refinished it.  It sounds awesome. We have used it live and in our new recording space.  Let us start with my experiment. I changed how I mic the cymbals.  I was using SM81's overhead but decided to use a method I have used in the past for our VBS music when we want to blend the band into the set design a little more.  I replaced the 81's with Audio Technica Pro 35's placed under each cymbal. You can see them above in the picture from Easter. The other change was adding a Audix I5 to the beater side of the kick drum.  Usually I would put an Beta 91 inside but we don't have a hole in the kick drum head so that was not an option. The Beta 52 is still used on the outside for the bottom. I added the I5 to add a little attack to the tone. We hang it off the floor tom with an LP Claw, and what a great sound we get from this combo.

Clarus Pics

Easter Photos

Encouragement

Encouragement is not heard a lot around a sound booth. If some in is talking to you it usually is someone needing a monitor adjustment, someone telling you how the mix should be, or just telling you it is way to loud or to soft.  Today I had a great compliment.  My friend Matt was running 1st service today, he always does a great job, but a man came up and complimented him on the mix.  He said that we have the vocals very clear, you can understand the words.  He mentioned he had visited a couple of times and was impressed each time with this.  He said that we do get about as loud as he likes, no more please, but it was not just noise.  Two things I got out of this. First, Matt does a really good job 1st service. Second it goes off of how we build our mixes at DSC. I try and get the vocals right. In church we need to understand what the leaders are singing.  This does not mean you need to sacrifice a good bass or electric guitar tone, but places the priority first and everything else in the mix is there to support it.

Where Should the Mix Start From?

I have been reading a lot about building a mix lately. Most have been stating that you start with Kick and Bass Drum because they form the foundation of the Mix.  I do agree that the foundation is in the kick and bass combo. I build a mix a little different. Though some have discounted this statement from Robert Scovill I agree with it especially for Worship, "They won't go home humming the kick drum." Even Big Mick from Metallica starts with the vocals.  I build vocals down.  The vocals have to be out over the top of the mix, yet they are not usually the weakest on the stage. I dial in a good vocal blend and start bringing in guitars and keys. I then will bring bass in drums in.  I can still get a tight sound between the two and get a nice foundation. I don't think it is wrong to start with kick and bass many great mixers do, but I as they say there are many ways to get to the same end.