How many mics do i need...

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DWdrummer

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I was wondering how many mics i need to use to record a 5 piece set with 6 cymbals and only a 6 channel sound board. Could I put a mic somewhere where it picks up both toms or both cymbals etc. Thanks
 
Any number between 1 and 6. If you want to tight mic, you could try one in the kick, one on the snare, two on the rack toms, one on the floor tom and a mono overhead. Or the other direction, one in the kick, one on the snare, and a mono overhead. Without starting the John Bonham debate, he only had three mics on the kit and "When The Levy Breaks still kicks my ass. YMMV.:D
 
I a "less is more" believer....i like 3 or 4 mics.....i also believe in getting most of your sound with the 2 overheads....another or kick and snare(for 4) to help balance it out during mixing......

spend money getting the 4 right mics for the job instead of 6 less crappy mics just to say you have 6.......
 
yep - about 4-6

I'm finding out that micing a drummer can be overkill at times...phase problems, close tuning issues.

I'm hoping my two NT2's, SM81, SM57 and AKGD112 will be enough to fix the problem...no more phase issues.

RB
 
It depends on the kind of music you are making, but....

Unless you play jazz, you are going to need more than 3 microphones for a decent sound. Anyone telling you to use three mikes (like Led Zeppelin, Beatles etc...) must be joking. You need an absolutely shit hot condenser for that, and on my budget it's cheaper to close mike with SM57s!

This is my set up:

AKG D112 - Kick
SM57 - snare
SM57s - Toms
2xAKG C3000Bs for overheads Left & Right

Close mike the drums, experiment with the overheads. For overheads any decent condensers will do the trick, preferably one with a bass roll off. Dynamics aren't as clear on cymbals as condensers, but handle drums fine. Experimentation is the order of the day. I don't mike the hi hat because it bleeds through everything else!

Hope this helps
 
I must have been joking obviously so disregard my opinion. :rolleyes:
 
Re: It depends on the kind of music you are making, but....

Jeppo said:
I don't mike the hi hat because it bleeds through everything else!
Click to expand...

I seem to have the bleed through problem with the snare??
 
bleed isnt always a bad thing....in which mic is the snare bleed a problem?.....
 
Gidge said:
bleed isnt always a bad thing....in which mic is the snare bleed a problem?.....
Click to expand...

Okay here is my situation.

Set consists of snare 3 toms 1 kick 1 hat 4 crash and ride.

1) ATM 63 ( sm57 like) on Hat facing away from snare as much as possible aiming where hat is played from - 1" from cymbal

2) SM57 on snare at top facing away from the hat as much as possible kind of aiming at the floor tom - 1" from top head

3) AT Pro25 on kick inside near batter head.

4) Sennheiser 421 between two kick mount toms kind of pointing between the two about 3" above rim.

5) ATM63 under floor tom ( no bottom head) about 4" from top head

6) AKG C1000 over center of snare 2 sticks end-to-end high

7) AKF C1000 over drummers right shoulder 2sticks end-to-end high from center of snare.


The snare bleads into the rack toms and the overheads but the worst is from the HH. No HH is heard in the snare mic.
 
i dont think that is a bleed problem....

let me ask you this...are you happy with your drum sound?....if not, then it may be a problem......

first off, overheads should pick up snare...very common for that....the overheads,in my opinion, should be a nice balance of the ENTIRE kitd and should be where the majority of your drum sound comes from....the close mics should be added in to round it out....

if you arent happy, try scaling down your mic'ing...start with the 2 c1000's as overheads and either the pro25,421,or sm57 on kick, whichever you rather.....get as close as a sound as you can from there....then add in a snare mic, but only use it to add in the elements that the overheads arent picking up......

you get where im headed....add one mic at a time and make sure its ADDING to your sound and not subtracting...if it doesnt help, take it out.....
 
Thanks for the advice Gidge. I have been kind of using your method. My problem is I come from live sound and have little experience with recording. I have a drum set but can barely keep two limbs coordinated. Add a third limb and I lose it. My wife can keep a decent beat, but she will not play unless I play too.

Usually I play bass when she plays drums and man the bass bleeds in to the drums big time. All the mics. Guitar and harp barely bleed.

Happy New Year.
 
Get yourself a headphone amp, enough headphones to go around and go dirsect with the bass. End of bass bleed.
 
Track Rat said:
Get yourself a headphone amp, enough headphones to go around and go dirsect with the bass. End of bass bleed.
Click to expand...

That is a good idea. I have tried it with my Berringer HA440 headphone amp. With the drums in the same room I do not like the sound of the bass in the phones. I have Sennheiser HD600 and Sony 7560.

Thanks
Happy New Year
 
Try the method I have listed about 5 posts down, see how it does...
 
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