Adding mics to my setup, but not sure where to put them...

  • Thread starter Thread starter thebigcheese
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thebigcheese

thebigcheese

"Hi, I'm in Delaware."
I've been recording drums using the recorderman method and getting pretty decent results, but I'm going to be recording some heavier stuff (metal) in the nearish future, so I want to start miking the toms. So then the question is, do I actually need two overheads if all I really want from them are cymbals? I'm thinking maybe I'd just mic the actual cymbals, but then I'm stuck figuring out how to do that with my mics and limited inputs. Here's what my setup will be:

5-piece drum kit with hats, crash, splash, china, and ride (so 5 cymbals)
Audix 5-piece mic set (D6, i5, D2 x2, D4)
Naiant X-T x2
MXL 990, 991, and v67g
MOTU Traveler
Presonus Digimax D8

In theory, there shouldn't be any problems mixing inputs between the Digimax and the Traveler, but ideally I would try to stick all the drum mics on the Digimax. Also ideally, I would have the v67g free for guitar. Bass will be direct.

So we stick all the Audix mics on drums and have 3 inputs left on the Digimax. Maybe stick the 991 on the hats and the 990 over on the ride, leaving me with one input. Unfortunately, the X-Ts are omni, so I'd get lots of bleed from the drums and (more importantly) guitar. I could use one X-T for the half the cymbals and the other for the other half, but then they're basically overheads and I run into the same bleed problems (and potentially some phase issues if I'm not careful).

Suggestions?
 
Stick with 2 overheads and set them up properly. Overheads are more than just cymbal mics. Isolated tom mics sound dumb without overhead reinforcement. You've got enough mics and inputs. Mic each drum, use 2 overheads, and do whatever you want with the 8th mic.
 
Still have to worry about the overheads being properly spaced, right? So both are the same distance from both the snare and the kick, right?
 
Still have to worry about the overheads being properly spaced, right? So both are the same distance from both the snare and the kick, right?

Yes. You said you've been using the recorderman method, right? Well, you have to take care to set that up properly. Just keep doing it, and add kick, snare, and tom mics. No big deal. :)
 
Thanks Greg. I think I may not have been setting it up right. Normally what I do, which I thought I read hear somewhere, was to set one mic up directly above the snare, then run a string/wire/flexible thing from the middle of the snare to the middle of the kick and drag it up to the mic capsule, then move that around until you find a good spot for the other mic. But recently I realized that doing that doesn't actually make the mics the same distance from anything, it just makes the total distance of snare to mic plus kick to mic the same, which doesn't really mean anything. So I'll read through your guide, especially since now the OHs don't need to get the snare as much.
 
Thanks Greg. I think I may not have been setting it up right. Normally what I do, which I thought I read hear somewhere, was to set one mic up directly above the snare, then run a string/wire/flexible thing from the middle of the snare to the middle of the kick and drag it up to the mic capsule, then move that around until you find a good spot for the other mic. But recently I realized that doing that doesn't actually make the mics the same distance from anything, it just makes the total distance of snare to mic plus kick to mic the same, which doesn't really mean anything. So I'll read through your guide, especially since now the OHs don't need to get the snare as much.

Don't even bother with the bass drum measurement. Just measure the snare to the 2 mics, and the 2 mics should be the same distance as each other from the snare. Then, like Greg said, add your kik, snare and tom mics. No big deal. :)
 
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