Live ecording using drums

[jkkramer]

Heres the deal... Right now my band is without a drummer so the good old MBR has taken his place!(for now) My question is: Can I play a drum sequence through the PA AND record the whole band live using the on board mic in the MBR with the drum sequence playing through the PA? We like tio record when we are jamming and trying to write new material. OR , is it possible to burn the drum sequence only to CD. I would then play the CD through PA and do live recording like normal.

[Tony]

How live is live?  Playing acoustically, amplified or amplified through a PA?

I've been playing in a similar practice situation but not recording.  I use the MBR as the drum but I have drum tracks playing as mp3s.

So if you are playing acoustically in a room, just play the drum track through a speaker and record everything with the built in mic.

If you are playing through a PA, just play your drum arrangement into the mixer and take a line out of the desk (with all instruments including the MBR drum arrangement) into your line in.

If your drum tracks are on mp3s then you will have to import them onto a v-track and proceed as above.

I think those alternatives should cover you (and, hopefully, work).

[jkkramer]

Thanks Tony,
   Sounds like you answered my question. So if I convert my drum sequence to an MP3, play it through the PA via line out to the PA ,I can record drums,vocals, bass and guitars via the on board mic live. Is that right? I think I'm overthinking it and it's getting me a bit confused!!!! Thanks again for the speedy responce...

[Tony]

If you are going through a PA then you don't need to convert it to an mp3.  Just run a line from the MBR to someone's amp, say a guitar, through their AUX IN.  Then everyone can hear the drum track.  Then the signal will go through the PA with the guitar signal.  Then record everything from the PA through a line from the PA to the MBR's LINE IN.  That should do it and I hope nothing blows up.

When we play with the MBR as a drum track, I put the LINE OUT of the MBR into the AUX IN of a Behringer 1200H and it works fine alongside my guitar (and I get to control the drumtracks, but that's another story).

[jkkramer]

  Thanks Tony. Sounds like a good plan. I don't think we will be blowing anything up!!!!

[gingy]

If you are going through a PA then you don't need to convert it to an mp3.  Just run a line from the MBR to someone's amp, say a guitar, through their AUX IN.  Then everyone can hear the drum track.  Then the signal will go through the PA with the guitar signal.  Then record everything from the PA through a line from the PA to the MBR's LINE IN.  That should do it and I hope nothing blows up.

When we play with the MBR as a drum track, I put the LINE OUT of the MBR into the AUX IN of a Behringer 1200H and it works fine alongside my guitar (and I get to control the drumtracks, but that's another story).

this thread is really informative

[hewhoiscalledj]

This should work, but watch out for feedback since you are recording the sounds coming out of the amps/instruments, along with the same sounds rehashed thru the PA/mixer. I guess just make sure you place the MBR (or recording mic) a fair distance away from the speakers. You know how you get feedback from a vocal mic pointed right at the speaker? Just avoid that same situation.

[jkkramer]

Thanks hewho... I will keep that in mind. I'm wondering if I might be better off burning the drum track to a CD and playing it through the PA from the CD player we have hooked up to the board. Then I wont have to worry about any feedback. Thanks again for your expertise...

[hewhoiscalledj]

I think that would be better. Then you wouldnt have the line out on the MBR going into the PA. But who knows, maybe you get a thicker sound out of the drums doing it that way. Worth a shot either way.

I kept thinking to myself, how can he get the drums to play without having to play it out of the MBR? Duh... a cd player. LOL...