Mixer for practice

davige101

davige101

Member
Hey Drummerworld. I have played for years as a hobby and only have done a few gigs, so I am basically an experienced hobby drummer.

Having said that, I practice to songs over an old stereo amp, a laptop piping in the music, and use old Vic Firth headphones. (yeah, my hearing is crap!)

I have a large set (I love old Rush and Genesis, and hey, I like a large set) and have two bass drums. Now, I was looking at getting something to get the kit and particularly the bass drums more into the headphone mix so I can actually hear what I am doing and practice accordingly. I have no intention of going on the road, studio work, etc.

I do not know much about the sound/micing/mixing side of drumming, and thus why I'm here. I really don't want to blow too much money on this either. Just need something that picks up the set and feeds it into a mixer and I can input the songs I want to practice with it.

I was looking at the Sabian Sound Kit. It is interesting, has good reviews if you are needing a decent mic strategy for practice, but has two possible drawbacks. It has only one bass drum mic, and I am really not sure the overhead mic's would work well on a 12 piece kit with lots of cymbals. All the reviews and YT vids are all on 4 or 5 piece kits.

But what do you all think? Would the Sabian Sound kit actually be enough for my needs? What cost effective mixer and mics would you recommend? I could go back to a single bass with double pedals if really needed, but if I don't have to, that would be nice too.

Your help is most appreciated.

Thx

Davige101
 
I would highly recommend an EAD10.

Quite honestly, the low end stuff (SSK) is barely better than trash. The high end stuff is prohibitively expensive and complicated. The EAD10 can be had for under $500, will be immediately useful, and has additional utility.


It's basically 2-mics, a BD trigger, and a DSP/Module.
 
davige101 said:
Wow, I guess this post was futile!! Sorry to have bothered. Thanks.

D
Click to expand...

Sometime posts slip through the cracks!

Have you ever looked at the Yamaha EAD10?

I can't say enough great stuff about it:

usa.yamaha.com

EAD10 - Overview - Yamaha - United States

Mic your drums in seconds - attach the EAD10 to any acoustic drum, and you'll have a high-quality stereo image of the entire acoustic kit in seconds. The EAD10 intuitively and instantly transforms acoustic drum sounds with studio-quality digital effects and sampled sounds. Create stunning audio...
usa.yamaha.com usa.yamaha.com

usa.yamaha.com

EAD10 - Product - Yamaha - United States

Mic your drums in seconds - attach the EAD10 to any acoustic drum, and you'll have a high-quality stereo image of the entire acoustic kit in seconds. The EAD10 intuitively and instantly transforms acoustic drum sounds with studio-quality digital effects and sampled sounds. Create stunning audio...
usa.yamaha.com usa.yamaha.com

www.sweetwater.com

Yamaha EAD10 Drum Module with Mic Pickup

Acoustic Drum Microphone System with Electronic Drum Module, Interconnect Cables, and Power Supply
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com

The EAD10 is a really neat little device: I've used it for practice now forever, I do all my social media stuff using the audio, I even recorded a few tracks on a hip hop album and the producer preferred the sound coming out of the EAD10 to the full mix haha.

It's a microphone/trigger that attaches to your bassdrum hoop that connects to a really slick little drum module. The microphone set up allows you to pick up the entire kit with one unit - once you get that connected - the drum module allows you to have a clean drum sound that you can mix in with any audio input and it has a ton of "Scenes" that are digital drum sounds that range from exceptionally nice ones like "compressor" to funky ones that add like a flanger or wah....or there's some other functional ones like "1985" that give you a slick Phil Collins kind of sound.


It's amazing for practice. You can get some nice headphones and jam these amazing drum sounds (like adding compression and reverb to your kit) and add a click or import tunes.

Also - there's an incredibly powerful app that integrates to it - so you can plug your phone in the module and capture whatever song you want and mix it on the app for yourself or for sharing. It can add a click to the song too.

I can't recommend it enough for how powerful it is and how easy it is to use....it legit does a great job getting drum and cymbal sounds from one little microphone unit - it's amazing.


Might be perfect for what you need.

EDIT:

I just re-read your post....

You have a 12 piece kit with two bass drums.

That poses a huge problem for EAD10.

It's a killer for it actually.

You will need a mixer for that with some mics - and I'm not great at mixers (hence my love for the EAD10)
 
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KamaK said:
I would highly recommend an EAD10.

Quite honestly, the low end stuff (SSK) is barely better than trash. The high end stuff is prohibitively expensive and complicated. The EAD10 can be had for under $500, will be immediately useful, and has additional utility.


It's basically 2-mics, a BD trigger, and a DSP/Module.
Click to expand...


Haha - Great minds!!
 
So you're using isolation headphones right now? Have you tried some that don't isolate as much? In my opinion, it's overkill to get -30db headphones for home usage for the reason you mentioned: the sound of the set is cut out so much, that you either hit way too hard or that you don't get a good blend. Might be worth a shot for about $20 - you might not need high end headphones as long as they are comfortable.
 
I've heard good things about Ableton Live 10's "Glue Compressor" and the ability to group the drum tracks into one to apply effects globally. But you stated you don't have any aspirations for recording drums or online collaboration, so. In any event, I think the DAW route would set you back a grand or two, assuming you already have a laptop and know how to use a computer - mic preamp, DAW software, mics, mic cables, mic stands.
 
NouveauCliche said:
Haha - Great minds!!
Click to expand...

On a scale of 1 to 10, the EAD is a pretty solid 7.

I cannot think of a simpler or more inexpensive way of achieving this.

Even my 4-mic R16 setup cost ~$1000 when all was said and done, not counting my iMac and Logic.
 
KamaK said:
On a scale of 1 to 10, the EAD is a pretty solid 7.

I cannot think of a simpler or more inexpensive way of achieving this.

Even my 4-mic R16 setup cost ~$1000 when all was said and done, not counting my iMac and Logic.
Click to expand...

Yea I agree with most kits - on a re-read of his original post though he has a 12 piece set with double bass drums - that's a whole different beast.
 
NouveauCliche said:
Yea I agree with most kits - on a re-read of his original post though he has a 12 piece set with double bass drums - that's a whole different beast.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I'm actually curious as to what degree he's going to have to compromise. I know the 2nd BD will have to be swapped with a double pedal, but am genuinely looking forward to seeing how much of the rest of the kit it captures.


I think we'll agree that, the farthest toms are certainly present in the mix, but a bit anemic for my tastes.
 
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I've always just used a good wedge monitor or home speakers if they were good enough through my regular home stereo. I've never mic'd my drums for rehearsing at home I don't see the need. I just need my music to be loud enough that I can hear it along with my drums. I like to play close to the volume that I play at on stage so I get a fairly good workout.
 
Everyone, thanks so much for your input! I knew my fellow drummers wouldn't let me down... So I have some homework to do. I could go to a single bass drum again with double pedals. Of course, the idea of a less isolated headphone setup could kind of work too.... Or I should just get rid of half my kit!!

FYI, my kit is mostly a 25 year old Pearl Export kit, (I finally bought a mid range snare, a Tama Fat Spruce 14x6', I really like it; also have two single pedal Tama Speed Cobras which I am just now beginning to appreciate) nothing special, but good enough for my purposes. I hope I didn't come off sounding like I was special or anything.... I really appreciate your help with this.

D
 
KamaK said:
Indeed. I'm actually curious as to what degree he's going to have to compromise. I know the 2nd BD will have to be swapped with a double pedal, but am genuinely looking forward to seeing how much of the rest of the kit it captures.


I think we'll agree that, the farthest toms are certainly present in the mix, but a bit anemic for my tastes.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I understand what you mean. It is hard to stretch the pickup with a larger kit. The ride cymbal doesn't come through too well either, but not bad overall.
 
Swissward Flamtacles said:
So you're using isolation headphones right now? Have you tried some that don't isolate as much? In my opinion, it's overkill to get -30db headphones for home usage for the reason you mentioned: the sound of the set is cut out so much, that you either hit way too hard or that you don't get a good blend. Might be worth a shot for about $20 - you might not need high end headphones as long as they are comfortable.
Click to expand...
That's certainly an option, though I'm so used to the old Vic Firth's I have. Was considering getting the latest VF's. With the ones I have, I can get a mix of the ambient drum sound into it while playing music through them off a cheap old amp and old laptop in have on it, but I just found the bass drums in particular get lost in the mix, which is why I was considering micing it into an amp, etc. Thanks though.
 
NouveauCliche said:
Sometime posts slip through the cracks!

Have you ever looked at the Yamaha EAD10?

I can't say enough great stuff about it:

usa.yamaha.com

EAD10 - Overview - Yamaha - United States

Mic your drums in seconds - attach the EAD10 to any acoustic drum, and you'll have a high-quality stereo image of the entire acoustic kit in seconds. The EAD10 intuitively and instantly transforms acoustic drum sounds with studio-quality digital effects and sampled sounds. Create stunning audio...
usa.yamaha.com usa.yamaha.com

usa.yamaha.com

EAD10 - Product - Yamaha - United States

Mic your drums in seconds - attach the EAD10 to any acoustic drum, and you'll have a high-quality stereo image of the entire acoustic kit in seconds. The EAD10 intuitively and instantly transforms acoustic drum sounds with studio-quality digital effects and sampled sounds. Create stunning audio...
usa.yamaha.com usa.yamaha.com

www.sweetwater.com

Yamaha EAD10 Drum Module with Mic Pickup

Acoustic Drum Microphone System with Electronic Drum Module, Interconnect Cables, and Power Supply
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com

The EAD10 is a really neat little device: I've used it for practice now forever, I do all my social media stuff using the audio, I even recorded a few tracks on a hip hop album and the producer preferred the sound coming out of the EAD10 to the full mix haha.

It's a microphone/trigger that attaches to your bassdrum hoop that connects to a really slick little drum module. The microphone set up allows you to pick up the entire kit with one unit - once you get that connected - the drum module allows you to have a clean drum sound that you can mix in with any audio input and it has a ton of "Scenes" that are digital drum sounds that range from exceptionally nice ones like "compressor" to funky ones that add like a flanger or wah....or there's some other functional ones like "1985" that give you a slick Phil Collins kind of sound.


It's amazing for practice. You can get some nice headphones and jam these amazing drum sounds (like adding compression and reverb to your kit) and add a click or import tunes.

Also - there's an incredibly powerful app that integrates to it - so you can plug your phone in the module and capture whatever song you want and mix it on the app for yourself or for sharing. It can add a click to the song too.

I can't recommend it enough for how powerful it is and how easy it is to use....it legit does a great job getting drum and cymbal sounds from one little microphone unit - it's amazing.


Might be perfect for what you need.

EDIT:

I just re-read your post....

You have a 12 piece kit with two bass drums.

That poses a huge problem for EAD10.

It's a killer for it actually.

You will need a mixer for that with some mics - and I'm not great at mixers (hence my love for the EAD10)
Click to expand...
Hey, thanks for your input. That EAD10 is pretty cool, but yep, a killer for double bass drum setup. OK, looks like I will just have to live with what I got or really spend big to get that I want, which may not be worth it in the long run.

D
 
Zoom H4N. It has built-in condenser mics plus two extra inputs on the bottom along with a host of mixing adjustments.
 
I own a big set as well. I have no problems capturing the entire set with overhead mics. XY, centered above the snare. Front-to-back adjustment, still over the snare, to capture all drums evenly. XY,ORTF above and behind your head, angled towards the small toms works, too. It's about adjusting and tweaking mic placement.
 
ToneT said:
Zoom H4N. It has built-in condenser mics plus two extra inputs on the bottom along with a host of mixing adjustments.
Click to expand...

ToneT said:
I own a big set as well. I have no problems capturing the entire set with overhead mics. XY, centered above the snare. Front-to-back adjustment, still over the snare, to capture all drums evenly. XY,ORTF above and behind your head, angled towards the small toms works, too. It's about adjusting and tweaking mic placement.
Click to expand...
Cool. So if you use the Zoom, where does the mic's on the Zoom itself get placed? I assume the overheads are your two extra inputs?
D
 
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