Drum mics........

[jerzeysk8board]

what are good Drum mics........

which package or what drum mics should i get for $200-$400? any specific mics or whatever, jus give me some good choices within that price range.
I have a 5 piece set with 4 cymbals and a hi-hat. Please give me some sugestions on any mics.

 

[jerzeysk8board]

Any packs or what drum mics or good quality for a good price??????

 

[scrubs]

In general, I think mic kits are a waste. You're better off building a locker of mics that are good on drums and other things as well. A pair of small condenser overheads (MXL 603/604, etc.), a snare mic (Shure SM57), and a kick mic (AKG D112, Shure Beta 52, etc.) will serve you well. You can add more mics for toms if you are so inclined.

Of the kits, I believe Dan (Dot) Richards likes the Red5 kit. He sells it here. Call him up if you have questions. I'm sure he'll give you good advice.

 

[PYRRHO]

Hmmm...good rule of thumb.
If the mic kit is a collection of industry standards and regulars, that are available seperately...cool. If the kit is a series of mics available only as a package...crap.
Avoid anything labeled "pro". If they have to tell you it's "pro"...it usually isn't.

 

[usekgb]

I would tend to agree with scrubs. for an initial recording mic set, get a good kick, snare and a pair of overheads. I would suggest an Audix D6 for kick, a Shure SM57 for snare, and a couple of LD condensors for overheads. Maybe a pair of MXL V67G's. I know this will run you more than $400, but not a huge amount more. The D6 is $199, the SM57 is $89, and the MXL V67G's are $99 each. THis puts you at $486. If you can find these used, you will spend even less. You will be amazed at the quality of recordings you can get with this simple mic set-up.

Cheers,
Zach

 

[jaykeMURD]

Like all others have said, most drum mic kits under 500 dollars aren't worth a penny....with the exception of the Shure Drum Mic Kit (Beta52, 3x sm57)!
Stick with mics that are proven, and reliable.
For snare, the SM57 is handsdown the winner. For kick, there are multiple mics in the 200 dollar range that are excellent. The Shure Beta52, AKG D112, and the Audix D6. Lastly, and most importantly, the Overheads. If you have good enough overheads, you may not have to mic toms, and may not even have to mic your snare! Common Overheads are Small Diaphram Conderser Mics:
MXL 603 or 604 pair, Oktava MK012 pair, AKG C430 Pair
Large Diaphram Condenser Mics: Studio Projects B1 stereo pair, MXL V63M pair
Keep in mind OHs are the prime concern for recording drums. Many experienced pros prefer to use only 3-4 mics, but it all just depends on the sound you want and the sound you're getting. In most cases, the more you spend, the better it'll be-to an extent.

 

[thajeremy]

I agree with everyone on the D112 and the Beta 52. These mics can be found on ebay for below $150. I got my Beta 52 for $115 including shipping. Then I would suggest some Sennheiser e604's. You should be able to get 3 of those for $250 to $275. I got 3 on ebay for $207 because they were mis-labled. I also got a 4th one for $36 because it too was mis-labled...The first 3 were labled as e603's and the 4th was labled as an MHZ504....what ever that is....

 

[leddy]

If it were me starting with a few hundred bucks, I'd get a pair of overheads and a kick drum mic. Probably the Avenson STO's and a D112. Slightly over budget, but it would be killer. You can always grab a 57 for the snare cheap if you need it. I use Oktavas for overheads now, but I'm saving for the Avensons or Earthworks mics to add to my locker.

 

[Big Kenny]

There are no absolutes here!
Toms or bass - atm 25
snare - 57, senn 201, beat 57,
oh's - any sdc you can lay your hands on, some guys are having success with a pair of SP B1's (excellent on acoustic) or CAD M179's(which are multi pattern, work anywhere ya stick 'em,and will also open the door to MS and Blumlien)
'
senn 421 - anyplace you stick it - snare, toms, even bass (giut cabs, even vox)
Bass specific - Re20, Audix, Beta 52, 112

 

[Harlequin Man]

I did the track My Dad on
http://www.myspace.com/premiumbenji

With..

Beta 52a, SM57, and 603

 

[Warhead]

The Audix Fusion 6 packs are actually pretty good for the money, but a pair of MXL 604 and maybe a Fusion 4 pack and you'd be better off with 2 capsule sets. The MXL are definitely better than the F15's that come with the Audix but you get what you pay for.

War

 

[ermghoti]

You can do fine with three mics: OH, snare and kick. Any of the condensors mentioned above will work, I might lean towards a LDC, if for no other reason than it will work on vocals ans cabs and a bunch of other things.

ATM 25's are awesome and flexible, Audix D-6 are largely pre-EQ-ed for an aggressive and modern sound. In my experience, guitar centers are ready to make deals on Audix-es, if you are ready to haggle. I got two I-5's for $70 each, and two OM-2's for $75 each. You might be able to get a D-6 for well under the asking price of $199.

Speaking of which, the I-5's are good SM57 alternatives, although I don't think 57's are bad either.

On eBay, you could probably get your 57 and a ATM 25 for less than $150, so you might be able to score a used AT 4050 with the rest of your budget, definately a 4040, Rode NT1, NTK, an SM81, one of the spiffier SP's, or something else you will keep forever.

 

[fldrummer]

The best advice for you would be to get a decent pair of overheads and a kick drum mic to start off. Maybe even a sm57 for snare.

This way you will really learn more on micing technique and you will notice more problems you may have in your room acoustically. You will learn how to play correctly drumming wise to get the sound you want. MANY great drummers have sounded great with only 3 mics. Guess how good they sound when everything is miked?

If you start with a bunch of "cheap" mics you will always have a not so good drum sound. Starting out with a few good mics then adding more when needed is what you should do. Any cheap package you buy you will want to upgrade and junk them.