Im just wondering as im new to audacity what is the best way to record drums? I have six mics at my disposea and im not sure how or if i can record the 6 tracks at the same timel!! Can someone help me please?
One way is to mix them with a Mixing Desk (Mixing Console) and record as a stereo mix. You will probably need to experiment a bit to get it to sound good.
Depending on what kind of mics you are using, you may find that the mics overload and it sounds horrible, in which case you will need to do an “ambient” recording, which is most easily done with a pair of microphones a few feet away from the drum kit. Again, experiment with mic position.
<<<if i can record the 6 tracks at the same timel!!>>>
Have you ever recorded anything with the microphones? We can’t tell from the post whether you’re a 40 year sound person just new to Audacity, or you pulled the shrink wrap from your new computer and microphones last Thursday.
Koz
Sorry bout the lack of info! I’v recorded a guitar with one mic on the amp but it was the the connection in the computer beside the usb connections! I was just asking cause i just got a hold of my friends pa system which is ok and i was just wondering if anyone cud held me out! Im just sixteen and my main intrument is drums so i dont know that much bout the whole mixing side of things.looking to record a few bits and bobs i wrote. not lookin for anytin special, any help will be much appreciated
<<<the connection in the computer beside the usb connections!>>>
Use a lot of words. Connection in the laptop computer beside the usb connection? Can you tell which connection that was? Does it say Mic-In anywhere or have the symbol of a microphone?
Without adding a bunch of electronics (like a mixing desk or field mixer) you will only be able to connect one microphone to the computer.
That’s not deadly even if you are money free. They shoot most movies with only one movie camera. First they shoot all of his lines and then they perform the scene again and shoot all of hers. You an do that with one microphone. Record all the rhythm tracks and then play them back into headphones while you record each guitar and then finally vocals.
Oh, yes you can. Les Paul did all those guitar effects by multiple recordings one over the other. It was just him and Mary in the kitchen peeling potatoes.
Koz
Yes it was through the mic input! Sorry for the lack of info!! So if i use an auxilary cable through the record out on the mixer through the mic input on the computer will the record the 6 mics as one track or will it have 6 individual tracks for each mic? Sorry i do sound stupid in any way but i new to all of this so sorry about that!
Yes it will.
You can however record a couple of drums, say kick and snare, and then go over and record other drums, say the toms, and then over again and put in the cymbals. If you do this though, think about the musical arrangement - drummers only have 2 hands and 2 feet at most, so you would not want snare + ride + toms at the same time.
Also note that microphone inputs are not ideal for connecting high level sources such as the output of a mixing desk - most computer microphone sockets are low quality, noisy, too sensitive, distort easily and often mono.
“Line inputs” are far better - better quality, lower noise, distort less easily and stereo. Unfortunately most laptops (except Macs) do not have Line inputs, therefore an external (USB) line input is invaluable. These can be bought very cheaply - I have a Behringer UCA-202 which cost about £20 and the sound quality is very good.
With a mixing desk going into a stereo input, you can often pan some microphones to the left, and others to the right, then split the stereo track after you have recorded it into 2 separate mono tracks.
Thanks for your help!I’l let you know how the reocording goes when its done!