http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/tags/drums Bongiovi Acoustics DPS Community en-US Fri, 18 May 2012 23:14:36 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/search.php http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/unique-guitars#post-2134 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:46:09 +0000 Joey Butera 2134@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>Rick, if you are going to advertise in our forum please return the favor and tweet or post about us. Thanks! </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/unique-guitars#post-2120 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:10:16 +0000 rickpage 2120@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p><a href="http://www.georgesmusic.com">Unique Guitars &amp; More</a></p> <p>Georges Music has the largest selection of drums, guitars, amps, and wind instruments at the lowest prices. Come visit us online today. </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-242 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:09:19 +0000 Ryan Copt 242@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>I couldn't agree with you more. Believe me... I adore my SM7, and you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers. I would, and have, used it with great results on softer sources (IE: soft voice and acoustic guitar). As you explained for me (since I failed to do so adequately), I was speaking from the standpoint of having many options. </p> <p>As far as multiple mics for guitar cabs. I will generally set up a variety to choose from, but not actually record them down. They are just to see what I like the sound of best for that specific situation. I use both close and distant mics, and end up using both techniques about an equal amount. I really just meant that I prefer the SM7 in particular when it's close up on the cab. That said, I can honestly say that my good 'ole SM7 wins out about 80% of the time. Believe me... that's saying a lot considering the cost of some of its competitors.</p> <p>It seems that we are pretty much in total agreement on all points... I'm just too scatter-brained to articulate it as well as you ;). </p> <p>The SM7 is definitely one of those "when in doubt" microphones and on my shortlist of absolute necessities. </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-239 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:32:56 +0000 Rob Roy 239@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>Hey Ryan, I agree with the thought on the delicate voices, however my post was focused toward the general public who may not have access to a more expensive large diaphragm condenser mic and is on a budget and moreover doesn't have access to a professional recording environment like we do. In a bedroom, garage, or even warehouse project type studio, noise or hiss is something that will be ever present regardless. Trust me I have had countless studio setups in EVERY imaginable setting over the years and hiss is something you "deal with" before you have the resources to "overcome." I have used this mic for delicate voices with success many times. Granted having a $1000 mic or better would have improved the quality, but without the extra $$$ to spend on such a mic, I'm giving the community a edge on how to make do with pro like results. I still stand behind this mic. With my years of experience, I have turned chicken shit into chicken salad with this mic. A little creativity when needed works wonders. This includes delicate where a delicate, robust vocal is needed! I've seen "The Saint" use this with huge success even on a soft female vocal.<br /> As far as the multiple mic-ing on guitar cabs, distance is key depending on what you are looking for. For an example, a loud electric rhythm guitar the mic may be 1" to 3" from the speaker and for the lead guitar track, I may pull the mic 6 feet away for effect. One thing Tony always preached to his young engineers is to COMMIT! Using multiple mics is good to have options but be careful, too many options can get a young engineer into trouble when mixing. It's easier for someone to add rather than mute. The result can be too much to "fit" into a solid mix.<br /> So still I back up the SM7... Even I use a variety of mics (I happen to have that luxury) there are a few that if I "had" to use only one mic, the SM7 woulf be at the top on my list. </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-238 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:55:58 +0000 Ryan Copt 238@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>"Do you close mic, distant mic or both for electric guitar using the SM7? "</p> <p>Typically, I'll close-mic the cab with the SM7. It is usually anywhere from right on the grill to about 2" back depending on what's sounding best. I find that it tends to lose definition when pulled back to any substantial distance. </p> <p>I rarely put less than two mics on a guitar cab to begin with. Even if I don't end up using all of them I set up, it gives me choices. I may push up the first one and think it sounds perfect, only to push up the next one and decide that it's even more perfect! </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-237 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:50:11 +0000 Ryan Copt 237@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>Great post about a great microphone. I just have a few points I'd like to add. This is a fantastic microphone choice for aggressive vocals, as you stated. I don't much care for it most of the time on more delicate vocals though. It tends to have a higher noise floor than a good LDC (large-diaphragm condenser). So, if you have to crank the preamp loud, you usually end up with more "hiss" than you want. It also tends to be very "focused" sounding. This makes it excel at helping a voice cut through a rather dense mix, but conversely makes the voice sound a bit small for, say, a soft ballad where a very robust vocal sound may be desired. Your mileage may vary, however, and that's the truly beautiful thing about this job. What works for one voice may be horrible for another. What sounds dreadful on one person's guitar, may sound beautiful on another's. Etc.</p> <p>There is no "one mic" that is perfect for everything, but the SM7 is definitely one of those work-horses that is usable just about anywhere. It's always one of the (if not the) first choice(s) on anything that's really aggressive. It just loves being on various pieces of a drum kit, distorted guitars, bass cabinets, and powerful voices. </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-235 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:23:59 +0000 Joseph Beaty 235@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>Do you close mic, distant mic or both for electric guitar using the SM7? </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/studio-equipment-audio-gear#post-232 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 04:23:34 +0000 Rob Roy 232@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>As previously mentioned, we will be posting about some of the equipment and tools we use in the studio. We also welcome the community to feel free to ask our engineers about equipment they have questions about. We will do our best to give our thoughts based on the information we have access to.</p> <p>That said... Monkey Paul had written about one of his sessions where he used the beloved Shure SM7 microphone on an aggressive vocal performance. My comment on his post was that I would give a little insight on the SM7 as a studio secret.</p> <p>Well, lets begin on describing what exactly the Shure SM7 is. This is a dynamic microphone that was mainly introduced as a broadcast microphone. (If you have ever watched The Howard Stern radio show on television, Robin Quivers used one of these mics.) Anyway, this mic I believe uses the same dynamic (cardioid) capsule as the famous Shure SM57. However, due to differences in the design of the microphone housing and some other differences in the design, they have similar flavors yet drastically different sounds.</p> <p>This could be considered one of those "must have" mics in your arsenal. Especially at an average price of under $400, it is a very affordable mic with a wide array of uses. Here are some of the practical uses:</p> <p>Snare Drum: When mic-ing a snare drum, where an SM57 is an old favorite, the SM7 shines well. We usually remove the "foam wind screen" from the mics "head." This is more so for the visual part as it makes it look a little more unobtrusive and gives more room for positioning between the high-hat &amp; the toms. Run through a good EQ and you've got magic. (Hopefully the drummer has a little magic in the way he hits the snare and then you have a hit on your hands.)</p> <p>Electric Guitar: As some of you may be noticing, where ever the trusty SM57 is an old standard, the SM7 becomes a breath of fresh air. This mic can handle high SPL's. (sound pressure levels - or in plain talk: the SM7 likes loud!) The results are tighter, with more definition in both the high and low frequencies then normally found in an SM57.</p> <p>Now for the secret: The SM7 makes a great vocal microphone!!!! Most people tend to go right to a large diaphragm condenser microphone for vocals. Im some cases, I would go to the same, but for an affordable microphone that works well on a wide variety of voices, this mic rocks! Especially on male vocals and on less than perfect singers. I personally did a shoot out on a particular vocal session. I used a wide variety of mics of wide price ranges. I compared the SM7 to a vintage Neumann U67 (on ebay used for $7000), a Telefunken ELAM 251 (used value of these said to reach $25 to 30 grand), and an AKG 414 (about $800 new). The Shure SM7 really fit this singer's voice. (See some of those tracks at: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/indium)" rel="nofollow">http://www.myspace.com/indium)</a> </p> <p>This mic is fairly forgiving. Meaning, that if a singer may not have the best quality of voice (pitch, timing, etc.) this mic overlooks some of those details and for the lack of a better description, blends the vocal and smooths out the discrepancies in the vocal performance. In the mic shoot-out I mentioned above, it just sounded the best. This mic is also very user friendly when adding EQ and Compression. You'd be surprised how many commercially available records are out there with the SM7 used on the lead voice.</p> <p>So not to forget, the SM7 is a great go-to mic for all sorts of applications including instruments, amplifiers, percussion, voice and more. We like this mic... Alot! Okay, this may not be the mic to use on everything recorded onto a single recording, but is a contender for lots of applications and big bang for the buck!</p> <p>Now, where did I learn about the magic of the SM7? I have had the pleasure and honor to be in the studio with Ron Saint Germain. He has worked on, produced, and/or engineered on the likes of Sound Garden, Creed, 311, Tool, Jimi Hendrix, and tons more iconic artists. Many of the tricks of the trade I have graciously learned while watching Ron at work in the studio. His use of the SM7 totally made me see microphone choice in a whole new light.</p> <p>Please feel free to comment and give your thoughts... </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/avalon-session-log-032510#post-217 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 22:08:10 +0000 Joseph Beaty 217@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>Great post man! Cannot wait to see some pics and video on this. </p> http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/topic/avalon-session-log-032510#post-216 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:46:13 +0000 Ryan Copt 216@http://www.dpsinsider.com/forums/ <p>So I showed up to the studio early on Tuesday to a monstrosity of a drumset. Two enourmous 24" x 36" kick drums with (sharp) spikes sticking out of them and a matching 14" x 8.5" snare with the same spikes! This is the signature set for Jason Mooney (Acrophet, Rob Anthony, Sacred Reich). It was made by Devil's Workshop drums: <a href="http://www.devilsworkshopdrums.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.devilsworkshopdrums.com</a>. Jason came in to record this kit and get some video of him playing it for Devil's Workshop to display in their booth at the upcoming NAMM show. Along with the custom pieces were four toms: 8 and 10 inch racks and 14 and 16 inch floors, 8 cymbals of various sizes and types, and hi-hats.</p> <p>Knowing that this session was all about showcasing not only Jason's talent, but also the custom kicks and snare, my workflow was a bit different from the norm. Usually I will mic up the entire kit then get sounds, swap mics, and play with placement with the drummer rocking out on the whole drumset. This day, I decided to focus on the kicks alone, the snare alone, then mic up the rest and tweak from there.</p> <p>First on the "to-do" list was getting sounds on the kick drums. I began with my typical, go-to microphone combination for heavy-metal kick drums. A Heil PR-40 inside of the drum about 6-7 inches from the beater head, and a BLUE Bluebird angled slightly off-axis about 7-8 inches from the resonant head. Upon listening to the inside mic, I quickly realized this was not going to work. The drums were so large inside, that the sound resonated like crazy. (Most metal drummers come in with a fairly dead kick drum to make for easy triggering and/or to provide a very short, articulated sound.... But, this was a stadium kit... big, huge, bombastic and loud... of course the inside mic wasn't going to work [cue me smacking myself in the head]) However, the Bluebird on the outside worked exactly as I always expect it to. A nice, fat, extended bottom end. Add a touch of EQ to remove some knock in the low mids and a little resonance in the high-mids... BEAUTIFUL! It sounded very tight and well defined.... threatening to turn my NS-10s (studio monitors) into confetti. Those drums have some SERIOUS power!!!! So, I had my low end "BOOM" taken care of, but this is metal music. High frequency articulation is a necessity, so I placed one of my trusty Rode NT-5s to look right at where the beater was striking the drum (about 5" inches away). I headed back into the control room to take a listen. Again, I used a hint of EQ to make the attack more aggressive on the beater mic and to remove a bit of mud from the low-mid frequencies. The combination was perfect. A massive sound to complement and capture a massive drum. I matched the mic choices, placement and general EQ for the second kick drum and put a nice big check mark next to task #1.</p> <p>Next was the snare. My first choice was a Heil PR-20 a couple inches above the rim looking at where the stick strikes the skin. It sounded nice, but Jason and I both felt that it was lacking a bit of power. Second choice was the trusty Shure SM7 positioned in the same way. It took a bit of fancy footwork to get it positioned (this is a rather large microphone). Back to the other side of the glass to take a listen. KAPOW! That did the trick. I patched the Motown EQ (you'll hear a lot about these guys from everyone posting in both of our studio forums, I'm certain) into the insert and cranked the 320hz and 5Khz to accent the nice solid thud and give a good snap. Normally, I would pair a bottom snare mic, but this proved to be completely unnecessary. The SM7 captured every bit of the drum with ease.</p> <p>Finally, I mic'd the rest of the kit up. I went with Sennheiser MD504s for the two rack toms. They sound very similar to an MD421 with a slightly tighter bottom and a more articulated attack. I tend to like them quite a bit on smaller toms. CAD M179s took care of floor tom duties. I like to set the continuously variable polar pattern on these to somewhere between Cardiod and Hyper-Cardiod. It gives a great punch, well defined attack, and does a great job of eliminating bleed from cymbals. Next I brought out my trusty AKG C414s (far and away the most used mics in my collection). One of them was positioned over each side of the set with a Cardiod pickup pattern to take care of added tone on the drums and to pick up all of the cymbals. Jason rocked out for a bit while I ran back and forth to make minor adjustments to my microphone placement, and before long everything was sounding great. I had planned to set up a pair of Earthworks TC30Ks as room mics and possibly an additional spot mic for the hi-hats. These proved unecessary after hearing everything else working together.</p> <p>Paul Kronk and Michael Hoffman, in the meantime, had gotten the lighting package and the camera set up for video. Jason played several times through some select Slayer songs allowing Paul to film him from several angles. He then did some freestyle jamming.</p> <p>This session was a ton of fun. Once everything is mixed and the video is edited, I'll make sure to get links to where it can be viewed/heard. These drums sound absolutely insane. The kick drums are the loudest, most aggressive things I've ever heard.</p> <p>P.S. - Rob Summers just came in and put 2 pennies on my desk to make sure that his 2¢ made it into this........ *shakes head* </p>