How do you guys select overheads?

[Richard Monroe]

I'd like to say that my decision is based on a thorough technical knowledge of the effects of using my unlimited supply of mics and pres, and my golden ears, but...unfortunately I live in the real world, where I can only use what I have. Most of the available options are not mics I chose because they were great drum overheads, but because they were versatile mics with multiple studio applications. My choice will also be affected by what other tracks I need to record simultaneously, what preamp channels are available, and how well tuned the kit is.

I'm old school, which means I am more likely to use 4 mics than 12-16. In that arrangement. I want a good stereo picture of the whole kit with the overheads, supplemented by the kick and snare mic. For this system, I will tend to choose a matched pair of mics in coincedent (X-Y) arrangement, and they are likely to be farther from the kit than in, for instance, the recorderman technique. I don't use LDC's only because I don't own a matched pair of LDC's. Give me another C414, and I'd try that in a heartbeat. Darrin's right about one thing. LDC's have been used successfully as drum overheads on plenty of great recordings. They're just not what I have available.

So-when recording jazz or country, I usually favor clean high frequency detail, because it seems to fit the overall sonic package. For that, I usually use a pair of KM184's plugged into an Avalon AD2022. Those mics just like that preamp. The only real color in that setup is the "iron" in the Avalon's big mucking transformer. For rock or blues, I prefer less high end detail, and more color. For that, I use a pair of AKG C2000B's or a pair of Oktava MC012's plugged into a Joemeek twinQ or a Pendulum MDP-1, with some compression going in. It's not as accurate as the Neumanns and the Avalon, but it fits that sonic package. Those are the main options in my room, which sounds pretty good. In a live situation, I use the C2000's or the Oktavas into whatever board is being used, because the Neumanns and the Avalon are not sufficiently expendable for field use.

What the hell? That may not be a scientific explanation, but those are the real factors that dictate my choices. It's weird, because like many fairly serious home recorders, I've got some pretty high-end gear, but it is the only gear I have. I'd love to whip out some DPA's or Earthworks, Schoeps, Microtech Gefell, THE, Josephsons, or a pair of Brauners, but it isn't going to happen. You can only use the mics you have.-Richie

 

[dodgeaspen]

I hate to say it but I have to go with my budget so I bought the Samson C02 mics. They are OK for the money I spent.

 

[moresound]

I hate to say it but I have to go with my budget so I bought the Samson C02 mics. They are OK for the money I spent.

I've seen those C02 used countless times in a live situation as overheads and they aren't that bad at all.

 

[dastrick]

I select a pair of Behringer C2 mics for my overheads strictly because they've been used on every major record released in the past 15 years. Every professional engineer knows that you can't get a better overhead than the C2.














NO WAIT. That was all a big lie. I use them because I'm broke.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

Mmm . . . darrin's banned again, so no point arguing, but of course I think there are probably plenty of KM84/KM184/C451EB+CK1 etc. recordings. But it doesn't matter really, my point is technically accurate, so I win

Um, let's see, strictly speaking cardioids should not be "highly directional", they should be -6dB at 90 degrees. More directional microphones won't be cardioid; they will be supercardioid or hypercardioid. In fact, where you see sloppiness in spec of cardioids it's usually towards the subcardioid side rather than tighter patterns. Of course, all microphones tend to be more directional at higher frequencies, but that's even true of omnis.

And "spaced XY" shouldn't be called XY, which refers to a coincident arrangement. Instead, near-coincident pairs are normally termed according to their specific configuration; whether ORTF, DIN, or something similar, or simply "near-coincident pair".

Lastly, I don't think any common drum overhead technique yields the sound of drums in the room. Room mics do that, but overheads cannot (unless you're the drummer). The usual goal of drum recording, at least in a typical rock production, is to create a superrealistic sound with an exaggerated stereo spread.

One more time! For me, the deciding factor between cardioids and omnis is the intended "reach" into the kit. "Reach" is a function of bass response, which is a function of distance for a cardioid mic. Therefore, omnis will pick up more of the fundamentals of the toms and kick in the overheads than cardioids will. Whether that is good or bad depends on the intended goal of the style of music.

Excellent post, man - thanks so much. So, one reason you might want to choose omnis would be, say, if you were relying on the overheads to capture most to all of the bass response from the toms, or if you wanted an unusually hyped depth to the drum sound? Cardioids, meanwhile, would probably work a little better in a situation where either you wanted less of the fundamentals and more of the overtones from the kick/tons coming through the overheads, or were relying on close-mics to pick up most of that?

Also, how did darrin already manage to get himself banned?

 

[moresound]

I select a pair of Behringer C2 mics for my overheads strictly because they've been used on every major record released in the past 15 years. Every professional engineer knows that you can't get a better overhead than the C2.
NO WAIT. That was all a big lie. I use them because I'm broke.

Dastrick....How did you get broken?

 

[Bguzaldo]

So, one reason you might want to choose omnis would be, say, if you were relying on the overheads to capture most to all of the bass response from the toms, or if you wanted an unusually hyped depth to the drum sound?

It's not really answering your question totally, but when I use the omnis for the basic fundamentals of the kit I've gotten a lot of cool sounds when I use a brighter room mic for the overtones and detail, it gives you this really solid yet far away drum sound. No need for close mics if you do it right.

Just a trick I've found useful, hope it helps,
-Barrett