Vircussion ®

Virtual Percussion/Virtual Drums

My TD-12 Studio Notes

I do not "hyperlink" the commercial web sites throughout these notes so copy and paste the links to your browser.

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If you want a search and list of information "in the studio" for V-Drums go to the Vdrums.com "In the Studio Forum" at:

http://www.vdrums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=40

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Note: This home studio is for our Band Practices, Live shows and Demo Recordings. We go to a professional studio once we have tightened up our songs.

Plus, this is a great way to listen to your practices and live shows to realize your need for improvement. There's no better judge of your sound than sitting in a room with your band listening to your practices and live shows. You are your own worst critic You may think you sound great until you play it back to yourself because there's always room for improvement.

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The ZOOM H4n we use is a great 4-Track low cost studio at a reasonable price. Compact and a great MP3 Player. I use a 2.0 GB SD Card or go up to a 32 GB Card and set the recording to MP3 128 bit which can do a many hours if you set it non stop. I keep the H4n within reach so I can stop and start the recordings. Later pull the card out, plug it into my notebook computer label the MP3's and store them in folders with the date we recorded the tunes. It's that simple. The H4n is bundled with a licensed copy of Cubase software to manage your recordings as a 4-Track Studio.

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h4n/index.php

Note: I first recorded using the Zoom H4n the built-in microphones with the band's live amplifiers. The Zoom H4n is great for live recording through the microphones. One big problem at practices with recording using microphones from any recorder with V-Drums is that you get that tapping sound when hitting the cymbals. I had to cut out a lot of this tapping on with my original MP3 recordings.

For Video Recordings check out the

ZOOM Q3 Video Recorder.

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/q3/index.php

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Another suggestion is

MOTU Recording Equipment

http://www.motu.com/audio

http://www.motu.com/products

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I connect the ZOOM H4 L/R XLR connections to a Behringer 1832 FX Mixer into the Sub 1-2 XLR connections. I use the Sub 1-2 so that I have a separate volume control from the main mix (which is used for the Headphone Amp) (see below).

http://www.behringer.com/EN/home.aspx

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The entire band plugs all instruments/mics into the Behringer 1832 FX Mixer and we use a Behringer 4-Channel Stereo Headphone Amplifier with quality headphoness for recordings and band practices. Doesn't bother the neighbors. The headphone amp connects via the Main Mix L/R XLR connections. (Behringer has larger models for more headphones)

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/

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Circumaural Headphones are our choice. These cover the entire ears. We don't want to hear outside noise and cross-channel from the other musicians in the room. We do our recordings live. This, like all the equipment of course is personal choice.

Note: If you are going with this configuration we have noticed that having a different mix of headphones is not a good thing. Each band member hears something completely different with different makes and models of headphones. Get good frequency range quality headphones or suffer the consequences of everyone hearing a different mix in their ears.

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Here's a first for us. Switching to phantom powered mics. Because we were using our stage mics for recording we weren't really getting the vocal sound we wanted for our recordings and we looked for an alternative. We tried Electro-Voice Cardinal Condenser Microphones. We checked out the specs. These mics are great for recording. At live performances we use our Shure SM58's.

http://www.electrovoice.com/products.php?type=Mic&attributes[]=25

http://www.electrovoice.com/family.php?id=34

Note: Like we found with the headsets by going with the same models of microphones we noticed an improvement in the recorded mix by having matched equipment.

Check them out at:

http://www.electrovoice.com/index.php?lang=eng

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Check out "My Music" for my recording results

To see more on this equip click on my "V-Drum Page"

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Today, I use the Roland- V-Stage and TD-12 kits for my percussion.

What I have done with my TD-12 Studio Kit is taken a couple of pieces from my V-Stage Kit.

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The V-Stage PD-100 Pad to Aux-1, the V-Stage CY-15R Ride to the main Ride/Edge cables and moved the TD-12 CY-12 R/C to the CR2 connection and added my Pintech NRS Nimrod to Aux-2. So I've used up all the auxiliary connections of the TD-12. I also added my DW4000 double pedal.

Remember to go into the "Trigger Bank" of your TD-12 to adjust the correct settings for your changes.

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The Nimrod is mounted between the hi-hat and the 1st Tom which is hard to see in the picture so I did a close-up shot of it in the other picture on the right. The Pintech Nimrod can be found at:

http://www.pintechworld.com/

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This Kit is a great alternative for smaller gigs, and really, I don't need much more than this other than the fact that I like to set up my V-Stage Kit as an extra Percussion Kit for those Santana numbers and do some standup Percussion when putting on a show.

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Want the software to download your TD Module to your computer?

"VDrumLib"

http://www.vdrumlib.com/

VDrumLib allows you to create custom drum kit libraries for your Roland V-Drum module. The same simple user interface is employed for all of the following Roland V-Drum modules:

TD-3, TD-6, TD-8, TD-9, TD-10, TD-10EXP, TD-12, TD-20, and TDW-20

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Then of course there's the dedicated PA System I use for the V-Drums. I don't use my mixer for this. Instead I have gone to powered speakers with a built-in two channel mixer. Less cables to hook up. Click on my "Vircussion-Drum Page" link above left of this page for more details on my equipment, including PA, Speakers, Mixer, Studio, etc.

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For more V-Drum notes click

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ZOOM Q3 Video Recorder

Behringer 1832 FX

 

 

 

Pintech NRS Nimrod

 

 

 

Patch Cables