Earthworks Drum Kit or individuals?

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farewellending

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I'm stuck between getting an AKG D112, SM 57, Audix i5, (2) Shure SM81s, and another SM57, or the Earthworks Drum Pack. It only has three mics, one bass drum mic, and two overheads. It says in there that the pack is amazing and makes the drum tracks sound so much better with just three, I just don't see how thats possible and was wondering, should I do that? I already have two SM 57s, should I use the earthworks and still mike up the snare, or just get the two 81s, and the AKG D112 and others???? Hope this helps me and others... Thanks
-Tom
 
Personally I don't like 81's duno too "bright" maybe. Sounds funny but I like my $50 oktavas better. Ok there not matched and arn't the perfect cymbal sound, but I like them. Other thinks I have liked are U87s and 414 B ULSs but those are a little out of your budget.

My set up is usually:

MC-012s: OH
D112 or MD421: Kick
SM57: Snare (untill I get my m201 for $177!!!)

Sometimes I'll mic the toms others not...
 
Hey, if you can afford an Earthworks kit, buy it! In many situations, 2 Earthworks will rival 6+ mics!
 
I agree, those earthworks mics are great. Also, if you've got some 57s, I would slap those on the snare and blend it in with the EW kit. I've got a similar setup with two small omnis as overheads and I mic each piece and then blend in to taste.

Also, if you're considering the earthworks kit, a 414 or two would not be out of your budget, but will yield a different sound. Those too would be worth looking at. The earthworks mics are very transparent, they sound exactly as you think they would.

Rory
 
farewellending said:
It only has three mics, one bass drum mic, and two overheads. It says in there that the pack is amazing and makes the drum tracks sound so much better with just three, I just don't see how thats possible and was wondering, should I do that?
-Tom
Click to expand...

Tom,
The more mics you use the harder it is to have a clear transparent sound. When you start summing a bunch of mics that are all hearing most of the same sources but at different times andthe off axis tonality slightly differently, plus you add other eq on top plus compression and other effects the clarity and depth of a kit can quickly disappear. Sure you will have more control over volume and placement of individual pieces with multiple mics, but at the expense of a "natural" sounding kit.

If you think about it, you generally have 2 really nice mics (your ears) picking up the kit. The third mic give you the ablility to bosst the kick if the mix asks for it.

The rub lies with the fact that often the kit really does not sound the way you need it to naturally, or the room is not complimentary to getting the sound you want, so close micing using multiple mics may be in order. the 3 mic set up only works the best if what you hear in the room is what you want on tape.

Tom (tmix)
 
if your room is crap, you may not want the earthworks.
 
giraffe said:
if your room is crap, you may not want the earthworks.
Click to expand...


Yes good mics suck in bad rooms, if you want a good sound from a bad room buy bad mics, sounds funny but they just aren't as detailed as the higher end stuff and the can hide more of that crappy room.
 
tmix said:
Tom,
The more mics you use the harder it is to have a clear transparent sound. When you start summing a bunch of mics that are all hearing most of the same sources but at different times andthe off axis tonality slightly differently, plus you add other eq on top plus compression and other effects the clarity and depth of a kit can quickly disappear. Sure you will have more control over volume and placement of individual pieces with multiple mics, but at the expense of a "natural" sounding kit.

If you think about it, you generally have 2 really nice mics (your ears) picking up the kit. The third mic give you the ablility to bosst the kick if the mix asks for it.

The rub lies with the fact that often the kit really does not sound the way you need it to naturally, or the room is not complimentary to getting the sound you want, so close micing using multiple mics may be in order. the 3 mic set up only works the best if what you hear in the room is what you want on tape.

Tom (tmix)
Click to expand...

The question is, does he want a natural sound? He never really says. If you have a good kit in a good room and you want it to sound as it actually does, then the Earh works... but! If that isn't the case, you may find old school close micing the way to go. Realy listen to a lot of drum recordings and decide what you want. Slip Knot is not a natural drum sound when you compare it to Miles Davis records for instance. So know what you are after and buy accordingly.

If perchance, you want some flexibility (for instance one week I may have a job doing jazz, the next doing pop) where I have to go from naural to over produced real drums that sound like samples.... get some OHs with interchangeable capsules. That way you can play with cardiod and omni capsules. The omni setup (though not Earthworks) can still work just swell for a natural kit sound and then cardiod capsules can work for 100 other things where you might want a cardiod. Just another option for you to consider as I am personally not into getting one trick ponys unless I have a very special need and the money to throw at it.
 
I do not want a "natural" sounding drum sound if you speak of the older recordings, examples being led zeppelin, the beatles, etc. I like the modern sound of drum kits, examples Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects, Metallica, etc. I would be using a Tama Starclassic with these mics that sounds great. I would be recording in a room that is about the size of a living room with some 4 foot by 6 foot flat panels up for absorption. I am not saying I do not like the beatles or led zeppelin, but face it, anybody I will be recording today, isn't going to want to sound like any of those bands. The sound quality of the recordings just doesn't compare to todays modern technology. Hopefully this should help with giving me advice more, thanks
 
Then you want to close mic everything. That way you can slice, dice, and compress/EQ/process the snot out of everything. Most of those modern metal bands mic everything 15 ways and then process/replace/trigger the rest.
 
bubbagump said:
Then you want to close mic everything. That way you can slice, dice, and compress/EQ/process the snot out of everything. Most of those modern metal bands mic everything 15 ways and then process/replace/trigger the rest.
Click to expand...

modern drum sounds are mostly massive lies.

(but fun to make)
 
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