Figure 8 and cardoid overhead options

Fancy

Fancy

pickle tanker
Been experimenting with various overhead configurations and something's askew. I'm using a Chinese ribbion as the left overhead and a small diaphram condensor as the right. When the faders are brought up there are wild fluctuations in level with the kick and snare from left to right.

Can I use these mics together in a stereo spread, or would I be better off recording to mono?
 
Strictly speaking for X/Y micing the mics should be the same make and even be what are called a 'matched pair' so they sound identical. It's possible to get away with using two different but similar types of mics. Trying to mix a ribbon with a SD condensor is going to be tough.

Since your ribbon is a figure 8 mic you should search on Mid Side or MS micing techniques. That way you can use those two mics in a stereo pair.

No matter what mic technique you use you need to make sure the kick and snare are centered in your stereo image. This means that the kick and snare need to be equal distance from both mics. Your overheads in an X/Y or MS pair will actually be rotated a little to make that possible. In other words stand out in front of the kick and form an imaginary line from the middle of the snare to where the beater hits the kick. You want to use that line as the middle axis of your stereo image.
 
I'd also try to use the M/S. Use the cardioid as 'middle', and the ribon as 'strereo' having both sides pointing 90 degrees from your cardioid axis. You then can get the R and L by adding and subtracting the two tracks.
If you know what I'm trying to tell you,... forget everything - I just wanted to explain something that might sound a little too difficult :)

Ciao,

aXel
 
Here's what I've come up with. The kit isn't tuned perfectly.
 
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