A Actual-World Drum Take a look at With Blair Sinta
Hello all people, hope you’re doing marvellously effectively.
On this video, we’re placing the Common Audio Commonplace Modelling Microphones by way of a correct real-world take a look at. A number of years in the past, I examined the unique Sphere microphone system, which was initially made by Townsend Labs earlier than Common Audio acquired the corporate. Since then, UA has expanded the thought into what they now name the Commonplace Modelling Microphones, utilizing Hemisphere modelling software program.
The vary consists of a number of completely different mics, together with the SD-1 dynamic, SP-1 pencil condensers, SC-1 condenser, SD3, SD5, SD7, and extra. The concept is fairly thrilling: seize with the mic, then select completely different microphone fashions later.
Form of insane, nonetheless additionally sort of superior.
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A Little Background on the UA Commonplace Sequence
The UA Commonplace Sequence was designed as a extra accessible vary of microphones for dwelling studios, content material creators, podcasters, and critical manufacturing areas.
Two of the core designs are:
The modelling facet connects on to UA’s 2021 acquisition of Townsend Labs, bringing Chris Townsend’s Sphere modelling expertise into the Common Audio world. UA additionally designed these mics to work neatly with Apollo interfaces, with presets supposed to get you in direction of album-ready and broadcast-ready sounds rapidly.
So this isn’t only a assortment of cheap microphones. It’s a part of a a lot larger ecosystem.
Why We Needed To Take a look at Them
The explanation I bought was as a result of we visited the slightly fantastic Rabea Massaad in Brighton just a few months in the past. He had been recording drums utilizing these mics, and I requested him, “How do they sound?”
His reply was quite simple:
“Actually good.”
And naturally, he had simply made an album with them, and it sounded incredible. So I believed, alright, let’s put them by way of their paces.
Enter Blair Sinta
For this take a look at, we requested the wonderful Blair Sinta to document drums for us. I’ve labored with Blair for about 25 years, and in the event you comply with the channel, you’ll have seen him many instances over the past decade or so.
Blair does a whole lot of distant drum recording from his personal room, and he will get incredible outcomes. He has a critical setup: Chandler mic pres, BAE/Brent Averill gear, API pres, and a equipment he is aware of inside out.
So this was not a “can these mics rescue a foul drum sound?” take a look at.
This was:
Can these mics arise towards an ideal drummer, in a well-known room, with a correctly dialled-in conventional setup?
The Take a look at
Blair recorded the drums two methods:
First, utilizing his regular microphone setup.
Then, utilizing the UA modelling mics.
We weren’t making an attempt to cheat something. No samples. No heavy processing. No “repair it within the combine” nonsense. The concept was to get one of the best drum sound we may from the UA mics and see how they in contrast.
We used 11 mics, together with kick, snare high and backside, toms, overheads, hi-hat, mono room, rear mic, and even a mono overhead for enjoyable. Some choices have been made proper there within the room, which is truthfully how classes go. We had to decide on between a kick out mic and a mono room, and we selected the room as a result of I wished some atmosphere.
First Hear: No Modelling
Earlier than opening up the flamboyant plugin, I wished to listen to the mics flat.
And truthfully, that was one of many largest surprises.
With no modelling, no EQ, no compression, the mics already sounded good. The kick had assault and weight. The snare had snap. The toms had loads of physique. The general sound was trendy, clear, and usable.
That issues, as a result of modelling is simply thrilling if the supply seize is sweet within the first place.
The Kick Drum
The SD5 on kick was actually spectacular. With no modelling, it already had nice assault and a really trendy punch.
As soon as we began utilizing the Hemisphere plugin, the DN52 mannequin gave us that acquainted huge dynamic kick mic weight. It had low finish, it had punch, and it felt instantly helpful.
Then we tried one thing enjoyable: duplicating the kick observe and utilizing a sub-style mannequin on the duplicate. As a result of it’s the very same efficiency and very same mic seize, it stays completely in part. All of the sudden we had an enormous, completely aligned low-end layer.
That may very well be value its weight in gold in a mixture.
The Snare Drum Shock
This was most likely my favorite discovery.
I believed we’d find yourself utilizing a 57-style mannequin on snare, as a result of that’s the apparent transfer. And sure, the 57 mannequin seemed like a 57. It did the factor.
Nonetheless, I saved coming again to the SD3 with no modelling on it.
It had this pretty transient, this “spank” on the entrance of the snare that simply labored. It sounded trendy, open, and thrilling. I did a bit of EQ, the sort of EQ I’d usually do anyway, nonetheless the uncooked mic was actually giving me one thing I favored.
So within the remaining drum sound, we used modelling on a lot of the equipment, nonetheless left the SD3 uncooked on the snare high.
That’s the fantastic thing about it. You’re not pressured to make use of the modelling. You’ll be able to select.
Toms, Rooms, and Overheads
On toms, the modelling helped management a few of the ring and focus the sound. The 409-style mannequin was notably helpful. It introduced the toms ahead, tightened the transient, and helped scale back a few of that “cardboard field” low-mid space that always wants reducing anyway.
For the mono room, I ended up liking a 414-style mannequin. It gave the room a barely extra completed high quality, not drastic, only a good little bit of polish.
The overheads additionally benefited from modelling in a delicate method. It felt just like the transients have been being smeared ever so barely, in a tasteful, elegant method. That’s one thing we regularly affiliate with analogue gear. Not much less element, just a bit much less harshness.
Hello-Hat and Proximity Management
The hi-hat was one other hidden gem.
Utilizing the proximity/filter controls in Hemisphere, we have been capable of scale back low-frequency bleed from the kick and a few of the snare. That’s extremely helpful.
On a standard hi-hat mic, you’re normally reaching for EQ or gates or simply dwelling with the bleed. Right here, the modelling instruments gave us one other strategy to form the seize.
Very cool.
The Larger Realisation
What I discovered myself doing was going forwards and backwards consistently:
Do I want the mannequin? Do I want the mic uncooked? Do I desire a mix? Ought to I duplicate it and use two completely different fashions?
That’s the place this method will get actually attention-grabbing.
It’s not simply “does this sound precisely like that well-known mic?”
That’s helpful, after all, nonetheless the larger query is:
Does this give me extra inventive choices within the combine?
And the reply is sure.
Towards Blair’s Regular Setup
Blair’s personal drum setup sounded nice. It has extra of what you’d count on from a conventional, rigorously chosen mic chain: physique, low mids, and acquainted character.
The UA setup sounded a bit of extra trendy and open. In some circumstances, it was brighter. In some circumstances, it wanted much less work. In others, Blair’s conventional mics had a bit extra weight.
The most important distinction for me was the room setup. Blair’s regular setup had stereo rooms, whereas we solely used a mono room with the UA mics. That naturally modifications the general measurement of the equipment.
Nonetheless, even with that limitation, the UA mics held up very well.
Closing Ideas
This was extremely revealing.
The large takeaway for me is that the UA mics sound good earlier than you even contact the modelling. That’s big.
Then, when you add Hemisphere, you get a complete new degree of flexibility. You’ll be able to mannequin a kick mic, change the snare character, tighten toms, clean overheads, form hi-hat bleed, or duplicate a observe and create a superbly phase-aligned second mic sound.
For me, the standouts have been:
- SD5 on kick, robust, trendy, punchy
- SD3 on snare, particularly uncooked, with no modelling
- 409-style fashions on toms, targeted and managed
- 414-style mono room, polished and helpful
- Proximity management on hi-hat, genuinely sensible
I just like the mics. I just like the modelling. And perhaps most significantly, I like that I don’t have to make use of the modelling if the uncooked mic is already doing the job.
That’s the true win.
Attempt It Your self
Obtain the multitracks and make your individual choice: https://producelikeapro.lpages.co/ua-standard-series-mics-chase-k-gone-form/
Don’t simply take my phrase for it. Combine the drums, EQ them, compress them, evaluate the 2 setups, and tell us what you like.
As a result of the proof of the pudding is all the time within the observe.
Have a marvellous time recording and mixing.
