I know that this topic has been brought up numerous times but bear with me. I have a MR8-HD, a MXL 990, and a dynamic similar to a sm58. Last week I attempted for the first time to mik a drum set and after some trial and error I got a fairly good sound out of the two microphones. I had the condenser positioned about two feet above the center of the kick drum and I had the dynamic on the snare. It didn't sound bad but i'm sure that it could sound better. The kick drum was resonating more than I'd like and it didn't sounnd quite balanced. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Mic placement relative to drums
- Thread starter Dr.Cool
- Start date
dr.colossus
New member
you may find the dynamic serves you better in the kick rather than on the snare, with the oh centred above the snare. another spot worth a try is popping the conderser about 5' infrot of the kit at about the same hieght as the snare, pointing toward the snare. again the dynamic could go on either the kick or the snare, which ever is lacking.
R
RAMI
Guest
Dr. Colosossus's set up sounds like it would be worth a try, it makes sense.
You mentioned that the bass drum was "resonating more than I'd like". That might not have anything to do with your mics or placement and more to do with getting a better source sound.
You mentioned that the bass drum was "resonating more than I'd like". That might not have anything to do with your mics or placement and more to do with getting a better source sound.
breeeeza
Senior MemBREH
I think having a bass drum mic is vital. however you might be wanting to record differnt styles of music. from what i read you diddnt have one but reasonable quality bass drum mics can be picked up really cheap. just look on e bay! For the bass mic i have the mic inside the bass drum like normal (pointed in with a small table top stand) so that the mic is in as far as i can get it. I then cover the whole of the outer skin/shell by draping a few towels over the front of the drum (not the side the bass drum gets beaten of course) This should meen the sound from the bass drum will only stay in the bass drum so it wont pick up sound of the toms. It also wont echo against the front as it is a towel dampening the sound. It should come out as just a thud with no sound from other drums!!
This website is useful and gives good tips.
http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/pages/placement.htm
This website is useful and gives good tips.
http://www.saecollege.de/reference_material/pages/placement.htm
drum mic'ing
Hey,
you probably would benefit greatly by using some overheads on the drums . remember the quality of the mics is paramount... at least 57's for snare ...try one or a pair of condeser mics on booms a couple feet over the drums ...i prefer from behind the kit...you know.. kind of like the drummers ears.
... $200 will buy you an akg d112 which is a very much used mic on kicks (you may say industry standard - however with the large diaphram condenser you're using it's a similar idea if you had used it to strickly mic the kick) as well as bass cabinets...well worth the money and can be used live as well...you see them in every club. you may try putting the condenser just above and behind the drummers head and putting your 58 (in my experience a 57 is a better all round mic for recording ) in the kick drum as close to the head as possible . many people like micking the kick from the beater side as what you're looking for is the attack of the beater hitting the drum not any sustained ringing of the drum.
most engineers i've spoken with or read interviews with get their drums overall sounds from the overheads and mix in the kick mic and snare etc to fill out where more punch etc is needed..etc.
hope this is helpfull,
pj
Hey,
you probably would benefit greatly by using some overheads on the drums . remember the quality of the mics is paramount... at least 57's for snare ...try one or a pair of condeser mics on booms a couple feet over the drums ...i prefer from behind the kit...you know.. kind of like the drummers ears.
... $200 will buy you an akg d112 which is a very much used mic on kicks (you may say industry standard - however with the large diaphram condenser you're using it's a similar idea if you had used it to strickly mic the kick) as well as bass cabinets...well worth the money and can be used live as well...you see them in every club. you may try putting the condenser just above and behind the drummers head and putting your 58 (in my experience a 57 is a better all round mic for recording ) in the kick drum as close to the head as possible . many people like micking the kick from the beater side as what you're looking for is the attack of the beater hitting the drum not any sustained ringing of the drum.
most engineers i've spoken with or read interviews with get their drums overall sounds from the overheads and mix in the kick mic and snare etc to fill out where more punch etc is needed..etc.
hope this is helpfull,
pj