Tired of drums sounding big, wide and boring. Turn back the clock with us as we re-create drum sounds from the '50s, '60s and '70s.
Tutorial: Michael Carpenter
The diversity of our auditory preferences always amazes me. Sometimes we want to hear the highest of high-fidelity sounds. Hairs standing on end, ‘voice of the gods' sort of stuff. So sonically pure that our brains immediately start humming in tune with the sensation of ‘good sound'. Then there'll be other times, when we hear a sound that is ‘effective', but hardly what you would call hi-fi. It just sounds cool.
Often we hear old records and intuitively pick up on the ‘retro' vibe. A big part of that is the way sounds were coloured — whether on purpose or not — by the recording process. Yet artists are often really thinking about drum sounds when they come into my studio requesting a retro approach. So let's get retrospective and see if we can deconstruct, reconstruct and bring out the colour of drum sounds from bygone eras.
RETRO PERSPECTIVE
We've become so used to big, glossy contemporary drum production, that we tend to define ‘retro' drums as being the antithesis to that; unpolished, or raw. Certainly, compared to the massaged, layered and controlled techniques of state-of-the-art modern records, this would be true. But when people come into the studio asking for a vintage approach, what they're really asking for is something beyond simply lo-fi; they're looking for character. It's the same with photography. The first thing we do after snapping an image on our phones is apply a filter to it. The quality of the original image is usually good enough in itself, but a filter ‘colours' that moment. Whether we fade it a tad, or add a vignette, it says something about us.
In a musical sense, the artist or producer is asserting a sense of personality on their production, because it says something more definitive about their creation than just a ‘nice' sound.
As much as we'd all like to just fast forward to the bit where I tell you how to get that magical Mick Fleetwood sound. For us to approach this effectively we need some basic info on how the originals were recorded and what we're listening for.
As a producer who is also a drummer, I've been a long-time student of drum sounds and record production. I've found that the more I know about the original approaches, the more authentic my results are when emulating them in a contemporary setting. It's beyond the scope of this article to give you a complete history of Western Pop recording techniques, but
I will break it down into a few very general time frames and fill in a few gaps about the general recording approaches for each era.
STEP 1: THE RIGHT KIT
The most important parts of achieving any of these drum sounds are right at the source. The drum kit needs to be setup and tuned for the style, and the player needs to understand the concept of playing to the mics. For anyone trying to get in the ballpark for the first time, it's worth spending time looking at images on the web of drummers (and their kits) of the era you're interested in.
For sounds up to the late '60s, it was at most a simple four-piece kit, usually with two full heads on the bass drum and almost no dampening, except some felt strips. The snares were almost always five-inches deep, and there were usually only two large crash/ride cymbals that weren't hit very hard. If you're using a kit with a big fat deep snare, a bass drum with a big pillow on it, five toms and six cymbals, you're making your job a lot more difficult. And if your drummer is a basher, smashing out quarter notes on the hi-hats, with a weak snare backbeat and a zillion drum fills, you're going to struggle to get an authentic Motown sound.
The point is that appropriateness will yield plenty of sonic options from any mic combination you use. And don't be scared of how odd your drums might sound in the room. We have a bunch of drums that we keep tuned a particular way (including a kid's toy kit) because we know under a certain combination of mics, they'll sound a particular shade of incredible.
Throughout this article, there are some specific modifications to both the kit and to the drummer's approach that will guide you towards the right combinations of approaches. Still, your best asset will always be your ears. Learn to listen through those old records for your best chance of figuring out why they've become so iconic.
In the '50s, the idea was to position the single overhead mic so it captured the whole kit.
THE EARLY ROCK 'N' ROLL ERA
Key listening tracks:
Lucille - Little Richard
Shake - Sam Cooke
Twist & Shout - The Beatles
It's good to listen to the stereo version of Twist & Shout first, because one channel is actually the close mics, and the other channel is just the vocal spill. Only then listen to the mono version, and you'll hear how much excitement is coming from the sound of the spill into the vocal mics.
The first stop in our way-back machine is just prior to 1960. Looking around the studio at that time, the first thing you would have noticed is that all the musicians were in the live room. No one was lounging in the control room with a DI'd guitar or MIDI keyboard. The complete ensemble was picked up live off the studio floor, balanced in the control room and printed to tape (usually single track, rarely two- or three-track multitrack) as one performance — no overdubs. There may have been only one mic on the whole kit, possibly two.
A big contributor to the drum sound on big band, jazz, and early rock 'n' roll records, was spill. A lot of what you're hearing is the band bleeding into each other's mics, particularly into the vocalist's.
Of course, there were no headphones at this point, so players were balancing their performances purely by the sound in the recording space. Crucially, the drummer had to learn to play to what the microphones were hearing — all of them, not just those over the drums. Whether that meant playing quietly, putting a wallet on the snare, or not hitting the crash cymbals. It was a case of deferring to the engineer's instruction, which the good musicians quickly adapted to. The engineer would say something to the effect of, ‘if you play too hard, and hit the ride cymbal in the chorus, you'll ruin the whole mix.' Critical point number one: play to the mics.
Equally important in the '50s is spill. In the distance, about eight metres away from this drummer's view, you can catch one of the room mics that's emulating the spill from a trumpeter, vocalist, you name it.
Here's another ‘single mic-only' drum position, effective for that ‘Motown' sound…
…and one more mono position — from the top this time — with that floppy wallet snare dampening.
The next thing to remember, is that because of spill, room sound was inescapable in these early recordings. Mics were pointed in all sorts of directions around these reasonably large rooms. So drums were bleeding into the piano mics at the other end of the room, the upright bass mic, the vocalist, the string and horn sections. I've read accounts from engineers at the time where they didn't use the mic that was on the drums because the drums were loud enough in every other mic when balancing down to mono.
Finally, it's important to take into account the quality of the recording equipment at the time. It's sometimes difficult to get contemporary recordists to comprehend that, once upon a time, recording engineers had very little equipment. And what they had wasn't always particularly versatile.
In the '50s, they were dealing with lovely new Neumanns (regularly the valve varieties), reasonably recent ribbon mics (15-20 years in use), and the introduction of dynamic mics. But the consoles were often purpose-built four or eight channel valve consoles, with either no EQ, or very simple bass and treble controls. More advanced EQ functions, like a sweepable mid frequency, were outboard pieces that were patched in when needed, and there were only a few modified radio-style compressors used to keep volume levels in check going to tape.
Engineers were also at the mercy of all of the analogue tape process's artefacts; alignment issues, tape hiss, as well as overloading the tape machine's circuitry and the tape itself.
The expectation was that the sounds would be right in the room, then the mics would pick the sound up and send it through the console as transparently as all those highly-coloured components would allow. The hope was that at the end of the day, playback off the tape would resemble something close to the event. In a nutshell, nothing near the fidelity of a contemporary recording system.
HOW TO GET THAT LATE '50s SOUND:
Apart from making sure we use the absolute right kit, see sidebar Step 1: The Right Kit, some techniques to get close to this sound would include:
Don't use many mics on the drums themselves, perhaps only one over the whole kit.
Remember, at this early stage of drum recording, no one considered the drums as individual elements — kick, snare, toms, etc. One mic was placed in a central position to pick up the sound of the whole kit. Ribbon mics were great for this, as the weight from the bottom end of the kit was emphasised, and the duller top end helped tame the cymbals. Listen for a mic position that gives you a balance of the whole kit.
Then scatter a number of mics of different varieties around the room, pointed in different directions; away from the kit at a distance, into a corner, aimed at the glass on your window, or pointing down at the floor. Imagine there's an ensemble coming into your room, and you're putting one mic up for each instrument. You may use a ribbon mic for where the horns would be. A condenser for the rear of the upright piano. Maybe a dynamic where the singer would be.
The idea here is to simulate spill — open mics around the room picking up the sound of the room, but not in a ‘drum-conscious' way. So experiment with these and see which ones give you the greatest sense of ‘drums in a room'.
Get the drummer to play at the volume he'd need to play if he had a live singer in the room with no foldback. Tell him to back off on the fills and the cymbals, and make it all about the groove.
When listening back to the various mics, only listen in mono, perhaps putting a high-pass filter at 100Hz and a low pass at 8-10kHz on every mic. Don't be scared to submix all the tracks to a mono auxiliary and treat the sound with light compression or even a saturation/distortion type plug in. Balance all the mics up until you get a sound that can be described as ‘character-filled'.
The early '60s added another dynamic kick mic to go with the overhead mic position for a bit more bottom end. It was a closer sound than the previous era, but as you can see here, not too close.
EARLY '60s INITIAL DAYS OF MULTITRACK
Key listening tracks:
Mr Tambourine Man - The Byrds
Heatwave - Martha and The Vandelles
The '60s ushered in some pretty significant changes. Though Les Paul and others experimented with sound-on-sound recording in the early '50s (essentially, playing one mono tape into a mixer, and recording another part at the same time to another mono machine), true overdubbing facilities only started to appear on three-track machines in the very late '50s.
The initial benefit was that orchestras could be overdubbed. Tracking sessions soon involved having the ensemble balanced onto one track while the singer, also performing live, was recorded to a second track. The orchestra would then be overdubbed onto the third track — a massive change at the time. As the first four-track machines started to hit in the early '60s, this practice remained intact. Ensembles, including singers, still performed live in one space, and occasionally the additional tracks were used for ‘sweetening' — adding horns, strings or backing vocals. The pre-'60s practice of self-balancing remained.
The first major change ushered in by the rock 'n' roll era was that singers could monitor themselves through ‘monitor speakers' to compete with the louder guitar amps that had also popped up. Drummers started to play harder and used more cymbals to mirror the live experience, prompting engineers to begin looking at new ways to convey this live experience to tape. Basically, everyone got louder.
This manifested in some small but important changes. Large diaphragm condenser mics were replaced as the main ‘drum kit' mic with either a ribbon mic to tame the cymbals, or a dynamic mic to protect the more fragile/expensive mics from flailing drum sticks. A kick drum mic became compulsory too. Though in this early stage the front head was still on the drum, and engineers, concerned with the amount of air pumped out of this bigger drum, placed the mic no closer than a metre from the head.
In the control room, things changed as well. The valve consoles had to be upgraded to handle the four-track recorder functionality. In many situations, a compressor was placed between the bussed output of the console and the tape machine, to protect the tape from overloading. It meant the live tracks were submixed down to one channel, sent through a compressor and then to one track of the tape, embedding those sounds and balance into the mix forever. So a lot of time was taken to get the balances and interaction between the elements and the compressor right before they hit tape.
HOW TO GET THAT EARLY '60s SOUND
Let the drums ring; take out or reduce the dampening in the kick drum, and use a full head on the front of the drum. Tune the drums up a bit higher than you'd expect, particularly the toms. Open up the hi-hats a bit more.
Play a bit harder.
Use two dynamic mics for the kit — one out the front of the kick and one at cymbal height pointing towards the centre of the kit, so that the cymbals are pointing at the side of the mic. Move your cymbal setup around so you only have a crash and a ride.
With this setup, you are again listening for drum kit coverage. By this point, engineers were looking for a little more ‘focus' out of the mics, hence the addition of a dedicated kick mic.
With these two mics, you're getting a better representation of the close quality of the drums.
Place another mic or two — condensers or ribbons — a few metres back from the kit, and point them in the opposite direction.
With these mics, you're strictly imitating the sound of open vocal mics. Pointed away from the drum kit, they'll pick up drum spill and ambience. By themselves they should sound unfocused and ambient. Mixed in with the above close mics, you get that authentic crunch.
Do the high/low-pass trick mentioned above. Submix all the channels into a single auxiliary through a compressor with a moderate attack, release and threshold so the kit glues together rather than pumps. Readjust the balance once you hear the effects of the compressor, as this process will (and should) change your balance.
MID '60s TO EARLY '70s IT'S ALL ABOUT COVERAGE
Key listening tracks:
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Hello Goodbye - The Beatles
California Dreaming - The Mamas & the Papas
As pop music was taking over the world in the mid '60s, there were also massive changes in recording technology. For one, by the end of the decade, stereo pipped mono for pop's preferred format. As pop records and productions grew in creativity, so did the compulsion to innovate.
Producers started to use the extra room on four-track machines for more content. As they discovered reduction mixes (bouncing down a mix of four tracks to another four-track machine to free up more tracks for overdubbing) there became more demand for a clearer focus on the drums. Also, vocalists didn't necessarily track live with the ensemble anymore, which reduced or almost completely eradicated the ambience and spill which had been such a big part of a record's sound up to that point.
Combined with slightly more detailed EQ on consoles, more input channels and routing options, different compressor choices (the earliest 1176 incarnations arrived around this point, as well as The Beatles' heavy use of Fairchild compression), and advances in tape formulations and machines, records just started to sound better. They became much more tonally focused, with a greater sense of the close mics rather than the ambience of single-track ensemble recording. Later, eight-track recording unshackled the engineers, often resulting in a whole tape track set aside for drums!
Add a few more mics for that late '60s sound, and chuck a wallet full of cash on the snare for dampening.
Engineers still shied away from moving the mics as close as we do today — there were all sorts of concerns about overloading mics and consoles by getting too close to the drums. But they did start adding additional mics. Initially it was to represent the kit more faithfully, but became more creative as the decade rolled on. For example, engineers started to put mics somewhere in the vicinity of the toms. Often underneath the rack tom, and another somewhere vaguely over the floor tom. If they felt they weren't getting the presence of the snare, they'd put a mic underneath the snare and add treble to increase the snap of the drum as it headed into its submix, before compression and prior to hitting tape.
Engineers blatantly broke the previous generation's rules of miking up, and just put mics in key places, leading to plenty of experimentation with positioning. Remember, there was possibly a condenser on the overhead and snare bottom, but in every other position a standard dynamic mic was typically used.
As things developed, there were inevitably questions about drum setups and parts. Engineers were always looking for ways to get the maximum sound with the smallest amount of mics, which meant positioning became critical. Engineers experimented with pointing mics at the fulcrum of the kit between the snare and the kick drum, or at the side of the snare underneath the hi-hat, or indeed, a single mic on the floor pointing vaguely at the kick drum and bottom of the snare, often requiring the rack tom and all cymbals be removed.
Drummers were starting to control their drums a lot more — taking the front head off the bass drum and putting a pillow or blanket against the single head for a more focused sound. Placing a wallet or something heavy on the snare to reduce the ringing of the drum. In the latter part of the '60s they even muffled the drums with tea towels or rags to totally control the sound.
In this vital and influential era, it was all about experimenting with both the drums and the techniques used to capture them. Yet undeniably, focus was in, and ambience was most definitely out.
HOW TO GET THAT MID TO LATE '60s DRUM SOUND:
Start using more mics closer to the kit, but not as close as you would for a contemporary kit. Think more about ‘coverage' of the drum sounds. Possibly start with a kick mic (dynamic, right in the drum) a snare bottom mic quite close to the bottom snares (a dynamic or pencil condenser) and a condenser as an overhead. Place dynamic mics underneath the rack tom by about 30cm, and above the floor tom by about the same distance and pointed more towards the snare.
Take off the front head of the bass drum and deaden the sound. Drop the tuning of the snare a little more, but deaden the snare with a wallet or a folded up cloth. Tighten up the snares underneath, and possibly use masking tape (don't use gaffer tape, it'll tear the bottom head) on them to make the sound of the drum resonance free, with a short sharp snap to it. Tune the toms a little deeper, with maximum resonance. Use smaller, more ‘standard' cymbal sizes.
Get your drummer to play at a moderate to quiet volume, laying off on the cymbals. For that Motown/Stax sound, don't be scared to remove all toms and crash/ride cymbals, and just focus on the groove, using only one or two mics in unusual places to capture the whole kit.
Avoid ambience mics completely, and focus more on the closer mics, even keeping the overhead mic moderately low in the overall mix.
Submix all tracks to a mono auxiliary. Insert a compressor plug-in with a faster attack and release, and higher ratio. Adjust the release so the kick drum is pumping against the cymbals. Rebalance the close mics so the kick and snare are upfront and clear and a little crunchy. Add an EQ after the compressor to accentuate the low bottom end, and possibly highlight the high mids (around 4-6kHz) while low pass filtering around 10kHz. Don't be scared to experiment with saturation/distortion plug-ins. Distortion and overdriving equipment was par for the course at this point, and is a key part of the sound of this era.
Mic positions for that tight close mic sound positioning, with kit dampeners in place.
THE '70s & BEYOND 24 TRACKS & TOTAL CONTROL
Key listening tracks:
Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac
Jive Talking - The Bee Gees
Close To You - The Carpenters
By the time we hit the '70s, very quickly 16-track, then 24-track became the norm. Recording as an ensemble was no longer needed, as each instrument had its own tracks. The drums were spread out over four to six tracks, allowing for more control in the mixing process. Compressing to tape became less critical. Studios that were once big, open recording spaces started to be partitioned off for a more controlled sound, allowing for increased creative options at mix time. Valve consoles were replaced with transistor-based versions, with greater EQ and routing flexibility, allowing the drums to be sculpted tonally. Drums were made tonally dead, with bottom heads starting to be taken off toms and mics put inside the drums, or gated heavily for greater separation. Drummers devised all kinds of ways to muffle, mute and control every ambience and resonance from the kit, including copious amounts of gaffer tape, or pieces of felt that flopped up as the drum was struck and rested back on the head. Drums were tuned deeper for a fatter tone. Small diaphragm condensers became the norm for overheads and hi hats, and producers were looking for a more hi-fi approach to drum recording. It was all about a controlled, focused, deep, percussive tone that screamed ‘high quality'. Ambience was generally a thing of the past.
HOW TO GET THAT '70s CLASSIC ROCK SOUND
The deader you can tune and mute your drums, the better. Use much smaller cymbals for punctuation rather than explosive accents. Even put some light tape on the ride cymbal to make it a nice dry percussive hit without much wash. Don't be scared to extend the hi-hat stand to its maximum height and drop the height of the snare to get as much separation as possible — or even move the hi-hat a bit further away from the snare. It may be less comfortable for the drummer, but will make the snare sound purer, and make it easier to work with.
Think massive drum kits — four or more toms were the rule rather than the exception. It wasn't unusual to see four mics close to the cymbals, submixed to a stereo pair; a mic on each tom, submixed to a stereo pair; plus a kick and snare track, sometimes with two mics on each submixed.
It's all about the close mics.
Once again, tell your drummer to play to the mics, which often means playing a bit quieter than normal. There are stories of legendary studio drummers who rarely played loudly, instead focusing on consistency of drum hits. Any sort of rimshots on the snare should be avoided — it's all about consistent hits in the centre of the head. The whole effect is a drier, completely focused and controllable tone at all times.
When mixing the sounds, it's all about clarity. Gate the snare and mute the silences on the toms. Sculpt the sounds of the kick and snare. Add high mids to the toms for extra definition. High-pass filter the cymbals and hi-hats aggressively, and keep them reasonably low in the mix. Insert a compressor on the kick and snare, and place one on a drum submix too, but with a low ratio and moderate attack/release. You're just using it to tighten up things rather than change the tone.
POST PRODUCTION
Occasionally you'll want to give contemporary-sounding kits or loops a retro overhaul. Here are a few simple tips to unsterilise your sounds and make them a bit more fun. When dealing with a kit's individual tracks, start by submixing them into a stereo or preferably mono submix and treating the drums as one instrument.
One of the first, most simple tools is EQ. A lot of vintage gear was relatively lo-fi in comparison to today's tools, so a few basic EQ tweaks can overhaul sounds completely. High- and low-pass filtering immediately reduces the fidelity. Finding the right gnarly frequency in the midrange, with a fairly wide Q, can give your tracks a certain ‘honk' synonymous with vintage tone. Experiment and play around, keeping in mind that a lot of these sounds weren't hi-fi to start with.
Next, apply compression. There were so many different levels of compression happening throughout the process. Preamps being pushed beyond their design. Compressors inserted into busses pre-tape. Tape compression itself was a big factor too, often squishing off the transients as records were tracked further into the red. So it's worth experimenting with lots of different ratios and attack/release times, as well as both compression and limiting. For the earlier stuff, you'll be looking at lower ratios, and longer attack and release times — you could use presets in your compressors similar to those you would use on a master bus.
For a mid '60s flavour, set much more aggressive attack and release times to pump the cymbals. This works a treat, especially in combination with a reasonably aggressive limiter to squish the transients. You'll hear a dramatic change to the sound of your tracks, but that's the idea.
For late '60s and '70s, return to more transparent compression to glue the tracks together. Lower ratios and moderate-fast attack and release settings will tighten things up without squishing the sound too much. A little limiting to flatten out the transients will be handy too.
Last but not least is distortion. Everything from tape saturation, to overdriving compressors, to vinyl plug-ins, to distortion pedals. There's a lot of distortion on these pre-'70s records, everything was being pushed too hard — mics, consoles and tape machines. If you listen to Motown records, for example, they're sublimely overdriven. Having a blend control can be handy to dial in just the right amount of grit. But don't be shy about it. This can be crucial for getting your grooves sounding spot on.
THE EXCEPTIONS
Of course, there are always exceptions to every genre. In the early '60s, Phil Spector took to drum recording with a '50s approach. In the '70s, drummers like John Bonham and Roger Taylor tuned their kits to sound like Big Band drummers of the '40s and '50s. Nevertheless this should give you a general guideline to the way engineers captured the drums over a critical period in pop history.
Essentially, when approaching retro drums, you have to break down your own preconceived ideas of how drums should be played and recorded. Once you do that, you can get really creative with the way your drum sounds present in your records. It may just be the thing that separates you from everyone else.
Showing posts with label sounds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sounds. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 December 2016
Tuesday, 13 December 2016
7 Quick Tips For Recording Great Amp Sounds
by Rich Tozzoli
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration.
Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up.
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration.
Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up.
Wednesday, 27 July 2016
Drum Techniques
Drums are probably the oldest musical instrument in existence, as well as being one of the most popular. Drums are also one of the most basic instruments, having evolved little in concept through the years: at their most basic, drums are anything you strike which makes a sound!
As simple as they are, drums can be difficult to master. The same can be said of properly recording drums. While most folks may recommend that you go to a 'real studio' to record drums, that isn't always a possibility. They will also tell you that drums are difficult to record properly, which is at least partly true. But it's also true that there's a lot you can do, even with a very limited setup - if you know some very basic techniques.
To introduce you to the world of drum recording at home, I've gathered some of my favorite tips and recording techniques in hopes of encouraging you to try your hand at recording some drums in your personal home studio. I'll cover a few different scenarios from the single microphone approach on up to the many options that become available to you when you have multiple microphones.
Drums in 'da House
There are many ways to approach recording drums besides the ‘mic everything that moves' approach, including many time honored 'minimalist' approaches. Sometimes all it takes is a well placed mic or two to capture a perfectly usable drum recording. Luckily, this 'minimal' approach works well in the home studio environment, especially considering the limited resources that are typically available.
It's worth mentioning that there are as many drum 'sounds' as there are musical styles. Certain drum sounds can require certain drums/heads and certain recording gear to accurately reproduce. Other drum sounds are easier to reproduce with limited resources, mainly because that's how they were produced in the first place. Try to keep your expectations within reason regarding the equipment and space you have available!
Issues to be Aware of:
First, let's cover some of the potential issues you may run into when bringing drums into your home studio:
The first issue is that drums (by design) make noise - LOUD noise. Some folks just don't like noise. This is usually the first hurdle to overcome when considering recording drums at home. The best advice may simply to be considerate of others and be prepared to work around their schedules. There is little you can do (outside of spending loads of cash) to totally isolate the drums from the outside world.
While it is unlikely, you may run into a situation where a noise from outside will intrude on your recording. Like already mentioned, there is little you can do about this other than work around the schedules of others. Most home recordists will likely have already run into these issues before, and have learned to work around them!
The second hurdle is usually not having enough microphones to 'do it right'. There are some time-tested ways to get great drum sounds using fewer mics, or even just one good mic.
Rather than looking at this as an obstacle to overcome, I prefer instead to call this the purist approach!
A possible third hurdle is the sound of the room you're recording in. It can be too small (or even too big), too live or too dead, too bright or too dark. Some of these issues can be dealt with by instrument placement or hanging packing blankets, some you try to avoid with close miking! Generally speaking, a smaller/deader/darker room will be easier to deal with than the opposite. The thing to understand here is that the room itself will almost always be a factor, since the farther you move a mic from the source of the sound, the more of the room sound you will pick up.
Finally, you should also be prepared to provide headphones (at least the drummer will want phones, but will often bring their own), and make sure you have all the cables you need and that they are long enough to reach where they have to reach.
Be Prepared
Options are good - multiple cymbal choices, a few different snares to choose from, or alternate drum heads or sticks/mallets, or even different mics are all good options to have on hand (but not absolutely essential).
Ask the drummer to bring a small rug to set the drums on (a common 'accessory'), and be prepared to provide one if they don't have one (assuming you don't already have carpet). Also consider having a few packing blankets on hand to temporarily tame any 'overly live' walls or other surfaces.
One thing before I forget - a drum kit is only as good as the drummer that is tuning and playing it. A drummer should have decent gear (no 'pitted' heads, unexpected rattles, or malfunctioning hardware please), the basic skills to tune the kit, good time/meter, and be able to hit the drums consistently. Many folks overlook this last quality, but the sound of a drum can change drastically with different stick position and velocity. The more consistent a drummer is (both with timing and with dynamics), the more 'solid' the sound will be in the end (and the better it will make you look as well!).
And finally, the actual drum part is important too - not every drummer will share your musical vision and it's up to you to keep the drum part 'musical' (whatever that means to you) and not too 'drummery' (overly busy and showing off). It may be helpful in some circumstances for you to program the drum part ahead of time (either alone or with the drummer) so that you have a reference point and are all on the same page. Let the drummer listen this track to prepare for the session, and let them know how strictly you'll need them to stick to the programmed part.
To Recap: Issues to address prior to a drum session:
Noise Issues
Space is the Place
If this is the first time you're recording drums in your space, you may hear things you never heard before. This is where the packing blankets can come in handy, especially if there is ringing (Flutter Echos) or if the space is just too bright or 'roomy' sounding. If you hear these things, try to cover any large flat spaces, especially glass or mirrors. As with every other aspect of recording, you will have to experiment a bit to see which locations help with your specific issues. You may be able to locate the obvious problems ahead of time by simply clapping (and listening) while walking around your studio space.
The physical placement of the kit in your space may be dictated by available space, but if you do have the option, try moving just the kick around and listen in the room to how it sounds. You will probably find that you prefer one location over another - I suggest choosing the position that produces the most low end, as this is the toughest frequency to add if not present in the original source. Also listen to the snare, but keep in mind you'll have to compromise in placement between the sound of all the drums in the room. You're looking for the place where the entire kit sounds its best. Don't forget to move yourself around with each new kick position. If you find a spot that sounds particularly good, put a mic there!
Once you settle on placement for the kit, let the drummer finish setting it up and fine tuning it before you begin to place microphones. You may have to guess at the placement at first, then tweak it by listening. When recording drums in the same room as your speakers, you can better judge the sound by recording the drums first and then listening to playback to make any decisions. Even when drums are in the next room, the "bleed" you hear through the wall, being mostly low end and coming from outside of the speakers, will give you a false sense of 'largeness'. So be prepared: the first 'playback' can often come as a bit of a disappointment! It may help to have a reference recording of drums that you like as a 'sonic comparison' to refer back to from time to time when getting initial drum sounds.
Now let's move on to discussing where to put the mics, once you get the drums all setup, tuned, and ready to rock. Now may be a good time to tell the drummer to get ready to play the same beat over and over for the foreseeable future!
If you only have one mic:
NOTE: Choosing the Microphone: Any microphone that is a good vocal mic will be a great place to start when miking the drum kit with a single mic.
There are not many options to consider when you only have one microphone to mic an entire drum kit - however, this can actually be a good thing! First off, you don't have to worry about mic selection as the decision has already been made for you. Second, there is no chance in the world for any phasing issues to be a factor! That leaves mic placement as the only concern, and that's where the fun begins.
Sometimes you have limitations in space that prevent certain mic positions (low ceilings, close walls), sometimes there may be one drum or cymbal in the kit that is louder or softer than the rest and may dictate mic position - you never know what you may run into. But if you can find the 'sweet spot', you'd be amazed at how good one mic can sound!
It's best to have a friend help with this next part, have them move the mic around the drum kit as the drummer plays a simple beat. Listen to how the 'perspective' changes. You can learn a lot about how a drum kit sounds (generally and specifically) by listening to a single microphone moving around a kit. You may have to record this first, and then listen on playback - if so, be sure to 'voice annotate' the movement, describing where the mic is as it's moved.
One mic moving from front to back of drum kit
The microphone, a Lawson L-47 (large diaphragm tube condenser) is about four feet off the ground. You can faintly hear me describe my position as I move the mic.
If I had to pick just one microphone position, I'd say my favorite single mic position is just over the drummer's right shoulder (and slightly to their right), pointing down at the kick beater area. Use the drummer's head to block the hi hat if it's too loud. Raise the mic higher if you have the space and want a more distant sound.
For an even more distant sound, position your single mic out in front of the kit and at waist high (to start). Moving the mic up and down can dramatically change the tone of the kit, helping you to find the spot with the best balance between drums and cymbals.
Further options with a single microphone:
Consider recording each drum separately (kick, then snare, then hi hat), one at a time. The "Every Breath You Take" approach. Or at least take samples of the each drum, and program patterns using these sounds.
In fact, if you take the time to bring drums into your home studio, you should at least record a few hits of each drum - you can cut the samples out later if time is a concern. No time like the present to start building or add to your personal drum sample library.
If you only have a few mics:
Two mics:
First Choice: Right Shoulder (RS) position, plus Kick (K) or possibly Snare (S)
Second Choice: Stereo Overheads
Second Choice: Kick, plus Stereo Overheads
Four mics:
Stereo Overheads plus K & S
With four mics you can have stereo overheads plus close mics (spot mics) on Kick and Snare. Having two mics for overheads doesn't mean they have to be exactly the same exact model microphone (but should be as similar as possible). With two mic for overheads, you have many choices of microphone configurations including A-B (spaced pair), X-Y (coincident), ORTF (near coincident), M-S (using one cardioid and one figure 8 mic), the Glyn Johns or "RecorderMan" approach, or you can even try a Blumlein Pair if you have two mics that can do a 'figure 8' pickup pattern.
Beyond Four Mics
Going beyond 4 or so mics means you will begin to mic toms or even hi hats or ride cymbals. You may also opt to record more distant 'room' mics if you have enough microphones, preamps, and inputs to your recorder. The sky's the limit, but don't be too concerned if you try a mic position that ends up being discarded in the end.
Further options with a single microphone:
Obviously, with only one or two microphones to cover an entire drum kit, you can't place the mics very close to any one drum. But when you have more mics at your disposal you may begin to use what are sometimes called 'spot mics', or more commonly 'close mics'.
NOTE: For drums, dynamic mics with cardioid or hyper-cardioid pickup patterns are preferred for close miking, while large and small diaphragm condensers are preferred for overhead and room mics.
With close mics on a drum kit, you are attempting to isolate each drum from the rest of the kit - this is not a precise science, as you will always have a bit of the other drums 'bleeding' into every other close mic. By positioning the mic close to the desired drum, and also paying attention to the pickup pattern of the mic you can achieve a workable amount of isolation.
When considering the position of a microphone, the most important aspect of close miking is the actual position of the mic's diaphragm in the 3D space. The second more important aspect is the pickup pattern of the mic, and how you are 'aiming' it. Most of the time, when considering close miking a drum kit, you are not only aiming the mic AT the desired source but also AWAY from all 'undesired' ones. Every directional mic has a 'null' point where it is the least sensitive, usually at the back of the mic. By aiming this 'null' point at the potential offenders you can reduce the level of the offending instruments. One common example is aiming the back of the snare mic at the hi hats to minimize the amount of hi hat bleed (a common problem with a close snare mic).
Kick Starters:
If there's a hole in the front head of the kick, placing the mic diaphragm just inside this hole is a great place to start. With the mic further inside the drum, you can sometimes find a 'punchier' position. With the mic outside the front head, you can get a bigger/fuller sound.
Snare Position:
The best place to start when miking a snare up close is a few inches above the drum head and just inside of the rim when viewed from above. I usually aim the mic down at the center of the drum, which also helps to aim the 'null' at the hi hat. But remember, it's the position of the diaphragm in the 3D space that contributes most to the sound of the snare when the mic is this close. Moving the entire mic up and down, or in and out will produce a more dramatic change than simply 'aiming' the mic differently.
Overhead Mic Options:
Overhead microphone ‘cluster' for comparing different positions/techniques
Probably the most common miking of overheads is a spaced pair of cardioid condenser mics facing down, and about 6-8 or more feet above the ground (2-4 feet above the drums and cymbals), and as wide as required for the kit (follow the 3:1 rule for better mono compatibility, see below). Also common are an ORTF or X-Y miking configuration, but we will demonstrate all the above approaches so you can hear the differences for yourself.
There are two different general approaches to overhead drum mics: capturing the entire kit or capturing just the cymbals. With the first approach, you go for the best overall drum sound/balance from the overheads. With the second, you only worry about capturing the cymbals and usually filter out much of the low frequencies. The following techniques can be applied to either approach, with varying degrees of success.
If you have fewer overall mics on a drum kit, you will most likely need to capture the entire kit with the overhead mics. In fact, it's often best to begin with just the overhead mics and get the best possible sound there first. Then you add the kick and snare 'close mics' to bring out the missing aspects (attack, closeness) to fill out the sound coming from the overheads. So with fewer total mics, the overhead mics become VERY important.
Here are the various overhead techniques we will explore, with a short description of the technique. Also listed is the gear used to record the examples of each technique. Where possible we used the type of microphone typically used for that miking technique.
X-Y, or Coincident Pair
With this approach you are placing two mics as close together as possible, but aimed at a 90° angle to each other. The mono compatibility is second to none, but the stereo image isn't that wide.
ORTF, or Near Coincident Pair
Rode NT-5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
ORTF allows you to combine the best of a spaced pair and an X-Y pair. You get decent mono compatibility, but a wider stereo image. Like X-Y, one advantage is that you can use a 'stereo bar' to mount both mics to the same stand. This saves space and makes setup a breeze as you can 'pre-configure' the mics on the stereo bar before you even put them on the stand.
Rode NT-5s mounted on the Stereo Bar” attachment, set to ORTF A-B, or Spaced Pair
This common miking approach can be use for mainly cymbals or the entire kit. Either way, you may want to be familiar with the 3:1 rule for multiple mics: for every "one" unit of distance from the sound source to the mic, the two mics should be three times this distance from each other. If the mics are one foot above the cymbals, they should be three feet from each other. The main reason for this 'rule' is to help with mono compatibility, so don't sweat it too much if you can't hit these numbers precisely. If you check for mono compatibility (assuming it's important in your work) and you don't hear a problem, you're fine! By the way, in our example the mics are about two feet from the cymbals, three feet from each other, and doesn't seem to be a problem.
Glyn Johns Approach
This is a four mic approach, which using a close mic for kick and snare, and two overheads in a 'non-standard' configuration. The first mic is centered directly over the snare, between three and four feet away. The second mic is aimed across the drums from the floor tom area, and must be exactly the same distance from the snare. Some folks pan the two overhead mics hard left/right, other suggest bringing the 'over snare' mic in half way (or even both mics in half way).
Recorderman Approach
Named after the screen name of the engineer who first suggested this approach, it is similar to the Glyn Johns approach in that you begin with a mic directly over the snare drums. But it diverges from that approach with the second overhead mic, placing it in the "Right Shoulder" position. This can also be considered an extension of the one mic 'over the right shoulder' approach. Fine tuning is achieved by measuring the distance from each mic to both kick and snare, and making each mic equal distance from each drum. This is easily accomplished by using a string, but difficult to describe in writing. For a further explanation of this technique, check out this YouTube video.
Blumlein Pair
Named after Alan Blumlein, a "Blumlein Pair" is configured using two 'figure 8' microphones at 90° to each other and as close together as possible. This approach sounds great for room mics, by the way.
Mid-Side
The Mid-Side technique is the most intriguing mic configuration in this group. In this approach, you use one cardioid (directional) mic and one 'figure 8' (bi-direction) mic for the recording. But you need to use an M-S 'decoder' to properly reproduce the stereo effect. The 'decoder' would allow you to control the level of the mid and the side microphone, allowing you to 'widen' the stereo image by adding more 'side' mic. This technique (along with X-Y and Blumlein) has great mono compatibility. This is because with M-S, to get mono you just drop the 'side' mic all together and you're left with a perfect single microphone recording in glorious mono.
The Session
I invited a few engineer friends to the Annex Studio for a 'drum day' to record the examples for this article. It's always more fun to do this stuff with some friends! It's a good idea to have someone move the mics while you listen - sometimes the mic doesn't end up in a position that 'looks right' (even though it may sound perfect!). We took the time to get each approach setup as precisely as possible, and recorded all of them in a single pass so they could be compared side by side.
The recording space is a large, irregularly shaped room, about 24 by 30 'ish feet with 9 foot ceilings. There are wood floors throughout (carpet under the drums) and we hung one large stage curtain to tame the room a bit for this recording. The overhead mics, for the most part, were about 6-7 feet above the floor (2-3 feet from the ceiling).
The Reason Song File
I've provided the Song File because it's easier to compare between the different miking positions when you can switch as a track plays. I've set it up so that there are "Blocks" with the title of each section. Just click on a block and hit "P" on the keyboard and that section will begin loop playback. As it is currently setup, you must mute and un-mute tracks in the sequencer - you could also do this in the SSL Mixer by un-muting all the sequencer tracks and using the Channel mutes instead.
Single Mic Sweep, front to back
The first track is a single microphone starting from in front of the kit, and slowly moving around to the back and ending up in the "Right Shoulder" position. Listen closely and you'll hear me describing my position as I move.
Compare Overhead Mic Positions
Next you will find a few bars of drums with close mics on Kick and Snare, and the following overhead tracks: X-Y, ORTF, A-B, RecorderMan, Glyn Johns, Blumlein. Playing this clip allows you to explore the different miking techniques, and allow blending of the close mics at will. All the "stereo" overhead tracks are designed to be heard one at a time, although the mics are all in phase so they certainly could be used in combination with each other if you're feeling creative. But the main purpose of this clip is to allow you to hear the difference between the various miking techniques presented.
Moved the Royers to a Room Mic Position
The third clip is a similar drum pattern, with the Royer ribbon microphones (Blumlein Pair) moved to 15 feet in front of the drums. This is our typical 'room mic' position and mic choice, and is the only difference between the previous clip and this clip. In my opinion, the sound of this miking technique combined with the 'color' of a ribbon mic makes the perfect 'room' sound. For a room mic to work, the room must sound great, of course. But also it has to be more diffused and a bit 'out of focus' compared to the close mics, which produces a similar effect as the 'blurry' background of a photo. As in the photo example, having a blurry background can help to put more focus on the foreground (close mics).
Fun with Mid-Side - Adjust M-S in Rack
Finally we have a Mid-Side recording (plus the Kick and Snare close mics) to play with. We didn't have enough mics to include it in the first round, but wanted to present it as an additional track. In addition to drum overheads, the Mid-Side approach also works well with room mics, because you can increase or reduce 'width' after the recording. I've inserted an M-S decoder on the Insert for this channel in the mixer, and by going to 'rack view' you can use the M-S combi to adjust the balance between the Mid and the Sides.
The Microphones
X-Y, ORTF, RecorderMan: Rode NT5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
A-B: AKG c3000, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
Blumlein: Royer 122 ribbon mics, Focusrite mic pre
Glyn Johns, Mid-Side: Lawson L-47s, API mic pres
The Drums
Additional Thoughts
There are always other ways to record drums. Here are a few slightly out-of-the-box approaches for your consideration.
The "Every Breath You Take" Approach:
You don't necessarily need to record the entire kit at once - this can help if you only have one mic. Things to plan for: the drummer must know about this in advance. It's not as easy as you would think to only play one instrument at a time! This approach can work especially well if you're building up a rhythm track, much like you'd program a track with a drum machine. Start with the kick, then add snare, then hi hat. Move on to the next beat. Then for fun you can us one of the 'One Mic' approaches.
The Quiet Approach...shhhhh:
Sometimes in the studio, less actually IS more! Case in point, recording drums that are lightly tapped can sometimes produce huge sounds when played back at loud levels. This approach will work best if you can record one drum at a time, and will certainly help with neighbor issues as well! You can also apply this technique to sampling as well. Consistency is the key when playing softly - sampling can help if you can't play softly at a consistent level.
Sampling, Why Not!?: Sometimes you don't have all the ingredients for a full drum session. Don't overlook sampling as a way to get around some of these issues - and why not do it anyway! Don't forget to record multiple hits at multiple levels, even if all you need at first is one good single sample - these additional samples may come in handy later, and you never know when you'll have the drums all tuned and setup again (and it only takes a few minutes)!
Percussion
The 'shaker' family of percussion can be recorded with any mic, depending on the sound you're going for. As a starting point, any mic that's good on vocals or acoustic guitar will work fine for the 'lighter' percussion like shakers and bells etc. For hand drums like Djembes and Dumbeks, or Congas and Bongos, you can approach them like kicks/snares/toms. A good dynamic mic on the top head, and sometimes (for Djembes in particular) a good kick drum mic on the bottom. Watch for clipping - these drums can be VERY dynamic!
By Giles Reaves
As simple as they are, drums can be difficult to master. The same can be said of properly recording drums. While most folks may recommend that you go to a 'real studio' to record drums, that isn't always a possibility. They will also tell you that drums are difficult to record properly, which is at least partly true. But it's also true that there's a lot you can do, even with a very limited setup - if you know some very basic techniques.
To introduce you to the world of drum recording at home, I've gathered some of my favorite tips and recording techniques in hopes of encouraging you to try your hand at recording some drums in your personal home studio. I'll cover a few different scenarios from the single microphone approach on up to the many options that become available to you when you have multiple microphones.
Drums in 'da House
There are many ways to approach recording drums besides the ‘mic everything that moves' approach, including many time honored 'minimalist' approaches. Sometimes all it takes is a well placed mic or two to capture a perfectly usable drum recording. Luckily, this 'minimal' approach works well in the home studio environment, especially considering the limited resources that are typically available.
It's worth mentioning that there are as many drum 'sounds' as there are musical styles. Certain drum sounds can require certain drums/heads and certain recording gear to accurately reproduce. Other drum sounds are easier to reproduce with limited resources, mainly because that's how they were produced in the first place. Try to keep your expectations within reason regarding the equipment and space you have available!
Issues to be Aware of:
First, let's cover some of the potential issues you may run into when bringing drums into your home studio:
The first issue is that drums (by design) make noise - LOUD noise. Some folks just don't like noise. This is usually the first hurdle to overcome when considering recording drums at home. The best advice may simply to be considerate of others and be prepared to work around their schedules. There is little you can do (outside of spending loads of cash) to totally isolate the drums from the outside world.
While it is unlikely, you may run into a situation where a noise from outside will intrude on your recording. Like already mentioned, there is little you can do about this other than work around the schedules of others. Most home recordists will likely have already run into these issues before, and have learned to work around them!
The second hurdle is usually not having enough microphones to 'do it right'. There are some time-tested ways to get great drum sounds using fewer mics, or even just one good mic.
Rather than looking at this as an obstacle to overcome, I prefer instead to call this the purist approach!
A possible third hurdle is the sound of the room you're recording in. It can be too small (or even too big), too live or too dead, too bright or too dark. Some of these issues can be dealt with by instrument placement or hanging packing blankets, some you try to avoid with close miking! Generally speaking, a smaller/deader/darker room will be easier to deal with than the opposite. The thing to understand here is that the room itself will almost always be a factor, since the farther you move a mic from the source of the sound, the more of the room sound you will pick up.
Finally, you should also be prepared to provide headphones (at least the drummer will want phones, but will often bring their own), and make sure you have all the cables you need and that they are long enough to reach where they have to reach.
Be Prepared
Options are good - multiple cymbal choices, a few different snares to choose from, or alternate drum heads or sticks/mallets, or even different mics are all good options to have on hand (but not absolutely essential).
Ask the drummer to bring a small rug to set the drums on (a common 'accessory'), and be prepared to provide one if they don't have one (assuming you don't already have carpet). Also consider having a few packing blankets on hand to temporarily tame any 'overly live' walls or other surfaces.
One thing before I forget - a drum kit is only as good as the drummer that is tuning and playing it. A drummer should have decent gear (no 'pitted' heads, unexpected rattles, or malfunctioning hardware please), the basic skills to tune the kit, good time/meter, and be able to hit the drums consistently. Many folks overlook this last quality, but the sound of a drum can change drastically with different stick position and velocity. The more consistent a drummer is (both with timing and with dynamics), the more 'solid' the sound will be in the end (and the better it will make you look as well!).
And finally, the actual drum part is important too - not every drummer will share your musical vision and it's up to you to keep the drum part 'musical' (whatever that means to you) and not too 'drummery' (overly busy and showing off). It may be helpful in some circumstances for you to program the drum part ahead of time (either alone or with the drummer) so that you have a reference point and are all on the same page. Let the drummer listen this track to prepare for the session, and let them know how strictly you'll need them to stick to the programmed part.
To Recap: Issues to address prior to a drum session:
Noise Issues
Space is the Place
If this is the first time you're recording drums in your space, you may hear things you never heard before. This is where the packing blankets can come in handy, especially if there is ringing (Flutter Echos) or if the space is just too bright or 'roomy' sounding. If you hear these things, try to cover any large flat spaces, especially glass or mirrors. As with every other aspect of recording, you will have to experiment a bit to see which locations help with your specific issues. You may be able to locate the obvious problems ahead of time by simply clapping (and listening) while walking around your studio space.
The physical placement of the kit in your space may be dictated by available space, but if you do have the option, try moving just the kick around and listen in the room to how it sounds. You will probably find that you prefer one location over another - I suggest choosing the position that produces the most low end, as this is the toughest frequency to add if not present in the original source. Also listen to the snare, but keep in mind you'll have to compromise in placement between the sound of all the drums in the room. You're looking for the place where the entire kit sounds its best. Don't forget to move yourself around with each new kick position. If you find a spot that sounds particularly good, put a mic there!
Once you settle on placement for the kit, let the drummer finish setting it up and fine tuning it before you begin to place microphones. You may have to guess at the placement at first, then tweak it by listening. When recording drums in the same room as your speakers, you can better judge the sound by recording the drums first and then listening to playback to make any decisions. Even when drums are in the next room, the "bleed" you hear through the wall, being mostly low end and coming from outside of the speakers, will give you a false sense of 'largeness'. So be prepared: the first 'playback' can often come as a bit of a disappointment! It may help to have a reference recording of drums that you like as a 'sonic comparison' to refer back to from time to time when getting initial drum sounds.
Now let's move on to discussing where to put the mics, once you get the drums all setup, tuned, and ready to rock. Now may be a good time to tell the drummer to get ready to play the same beat over and over for the foreseeable future!
If you only have one mic:
NOTE: Choosing the Microphone: Any microphone that is a good vocal mic will be a great place to start when miking the drum kit with a single mic.
There are not many options to consider when you only have one microphone to mic an entire drum kit - however, this can actually be a good thing! First off, you don't have to worry about mic selection as the decision has already been made for you. Second, there is no chance in the world for any phasing issues to be a factor! That leaves mic placement as the only concern, and that's where the fun begins.
Sometimes you have limitations in space that prevent certain mic positions (low ceilings, close walls), sometimes there may be one drum or cymbal in the kit that is louder or softer than the rest and may dictate mic position - you never know what you may run into. But if you can find the 'sweet spot', you'd be amazed at how good one mic can sound!
It's best to have a friend help with this next part, have them move the mic around the drum kit as the drummer plays a simple beat. Listen to how the 'perspective' changes. You can learn a lot about how a drum kit sounds (generally and specifically) by listening to a single microphone moving around a kit. You may have to record this first, and then listen on playback - if so, be sure to 'voice annotate' the movement, describing where the mic is as it's moved.
One mic moving from front to back of drum kit
The microphone, a Lawson L-47 (large diaphragm tube condenser) is about four feet off the ground. You can faintly hear me describe my position as I move the mic.
If I had to pick just one microphone position, I'd say my favorite single mic position is just over the drummer's right shoulder (and slightly to their right), pointing down at the kick beater area. Use the drummer's head to block the hi hat if it's too loud. Raise the mic higher if you have the space and want a more distant sound.
For an even more distant sound, position your single mic out in front of the kit and at waist high (to start). Moving the mic up and down can dramatically change the tone of the kit, helping you to find the spot with the best balance between drums and cymbals.
Further options with a single microphone:
Consider recording each drum separately (kick, then snare, then hi hat), one at a time. The "Every Breath You Take" approach. Or at least take samples of the each drum, and program patterns using these sounds.
In fact, if you take the time to bring drums into your home studio, you should at least record a few hits of each drum - you can cut the samples out later if time is a concern. No time like the present to start building or add to your personal drum sample library.
If you only have a few mics:
Two mics:
First Choice: Right Shoulder (RS) position, plus Kick (K) or possibly Snare (S)
Second Choice: Stereo Overheads
Second Choice: Kick, plus Stereo Overheads
Four mics:
Stereo Overheads plus K & S
With four mics you can have stereo overheads plus close mics (spot mics) on Kick and Snare. Having two mics for overheads doesn't mean they have to be exactly the same exact model microphone (but should be as similar as possible). With two mic for overheads, you have many choices of microphone configurations including A-B (spaced pair), X-Y (coincident), ORTF (near coincident), M-S (using one cardioid and one figure 8 mic), the Glyn Johns or "RecorderMan" approach, or you can even try a Blumlein Pair if you have two mics that can do a 'figure 8' pickup pattern.
Beyond Four Mics
Going beyond 4 or so mics means you will begin to mic toms or even hi hats or ride cymbals. You may also opt to record more distant 'room' mics if you have enough microphones, preamps, and inputs to your recorder. The sky's the limit, but don't be too concerned if you try a mic position that ends up being discarded in the end.
Further options with a single microphone:
Obviously, with only one or two microphones to cover an entire drum kit, you can't place the mics very close to any one drum. But when you have more mics at your disposal you may begin to use what are sometimes called 'spot mics', or more commonly 'close mics'.
NOTE: For drums, dynamic mics with cardioid or hyper-cardioid pickup patterns are preferred for close miking, while large and small diaphragm condensers are preferred for overhead and room mics.
With close mics on a drum kit, you are attempting to isolate each drum from the rest of the kit - this is not a precise science, as you will always have a bit of the other drums 'bleeding' into every other close mic. By positioning the mic close to the desired drum, and also paying attention to the pickup pattern of the mic you can achieve a workable amount of isolation.
When considering the position of a microphone, the most important aspect of close miking is the actual position of the mic's diaphragm in the 3D space. The second more important aspect is the pickup pattern of the mic, and how you are 'aiming' it. Most of the time, when considering close miking a drum kit, you are not only aiming the mic AT the desired source but also AWAY from all 'undesired' ones. Every directional mic has a 'null' point where it is the least sensitive, usually at the back of the mic. By aiming this 'null' point at the potential offenders you can reduce the level of the offending instruments. One common example is aiming the back of the snare mic at the hi hats to minimize the amount of hi hat bleed (a common problem with a close snare mic).
Kick Starters:
If there's a hole in the front head of the kick, placing the mic diaphragm just inside this hole is a great place to start. With the mic further inside the drum, you can sometimes find a 'punchier' position. With the mic outside the front head, you can get a bigger/fuller sound.
Snare Position:
The best place to start when miking a snare up close is a few inches above the drum head and just inside of the rim when viewed from above. I usually aim the mic down at the center of the drum, which also helps to aim the 'null' at the hi hat. But remember, it's the position of the diaphragm in the 3D space that contributes most to the sound of the snare when the mic is this close. Moving the entire mic up and down, or in and out will produce a more dramatic change than simply 'aiming' the mic differently.
Overhead Mic Options:
Overhead microphone ‘cluster' for comparing different positions/techniques
Probably the most common miking of overheads is a spaced pair of cardioid condenser mics facing down, and about 6-8 or more feet above the ground (2-4 feet above the drums and cymbals), and as wide as required for the kit (follow the 3:1 rule for better mono compatibility, see below). Also common are an ORTF or X-Y miking configuration, but we will demonstrate all the above approaches so you can hear the differences for yourself.
There are two different general approaches to overhead drum mics: capturing the entire kit or capturing just the cymbals. With the first approach, you go for the best overall drum sound/balance from the overheads. With the second, you only worry about capturing the cymbals and usually filter out much of the low frequencies. The following techniques can be applied to either approach, with varying degrees of success.
If you have fewer overall mics on a drum kit, you will most likely need to capture the entire kit with the overhead mics. In fact, it's often best to begin with just the overhead mics and get the best possible sound there first. Then you add the kick and snare 'close mics' to bring out the missing aspects (attack, closeness) to fill out the sound coming from the overheads. So with fewer total mics, the overhead mics become VERY important.
Here are the various overhead techniques we will explore, with a short description of the technique. Also listed is the gear used to record the examples of each technique. Where possible we used the type of microphone typically used for that miking technique.
X-Y, or Coincident Pair
With this approach you are placing two mics as close together as possible, but aimed at a 90° angle to each other. The mono compatibility is second to none, but the stereo image isn't that wide.
ORTF, or Near Coincident Pair
Rode NT-5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
ORTF allows you to combine the best of a spaced pair and an X-Y pair. You get decent mono compatibility, but a wider stereo image. Like X-Y, one advantage is that you can use a 'stereo bar' to mount both mics to the same stand. This saves space and makes setup a breeze as you can 'pre-configure' the mics on the stereo bar before you even put them on the stand.
Rode NT-5s mounted on the Stereo Bar” attachment, set to ORTF A-B, or Spaced Pair
This common miking approach can be use for mainly cymbals or the entire kit. Either way, you may want to be familiar with the 3:1 rule for multiple mics: for every "one" unit of distance from the sound source to the mic, the two mics should be three times this distance from each other. If the mics are one foot above the cymbals, they should be three feet from each other. The main reason for this 'rule' is to help with mono compatibility, so don't sweat it too much if you can't hit these numbers precisely. If you check for mono compatibility (assuming it's important in your work) and you don't hear a problem, you're fine! By the way, in our example the mics are about two feet from the cymbals, three feet from each other, and doesn't seem to be a problem.
Glyn Johns Approach
This is a four mic approach, which using a close mic for kick and snare, and two overheads in a 'non-standard' configuration. The first mic is centered directly over the snare, between three and four feet away. The second mic is aimed across the drums from the floor tom area, and must be exactly the same distance from the snare. Some folks pan the two overhead mics hard left/right, other suggest bringing the 'over snare' mic in half way (or even both mics in half way).
Recorderman Approach
Named after the screen name of the engineer who first suggested this approach, it is similar to the Glyn Johns approach in that you begin with a mic directly over the snare drums. But it diverges from that approach with the second overhead mic, placing it in the "Right Shoulder" position. This can also be considered an extension of the one mic 'over the right shoulder' approach. Fine tuning is achieved by measuring the distance from each mic to both kick and snare, and making each mic equal distance from each drum. This is easily accomplished by using a string, but difficult to describe in writing. For a further explanation of this technique, check out this YouTube video.
Blumlein Pair
Named after Alan Blumlein, a "Blumlein Pair" is configured using two 'figure 8' microphones at 90° to each other and as close together as possible. This approach sounds great for room mics, by the way.
Mid-Side
The Mid-Side technique is the most intriguing mic configuration in this group. In this approach, you use one cardioid (directional) mic and one 'figure 8' (bi-direction) mic for the recording. But you need to use an M-S 'decoder' to properly reproduce the stereo effect. The 'decoder' would allow you to control the level of the mid and the side microphone, allowing you to 'widen' the stereo image by adding more 'side' mic. This technique (along with X-Y and Blumlein) has great mono compatibility. This is because with M-S, to get mono you just drop the 'side' mic all together and you're left with a perfect single microphone recording in glorious mono.
The Session
I invited a few engineer friends to the Annex Studio for a 'drum day' to record the examples for this article. It's always more fun to do this stuff with some friends! It's a good idea to have someone move the mics while you listen - sometimes the mic doesn't end up in a position that 'looks right' (even though it may sound perfect!). We took the time to get each approach setup as precisely as possible, and recorded all of them in a single pass so they could be compared side by side.
The recording space is a large, irregularly shaped room, about 24 by 30 'ish feet with 9 foot ceilings. There are wood floors throughout (carpet under the drums) and we hung one large stage curtain to tame the room a bit for this recording. The overhead mics, for the most part, were about 6-7 feet above the floor (2-3 feet from the ceiling).
The Reason Song File
I've provided the Song File because it's easier to compare between the different miking positions when you can switch as a track plays. I've set it up so that there are "Blocks" with the title of each section. Just click on a block and hit "P" on the keyboard and that section will begin loop playback. As it is currently setup, you must mute and un-mute tracks in the sequencer - you could also do this in the SSL Mixer by un-muting all the sequencer tracks and using the Channel mutes instead.
Single Mic Sweep, front to back
The first track is a single microphone starting from in front of the kit, and slowly moving around to the back and ending up in the "Right Shoulder" position. Listen closely and you'll hear me describing my position as I move.
Compare Overhead Mic Positions
Next you will find a few bars of drums with close mics on Kick and Snare, and the following overhead tracks: X-Y, ORTF, A-B, RecorderMan, Glyn Johns, Blumlein. Playing this clip allows you to explore the different miking techniques, and allow blending of the close mics at will. All the "stereo" overhead tracks are designed to be heard one at a time, although the mics are all in phase so they certainly could be used in combination with each other if you're feeling creative. But the main purpose of this clip is to allow you to hear the difference between the various miking techniques presented.
Moved the Royers to a Room Mic Position
The third clip is a similar drum pattern, with the Royer ribbon microphones (Blumlein Pair) moved to 15 feet in front of the drums. This is our typical 'room mic' position and mic choice, and is the only difference between the previous clip and this clip. In my opinion, the sound of this miking technique combined with the 'color' of a ribbon mic makes the perfect 'room' sound. For a room mic to work, the room must sound great, of course. But also it has to be more diffused and a bit 'out of focus' compared to the close mics, which produces a similar effect as the 'blurry' background of a photo. As in the photo example, having a blurry background can help to put more focus on the foreground (close mics).
Fun with Mid-Side - Adjust M-S in Rack
Finally we have a Mid-Side recording (plus the Kick and Snare close mics) to play with. We didn't have enough mics to include it in the first round, but wanted to present it as an additional track. In addition to drum overheads, the Mid-Side approach also works well with room mics, because you can increase or reduce 'width' after the recording. I've inserted an M-S decoder on the Insert for this channel in the mixer, and by going to 'rack view' you can use the M-S combi to adjust the balance between the Mid and the Sides.
The Microphones
X-Y, ORTF, RecorderMan: Rode NT5s, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
A-B: AKG c3000, Digidesign "Pre" mic pre
Blumlein: Royer 122 ribbon mics, Focusrite mic pre
Glyn Johns, Mid-Side: Lawson L-47s, API mic pres
The Drums
Additional Thoughts
There are always other ways to record drums. Here are a few slightly out-of-the-box approaches for your consideration.
The "Every Breath You Take" Approach:
You don't necessarily need to record the entire kit at once - this can help if you only have one mic. Things to plan for: the drummer must know about this in advance. It's not as easy as you would think to only play one instrument at a time! This approach can work especially well if you're building up a rhythm track, much like you'd program a track with a drum machine. Start with the kick, then add snare, then hi hat. Move on to the next beat. Then for fun you can us one of the 'One Mic' approaches.
The Quiet Approach...shhhhh:
Sometimes in the studio, less actually IS more! Case in point, recording drums that are lightly tapped can sometimes produce huge sounds when played back at loud levels. This approach will work best if you can record one drum at a time, and will certainly help with neighbor issues as well! You can also apply this technique to sampling as well. Consistency is the key when playing softly - sampling can help if you can't play softly at a consistent level.
Sampling, Why Not!?: Sometimes you don't have all the ingredients for a full drum session. Don't overlook sampling as a way to get around some of these issues - and why not do it anyway! Don't forget to record multiple hits at multiple levels, even if all you need at first is one good single sample - these additional samples may come in handy later, and you never know when you'll have the drums all tuned and setup again (and it only takes a few minutes)!
Percussion
The 'shaker' family of percussion can be recorded with any mic, depending on the sound you're going for. As a starting point, any mic that's good on vocals or acoustic guitar will work fine for the 'lighter' percussion like shakers and bells etc. For hand drums like Djembes and Dumbeks, or Congas and Bongos, you can approach them like kicks/snares/toms. A good dynamic mic on the top head, and sometimes (for Djembes in particular) a good kick drum mic on the bottom. Watch for clipping - these drums can be VERY dynamic!
By Giles Reaves
Wednesday, 20 July 2016
7 Quick Tips For Recording Great Amp Sounds
by Rich Tozzoli
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration. Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up
Whether you're recording in your bedroom or at a high-end studio, these very simple recording techniques can have a huge, positive impact on the sound you lay down.
1. Put the mic directly on the cabinet.
To get an in-your-face sound, try taking a classic Shure SM57 and jamming it right on the cabinet, just to the right or left of the cone's center. You'll get a little proximity effect, which is basically some added bass response. Use it to your advantage and try to keep the EQ'ing to a minimum.
2. Axis, Bold as Tone
By taking that Shure SM57 (or similar) mic and just slightly changing its angle in relation to the speaker, you're miking off axis.” The tonal character will change a bit; and at this point, experimentation is key. If you can, have a friend move it a little at a time as you listen on headphones or in the control room. You'll hear that magic spot. When you find it, take pictures so you remember the exact positioning.
3. Change your tubes.
If you've got a tube amp, don't just assume the tubes are good. You'd probably change your strings in anticipation of a recording, right? Give your tubes the same consideration. Always have a second set on hand, and unless you're a complete traditionalist, try a set from a different manufacturer than your originals. All tubes have slightly different attack and breakup, even amps of the same type and rating. Use your ears and don't get lazy.
4. Use more than one mic.
Even if you're recording for yourself, don't settle on using just one mic. If you have to, borrow an extra mic from a friend. It doesn't have to be a vintage Neumann. Place the second mic either on the cabinet next to the first one or farther back in the room. Any functioning mic is worth a try. You'll have more tonal options when it comes time for mixdown.
5. Compress the room.
When that second mic mentioned above is used as a room mic, place it at least 3 feet away from the cabinet —preferably even farther back. Then, when listening back, try applying a massive amount of compression to that room mic. Make sure not to compress the attack out of the notes; just get enough so that it squashes the peaks down a bit. You can always use the compressor's makeup gain to get more volume.
6. Use wide panning.
When it comes time to mix your two amp-mic tracks together, pan the two tracks oppositely; that is, pan one hard left and the other hard right. You'll notice the soundstage in the Left/Right field opening up. Then experiment with putting a very short delay on the room mic, around 30-50 ms. A very nice stereo image can be had using just two simple mics and a delay.
7. Use more than one amp.
If you've got the gear for it, split your signal (either with a stereo FX pedal or DI) and run your guitar into two different amps. Like having two mics, the two separate amp sounds give you more options at mixdown. When recording heavily distorted parts, try to minimize the distortion on a second amp and increase a bit of treble, which helps the pick attack cut through a dense mix.
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer, producer and composer. He has worked with artists such as Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola and David Bowie, among many more, and is the author of Pro Tools Surround Sound Mixing Rich is also a lifelong guitarist and composer. His work can be heard regularly on FoxNFL, HBO, and Discovery Channel, and he's recently released the full-length Rhythm Up
Tuesday, 5 July 2016
Good Bass Sounds
How To Get A Great Bass Sound In Your Home Studio
I spent more time in the early part of my engineering career trying to get a great bass sound than anything else. I tried going through a direct box. I tried miking the amp. I tried different amps. I tried different mics. I tried everything!
No matter how hard I tried, I always fell short of the mark. I went in search of the Holy Grail for bass sounds but never found it. I realized with time that the answer wasn't a singular prescription for success, but a collection of techniques that could be used as each situation dictated.
The first step in getting a good bass sound is of course, having a good sounding bass. "Good" being a subjective word, of course. With that in mind, let me simply say that the bass should have a nice balance between a rich bottom end and an articulate top end, great intonation, nice sustain, and no rattles or buzzes.
A few basic things to know about recording basses; First, and maybe foremost, the player has a great deal to do with the sound. As with many instruments, it's mostly in the fingers.
Second, the natural sound of the instrument is important. If the tonality isn't there to begin with, it's difficult at best to fake it. All the tube preamps and eq in the world can't hide a bass sound that's dull and lifeless.
Third, the strings. Round from flatwound, brass verses nickel. They all have a sound. The sound you like will be a personal choice. But, let me add that the song you're recording can and should dictate the type of sound you are going for. In other words, the bottom shouldn't sound alike for every type of song.
Fourth, recording a bass guitar with a direct box sounds differently than recording the bass by miking the amp.
Fifth, the tone you get on the bass itself will play a major role in getting your sound. Don't set and forget the onboard tone controls. Experiment.
Let's start with a direct box. There are many different brands. Some sound better than others. Do your homework. Ask your friends or engineers you know which they prefer. Try to find the brand and model which gives you the most bottom end, while also giving you the most definition or attack on the mid range frequencies. My personal favorite at the moment is made by Sans Amp.
It's usually best to use a compressor/limiter in line to keep your bass's signal from slamming into the red on the VU meter. A 3:1 ratio with a fast attack and slow release usually does the trick. A little higher ratio will give you more "punch" - too much compression will make the bass sound squashed. As always, experimentation is the key. And yes, tubes do make a difference. They'll arm up the sound, but they won't perform miracles.
I find that with most basses, I need to add about 4 db @ 80 HZ to fatten up the bottom end coming out of a direct box, and moderate compression gives me the "thump" I'm looking for. The more you can do with a bass's tone controls, the less work you'll have to do with equalizers.
I've also noticed that many direct boxes don't have a very fast slew rate. In plain English, that means the signal's rise and fall time is sluggish. What that means to the sound is the attack of the top end is often diminished, not due to the tone of the instrument, but the inadequacies of the box. Keep your ears open, and try several models. You'll be surprised at the wide range of sounds.
For miking the bass through an amp, I'll use a Fender Precision Bass as my imaginary example, and an old Bassman amp. A classic combination. I like to mic the cabinet with two microphones. A Senheiser 421 facing directly into one of the speakers at point blank range, and an AKG 414 (or any other good condensor mic) about four feet back from the cabinet.
The close mic will give a more direct sound with an accentuated attack, and the distant mic will give you more of the low end (it takes several feet of "air" for a bass wave to develop).
By using various combinations of the two mics, I'm able to get a great sound that often just can't come out of one mic. While two mics can often spell trouble because of phase anomalies, this is a case where those same problems can work to your advantage. By balancing the signals different ways, you are effecting the phase relationship between the two mics and altering the eq curve, hopefully for the better. The amount you vary the signal is of course controlled by the faders on the respective channels of the console. The amount you move the faders to change the sound can often be measured by hair widths. A little dab will do ya!
Just for kicks, you can try adding a direct box to the aforementioned scenario, and send all three signals to the same track. The direct box often adds clarity to the whole sound that is nothing short of wonderful. Lesson learned: As always, experimentation pays. Be patient, be persistent, and most importantly, don't print it to tape unless you love it or your client is getting ticked-off that you're taking way too long to get the sound!
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