tom-tom mics / hi-hat / ride mics??? - whats out there?
- Thread starter alecmcmahon
- Start date
Personally, I don't like the audix mic's except for the D6. The D6 seems very usable on kick and floor tom.
As far as micing the whole kit goes, there are kind of two trains of though there. There are many people who like the simple OH and room approach, but there are just as many if not more who prefer to fully mic a kit. Personally, I usually use 2 kick mics, 2 snare, hat, one on each tom, Overheads and one or two room mics. Depending on the drummer and layout of the kit and style, sometimes I add a ride mic as well. Thois people that like the simpler style tend to balk at that kind of mic'ing scenario. However, drums are kind of my specialty and I have landed a lot of business based on drum sounds. I don't have a great room though so it does make the simpler approach a little less appealing. Also, I primarily do rock music.
Another thing I do differently I guess is that I don't use 421's. I like the way they sound on toms and some brass, but I don't really like them at all on kick drums or guitar cabs. I don't use them on toms becuase I really love my old EV408's (not the newer ones), and 421's love to fall off their clips and are a little harder to place.
As far as micing the whole kit goes, there are kind of two trains of though there. There are many people who like the simple OH and room approach, but there are just as many if not more who prefer to fully mic a kit. Personally, I usually use 2 kick mics, 2 snare, hat, one on each tom, Overheads and one or two room mics. Depending on the drummer and layout of the kit and style, sometimes I add a ride mic as well. Thois people that like the simpler style tend to balk at that kind of mic'ing scenario. However, drums are kind of my specialty and I have landed a lot of business based on drum sounds. I don't have a great room though so it does make the simpler approach a little less appealing. Also, I primarily do rock music.
Another thing I do differently I guess is that I don't use 421's. I like the way they sound on toms and some brass, but I don't really like them at all on kick drums or guitar cabs. I don't use them on toms becuase I really love my old EV408's (not the newer ones), and 421's love to fall off their clips and are a little harder to place.
Richard Monroe
Well-known member
Essentially I agree with Peter Lancaster, but I'll qualify it. Using a lot of mics on a drum kit can give you better control over the sound, but using a lot of cheap mics will not improve your sound, just the opposite. Four really good mics sound a hell of a lot better than 8-12 cheap ones. If you can't afford a $200 mic (that's pretty cheap), you should not be trying to mic every component of a drum kit. It's just a lot of cables and stands and channels for nothing.-Richie