Too loud for camera, what can I do?

JLoveDrums94

Senior Member
I wanna try and make some drum cover videos here, but everytime I try to record something with my Zoom Q3 Camera, my drums end up being too loud for the mic to handle. I have a limited amount of space in this new room. I´ve been constantly moving things around to put more space between the camera and the drums, but it seems like no matter what I do, the drums still overpower the mic.
I think it might also have something to do with the drums I play. I wanna say that 4/5 times, the snare drum hits the mic fine, without clipping. But I have these huge 15¨&16¨ LP Tito Puente Thunder Timbales... and well, rim shots on those are vicious on the mic.
The bigger the drum, the bigger the sound, I guess. What can I do? (That wont cost me an arm and a leg.)
 
IIRC there are gain settings on the zoom? Maybe you should set them to low?
 
Usually the 'low' setting works for me. If you set it to auto, then your levels will be up and down as the machine compensates for the sudden loudness and then sudden quiet, but I suppose you should try it since the low isn't working out. Very strange! I'm wondering how small your room is?
 
Usually the 'low' setting works for me. If you set it to auto, then your levels will be up and down as the machine compensates for the sudden loudness and then sudden quiet, but I suppose you should try it since the low isn't working out. Very strange! I'm wondering how small your room is?

Well, I think it´s pretty big... but my drums also share space with the bed, some dressers, DJ speakers, the box where we keep the mixer and amps for said speakers... also a miny-motorcycle, a rocking-chair, some DJ lights and foggers that dont work, and someother useless junk. Technically, this room isnt even mine, and a lot of this stuff isnt mine either. The onlything that´s mine, are my drums. This room belonged to my dad before me; he´s not here right now, but his room is always free for me to occupy while I´m here. How much distance do you normally put between the camera and your set?
 
Well, I think it´s pretty big... but my drums also share space with the bed, some dressers, DJ speakers, the box where we keep the mixer and amps for said speakers... also a miny-motorcycle, a rocking-chair, some DJ lights and foggers that dont work, and someother useless junk. Technically, this room isnt even mine, and a lot of this stuff isnt mine either. The onlything that´s mine, are my drums. This room belonged to my dad before me; he´s not here right now, but his room is always free for me to occupy while I´m here. How much distance do you normally put between the camera and your set?

I usually get my camera about four to five feet away from the kit. and running on "low" input. It yields pretty good results.
 
Apart from using the low setting, not sure what else you can do (using auto and high definitely will not work though). Maybe run the mics through a mixer and turn the volume down from there??
 
Apart from using the low setting, not sure what else you can do (using auto and high definitely will not work though). Maybe run the mics through a mixer and turn the volume down from there??

I've thought about trying this, but how would the sound get to the camera if they are run through a mixer first?
 
I've thought about trying this, but how would the sound get to the camera if they are run through a mixer first?

I´ve done that before, but I think what you´d have to do is record the audio with the mics and mixer, then you´d have to have a camera recording the video at the same time... then use a computer software to cross the video and the audio together. This will never work for me here, because I dont have the computer nor the software to be doing that, not here, at least. Any other ideas?
 
Hahaha, please dont tell me this is where the argument ends. Because playing more quietly, isnt really an option for me. There has to be some more options?
 
Hahaha, please dont tell me this is where the argument ends. Because playing more quietly, isnt really an option for me. There has to be some more options?

How is that not an option? What about smaller sticks?

If you're too loud for a camera, you're probably too loud for band mates.

Maybe learn to play with a little more dynamics. By the way, I hope you are at least wearing some sort of ear protection.
 
Could there be perhaps something wrong with the camera? I can play pretty loud with the camera four-to-five feet in front of my kit with it set on LOW and it doesn't seem to be an problem. Set up your camera and play soft to medium, and if it's still too much for the camera, then there must be something wrong with the camera.
 
How is that not an option? What about smaller sticks?

If you're too loud for a camera, you're probably too loud for band mates.

Maybe learn to play with a little more dynamics. By the way, I hope you are at least wearing some sort of ear protection.

Hmm... that would make sence. Before I started playing here, I was using 5A sticks, and now, I dont even know what size are the sticks. They´re huge. about 16¨ long, but they´re so thick. I think they kinda resemble the kind of sticks that are used in marching bands. I know you´re probably thinking ¨Why not change your sticks?¨ but these kinds of sticks are really the only kind of sticks they sell here. They say they´re especially for style style of music I play. And it must be true, because everyone else that I see playing this style of music here, they use the same kind of sticks. So, yeah, I guess using smaller sticks would help.
Well, I didnt always have hearing protection. I´ve been drumming here since January, but I just recently started wearing ear plugs about 2 months ago. They´re pretty nice actually. I dont know why I didnt think about it sooner.
 
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