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terrible_buddhi
New member
has anyone used the B1 on a kick drum and got a good sound? If so I would LOVE to know how as I am striking out big time!
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
I've never heard of anyone getting good results with the B1. I've never tried it myself.
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mrface2112
Well-known member
me either
i've never tried it myself either, but i can't imagine it being anywhere close to the right mic for the job.
save yourself some headaches by picking up a "real" kick mic (or at least a mic better suited for the job). The Sennheiser e602 will do a fantastic job, but at $200 might be a little steep for you......but it will likely blow you away.
I've heard nice things in these parts about the $49 CAD kick mic too, but I've not had the chance to try one out. someone called it "the mic that the Beta 52 wishes it were". I don't remember the thread off the top of my head, though.
in general terms, you tend to want a dynamic (rather than a condenser) on a kick anyway. look around here, there's bound to be a kick mic that'll do a decent job for your budget.....but that B1 ain't gonna be it. in fact, you'd prolly get better results using an sm57.......
wade
i've never tried it myself either, but i can't imagine it being anywhere close to the right mic for the job.
save yourself some headaches by picking up a "real" kick mic (or at least a mic better suited for the job). The Sennheiser e602 will do a fantastic job, but at $200 might be a little steep for you......but it will likely blow you away.
I've heard nice things in these parts about the $49 CAD kick mic too, but I've not had the chance to try one out. someone called it "the mic that the Beta 52 wishes it were". I don't remember the thread off the top of my head, though.
in general terms, you tend to want a dynamic (rather than a condenser) on a kick anyway. look around here, there's bound to be a kick mic that'll do a decent job for your budget.....but that B1 ain't gonna be it. in fact, you'd prolly get better results using an sm57.......
wade
D
DJL
Self Banned
terrible_buddhi said:
No.
Rimshot
New member
I own a B1 and it CAN be used on kick drum, but you really need to protect it and you can't get it to close. It was not designed for high SPL's and the only time you would ever think of using it is if there was absolutely nothing else available. You would need to back it off a bit, protect it with a pop screen and such, and you will get an adquate signal. This is true of almost any LDC mic. It's primarily a vocal and acoustic instrment mic that has very little character, it's just honest.
Buy a kick mic. I own a few and the CAD KBM412 is a real decent kick mic and it's only $49. An AT Pro 25 at $79, or even the Audix F-12 will serve you well in a pinch and it's only $70-$80 on sale. For a bit more, you can score the ATM25 for $139 at 8th Street. These are all dynamic cardioid mics which will respond well to high SPL's.
Of those inexpensive kick mics the CAD has the broadest and lowest frequency range from 25Hz-15,000Hz, but the signal will need some boosting. Fortunately the pre's in my board work well and I get plenty of silent gain.
Buy a kick mic. I own a few and the CAD KBM412 is a real decent kick mic and it's only $49. An AT Pro 25 at $79, or even the Audix F-12 will serve you well in a pinch and it's only $70-$80 on sale. For a bit more, you can score the ATM25 for $139 at 8th Street. These are all dynamic cardioid mics which will respond well to high SPL's.
Of those inexpensive kick mics the CAD has the broadest and lowest frequency range from 25Hz-15,000Hz, but the signal will need some boosting. Fortunately the pre's in my board work well and I get plenty of silent gain.
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terrible_buddhi
New member
ok...advice taken...can I use the b1 and a b3 for over heads though?
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
Oh yeah. I've used my B3 as a mono over head with excellent results.terrible_buddhi said:
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terrible_buddhi
New member
can you use the B1 & b3 at the same time? how would you position it?
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mrface2112
Well-known member
<<can I use the b1 and a b3 for over heads though?>>
some folks around here seem to get good results with them as overheads. personally (and in what seems to be your price range), i'd reach for something like a pair of mk-012's or mxl603s before i'd reach for the b1/b3.....but there's nothing at all that says you can't use them. there's only one rule: use whatever gives you results that make you happy.
<<can you use the B1 & b3 at the same time>>
sure, why not? it won't be a matched pair, and it won't be a pair of the "same" mics (ie: 2x B1), as the B3 and B1 reportedly sound slightly different, but give it a whirl.
<<how would you position it?>>
it or them?
it (using the b1 as an overhead): not too far above the drummer's head and assuming they've only got 1 kick drum, i'd start with aiming it between the two mounted toms, reposition to taste.
it (using the b3 as an overhead): if your room sucks, use the b3 in the cardiod pattern and position like you would the b1. if your room sounds fantastic, give the omni pattern a whirl. hell, try it even if your room sounds like ass--the extra added grunge might be something that fits the song or balances out the kit--doubtful, but who knows til you try? in omni, i'd start in about the same spot as above and work my way forward (towards the drummer) or backwards (away from the drummer), to get more or less of the room, respectively.
them: using the two together, i'd start with the B3 in the cardiod pattern and i'd prolly start with them above the drummer's head in a V aimed towards the "outside half" of the mounted toms. if that didn't give me what i was looking for, i'd prolly split them--one on the right side of the kit, one on the left, over top of the back half of the drums kinda facing more downward than forward. and i'd tinker with the positioning. a lot.......until i found something that gave me what i want. remember, the only thing that counts is the recording sounding good. be sure to watch out for phase issues like that. and those mics may tip your stands, too, so make sure to sandbag them or something. nothing worse than giving a drummer a surprise B1 noodle-bombing.
here's another idea that you might wanna try--put the B1 on a stand out about 6ft in front of the drumkit, around 6ft high, and aim it right at the drum throne: tweak to taste (higher/lower/angle/distance from kit). see what that gets ya. maybe try the B3 up there in omni instead. or maybe use them as a stereo pair from that spot. you won't get the HUGE drum sound of today's records (which you likely won't get ANYway), but you'll prolly get a pretty decent (and accurate) image of what's going on with that kit in your room--you should even get some solid kick drum in that mix to boot.
i was thrilled with the sound i got out of my b1 from that area, but it wasn't the sound i was looking for....if i'd pulled out the old ludwigs and wanted bonzo or ringo, it was money, but for the deep and punchy pearls, not quite. not real good for tracking the kit with the rest of the band in the same room, either.
to be honest, i've had pretty good results recently using my b1 as a snare mic. i've gotta have it back a little farther away than an sm57 and run it a lot less hot, but on my kit it gives me a good balance between snare and hihat. enough that i don't usually have to use a hihat mic. and i don't care so much about isolation between the two as some do, either.
tired of battling the lovsan worm,
wade
some folks around here seem to get good results with them as overheads. personally (and in what seems to be your price range), i'd reach for something like a pair of mk-012's or mxl603s before i'd reach for the b1/b3.....but there's nothing at all that says you can't use them. there's only one rule: use whatever gives you results that make you happy.
<<can you use the B1 & b3 at the same time>>
sure, why not? it won't be a matched pair, and it won't be a pair of the "same" mics (ie: 2x B1), as the B3 and B1 reportedly sound slightly different, but give it a whirl.
<<how would you position it?>>
it or them?
it (using the b1 as an overhead): not too far above the drummer's head and assuming they've only got 1 kick drum, i'd start with aiming it between the two mounted toms, reposition to taste.
it (using the b3 as an overhead): if your room sucks, use the b3 in the cardiod pattern and position like you would the b1. if your room sounds fantastic, give the omni pattern a whirl. hell, try it even if your room sounds like ass--the extra added grunge might be something that fits the song or balances out the kit--doubtful, but who knows til you try? in omni, i'd start in about the same spot as above and work my way forward (towards the drummer) or backwards (away from the drummer), to get more or less of the room, respectively.
them: using the two together, i'd start with the B3 in the cardiod pattern and i'd prolly start with them above the drummer's head in a V aimed towards the "outside half" of the mounted toms. if that didn't give me what i was looking for, i'd prolly split them--one on the right side of the kit, one on the left, over top of the back half of the drums kinda facing more downward than forward. and i'd tinker with the positioning. a lot.......until i found something that gave me what i want. remember, the only thing that counts is the recording sounding good. be sure to watch out for phase issues like that. and those mics may tip your stands, too, so make sure to sandbag them or something. nothing worse than giving a drummer a surprise B1 noodle-bombing.
here's another idea that you might wanna try--put the B1 on a stand out about 6ft in front of the drumkit, around 6ft high, and aim it right at the drum throne: tweak to taste (higher/lower/angle/distance from kit). see what that gets ya. maybe try the B3 up there in omni instead. or maybe use them as a stereo pair from that spot. you won't get the HUGE drum sound of today's records (which you likely won't get ANYway), but you'll prolly get a pretty decent (and accurate) image of what's going on with that kit in your room--you should even get some solid kick drum in that mix to boot.
i was thrilled with the sound i got out of my b1 from that area, but it wasn't the sound i was looking for....if i'd pulled out the old ludwigs and wanted bonzo or ringo, it was money, but for the deep and punchy pearls, not quite. not real good for tracking the kit with the rest of the band in the same room, either.
to be honest, i've had pretty good results recently using my b1 as a snare mic. i've gotta have it back a little farther away than an sm57 and run it a lot less hot, but on my kit it gives me a good balance between snare and hihat. enough that i don't usually have to use a hihat mic. and i don't care so much about isolation between the two as some do, either.
tired of battling the lovsan worm,
wade
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terrible_buddhi
New member
ok...borrowed a kick mic for a few days...kind of a nice one too...I think it made a world of difference. I used the SP's as overheads...I think this track is pretty serviceable...I have put NO EQ on it yet...tell me what you think.
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terrible_buddhi
New member
ok...borrowed a kick mic for a few days...kind of a nice one too...I think it made a world of difference. I used the SP's as overheads...I think this track is pretty serviceable...I have put NO EQ on it yet...tell me what you think.
D
DJL
Self Banned
What kind of kick mic did you borrow?