Gimmi Some Snap!...

[memriloc]

Ok, did a search and all, but I realy wanted direct opinions on something that's been talked about alot...Sorry....

I'm using a 57 on my snares, not my fav, but that's all I've got to work with at the moment....What I'd realy like is a mic that has a nice bright ALMOST sparkly end to it, good side and rear noise rejection and something with a proximity effect that isn't overkill so you can realy work into a close mic techneque...Oh yeah and as per usual $$$ is a factor, but please list away....

[chessrock]

Try a hypercardiod condenser.


An Octava mc012 with the hypercardiod capsule might not be a bad idea.

[mrface2112]

it's definitely a lot wider pattern than you're looking for, but i really like my studio projects B1 on my snare, when aimed at the shell from about 4" away. nice woody crack.


wade

[chingon]

I'm in the market for a new snare mic to. I'm not to crazy about a SM57 on my snares.

[Englebert]

I was recording a drummer with a piccolo snare (or soprano or whatever they call it. It´s small anyway) few months ago and had hard time to get enough top end with SM57. However, the drummer had his own AKG clip mics and I tried one of them with the snare. I was very pleased with the results.

I don´t know the model number, but it was a small condenser with a clip and tiny gooseneck.

[sae]

well it could be the AKG C418 :


or the AKG C419:

[Englebert]

It was the latter one, C419. Thanks!

[eeldip]

the 421 with a little bit of roll off.

or use a beyer m201 with some roll off at the board.

or try micing the bottom and the top... bottom is snapppy raspy.

[memriloc]

Thanks for your replies....I'll definately try one of my MC-012;s on it and see how it flys, only got the cardioid though...

[chessrock]

Originally posted by eeldip
or try micing the bottom and the top... bottom is snapppy raspy.

Very good point.

[StevenLindsey]

I've used a MXL603 on snare with pretty good results.

[Rev E]

I agree with the idea to mic the bottom of the mic. You can get a nice sparkly side of the snare drum that way. Make sure the phase is opposite of the phase of the top snare mic and blend in as much as is needed (you usually don't need much). Today's drummers use piccolo snare drums, heavy drum heads, and tighten their snares pretty tight. This makes for a dead, tight sound with little to no "snare" sound. For this, adding another mic to the bottom of the snare is one of the better ways to get that sound. Another would be to loosen the snares a tad. Another way would be to use a condenser mic (this will give you the brightness you're looking for, but no more "snare" sound than you would have with any other mic.

Also, try micing from the side of the snare instead of from the top... you may be able to pick up more "snare" and brightness without resorting to two mics. The attack of the snare drum will likely suffer using a side mic position, but if your overheads are picking up the snare really well, then this may be just what the doctor ordered. If you do a side mic position, don't place the mic at the end near an air hole in the snare drum.