Best mic's for miking up a drum set

[xiwiwix]

What are the best mics I can get for about $1200-/+ for close as possible to studio quality (clarity and full sounding) recordings. Yes I understand that the drums, drummer, and room have a lot to do with it. I'm worried about the mic's right now. Please help would be greatly appreciated.

This is what I already have:

Audio Technica ATM25 for Kick (two)
Audio Technica ATM23 for Tom (four)
Shure BETA57A (one)
Audio Technica ATM29HE (one)
Samson C02 (set)

I really missed up on the Samson's I'm told. I haven't had a chance to use them yet. I've been getting great sound out of what I already have, and I'm hoping to get an even better sound with better mics.

The ATM23 mics don't have enough punch, and the ATM25 don't have enough click on the kick. Could that be the room or the position? No matter what I do I still come out with the same results. The ATM23 sounds ok with the snare. The Beta57a is good close up on a china or ride.

I'm recording Metal Bands with big drum sets. One of the bands set to come in has one snare, five toms, two bass drums, one hi hat, and 8 symbols. That band before them has a similar set but with less toms and two high hats.

What I need:

Two overhead, maybe three
Four tom mic's
One snare mic
Two kick mics


I was thinking about these mics:

Studio Projects C4 for over head
MD421 For the toms and maybe Kick
Beyer M201 or SM57 for Snare

Take Care

[bigwillz24]

I like the sennheiser e604's on tom's unless they are floor toms for those I'd try a 421.

I like the EV-RE20 on a kick...

I like Neumann KM184's for overheads...

I like 57's on snares...

Why because those mics I've used and gotten decent sounds from on drums... YMMV

[random.hero]

thats a lot of cash! this is an unimportant post, but i would just like to let you know...
im glad u r that devoted to music...
post some tunes when ur done with everything! id like to hear what 1200 mics sound like

[random.hero]

i meant $1200 mics...
sorry for any confusion

[xiwiwix]

Originally Posted by random.hero

thats a lot of cash! this is an unimportant post, but i would just like to let you know...
im glad u r that devoted to music...
post some tunes when ur done with everything! id like to hear what 1200 mics sound like

I don't understand why this isn't an important post, I think it is since I started it.

Thank you. I've devoted the majority of my life to music thus far.

I'll post some music when I get done, I know it will be with $1200 worth of mics because thats about what I have into the mic's I already own.

Their seems to be a ton of knowledge here on this forum, which is why I'm posting here. I hope more people chime in with their opinions.

Take Care

[Big Kenny]

Try a mic on the beater side of the kick as well as the front to get more click, also maybe a little more compression. The mics you have (aside from the samson which I know nothing of directly, only by reputaion) should yield very usable results.
Do a search on overheads as that has been discussed ad nauseum.
Throw one of those atm25's on your lower tom too.
Oh yeah, and for the best snare I'm using a beyer 201 from the top and a 421 on the bottom

[thajeremy]

I see you have an ATM29HE. that is what I use on snare. I have 57's, 604's, and a 609 as well and I like the Audio Technica better than all of those.

[Ironklad Audio]

Audix DP-5A drum pack - you get a D6 for kick, D4 and 2 D2's for toms, and an i5 for snare, all in a case and with rim mounts for $650

add some overheads and possibly a cymbal mic, and you're set

[wx3]

We mic'd up a smaller jazz style 4 piece kit the other day in the studio.

We used 2 414's for overheads, 421's on the toms, a SM 57 on snare top, 441 snare bottom, and D112 on kick.

Sounded pretty damn good to my ears, although tape does that right :P?

[jkokura]

Originally Posted by wx3

We mic'd up a smaller jazz style 4 piece kit the other day in the studio.

We used 2 414's for overheads, 421's on the toms, a SM 57 on snare top, 441 snare bottom, and D112 on kick.

Sounded pretty damn good to my ears, although tape does that right :P?

This is pretty similar to the set up I'd love to use, but I'm curious what you set the 414's at (pattern).

I use a pair of Oktava MK012'sa as overheads, 57's on high toms, MD421's on low, a D112 on kick, a Beyer M201tg on the top of the snare and an AT pro37r on the bottom.

If I could make my setup better I'd either use 414's or 451's as overheads, and then use MD421's on all toms...

I highly recommend the M201 for snare - it rocks, and if you have one around, give a try with an SDC on the bottom of your snare - I was suprised at how much better an SDC did compared to any dynamic I've ever tried under there...

Jacob

[wx3]

The 414s were set up in cardiod, completely flat. Those mics tend to do some of the work for you. Postion them well, and they sound great on just about anything.

[littledog]

It seems like you have enough mics to do a lot of the kit already. You say you are unhappy with the ATM25's. I'm wondering if it is a placement issue, because they usually sound great on both kick and floor tom. Have you tried the Beta57 on the snare?

The one area where you could definitely spend some money is the overheads. $1200 would be more than enough to get a killer matched pair of small diaphragm cardioids like the Josephson C42's. Those, in combination with what you already have, might be all you need!

[jbratch]

how much for the atm25s?