Another Drum mic thread...

[Garak]

I'm currently putting the gear together for doing live recordings. Most of which will take place in a small pub (great sounding room). The other venue we may be recording in is a small great sounding theater(High celings, well designed for sound, tuneable via moving sceanery/drapes). I've got most of the gear put together except for drum overheads.

On kick I own a Beta52, the band owns a D112 and I can rent a RE-20. These mics cover a fairly wide range of sounds so I'm pretty good here.

On snare I own both SM-57's and Beta57A's. I think I might stick with the good old SM 57.

On toms I own a Set of SM-57 with clamps which I will likely use for the club gigs. I may also rent e-604 clip on mics and give them a try. For the gigs in the theater I think I'm going to rent the MD-421's because nothing sounds better on toms and I have lots of room for stands.

That leaves overheads. The band leader was talking of getting a pair of akg 414's because they are so standard. He currently owns a set of Apex 420's large condensors which sound like crap. I'm suggesting he should go for cheaper overheads and spend some money on preamps and/or a new board.

Anyway the music is compareble to The tragicaly hip and pearl jam. Also the drummer plays extreamly light.

There isn't much avaible around for rent in terms of overheads, one of guys here in town owns a pair of KSM-184's but I don't think he will rent them out and the local collage has a pair of AKG 451 which we may be able to try out in their studio.

So we are going to be buying without trying the mics out first.

So what do you guys think we should go with?

Should we shell out the cash for the 414's, step down to the 451
s, maybe go for the KSM-184's or try some of the cheaper mics like the MXL603's or SP B1?

[DJL]

My favorite O.H.'s are the AKG C451's and Josephson C42's.