First foray into drum micing.

[daav]

OK I have jsut barely begun getting started with micing my drumset. Here are my options and how i have them set up for the time being:
Mics:
SM57 (snare)
SM58 (on the shelf)
EV RE27 (kick currently jsut shoved in the hole in the reso head, but I think i am going to build a tunnel for this)
2 MXL 603s (overheads)
SP B3 (shelf/room)
Octava 319 (shelf/room)

I have 5 pre channels, DMP3 currently assinged to the overheads, focusrite platnium (with compressor built in) on kick, and two channels of behrringer 802 crap mixer, with one being used for snare right now.

I set this up the other night, but haven't even had a chance to do a test recording (going through a lyala 24/96 into cubase).

Does this seem like the best setup given my current options? Should i take the ball off the 58 and put it in the hats? I figured toms/hats/cymbals would be ok throguh overheads for now. Rearrange the pre usage? I could put the overheads through the mixer, and use the DMP3 for snare and kick.

Any help and pointers would be appreciated.

 

[giraffe]

i'd probably keep the dmp3 on ovrs, the overs are responsible for a lot of your sound.

i'd probably personally use the focus on the snare and the berri on the kick, this is because in my experience it's much harder to force a useable sound out of a badly recorded snare than it is a badly recorded kick. YMMV.

personally, i almost never need to mic the hats. and usually dynamics sound like poo on hats. if you do decide to do it i'd use a different mic.

i don't know that i'd bother with room mics, it's possible they'd sound good....
but i'm betting that you're working out of a acoustical environment that's less then ideal.

hope this helps.

 

[daav]

Thanks Giraffe, just helps to have other input. The snare sounds like my weak point, so maybe i will switch out the pre there. THis has already got me thinking i need a couple more channels of decent pres and a better snare altogether (mine is very stock intro set, but at least it has a decent head (remo emp). and i haven't even started yet. I hate being broke.

Daav

 

[Minion]

When You say "Room/Shelf" do you mean you just have the Mic sitting on a shelf??

If so maybe you should look into getting some Drum Mic Clips... They are Mic clips that clip to your Toms and Hold the Mic in Place over your Toms ,I like them better than Mic stands because they don"t get in the way or take up space and are only about $10 each.....

For my Overheads I just have the Mic cables hooked into the Roof and hanging over the Kit which seems to work out pretty good.....

With the High hat the Snare mic seems to Pick up the Hi hat quite well as well as the Overheads so specificly micing the Hi hat isn"t really nescessary....

Cheers

 

[Anonamis_drumme]

If so maybe you should look into getting some Drum Mic Clips... They are Mic clips that clip to your Toms and Hold the Mic in Place over your Toms ,I like them better than Mic stands because they don"t get in the way or take up space and are only about $10 each.....

The problem with that is your going to get unwanted rumble instead of just the drum which is taken care of by hanging it from a stand creating a more focused sound.....I suppose a gate would take care of the rumble though.

I agree you should put your snare through the good pre. Bass drum can usually just be eqed up (although unnatural sounding) and be an "ok" bass drum.

 

[daav]

When You say "Room/Shelf" do you mean you just have the Mic sitting on a shelf??

If so maybe you should look into getting some Drum Mic Clips... They are Mic clips that clip to your Toms and Hold the Mic in Place over your Toms ,I like them better than Mic stands because they don"t get in the way or take up space and are only about $10 each.....

For my Overheads I just have the Mic cables hooked into the Roof and hanging over the Kit which seems to work out pretty good.....

With the High hat the Snare mic seems to Pick up the Hi hat quite well as well as the Overheads so specificly micing the Hi hat isn"t really nescessary....

Cheers

LOL, thanks for that! No i meant that i am not using them (have them "shelved", so to speak) on the set, in this case, i was thinking the B3 would be my best choice for a room mic if i wanted one, but I hadn't really htought i would need it, so it would be either sitting on a shelf or be used as a room mic (more likely left unused).

I have mic stands and clips and generally use shockmounts for the condensers and when i can get enough, for the dynamics too!

Thanks,
Daav

 

[Minion]

Actually if you set them up properly there is absolutly no rumble, There is only Rumble when the Mic is actually Vibrateing against something and if you Position the Mics Properly they will not Vibrate against anything.....

 

[nuemes]

Here's what I'd do:

2 MXL 603s (overheads) thru DMP3.

SM57 on top of snare thru focusrite platnium, SP B3 or Octava 319 (whichever is more natural sounding and can handle the SPL) under snare.

EV RE27 on kick but set back, SM58 on kick at head to catch click sound.

This way you get the most sound-shaping posibilities on the kick & snare. Pay close attention to the overheads to make sure they pick up the cymbals & toms more than the snare and creat a good stereo image. Make sure to invert phase where needed in the program too. Pretty close the the setup I use at home; pretty happy with it given the mics/preamps available.

 

[daav]

thanks nuemes, I had sonsidered something similiar to that (with the under the snare action and beater mic) as a next level, once i get a handle on the 4 mic technique.

Daav .