Drum Mic Help

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tom18222

yes
I need drum mics. I'm thinking of getting an Aardvark Q10 or a firepod, so i can have 8 mics. I have a $500 budget for mics. can someone lead me in a good direction for mics.. I'm looking to record acoustic guitar and vocals with these mics too.

thanks - tom
 
Just my 2c but..........

I've been using a Shure Beta 52 on kic, Sm57 on snare, and 2 Shure KSM 109's as OH's. Not too bad results. The setup is the key.
I've used the 109's on acoustic with pretty good results. Experiment with placement and you'll get it.
Vocal mics are another thread...literally. Do a search and you'll see what I mean. I'm using the Cad E200, the AT 3035 (eh) and a Marshall V67G. There's better stuff but ya work wit what ya got.
Hope it helps.........others will chime in, I'm sure..........
 
nada. i dont have anything. i'm just starting up with a new studio. ive been reading for about 2 years now, but i just want to get some decent mics.
 
8 mics for 500$ ??

at least 2 condensers for oh and/or hh / guitar/ vocals

in your budget
2 mxl603s - aprox. $200
or 2 mxl v67 - - aprox. $200
or 2 sp b1 - aprox. $200

sd dynamic for the tom's and snare / vocals

sm57 - aprox. $100 Each

ld dynamic for bassdrum
??? - gues $100
i know there are cheap ones, but don't know brand
i like sennheser e60? and akg d12, those don't fit witin your budget

2 condenser $200
4 dynamic $200

With $500 you run easely over budget and [bold]this are budget[/bold] options

I know there are some company making drum packages
something like this: ttp://www.studiodj.co.uk/products/mics_sdj/shure/pg_dmk_6

I do not know the quality of this package
 
Well, I was in the same position as you, and sorta still am. My suggestion would be to find more money :D , but seriously, try looking on ebay, just be sure you write the person if they dont have many pics to see what kind of condition the mics are in. I was able to find an AKG D112 for just over $100 on ebay and it was in perfect condition. From what I have read and experimented with, I would say to get:

a Shure sm 57 for guitar amps and for snare ($89),

get an AKG D 112 (if you can afford it) to use for bass drum ($199)

some MXL 603's ($200 for matched pair) (probably your best bet), MXL V63's, or some studio projects B1's any of these will work as overheads and use them for acoustic too

use a di box for the bass

To make your own di, go to radio shack buy this transformer http://www.radioshack.com/product.a...5Fid=273-1365 and one XLR jack and one 1/4 inch guitar jack. Wire them up and you will also have a great DI box for the bass. Total cost $15. You will use this in conjunction with a mic'ed amp signal. Although using this transformer provides a pretty fat DI signal over most low end boxes. I have never done this but i hear it works pretty well.

With these mics you are sitting at just over $500, but all of the prices here are for new mics, so if you go used you will save lots of money.

You should be able to record every instrument seperately with this set up, but remember, you still need stands, clips, and cables, all of which cost money. Good luck with your mic shoping and with the recordings in the future.
 
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Promkingdrummer said:
a Shure sm 57 for guitar amps and for snare ($89),

get an AKG D 112 (if you can afford it) to use for bass drum ($199)

[...]
Click to expand...

Hmmm...it seems like everybody is pushing things slightly over your budget. If you'd like to save a few bucks and you're willing to pick up a few things on eBay, try the following:

1. Instead of getting SM57s, which are $60-70 used, look for Shure Unidyne III 545 mics. They are extremely similar to the SM57 in both sound and appearance. In fact, they're the immediate ancestor of the 57 and many people prefer them over the 57. They can be used in all of the same capacities as a 57 with similar or identical results. Shure still makes them (specifically, the 545SD), although they're marketed for podium use these days. I found a 545SD on eBay for roughly $30, which seems to be the common price for both the newer and vintage models. Just be careful when buying a vintage model, as they may not use XLR connectors.

2. You'll find that the Shure Beta52 / Beta52a will be slightly cheaper than the D112, especially used. I've seen new Beta52a mics going for as low as $130. Each mic tends to work better than the other on different kick drums, so it certainly wouldn't hurt to have either or both in your collection. If you want a kick mic that's very inexpensive, try the now discontinued Audio Technica Pro25. You can probably find one used for $30-40. For a budget mic, it works well and you can pound nails with it.

If you combine these with a budget pair of small diaphragm condensers like the MXL 603s, JM27s, or Oktava MK-012s, you'll have yourself a reasonable collection of drum mics. The condensors will also double nicely as acoustic guitar mics, and the 545s will be acceptable for vocals. Of course, everything will ultimately depend on the sound of your room and many other factors, but this will get you part of the way there.

Thoughts?

- Jerfo
 
I would start of with 4 mics for the drums. A pair of overheads (MXL 603's here) a kick mic (Beta 52) and snare (SM 57) Your could get these 4 new (depending) for about $500. There are other options (some metioned in earlier post) that would also come in at about $500 for 4 mics. The bass and even the guitar can go direct. Often my first guitar tracks are guide or scratch tracks so no problem going direct, we'll just retrack it later. Vocals can be tracked later sometimes. Depending on the material. So you can possibly, for now go with less mics. If it's your first time getting into recording, you don't want to be messing with 8 mics anyway!
 
James HE said:
If it's your first time getting into recording, you don't want to be messing with 8 mics anyway!
Click to expand...

I agree with that in many ways, but also if you can't get a good drum sound with a couple of overheads and a good kick mic there's probably other issues.

A pair of CAD M179 for overheads and a Shure SM57 on kick is within your range and would net a great drum sound. Also, those mics would stick around in your collection long after you add to it as they are workhorses that don't necessarily make anything sound "bad". They'd also work well for your acoustic guitar and vocal needs.

Oh, and skip the Aardvark as they're out of business! The Presonus Firepod is one hell of a buy.

War
 
I'd start off with a 4 mic setup on drums and get a large diaphram for vocals. It be hard pressed to find these mics new for $500, so you might have to look to ebay for your answers.

Overheads - Oktava MC012...reseach theses before you buy them. If you can find a pair of MXL 603 they are also a good, cheap option.

Large Diaphram - Studio Projects B1 is the best mic you can buy new for $100 or less...but I'd recommend buying a new AT3035 from ebay for $130 or so because I think it would be better suited for vocals.

Buy an SM57 from a local retailer for $90...I wouldn't buy these used because most of the time people use them on stage or in band practice for vocals. I actually prefer this over my MD421 on electric.

Don't forget about the cost of cables! Quality cables do make a difference, but they will cost you.

That should cost you less then $500.
 
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