hints on good tom sound using only overheads as well as kick'n'snare

  • Thread starter Thread starter rocky outcrop
  • Start date Start date
R

rocky outcrop

New member
i'm interested in ideas on getting good tom tom sound using over head mic's rather than indivdual mics. things like tom and cymbal balance,how much eq is to much. I understand all the new skin,good tunings nice sound I got all that but is it just mic place ment or are there some tricks that can be used. I got good mics and a roland vs1880 and am happy with my kick 'snare sound getting abilities
 
time

Really what it's going to come down to is spending a lot of time moving the mics up and down and side to side looking for the best sound. I doubt there could be a set rule, since each drum set is so different. You have to deal with the way it's set up. Things like how high/ low the cymbols are, how close the cymbols are to the toms will really effect what you're doing.

I don't think you have to worry much about losing quality because you don't have close mics. It seems to be the popular opinion on the board that overhead mics are the best for drums and that the close mics are just to make it a little more punchy. Four mics should be good for what you're doing. Don't be affraid to spend hours longer setting up your mics than you do with tape rolling. I'd also recomend having someone else in the room assisting with the set up. I'd shoot myself if I had to keep running from the board to the drums to make minor adjustments.

So yeah, take time, try stuff.

~james
 
Sounds good

Yep! I could waste alot of time typing pretty much the same advice with different words probably, But all I really need to type is:

"That's what I would do"

Goodluck Bro,
T.J.Hooker:cool:
 
A few points to keep an eye on. I like 4 mics, the good old kick-snare-and-a-pair. Be sure to use a tight stereo configuration on the overheads to avoid phase problems, and try to make sure that both overheads are the exact same distance from the same point on the snare. Seriously, get out a tape measure and check. If you are using a DAW, go back after recording and make sure your overheads are in phase with the snare on the sample level, and scoot em tight if you need to.
It takes longer to get a good sound with 4 mics than it does with 20, so be ready.
 
I know nothing about drums and how to mic them, but my husband is basically a new drummer and we are trying to get him set up and so on and so forth. Anyway, I understand about the toms and cymbals placement, but tubedude what do you mean about the overheads distance to the snare? I know, dumb question. Are you talking about the distance of the mics? :confused:

t
 
tubedude,
While you're elaborating... can you fill us in on this technique?

If you are using a DAW, go back after recording and make sure your overheads are in phase with the snare on the sample level, and scoot em tight if you need to.
Click to expand...

thanks,
Queue
 
Ok, most times it seems when people go kick-snare-pair, at least in my experience, they will have a pair of mics very close together (practically touching) at about a 90 degree angle, just above the drummers head pointing pretty much right at the toms or between toms and cymbals. Keep the the exact same distance from the snare, to the inch if possible.
On a daw, if you have waveform editing (the pulses where the sound is) you check the phase of all your drums with the overheads. Your snare mic might hit a few samples ahead of the overheads because of distance factors. If so, shift the snare over to be in time with the overheads. You'll see the pulse from your snare drum be slightly behind or in front of where it shows on the screen. The pulses should line up perfectly, every transient and valley.
 
junkyardearl said it best:

"Really what it's going to come down to is spending a lot of time moving the mics up and down and side to side looking for the best sound"
 
I didn't start the thread but thanks guys for the info! The last drummer I worked with had all of his mics on stands rather than overhead, but still he was always moving them around, then thump, thump, test then move them some more then test until he was satisfied. Then the next day he'd want to try something else. I guess we all strive for perfection and that elusive sound; will we ever find it? :)

t
 
123

Ummm, well, the overheads are on stands. The only ones I don't put on stands are my Hovercraft RW-7's, but they have a cardiod pattern that is a tad too tight for overheads. Just move them where you want, and they just float there... pretty nice.
 
LOL, I am a dummy i know. I meant the guy just used regular short stands pushed up close to his drum kit. I guess i mean he didn't use the tall crookneck stands or stands with the booms. hmm, is that the right word? You know what i mean? Although i did see a guy once who used something like a rack that went all around his drum kit.

t
 
thanks people for the tips . Ileft it over the weekend to see what would happen and the feedback is great. one other question is about compression in this application ,things like how hard i.e just catch the peaks or squash it like a can, compress to tape or deal with it after. I now the desired results are many and varied but what do you think also control on the wobbly bottom on most floor toms.
 
Here is a great article on compression (written by Shailat), with sound clips too.

Tubedude,
Where did you get those Hovercraft mics? My drum room is pretty small and I hate having to move around mic stands and cymbal stands (do you know if they make Hovercraft cymbal stands too?) to move around my set. That would sure make life easier. :D

-tkr
 
Last edited:
Tubedude,
Thanks for answering my phase question. I was thinking more along the lines of positive/negative polarity phase issues. Recording drums sure seems like a real PIA.

Queue
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top