Phase Problem?

[Ziller]

I think this is a phase problem, but not sure. I have 3 dynamic mics that I use to mic my small 4 peice drum kit. I've found that I like the sound when I put 2 behind the kit, at ear level. I try to distance each from the snare the same amount, one pointing at the floor top/ride, and the other at the snare/tom/hi-hat area. I don't use a crash. I stick one in the kick drum. Right now I'm working on getting a fat floor tom sound, and it sounds great with the 2 rear mics. But when I bring up the kick mic, the floor tom start to sound thin.

Now, I remember that great graphic the John had put up a while back (which is no longer there), but what I'm not sure about is, if it is a phase problem, would it be because the mics are pointing in opposite directions, or because the kick mic is picking up the bottom head of the floor tom? I guess what's confusing is, when sound leaves the drum head, doesn't it travel out in a circle?

Would this cause phase problems:

mic mic
\ /
--------
drum

--------

This is what I have:


mic
/
--------
floor
tom
-------|
kick dr.|
| --------
mic -- |
inside |
-------|


I could see if it was a speaker, with one mic behind and one in front.

I'm going to wire one of the phase reverse cords and see if that helps (switch pin 2 and 3, right?).

Ziller

 

[Ziller]

well that ascii graphic got all tweeked out.

 

[Ziller]

this is what I have:

http://www.cs.usm.maine.edu/~ziller/images/phase.gif

 

[regebro]

Hint 1: I think you are in violation of the 3:1 rule. Check this: http://www.gtelectronics.com/app/smic.html

Hint 2: You can put [ code ] and [ /code ] around your ascii-art. Like this

        p
       pyr
      pyram
     pyramid

 

[Ziller]

Thanks for both of those tips! If you consider the bottom head of the floor tom as the source then, yah, I certainly break it. The mic in the drum is about 4" away from the batter:

[ code ]

---------|
|
|
mic -- |
|
---------|
[ /code ]

(just had to try it

and the floor tom sits less then a foot from the kick (but that's common enough). But the top head is certainly more then a foot away.

I suppose I could try sticking some sort of sound barrier between the kick and the floor tom.

 

[Ziller]

aahhrrggg...let's try with no brackets...

code

--------|
|
|
mic -- |
|
--------|

/code

 

[Ziller]

So I made a phase reversed cord, and used that on the kick drum mic and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Now when I bring the kick drum into the mix, it totally *boosts* the sweet sound of that '72 Gretch floor tom. I'm not gonna put any thing between the kick and floor tom. It sounds great!

Now if I could only figure out those ascii code tags...

Ziller

 

[regebro]

OK, Hint 3: Remove the spaces before and after the bracket. My fault, I thought it was obvious, I'm a IT consultant....

Hint 4: See where it says "vB code is ON" above? Press it.

Great that you got a good sound now!!