help with selecting some drum mics

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N8theGr8

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im pretty new to micing, ive been using 2 crappy $20 mics from radio shack with my stereo which has two mic inputs and no extra features, hehe. i will soon be getting a 4 track and want to get some mics, but really dont have much cash to spare. I'm 16 years old so I can't really spend more than 200. Im guessing I should start out with one kick mic and one overhead, but what are some ok-quality mics that are fairly cheap? or should I try used? thanks
 
Get 2 Shure SM57s, they are great on snare, good on toms, decent on kick and for 4 track home recordings can even do a fair job on hats and overheads. Plus they are great on electric guitar amps and pretty good on vocals too.
 
I totally agree...

Just to add a bit to Vox's reply, I used the sm57 as a kick mic for a LONG time. It wasn't completly a money issue, I just had a hard time finding a mic that sounded ALOT better for the difference in price. You'll just have to play around with mic placement a little more than normal if you use the sm57. It wasnt until i was able to get a beta52 for around $130 that I actually switched to a kick mic. You can find your sm57's for $79.99 @ guitar center.
 
thanks for the tips, i think i'll definately go with the sm57's. So it should work fine with the kick, and then the other for an overhead? i'll probably eventually get a 3rd one to use as a 2nd overhead. also, do mics usually go up in price over time? because ive noticed that with cymbals they tend to go up in price after a little while. (bought 1 15" A Cust. Zildjian for 115 new, now its 135 at the same store)
 
Well, the popular dynamic mics don't go up too much. They are always around a price point, it is just up to you to catch the "sales." Generally though, at least for dynamic mics, they are pretty consistant in price, unless its a new mic, at which point it will go up, as did the audix. The sm57, for example, has been $79 [on sale] at guitar center for ages.
 
one last question, where should i place the 1/2 overheads? i was checking my set and it seems that a cymbal would always be kinda close, does this affect the mic?
 
I'd put one mic on the kick, and one on the snare. Use the 2 radio shack mics as overheads (fool aorund with placement untily ou get a osudn you like, pan one left, one right). Kick, snare and hats are the most integral part of the kit, and they would all get picked up mainly by the 57's.

Jake
 
You should definitely use the 57's on the kick and the snare. Cheap mics, like the radio shack mics you own, have a much "looser" pickup pattern, which is good for your purposes here. Use them as the overheads. Try different positions, such as XY stereo, or simply put one on the left side of the kit and one on the right. The XY pattern will minimize phase problems, which usually takes a heavy toll on the snare's sound. try different positions. I once had a guy advise me to put two mics in XY right in front of the kit at about the drummers chest level, 5 feet away from the kit. I never tried it, but you may want to experiment. If you run into phase problems [symptoms will usually include having your kit sound really small and weak] try using triangle miking, which would be a 57 on kick plus your overheads, left and right. that usually yields great natural sounding results, however, is achieved with good overheads. Don't be discouraged to try though - cheap mics only mean more work.
 
oh, and about the cymbal, the mic will pick up what it hears - it does not discriminate, so try to balance the sound sources as you want them relative to mic placement. In otherwords, if you want less cymbal, move it farther away. Just play around - there are no rules for miking, only suggestions.
 
whats an XY pattern again? and my band and I are thinking of possibly going with using computers to record because we're so short on money. what would we need for computer recording? any product suggestions that are ok, still cheap tho? i just saw a lexicon core 2 24-bit for 199, but dont exactly know if this is all i will. would switching to comp change choices for mics? thanks a lot- Nate
 
Computer should work better then a 4 track, but will be more money though. Unless you buy something like the Digi001 ($899, and still only 2 mic pres), you need to get seperate mic pres. That means soundcard AND mixer/mic pres. I'd go 4-track if you want to stay within your budget. You'd end up spending more.

Jake
 
i just found another 4-track, the Fostex X-12 for 129.99, from the pic i can see that its got 4 mic inputs, which i really need. has anyone heard about what its like? i really DO NOT need a professional recording here, just a pretty good step up from what we're using. (2 radioshack mics and a stereo) and what about that lexicon core 2?
 
Nate,

The XY pattern is when you put two mics with the capsules [the part you sing into] almost touching each other at a a 90 degree angle. See my attachment.

About the computer question, I think you should really stick with the four track for now. Personally, I think It's better to learn the basics first on "analog." This, of course, is only my humble opinion. I'm not, however, familiar with the lexicon. From what i hear, the Cakewalk products are very user friendly and are available at very good prices. You should probably go to the "computer based recording" forums for more information.
 

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WATCH OUT!

If your not careful, some radio shack dealers will try to use one on you when your not lookin'.
T.
 
Re: WATCH OUT!

T.J.Hooker said:
If your not careful, some radio shack dealers will try to use one on you when your not lookin'.
T.

This comming from someone in the sex industry.......
 
GOTTA GET IT WHERE YA CAN !

YUT, Somebodies got to do it JFogarty, Say whatever happened Creedance ?
T.
 
I watch too much pop up video

T.J.Hooker said:
YUT, Somebodies got to do it JFogarty, Say whatever happened Creedance ? :P
T.

Well, we broke up, and I got sued for copying my own song. Hows that for a kick in the ass. But I won, cause I played for the judge. Man, if they put Green Day on trial, they'd go down. So in return, I sued their asses for trying to tour with the name. Bastards. So they had to tour under Creedance Clearwater Revisited. And then I did a solo thing on VH-1 where I played a baseball bat guitar for the song "put me in coach".
 
Yah O.K.

Yah, I know what ya mean. I almost got sued when my T.V. show got cancelled. Thank god for those star trek movies.
T.
 
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