Can 1 Condensor Mic capture a drum kit?

[dan4634]

Greetings, is it possible to use a single condenser mic to capture a drum kit for recording & live applications ? Assuming the kit & cymbals are high quality, drummer hits the drums solid, etc.
Thanks in Advance.

 

[scrubs]

Greetings, is it possible to use a single condenser mic to capture a drum kit for recording & live applications ? Assuming the kit & cymbals are high quality, drummer hits the drums solid, etc.
Thanks in Advance.

Welcome to the board. Yes, with proper positioning, it is possible to mic a kit with a single mic. A number of classic rock records were recorded this way. Read the following for placement tips:

http://artistpro.com/index.php?module=PnCourses&func=getPage&course_id=22&page_id=109

 

[dan4634]

Scrubs, awesome link, many Thanks! I was hoping to use 2 mikes, 1 on the bass drum the other as an overhead. The big question of course, is which single mike can I afford to buy and get a decent sound ? I've read several reviews on this forum for entry level mikes, MK012s, B1, MXL603. I'm not sure what to buy at this point. If you have an opinion on these, send it my way. Thanks again.

 

[AlexW]

I'd think you'd want a typical kick mic (Shure Beta52, AKG D112, A-T ATM25, etc.) and a LDC for the room/overhead mic. I've gotten a good kit/room sound using a Studio Projects B3.

 

[Charles Dayton]

You might want to try the Sennheiser MD421 for the kick. It's pretty standard for that or toms. They run around $350. AKG C414B-uls for the overhead.