congaplace.com

Sirs,

I realize many ways to skin this cat.... thought this web reference was interesting.

Would be interested in knowing what the membership here has found that works for

them...


(have not been overly excited about my "living room" recorded results (Gon Bop.. Tumba (12.25)

Conga (11.5), Quinto (10.75) ..with hide heads....) using SM 57's over and above the "in stand" conga...

carpeted floors... drums tuned to normal intervals C (conga), G (tumba), quinto. Not enough

musicality...for lack of a better term too much "hand" and not enough drum tone. (see lousy description).


Peace, Chas

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec06/a ... /latin.htm

hehehehe ! ... is that you ?

Guess what I'm really trying to say (and English is my primary language)... what techniques

are you guys using for micing / recording your congas ? My failures have resulted in too much

attack and not enough tone. I'm usually over - dubbing the congas to a track layed down by our

trio or quartet jazz group. The congas sound fine "in person" but lack in the processed recording.

Anybody got any micing techniques that work for them.... (btw...I have not tried the distant room

mic recommended in the article ).


Peace, Chas

I know what you mean, lots of skin attack correct? Not enough tone? I would suggest close mikng and then having two room mikes further away, you can then blend the two to get a balance. Sometimes close miking gets too much of the SOS ( skin on skin) sound, too much pitta patta.
PC

I understand the concept but I've never liked playing in completely dead rooms. On guitar or sax either. Over 10 years and 3 moves ago I picked up a small roll of vinyl flooring that I've used on carpet and also to protect nice wood floors. Try getting a nice room sound and micing that.

A friend of mine who does quite a bit of recording says it is best to place the mics a drum's length away from the drum. HIs reasoning is that the largest sound wave the drum makes is the length of its body. As for the "attack" problem.. Don't worry, it goes away when other instruments are added. Another thing to realize is that if you have a good recording and it sounds like too much attack, then that's how you sound, so change the technique.

Excellent points guys,... thank you. PCastag... you nailed it....exactly what I mean.

Windhorse... much truth in that ... need to be honest about the technique (or lack of...)

back to the wood shed.

Robert...had not thought of that...maybe I've killed the room too much...hmmmm.


Thanks again.

Peace, Chas

There are actually quite a few ways to mic and record conga drums...One way is from underneath the conga if your playing standing up...another way is(ol skool) Barcus berry pickups 'attached' to the top of the conga head skin....when i record i have the mics depending if Im using AKG'S or SM 57s...a fist away from my drums...maybe 6 or 7 inches away as well...there are new mics out today so you may want to do the research on them...notice the placement of the AKGS in this studio photo..

Thank you Johnny... valuable studio inside look. I'll give it a shot.

As always , I appreciate the help.


Peace, Chas