Drum recording. Mic positioning advice?

[SitC]

Hello all.

I'm recording a relatively compact kit - Kick, snare, hi-hats, ride, tom & floor tom and have the following mics available:

SM57 x 2
AKG D112 x 1
Studio Projects C1 x 1

Would be grateful for any advice as to mic positioning. Obviously my intention is to use the d112 on the kick but would it be possible to get a rounded sound using the other 3 mics to cover the rest of the kit?

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Andrew

 

[Dogbreath]

Maybe try the 57 on snare and the C1 as a mono OH to capture toms and cymbals. Try it right above the kit a couple of feet and somewhere around the middle.

You could also put the C1 as a room mic if your room sounds halfway decent.

I think with having the kick and snare covered, you can get a decent sound with the C1.
Just try some experimenting around with different mic placements and see what sounds fullest to you.

Peace..........Kel

 

[santiu]

All about experimentation. I would either do as Dogbreath said put the Studio Projects C1 as a mono overhead, then mic the kick and the snare. Or I would consider is using the SM57s in a spaced pair arrangement pointing straight down, with the height on the pair pretty low. Then just add the kick mic. Maybe use the C1 as a room mic.

Just for reference, there's a great sample of a guy who used only SM57s for the whole kit here (2 OH, kick, and snare): http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3675764-post29.html . Personally i don't think it would work well for acousticy or jazzy drumming, but for a darker rock it sounds pretty good to me!