ok i have a 5 piece pacific percusion drum kit a basic kit 14 snare 12,13 toms 16 floor 22 bass and for cymbals i have 14 hi hat 16 crash 17 crash ride 14 chinese 18 ride. Now i only have 5 chanles that i can use to record the drums and cymbals what do you think would be the best mic configuration.
useing 5 mics on a kit HELP
- Thread starter Salvadore
- Start date
Freudian Slip
New member
You really have to taylor the mics to the song, you dont' want to mic a drum that will not be used in the song. If you are short mics and one drum is used very little in the song do not mic it. you can come back and record it later. Beyond that Shure SM-57 mics are very versital for snare/toms/floor toms. Shure and AKG both make very good kick mics. I do not like to use condensor mics for overhead. they pick up everything and can make your cymbal track unusable. I would pick the cymbal that will be used the most in the song and us a directional mic.
PS I do not know if you have ever recored drums before, there is much more to it than mic selection. If you would like more info let me know.
PS I do not know if you have ever recored drums before, there is much more to it than mic selection. If you would like more info let me know.
Freudian Slip said:
Huh?
With a well tuned kit and a good sounding room, a decent pair of overhead condensors can MAKE your drum recording. If you use good mic placement to get the snare centered in the mix, you'll find your self just bringing in the close-mics to fill it up a little if at all.
Or, you can close mic and gate EVERYTHING rendering all ambience obsolete and then use a crappy reverb plugin to try and pump some life back into it.
Better yet, just use some canned drums.
Freudian Slip
New member
maybe so? I have a terrible room at the moment though.
The room I am in has no deadening. If I had a larger room to work with and some absorbtion I might be able to do what you are saying. I'm no expert all I can tell you is my own expierance.
The kick & snare came through the condensors so much when I tried it that I could not use the track. I like having the ability to mix the drums individualy as much as possible. If you have any suggestions I am more than willing to listen. I know deadening the room is one thing I have got to do. Right now It is working for me but I have more tracks to play with than our friend.
The room I am in has no deadening. If I had a larger room to work with and some absorbtion I might be able to do what you are saying. I'm no expert all I can tell you is my own expierance.
The kick & snare came through the condensors so much when I tried it that I could not use the track. I like having the ability to mix the drums individualy as much as possible. If you have any suggestions I am more than willing to listen. I know deadening the room is one thing I have got to do. Right now It is working for me but I have more tracks to play with than our friend.
I use a similar setup to what's been identified here but instead of two condensers as overheads, I have another SM57 between my floor and mid tom. This is because I have 3 cymbals (ride, china, crash) on that side and I think it allows me to capture my ride better than just the overhead.
Although using a condenser as overhead does pick up a lot of room noise and stray sounds. I have tweaked (positioning in room, on kit, volume, etc..) mine to where it doesn't pick up the other drums enough to make a difference but still adds to the cymbals. I also like being able to capture the "out takes" as we put some new toonage down.
-b
Although using a condenser as overhead does pick up a lot of room noise and stray sounds. I have tweaked (positioning in room, on kit, volume, etc..) mine to where it doesn't pick up the other drums enough to make a difference but still adds to the cymbals. I also like being able to capture the "out takes" as we put some new toonage down.
-b
SpamBurglar
New member
I would definitely go with:
1 mic on kick
1 mic on snare
2 mics in stereo as overheads
I've noticed that the overheads seem to pick up more of the mounted toms than the floor tom. You could also put a mic between two closely spaced toms and move or aim an overhead at the unmiced tom. I think it's good advice to mic up the most played drums. If you ride on your floor tom alot, I would mic it. If you don't play toms on a song, try mic'ing the hat - I had an extra channel on the last recording my band did and I mic'ed the hats. I am suprised how much I like having the option to mix in the hat mic to the mix.
Good luck.
1 mic on kick
1 mic on snare
2 mics in stereo as overheads
I've noticed that the overheads seem to pick up more of the mounted toms than the floor tom. You could also put a mic between two closely spaced toms and move or aim an overhead at the unmiced tom. I think it's good advice to mic up the most played drums. If you ride on your floor tom alot, I would mic it. If you don't play toms on a song, try mic'ing the hat - I had an extra channel on the last recording my band did and I mic'ed the hats. I am suprised how much I like having the option to mix in the hat mic to the mix.
Good luck.
Freudian Slip
New member
more in depth do you even have condensor mics? If not I would put a mic between the high hat and the snare pointed at the snare but right under the high hat adjust the high hat or mic to get the mix you want there. Of course mic the kick about 3-5 inches in from the front pointed a few inches off center from the beater(adjust for attack). if you can get your toms close together try micing down the middle rais the mic about 3 inches of the head to get both drums and then adjust the mic to get a close to equal signal from both toms. if you are not going to use the floor tom use 2 mics up top between and above the cymbals also checking signal for what you want. if the floor tom is important in the song I would mic it, maybe try to catch a symbal with it and then I would favor the ride cymbal with the other mic unless tom or floor tom mic is cathing it good.
now record do a rough mix and readjust as needed.
If you know the polar pattern of the mics you have you can choose wisely there placemet for the best results.
If you do not know about polar paterns and mic types
go to www.pcrecording.com there is an artical with a link that sums it up. I think the link goes to AKG so you might look there.
Good Luck.
now record do a rough mix and readjust as needed.
If you know the polar pattern of the mics you have you can choose wisely there placemet for the best results.
If you do not know about polar paterns and mic types
go to www.pcrecording.com there is an artical with a link that sums it up. I think the link goes to AKG so you might look there.
Good Luck.
Gidge
Lapdance Test Dummy
or check out this thread..it is legendary....
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27030
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27030
I close mic all of the drums and use a decent amt of EQ shaping via parametric EQ.I also gate and compress toms,kick and snare!
My mic selection includes:
Beta 52 on kick
SM57 on snare
AT Pro 25's on toms
SM 94's on hats and ride which also pick up other cymbals quite well.
Here's a site I found recently that pretty much follows my way of thinking on mixing/processing my drum kit!
http://www.geocities.com/shailat2000/MixingDrums.html
My mic selection includes:
Beta 52 on kick
SM57 on snare
AT Pro 25's on toms
SM 94's on hats and ride which also pick up other cymbals quite well.
Here's a site I found recently that pretty much follows my way of thinking on mixing/processing my drum kit!
http://www.geocities.com/shailat2000/MixingDrums.html