Kick drum micing

[FBstdminime]

Is it possible to use a Rode NT-2 on a kick drum? Has anyone tried this? Or am I just crazy?

[flatrockrecordin]

Event has a CD demo available at no charge featuring several instruments recorded with the nt1, nt2 & nt classic. It includes kick drum. With my shot out ears, what I noticed was that the nt1 sounded OK, the nt2 had more meat and high end definition, and on most things the classic sounded like the same mic as the nt2 but with tube electronics, and was a little midrangey on others. I wish all companies could put out demo audio of their products

[FBstdminime]

[drstawl]

Probably depends on whether the drummer will exceed the 135dB SPL this mic is rated for.
The -10dB pad switch should help.

[FBstdminime]

Where can I get this CD demo?

[flatrockrecordin]

Event Electronics' web sight. I e-mailed them with some questions and asked for the CD.(I saw it in an ad a few months ago). The CD was in my mail box within a week.

[FBstdminime]

How about the Shure KSM32 or maybe an AKG C3000B on kick?

[jal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FBstdminime:
or maybe an AKG C3000B on kick? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
yeah id be interested to know what people tink about the akg c3000 on a kik. good question FBstdminime

[Spray]

The pad button on every microphone is a "electronic" kind of thing. So it does the same as the pad button on your console.(if you have one) Therefore I would be a little more careful with my mics. Cause the membrane in your mic does not care if you press pad or not. I dont know about the Rode but putting a mic in a kick can very well destroy the a mic.

[BigKahuna]

Well ... I tried it out ... and I'll let your ears be the judge. I have a C3000 (original) and a D112 and thought it would be cool to just see how a 'vocal' mic compares with a 'real' kick mic.

I did 3 takes of the kick. Once with the D112 and twice with the C3000 (once w bass rolloff, once w/o). Each mic was mounted the same way ... 5" from the beater head ... at about a 30º angle from the head ... pointed at the beater. The C3000 was set on cardioid and with the -10dB pad engaged. The front head of the drum was removed.

This is not a review or scientific comparison... as I admit my setup has some weaknesses. It was just to satisfy my own curiousity ... and I thought maybe it would for you, too.

As stated above, a -10dB pad doesn't protect the diaphragm from high SPL ... so I don't think I would try this with a NT2 or KSM32. My C3000 has been sitting on the shelf a lot lately anyway, so I thought I'd just try this and see. It's rated at 140/150dB max SPL anyway.


AKG C3000 (0:03, 160kbps, 72kb)

AKG C3000 w/ bass rolled off (0:03, 160kbps, 75kb)

AKG D112 (0:03, 160kbps, 69kb)

oh yeah ... BTW ... no compression or gates or EQ etc ... were used on this.


[This message has been edited by BigKahuna (edited 07-28-2000).]

[John Sayers]

There's a lot more mids -3khz - in the d112 eh?. I liked the c3000 flat best but i reckon by the time i got to mix it with the kit i'd be putting some 3khz into the c3000!!

[FBstdminime]

Thanks for the test and all the replies. I just wanted to know if I could get a decent sound from my kick using condensors that i would normally use for vocals.

[Tonewoods]

I like the KSM32 on kick...nice n' tight...

[FBstdminime]

I'm just a little nervous using a quality mic like that on a kick drum... I don't want to destroy the membrane or anything.

[James HE]

just don't put it too close!

-jhe

[FBstdminime]

How would the NT3 sound on kick drum... is that more an overhead mic?

[FBstdminime]

How would the NT3 sound on kick drum... or is it more of an overhead mic?