Tracking orchestral Bass Drum and cymbals

[andydeedpoll]

Hi there,

my band were considering using some of our schools percussion equipment in our most recent (and most ambitious...) recording project. We're especially interested in using the orchestral bass drum - its about 5 feet in diameter... absolutely massive - like the biggest one in this picture

we'd also be interested in using the orchestral cymbals (the two big cymbals you smash together really hard )

i was just wondering if you had any suggestions for how to mic them up... we've only really got access to a kick drum mic (i forget the manufacturer or model... but its pretty good!) a Studio Projects B1 and an SM58... my initial thoughts for the bass drum would be sticking the B1 about a foot and a half away, and the kick drum mic about six inches, pointing into the middle of the drum, and for the cymbals doing something similar... putting the B1 about a foot away.

i was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how this could be done.

thanks in advance,

Andy

 

[mshilarious]

my initial thoughts for the bass drum would be sticking the B1 about a foot and a half away, and the kick drum mic about six inches, pointing into the middle of the drum, and for the cymbals doing something similar... putting the B1 about a foot away.

Well, play around with the kick mic, that might work. The B1 though, you need more distance than a foot or you will get massive problems. Remember that orchestral cymbals move a LOT more than rock cymbals. I would try the bass drum and cymbals together, about 6-8 feet apart and miced from 10 feet with the B1, and just mix in enough kick mic for the low end thump.

 

[andydeedpoll]

thanks!

for your idea i'll need to find another percussionist as well as a our drummer... but i suppose there's nothing particularly complex about a drum, you just smack it one

just out of interest, what massive problems do you reckon there'd be with using the B1 on the bass drum, and do you think it'd be any better using it further away from the cymbals?

thanks again,

Andy