Close Miking Drums-Something To Think About

[Recording Engineer]

I've thought for a while now that wouldn't it be more natural sounding to use onmis when close miking drums (even in live sound reinforcement) do to no proximity effect? I've heard people say that omnis actually give more directly so to speak do to the inverse square law (although I've not experiented comparisons myself). I know many people feel that the EV RE-20 is one of the best sounding mics for bass drum (myself included) because it sounds the most natural of carioids do to the next to nothing proximity effect because it is a multi-entry mic. I don't know... Is there something I'm missing? Obviously in a live situation, you'd use cardioids for overheads and maybe use a cardioid if you prefer to mic the bass drum on the outside of the drum on either side, but why not use omnis on the drums close miked? As a matter a fact, why not use omnis on all instruments (on the louder side) close miked if the sound you're looking for is the sound coming out of your the instrument (at least the most natural a mono miking can get). Also, obviously a lot of times we're not looking for the most natural sound and love that proximity effect for coloration, but why not use omnis when we are?

 

[SN]

I ahave been experimentng with a friend'd omni, the old large metal Realistic PZM mics. The sound is definately much more even than my "vocal directional" mic. Minimal bass boost. But the onmi need a lot more acoustic volume to get going. Live in a band will be great for recording. Enough volume and no feedback.
But for PA purpose the lack of "dead spots" and the PA sound means a lot of feedback.

 

[Tapehead]

Interesting question on omnis. My only live experience with omnis is with PZMs. The problems there were low gain, feedback and an unbalanced signal picking up interference. But they are phenomenal in pianos (singly or for stereo in pairs).

[This message has been edited by Tapehead (edited 10-13-1999).]

 

[Recording Engineer]

Remember, a PZM is not an omni. By the way, to help with the db increase needed for PZMs, try putting the nose against a while. For even more db increase, put it in a corner against both walls with the nose towards one of the walls; this is because it increases the Q. In a live situation where you need directivity away from say an audience, out something like a folded piece of carpet on top of and behind the PZM but with the nose exposed pointed at where you want it to pick-up.