Using one 'overhead' in conjunction with close drum mics.

T

Triazic

New member
Hi guys, as everybody I'm recording drums on a budget so here we go:

I have: 4 set CAD close drum mics (dynamic); snare, kick, 2 toms. One 'overhead' (actually just an average quality dynamic mic, but its purpose is to be an overhead if that makes sense).

What I want: Better tom sound specifically, but generally a more 'realistic' drum sound on the kit (the close mics make it sound a bit muted and lifeless).

So my question is, what's the best (I know people don't like "best", but just fire some decent suggestions) position for my free dynamic mic (has a boom stand, so no mobility issues).

At the moment I have it positioned next to my head (while seated at the drum kit), and pointed roughly in between the two toms (because dynamic mics will work best pointed at the desired sound source, right?).

I know that ideally I would have 2 condenser microphones as overheads with stands, but frankly, they cost money; my goal here is to merely get the best sound out of the gear I have, not to achieve necessarily an ideal sound.
 
The best spot for a single mic is where it sounds the best. That could be anywhere in your particular room. No one can tell you something like "4 feet off the ground, 6 feet from the left wall, and and exactly 23 degrees off axis from the floor tom".

But, there are tendencies. Whenever I've used one mic for a room or overhead mic, I've liked it out in front of the kit pointed approximately at the tom mounting spot on the kick. Your results my vary. Putting one up near your head could be a good spot. Try several spots. Walk around the room while someone else bashes the kit. Find a spot that sounds good to your ears and put a mic there and see how it goes.

And it's the pattern of the mic that determines what it picks up, not simply being a dynamic. You're thinking of a cardoid pattern. Cardoids mostly pick up what they're pointed at. They can be dynamics or condensers.
 
"The best spot for a single mic is where it sounds the best." -> I was expecting that answer, not trying to come across as a lazy sod, just wondering if anyone had some good experiences with a particular spot.

Thanks for clearing up the dynamic thing, I don't even know what type of mic the mic is really haha, some el cheapo no-brand mic (it's actually reasonable though, to my ears anyway).

I'll try the out in front thing, maybe try a few more spots with more of an emphasis on the toms, cheers though.
 
No one will have experience with a particular spot because each room will sound very different.
 
So, just to clarify, are you suggesting to experiment with moving with the two close dynamic mics that I have clipped onto my toms around the room? Keep in mind these are not condenser mics.
 
use the 2 clipped mics in the Glyn Johns or Recorderman technique. I thought you had a 5th mic to use as a room mic. I might have read it wrong.
 
Triazic said:
So, just to clarify, are you suggesting to experiment with moving with the two close dynamic mics that I have clipped onto my toms around the room? Keep in mind these are not condenser mics.
Click to expand...

In my experience, toms tend to get drowned out by the cymbals and snare pretty quickly if they're not close mic'd. You could try it, but I'd guess you're not going to like what it does to the toms.

(Caveat: I'm awful at drums in general (playing, tracking, mixing, the whole thing!) Trust your ears over my words.)
 
You will have trouble bringing out the resonance of the toms if it is only being heard through the clatter of the cymbals, especially using a cardioid dynamic mic as an overhead o.0 Perhaps try a few different Eq and reverb settings on your close mic's toms?
 
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