Recording Drums with Guitar Hero Mics LOL!

[Sleep]

So you guys are all professionals it seems like. You guys have fancy equipment and stuff and that's how you get such great sounding songs.

But I don't, and I am okay with it sounding crappy.

 

Surprisingly, Guitar Hero USB microphones aren't THAT bad. I am a perfectionist when it comes to sound quality and the quality of these GH Mics aren't really that bad.

 

This is what I have:

 

3 Guitar Hero Microphones

1 Samson C01U USB Studio Condenser Mic <- This guy is a man.

 

People talk about Condenser Mics and Dynamic Mics and I have no idea what the difference is.

Are the GH mics dynamic or condenser you think?

And what drums should be recorded with Dynamic mics and Condenser Mics?

I heard somebody say Condensers are good for cymbals. If this is true, would using the Condenser for cymbals in my situation be the best? It is a $100 mic, maybe it would be better using it on a different/more important drum since the only other mics I have are cheap 20$ mics.

 

Idk.

 

Which microphones should I use for each drum?

I only have three. Also, how close should I put the mics to each drum/ what angle/whatever.

I'm totally new to this.

 

 

 

AND I KNOW, this will not sound AMAZING, I understand but it doens't have to be.

[Blakexy1125]

Lol about fancy equipment all i have is a guitar keyboard and a flip video camera i wish i had a mic to hear myself!

[splintercell37]

I am fascinated by this idea. Do it!

 

Don't think "I'm okay with it sounding crappy", think "I'm gonna do the best I can with what I've got!" :D The round is won or lost long before you step into the ring!

 

Disclaimer: I am an enthusiast, not a professional. :)

 

They're likely to be dynamic microphones as condensers usually require phantom power, which is 48V, and USB's are 5V if I'm not mistaken. If there's a battery in the microphone it might be a condenser. The difference is really in how it accepts the sound and what you use it for. Dynamic mics are often used on drum kits as they have a low acceptance of background sound, condensers on cymbals as you say, and ribbons for room ambience. No good engineer will tell you that this is a hard and fast rule. If using a ribbon as an overhead (a mic mounted on a boom pole over the drum kit) sounds like nothing else, then follow your instinct! (But i highly doubt it will!)

 

Here's how mikes are usually set up - you have them mounted on snares and toms (or on boom poles if you're picky), one pointed at your bass drum, on stands pointed at the cymbals/hihats, and then overheads to capture the...well, overhead sound? :D as well as some "room" mics to blend the whole mix together.

 

Long story short? You can't do this with four mics!!! (Unless you have one bass drum, one tom, one snare and one cymbal! :D)

 

Don't try and be the professionals if you're not the professionals! This was the first thing I had to learn. I can't be them, I'm not them - at least not yet. And I'm not going to become them by trying to be like them - I'm only going to be tryhards of them. I know that sounds confusing, but it's years of epiphanies summarised in a couple of sentences. The best thing to do is to be the best you can with what you've got.

 

The first thing you need to consider: do you have a stand for each microphone? Can these stands reach over the drum kit? If not, you may need to get a few friends around to hold each microphone! If you offer pizza, they won't mind ;)

 

Don't forget that you will need four USB ports and a computer fast enough to record all four without problems.

 

Microphone angles: at about 45 degrees from the surface of what you're pointing at, and never towards another microphone. Keep in mind the 3:1 rule: "When using two microphones to record a source, normally you will get the best results by placing the second mic three times the distance from the first mic that the first mic is from the source. Confusing? An example: If the first mic is 1 foot from a source, the second mic should be placed 3 feet from the second mic. Using the 3:1 Rule will minimize phase problems created by the time delay between mics."

 

As for distance, you'll be able to change the volume (commonly referred to as level) of it later, so just don some headphones and move the mic closer and further away until you find the point at which it sounds the best, and doesn't "clip" (when the sound distorts from being too loud). mark that down and move to the next mic.

 

The samson's are nice, but you sound like you have a lot of confidence in the GH mics. :) I've never used them. It's up to you what will sound best where. Try out your own combinations.

 

At a guess, I would recommend one mic capturing the bass drum, the samson as a "room" mic (so, place it somewhere where it captures the fullest sound of the drum kit like you would hear if you were sitting in the audience at the perfect seat), and the other two mics pointed at 45 degree angles from each other towards the kit from the sides, either next to the drummer or the other way around - many arguments about which is better are only concluded by listening!

 

_______SAMSON_|____________

____________________________

_______MIC_\_______ /_MIC ___

BASSDRUM_MIC__|____________

___________DRUMKIT_________

 

This could sound TERRIBLE! But it's a starting point, and if it doesn't work, then figure out what's not working and then fix it until you find something that does work.

 

Hope my blabbering helps!