Ghetto Drum Triggers

JG96

Active member
So I have 4 really good drum mics but I would like to mic toms, has anyone ever tried using ipod headphones as drum triggers? Im trying to make some sort of spot mic so I can use logic's drum replacement on the toms. Has anyone done this with common household items?
 
I actually tried using an acoustic guitar pickup for kick drum once. Worked perfectly. I do not see why a set of earbuds, would not give enough signal to do what you are asking. Try it and see. :)
 
Good to hear, I think this will work well. I personally don't have real drums but I tried the theory with a pair of tin cans and it worked well. Now I just have to figure out how to mount headphones on toms!
 
Or you can go to Radio Shack and get their cheapo 2 wire $2 piezo transducers and use some of that removable double sided tape to stick them to the heads. wire up some cables to them and you are good to go.
 
Thats what i was thinking but I don't want to impact the tone too much, i should probably use ear buds. Should i put the triggers on the top heads or bottom heads?
 
You want the triggers on the top head. You need to capture the attack, not the resonance. Put them on the top head.

Actually, you can use the ear buds as mics. You don't have to tape them to the head, you can tape them to the rim and it should still work for replacement.
 
At least get some decent gaffers tape from a music store, so you don't end up with a bunch of sticky goo everywhere. Sticky goo is ghetto even for the ghetto. :)
 
I actually just saw a tape at Home Depot, that may be close to gaffers tape. It was 10 bucks and claimed to not leave residue. Have not tried it yet tho.
 
afgoo_03_30_2009_full_1.jpg Goo is fairly desirable in many ghetto's :) I will try and get my hand on some gaffers tape though.
 
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