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Driverack...or something else??
Bleeder
Posts: 8
My band is now playing a few clubs where my drums definitely need to be mic'ed, and we're responsible for sound. Unfortunately, our Peavey mixer is full, so they've made ME responsible for my own sound. If I want to be mic'ed, ...\"Do it yourself.\" ---Fine.
So, for the last three shows, I've used the equipment listed below, where I ended up being told that, besides the snare, the volume was too low to be heard through the mix, especially the bassdrum which is virtually absent or too boomy, despite my best efforts at EQ'ing and gating using instruction given from other forums. The amp and mixer both clip at a low volume, despite my best efforts at trying to establish a proper gain structure prior to each show, thus, the drums are lost in the mix.
I'm using the current setup for the gigs, and have 5 more coming up over the next 2 months. Equipment is as follows...
AKG D-112 (Mine)
Peavey PV8 Mixer (Mine)
Behringer EuroPower EP2500 Power Amp (Mine)
Behringer MDX2600 Composer Pro-XL Compressor (Borrowed - Recommended for using it's gate function.)
Behringer B1220 Pro (A single)
Single B1800X-PRO Subwoofer (Borrowed, for now.)
It must be just me, because it CAN'T be this difficult to amplify a stupid set of drums, especially the bassdrum!! Can't be!
When I asked what else can I do to try to improve the sound and actually be heard for once over the bass and lead guitars, other than to get rid of all my equipment and start over again, a voice chimed in at another forum saying, \"Get rid of the Pro-XL Composer and buy a Driverack ... that will cure your problems overnight.\"
If a dbx product can help me acheive my goals, Driverack or otherwise, then I'll buy one today. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanx in advance.
So, for the last three shows, I've used the equipment listed below, where I ended up being told that, besides the snare, the volume was too low to be heard through the mix, especially the bassdrum which is virtually absent or too boomy, despite my best efforts at EQ'ing and gating using instruction given from other forums. The amp and mixer both clip at a low volume, despite my best efforts at trying to establish a proper gain structure prior to each show, thus, the drums are lost in the mix.
I'm using the current setup for the gigs, and have 5 more coming up over the next 2 months. Equipment is as follows...
AKG D-112 (Mine)
Peavey PV8 Mixer (Mine)
Behringer EuroPower EP2500 Power Amp (Mine)
Behringer MDX2600 Composer Pro-XL Compressor (Borrowed - Recommended for using it's gate function.)
Behringer B1220 Pro (A single)
Single B1800X-PRO Subwoofer (Borrowed, for now.)
It must be just me, because it CAN'T be this difficult to amplify a stupid set of drums, especially the bassdrum!! Can't be!
When I asked what else can I do to try to improve the sound and actually be heard for once over the bass and lead guitars, other than to get rid of all my equipment and start over again, a voice chimed in at another forum saying, \"Get rid of the Pro-XL Composer and buy a Driverack ... that will cure your problems overnight.\"
If a dbx product can help me acheive my goals, Driverack or otherwise, then I'll buy one today. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanx in advance.
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Comments
DRA
Gadget
Thank for the immediate reply! I wish I could get by with adding my drums as a submix in the main mixer, but I'm all by my lonesome regarding amplification. Thus, the second PA system just for the drums...to me, it's a bit much, butcha' gotta do whatcha' gotta do, I guess...
There are several \"Driveracks Products\" listed....Which one would be the best suitable purchase in this case? I'm assuming the new PA+, but I want to be sure. I will be mic'ing 3 toms and the snare, routing through the Behringer B1220 Pro and the kick through the Behringer sub.
Thanx again...
The BEST thing.. the 260 all the way!!! But that comes with a price...$670
next the DRPA... on closeout now for $270
Next the DRPA + (only because of the price difference...) $500
Next the PX $ 300
The 260 is THE BOMB... the PX will do the job, the DRPA is the best \"deal\" but is being phased out...(discontinued)
The rest is up to you...BTW separating the drums from the rest of the pa is ludicrous ! You can tell your band mates that I said they are STUPID and IGNORANT!...they should go lay by their dish...that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard....
Might as well combine it as a monitor/mains, put it behind you aimed out, get the Driverack, learn the system, and kick their asses...(wish it wasn't BEH speakers...that's all...
Gadget
DRA
If I bought a 260, considering what it does, you'd think they'd INVITE me to the main mixer...and to allow the 260 to control THAT mixer/amp combo instead!!
If I bought a 260, considering what it does, you'd think they'd INVITE me to the main mixer...and to allow the 260 to control THAT mixer/amp combo instead!!
Thanks again!!
Bleeder
NSL
\"Northern Sound and Light\"
http://www.northernsound.net/
~Bleeder
List for us the # of channels they use and what each one is used for, then the inputs you will have from your kit.
DRA
G
DRA
You said:
\"It must be just me, because it CAN'T be this difficult to amplify a stupid set of drums, especially the bassdrum!! Can't be!\"
If that were the case, touring engineers would not be spending more time on the drumkit than the rest of the band combined.
What make and model is your drumkit? What size kickdrum? Do you have a mic hole cut in the front head? If so, what is the diameter of the hole? If you have a mic hole, how do you position your D112...mic half way in, half out of the front head or mic and mic stand boom arm all the way inside the drum? What do you use, if anything, to dampen the inside of the drum?
I think this is good for a start and should keep you busy for a while.
Dennis
Anyway, I can write down the current PA that we have, and what inputs are used, etc. after practice this evening. Hopefully that will help. I'll look for the aux returns on the mixer as well, abba.
So it is hard to EQ a set, eh? :shock: I had no idea. Good news is that a Driverack PA is on the way. Sure wish I could afford another sub, but I'm already stuck in the world of low-end equipment with Behringer. Storage and travel with two subs would be an issue too, so the second sub will likely have to wait a while.
I'm not sure how to make a URL tag, but my drumset is here: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.c ... ID=6443950
Dennis, currently I own a 5-piece Tama Starclassic Performer EFX, Snare is a 14\" Ludwig Black Beauty, 4\" hole on the bass drum's resonant head. I've tried to put the AKG mic 2 inches in the port, faced just away from the middle where the beater strikes, but because of \"boominess\", plus early clipping from both the mixer and the amp, the mic ends up being 4 inches away from the port, leading to bleed from the bass, etc. It's frustrating to have to do it ths way, but I've spent hours, even trying a noise gate trying to get this to work like it should, but to no avail. Thus, I'm here. I really appreciate everyone's help here. I'm really interested in how all this will pan out. Thanks again.
G
Looking forward to an input list...
Let's talk about your Kick drum. A lot of people will disagree with me, but I don't like positioning a kick drum mic half in and half out of the front head. As the front head vibrates, the edge of the 4\" mic hole makes an unpleasant noise that the mic picks up. Sometimes you hear it FOH and sometimes not but you always hear it in the monitors and it can cause low end feedback. Try putting the mic all the way inside the drum and start with it centered and 3\" to 4\" from the beater head. This position will give you the maximum \"attack to thump\" ratio. If you want less attack and more thump, move the mic back, away from the beater head and/or move it off center toward the edge of the drum.
Try tuning the beater head down and as loose as you can. If you tune it too loose, the beater won't bounce back at you and you will hate it. Experiment with it.
You never said what you were using to dampen the inside of the kick drum. There is all kinds of stuff available and most drummers make up something themselves. There are many ways to make something from foam that might go part way or all the way around the inside of the drum. I'm an old school guy and prefer a pillow made with real feathers...they're heavy and tend to stay in place. And remember, less is more.
Dennis