How would YOU mic this kit?

W

wx3

New member
Hey guys,

I'm going to be recording some drums today and it's my first time actually having some options.

I've got the possibility of running up to 8 mics at once micing a standard 5 piece kit with only a couple cymbals.

Mics to condend with:

Shure KSM 32
Studio Projects B1
Shure SM 57
Shure SM 58
4 Shure PG 58's

How would you mic the kit with these mics? Should I use both condensors as overheads or just one? I know that overheads are typically SDC's but I had to sell my 603's a while ago :(. How would you position the LDC's? That's what I'm most confused about. Also should I even bother with the PG series mics?


Thanks.
 
I forgot to add that I'm recording in a non-acoustically treated bedroom. Any quick fixes for this?
 
Bedroom recording

wx3 said:
I forgot to add that I'm recording in a non-acoustically treated bedroom. Any quick fixes for this?
Click to expand...

How big is this room?
How much stuff is in it?
To do it somewhat right,.you need to ditch the bed and any chairs of course.
As far as mics go, I think it's going to be a trial and error recording.
Take as many takes as you can.Adjust for different levels.EQ?
Its hard to make it sound good in a dead room!
I know I have a totally dead practice room!
If you can get a couple of good room mics Beg/ borrow/ steal.(I prefer to borrow or rent.) :D
If you can post some of the progress, I'm sure there will be some POSITIVE
critique. :)
Startoff with the overheads two drumstick heights off the snare,
one above each crash cymbal. Make sure to watch out for cymbal wash,it will waver if your off the edge of the cymbals to far.
I know I missed some other things, so make sure to do a search in this forum
for O.H. recording! Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Well the room is basically big enough thats once theres a set of drums in here I won't be able to walk around, lol. I was just thinking of hanging a heavy sheet or something like that behind the kit to help reduce reflextions.
 
Okay

If you can't tune your drums in the room it's too dead.
I like to tune them outside. ;)
The problem with dead rooms is that the drums usually don't sit in the mix very well.
Drums recorded in a natural sounding Ambient room sound great!
Play around with it and post up a recording if you can.
 
i'd use a b52 on the kick
some senn 604's on the toms
mabt a b-57 on the snare
probably my mc-012's as overs
and if i was feelin' squirly
an at 4033 as an outside kick
and maby a at pro 37R on the snare bottom?

i need better snare mics. :o
but that's just me :)
 
wx3 said:
Hey guys,

Shure KSM 32
Studio Projects B1
Shure SM 57
Shure SM 58
4 Shure PG 58's
Click to expand...

hmmmmm.........

are the drums isolated???

ksm32 outside the kick
spb1 as over, centered over the kit
pg 58 on snare
57 and 58 as room mics (take the ball of the 58 if it makes you feel better)
compress the piss out of the room mics (mmmmmmm, let it pump, tasty!)
mix in with the kick snare and single over

i'm not saying this is the best setup, i'm not even saying it's a good setup
just that it may be fun to try.

i've been listening to the new white stripes
 
The ksm32 is a great drum mic. put it above the kit in the center use the b1 in front of the kick and one of the other shures for a snare mic.
And thats all.
 
Herm said:
The ksm32 is a great drum mic. put it above the kit in the center use the b1 in front of the kick and one of the other shures for a snare mic.
And thats all.
Click to expand...
If you want to record in stereo.
You need two O.H.'s
 
wx3 said:
Hey guys,

I'm going to be recording some drums today and it's my first time actually having some options.

I've got the possibility of running up to 8 mics at once micing a standard 5 piece kit with only a couple cymbals.

Mics to condend with:

Shure KSM 32
Studio Projects B1
Shure SM 57
Shure SM 58
4 Shure PG 58's

How would you mic the kit with these mics? Should I use both condensors as overheads or just one? I know that overheads are typically SDC's but I had to sell my 603's a while ago :(. How would you position the LDC's? That's what I'm most confused about. Also should I even bother with the PG series mics?


Thanks.
Click to expand...

Do you have a pair of any kind of condensers?

Make sure the drumkit is tuned really well. (I would tune the bottom heads tighter - but that's the sound I like)
Put up the condensers just like you would SDC's, and then adjust them from there until the entire kit is sounding great through them, then add in the kick and snare mic's.

As always - make a kick tunnel in front of the kick, and put your kick mic in there.


Tim
 
Last edited:
No, I don't have any pairs of condensors unfortunately.

Kick tunnel??

Heavy blanket and chair good enough?
 
Is a kit tunel the same things as "the sleeping bag trick". Where you mic up your kit and then rig a sleeping bag to the front...... I don't know about your guys, but a "kick tunnel" sounds pretty fun (whatever it is). :D
 
Yeah just like when you push all the couches together in the living room and drape blankets over to make a big fort.

I mean, when your kids make a fort...


Yeah...
 
if you have a little pa system, you might want to consider using it...i learned this from David Bottrill...when working with Tool he put a small well equed pa speaker right behind the drummer facing towards the bass drum. he equed it to where only the lower frequencies came through. This makes the drums sound HUGE even if your room doesnt have the best acoustics. I havent had a chance to try this yet but if you have ever heard either Tool's Aenima or Lateralis records the drums sound great, and Bottrill insist that the pa system is a very big contributer to the sound.
If it works let me know
 
Kick tunnel

Crowley said:
if you have a little pa system, you might want to consider using it...i learned this from David Bottrill...when working with Tool he put a small well equed pa speaker right behind the drummer facing towards the bass drum. he equed it to where only the lower frequencies came through. This makes the drums sound HUGE even if your room doesnt have the best acoustics. I havent had a chance to try this yet but if you have ever heard either Tool's Aenima or Lateralis records the drums sound great, and Bottrill insist that the pa system is a very big contributer to the sound.
If it works let me know
Click to expand...

OK,I think I know BDrums....I think!
Tunnel or tube!
I make tubes for a company...12"-16"48"!
Different walls different I.D.
A Tunnel is like What J.B. created with the Big Kick and a little x-tra!
My D-112 does just fine!
If you want a Bass punch ask Phillgood about his SUB KICK!
I believe it's the same as a tunnel but there are those that can argue this...
I just know that if you add a sm57 to the Batter head then the two can make an impressive sound!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top