How many drum mics do you record with

How many microphones do you use when recording drums

  • 4

    Votes: 70 23.6%

  • 5-6

    Votes: 51 17.2%

  • 7-9

    Votes: 136 45.9%

  • 10-12

    Votes: 32 10.8%

  • 13+

    Votes: 7 2.4%
  • Total voters
    296
tojo said:
p.s. does anybody use large diaphragm condensers for overheads ? I've heard of people using the at2020 for that but i don't know if I want to do it (i only have 1 anyways.)
Click to expand...


YEP...
behringer C1 - over head, C3 - Room, SM57 - snare top, BG4.1 bottom, and the rest of the drums are roland.
 
Lately I've been using 10 mics when recording drums:

2 on the kick (D112 close, CADKBM12 about 1 foot away)
2 on the snare (SM57 or Avant snare mic on top, Sennheiser e609 on bottom)
1 rack tom (Sennheiser e604)
1 floor tom (D11 or Avant tom mic)
2 overheads (Oktava MC012-01)
2 room (lately CAD179)
 
Lately I have been using 5 mics and sounding pretty good.

The 5 mics are:

Sennheiser e902 (kick)
SM57 (snare)
SM57 (snare, 36" up)
(2) AT2035's as overheads in GJ method.

It's a modified Glyn Johns method with the added SM57 above the snare.
 
Very few. A D112 for the kick, an Apex 205 in the room, a '57 on the snare, and two LDCs in for overheads, if I'm feeling energetic. More often, the D112 out in front of the kick a bit and two overheads, and that's it.
 
Getting ready to hook this up to my MW12 and do some recording...I might have the Audix model no's messed up, but it's the Fusion 4-piece kit.

8 total:
Audix F14 - kick
Audix F12 - snare, left tom, mid tom
Radio Shack 33-3032 - floor tom
OH pair: Shure SM57 and Shure 588SD Unisphere B with the pop filter removed
Room mic - Behringer B-2

I might switch these around a bit...try the 57 on snare, as is pretty normal, and go to a pair of the Unisphere's for overhead.
 
My last setup was 7 total:

OH's - Behringer C2 (ORTF)
Snare Top - SM57
Snare Btm - Audix i5
Kick - CAD KDM412 & GLS ES57 (side by side)
Room Mic - Studio Projects B1 placed about 4 ft in front of the kick

That B1 out in front really added a lot to the drum sound. :D
 
I use the c-2s as well as overheads. How do you like them? I 've never used them in "ortf" ; I use the recorderman method. How does the ortf method work?
 
The cymbals seem a little harsh to me, but other than that I like them. Although I haven't used anything else to compare them to. I also like them on acoustic guitar.

I tried XY and ORTF. ORTF gave me a little bit wider stereo image. I'm going to try the recorderman next.
 
try the Glyn Johns method too. Similar to the Recorderman but the right OH is spaced a little more and lower. I get better toms with GJ. At least in my room.
Oh...and I use LDC's on OH too.

just a thought...
 
drumlinefreak13 you have all those mics for the toms, bass drum, snare and everything but what about cymbols?
 
I use a total of 14 mics on the average session, but VERY seldom use more than the O.H.'s, kick and snares during mix. Once I am sure I do not need them in the mix, I delete the unwanted tracks. I will add 2 more mics on the Timbales if the song needs them.

Kick
Snare top
Snare bottom
side Snare top
2 Hi-Hats (L&R)
2 O.H.'s (XY config.)
4 Mounted Toms
2 Floor Toms


Here are a few pics of the rig.


http://www.zshare.net/image/57841360ea1a148b/
http://www.zshare.net/image/57841424ee21a004/
http://www.zshare.net/image/5784128600e82219/
 
Detroitroadrage said:
I use a total of 14 mics on the average session, but VERY seldom use more than the O.H.'s, kick and snares during mix. Once I am sure I do not need them in the mix, I delete the unwanted tracks. I will add 2 more mics on the Timbales if the song needs them.

Kick
Snare top
Snare bottom
side Snare top
2 Hi-Hats (L&R)
2 O.H.'s (XY config.)
4 Mounted Toms
2 Floor Toms


Here are a few pics of the rig.


http://www.zshare.net/image/57841360ea1a148b/
http://www.zshare.net/image/57841424ee21a004/
http://www.zshare.net/image/5784128600e82219/
Click to expand...

gotta be honest, i love the kit but i HATE the hihats being SO far over with no comfortable foot access lol. that just destroys the kit for me. id deff take down the toms and start over with just setting up hats snare and kick, and getting it so you are sitting naturally and comfortably and theeeen add toms. and if they wont fit don't use them :P,i'd take practicality and groveability over size any day. but that's just me lol

on a side note, hows that over head position working? doesn't it give you phase issues since your XY is crossed over ?
 
dastrick said:
The cymbals seem a little harsh to me, but other than that I like them. Although I haven't used anything else to compare them to. I also like them on acoustic guitar.

I tried XY and ORTF. ORTF gave me a little bit wider stereo image. I'm going to try the recorderman next.
Click to expand...

let me know what you think of the recorderman method in comparison (so if its way better I prob won't bother trying different setups.:D)

don't you find them a bit noisy though? (the c-2s?)
 
SuaveRecords said:
gotta be honest, i love the kit but i HATE the hihats being SO far over with no comfortable foot access lol. that just destroys the kit for me. id deff take down the toms and start over with just setting up hats snare and kick, and getting it so you are sitting naturally and comfortably and theeeen add toms. and if they wont fit don't use them :P,i'd take practicality and groveability over size any day. but that's just me lol

on a side note, hows that over head position working? doesn't it give you phase issues since your XY is crossed over ?
Click to expand...

As far as the Hat position, I am well over 6 feet tall, so it is quite comfy for me right where it is. And I get no phase issues at all with this setup, if they were not crossed over then there would ba a phase issue. I used to use the "spaced" setup but find this to be much warmer. When I record on one of my smaller sets, I tend to go with the recorderman.
 
Detroitroadrage said:
As far as the Hat position, I am well over 6 feet tall, so it is quite comfy for me right where it is. And I get no phase issues at all with this setup, if they were not crossed over then there would ba a phase issue. I used to use the "spaced" setup but find this to be much warmer. When I record on one of my smaller sets, I tend to go with the recorderman.
Click to expand...

hmm weird, from everything i knew about xym i thought the capsule needed to be as close to each other as they could be with out touching
 
Latest session we used 7.

A pair of Studio Projects C4 as overheads
3 SM57s one on the snare, one between the two mounted toms and one between the two floor toms.
Shure Beta 52 inside the bass drum
and a Rode NT3 as an ambient room mic.

Debating using a SDC for the hithats next go round, very pleased though, very.
 
SuaveRecords said:
hmm weird, from everything i knew about xym i thought the capsule needed to be as close to each other as they could be with out touching
Click to expand...

You are correct, I am taking into concideration that the capsules are well into the body of the mic, so therefore they are only about 1/4inch beyond each other at most. If they were 1/4inch separated that would cause the phasing prob. (because they would be pointing at each other) But when they pass each other, they start becoming a "spaced" setup, due to the mics pionting AWAY from each other. If you notice, I have the top AND bottom of my snare mic'ed. The mics are pointing at each other which would cause phasing issues so therefore I "reverse phase" on the bottom mic. It wouldnt matter if the TOP mic was reversed, just as long as one of them are.:D
 
Lastest setup.....
Terrie Bozzio Signature AKG Snare Mic, Inside of kick 1inch from Beater head
AKG D112 inside of kick whole near outside.
Joe Meek JMC27 Overhead from behind drummer
MXL900(i believe that's the model)LDC on Ride
AT 4021 Hi Hats
Rode NT1-a Room mic 20-25 feet away
Snare Beta 57 Top
Snare Bottom
C 518 M/C 518 ML Tom Tops
Audix F12 Tom Bottom phase flipped.
KCM 90 Ribbon (nady, aphex, chinese ribbon) 2 feet infront of kit, kick level

grand total for 4 piece kit..............
14 mics....



*Next time I record, I'd like to try an Omni or Figure 8, maybe I can borrow a 414 from work in front of snare and infront of beater head of kick drum*
 
Last edited:
Overhead Microphone Upgrade

Hey everybody, I'm in the market for some new mics, all purpose types. I posted this on the drumset connect forum as well...here is is.

I've been thinking about upgrading the microphones I use as overheads as well as vocal and acoustic mics from the audio technica at2020 to something new and better. I recently overheard some guys at a local store talking about the ADK Vienna MK 8 Condenser Microphone at AmericanMusical.com and raving about them. Now, I may be a little out of the loop, but I've never heard of them. Are they any good? They are $600 for the pair so it is definitely in my price range but I've not heard of them at all. I planned on using American Musical Supply cuz they have that flex pay option. Any thoughts on other microphone options in that price range and from AMS?


Thunder
 
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