Recording drums - advice please!

sraphael

Junior Member
Hey guys. I would appreciate any advice. I'm doing some home recording and am trying to figure out how to get a good sound. I have both an electronic and acoustic drum set. My acoustic set and/or my microphones/miking technique just isn't sounding great. So, I'm thinking about the following three options:

1. Roland V-drums + superior drummer/EZ drummer/BFD/etc.
2. Acoustic drums + drumagog.
3. Some combination of those two, likely Vdrums with acoustic cymbals.

What do you guys think of these, as far as sound quality, ease of use, etc? So far, recording the V drums has been frustrating. Especially the hi-hat just doesn't respond the way I would like it to. I don't know if that's just my ignorance or a limiting factor of electronic drums. But I also know that MIDI will give me better editing capabilities after the fact.

I'd appreciate it if anyone could share any advice or experiences that might help. Thanks so much!
 
Drumagog vs Midi

Let me simplify the question to see if it grabs anyone more.

If you had the choice between recording acoustic drums with drumagog or Edrums with Midi and VST, which would you choose and why?
 
I would help you if I could....sorry to see your question go unanswered.

My only experience is recording acoustics, and I am just learning to that. I have a Roland kit but never looked into midi.

There is more than enough info on the internet to get started doing either so you may need to just keep hammering google until you find what you need.

Hopefully someone will be along shortly to answer your questions.

Good luck....
 
Re: Drumagog vs Midi

Let me simplify the question to see if it grabs anyone more.

If you had the choice between recording acoustic drums with drumagog or Edrums with Midi and VST, which would you choose and why?

I'd go with the eDrums. Drumagog is for 'fixing up' acoustic in post production. It makes a very poor substitute VST for any part that has moderately complex dynamics, which is why the hat almost never sounds right.

I'd also take some time to sort your acoustic drum sound out.
 
Re: Drumagog vs Midi

Thanks so much for the input everyone!

I'd go with the eDrums. Drumagog is for 'fixing up' acoustic in post production. It makes a very poor substitute VST for any part that has moderately complex dynamics, which is why the hat almost never sounds right.

I'd also take some time to sort your acoustic drum sound out.

Of course, the hi-hat doesn't seem to sound right on edrums either...at least, not when I play it. Not sure if I just dont know how to use it, if I need an upgrade, or if that's just the nature of the beast. Hmm,..
 
I'd say get your technique together playing acoustics. Recording is, in its simplest form, just the way to get the sound you're hearing onto your recording medium (whatever that is).
 
I recorded with edrums for years and now record only acoustic.

I had a roland TD5 and over the years I've had to use that due to neighbours. As software improved - battery, ezdrummer, groove agent, superior drummer etc, it made it sound better but it still sounded crap. Even though I didn't quantize or edit as much as I should've, either way round it didn't sound right. Newer kits are of course much better but if it's just to put parts down, you don't need one.

I now just program loops in on a keyboard as a guide track, then when the instruments are added, I record the acoustic drums.

It sounds much better.

I don't like drumagog because you're replacing almost everything so why record in the first place? If you only need to replace one or two hits then you can easily do it manually.

Edrums are a means to an end, if you can afford to record acoustic, do it, just use the electronics to guide you along the way.

My friend records on garage band using all the digital instruments and whilst it sounds perfect and clear, it is completely dead, lifeless and without dynamics
 
I have to agree with JohnoWorld.

Honestly, if you want to record electronic drums, then just program them.


Like everything, these things require a bit of practice and experience:

- Developing a good studio sound on a drum kit
- Microphone setup technique
- Mixing
- Processing

The reality is that with correct mic placement and good technique behind the kit, you should be able to use minimal processing to get a good natural sound out of the acoustic kit - a few tweaks on EQ here and there, and I use a combination gate/compressor with some added gain to make the drums a bit louder without killing the dynamic levels. And that's basically it.

If you're relying on samples, then you've got three things to fix: Your playing technique, your tuning, and your mic selection/placement.

Sampled drums will never sound as good as an acoustic drum kit. Despite the fact that so much modern music relies on overly processed sounds and samples, I still think older music sounds better, breathes, and has a better energy about it.
 
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