Micing drums cheaply - Two Overheads, One Kick

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iceyflame

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Hey guys, I'm buying new TAMA Superstars and new ZXT Cymbals very soon and I am on a low budget and I was just wondering what is needed for some cheap recording - im 13 years old and this is just for messing around and nothing serious. Would using Two Overhead mics and one kick mic be doable? I'm real low on cash, and I was wondering what else is needed. I'm not interested to much in a really amazing sound, I just want to be able to record my drums and not sound like glass smashing (cymbals) and bins being tipped over (drums) - I was using a cheap computer mic plugged into my pc recording using MS Sound Recorder :cool:. So I'm just wondering what mics I would use, if this scenario would be a fairly good improvment on my whole recording situation, and if there was anything else I needed? I was told about needing a mixer, but I'm just wondering if it's possible to just plug the XLR Cables from the mics into some sort of adapter and just make it go straight through the computer, or would I need something for it to go through first, if so, how much would a cheap one of those cost.

Thanks alot for your help guys,

Chris
 
Three mics on a kit is not only "doable" (ugh), it's also been done many, many times. You'll be in some great company ;)

For a really low budget combo try a pair of Behringer ECM8000s ($100 for 2) with an Audio-Technica Pro 25 ($80). Note: You'll need phantom power for the ECM8000s. But you can usually find get this from any mixer or pre amp.
 
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I see... Is there any cheaper mics you can do this with? I'm on a really low budget... And could you explain what phantom power is? And what mixers and pre-amps do?

Sorry I'm really new to this whole thing :D
 
Cheaper than an ECM8000? :confused:

Karaoke mics might be cheaper. But not much.

Even a pair of SM57s or EV 635As (omni dynamics) off of ebay won't be much less, unless you strike lucky.

How about one ECM8000 and a Pro25? It's mono, but it's a start.

Phantom power is simply a means of providing the current a condensor mic needs to function properly. A pre amp is a device for amplifying the signal from a microphone up to a level at which it can be heard/captured.

The M-Audio Audio Buddy ($80) is a cheap two channel pre amp that will provide phantom power.
 
icyflame:

read these tutorials on drum miking. If you strategically place the mics, you can get a decent sound with even one mic. If you can't swing Mark7's suggestions, start with just one ECM8000 ($50) and a preamp, like the audio buddy ($80), or better yet, a Yamaha MG mixer ($99) so you'll have more preamps when you need to use more mics. That's about the cheapest upgrade from your computer mic. Then, you can add more mics as you have more budget. It is an omnidirectional mic and, if placed well, can give you a decent picture of the kit (in mono). I would suggest miking a few feet out in front of the kit and a few feet off the ground. Alternately, one mic above the drummer's head can work.

http://artistpro.com/index.php?module=PnCourses&func=getPage&course_id=22&page_id=107
 
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Thanks for the help scrubs, I'll read up that tutorial when I come home from school. Anyway could you please explain what a mixer and a pre amp is? Picture would be helpful too :confused:.

Thanks alot

Chris
 
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I recently recorded a kit with three mic's, one on kick one on snare and one as an overhead. Got really good sound, however I think that the room was nice sounding which helped greatly.

I don't have time to fully answer your questions but ever so quickly;
a mixer is a device that allows you to mix the various audio signals together and to send them into your recording device and then listen to them once recorded.

A preamp is a little box that boosts the signal of a microphone for recording. A preamp is able to supply a small voltage, called Phantom Power, that some microphones were require to work.

Don't worry if it's all a bit confusing, we all find it confusing!

Also, if you do not have a mixer then just record your drums with one mic. Then you will be able to mix your mono drum signal with other signals inside your computer, depending on your software.

Hope that some help
 
you're buying a tama and are on a budget?
..wish i was on a budget !
 
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iceyflame said:
Thanks for the help scrubs, I'll read up that tutorial when I come home from school. Anyway could you please explain what a mixer and a pre amp is? Picture would be helpful too :confused:.

Thanks alot

Chris
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I would suggest the local Barnes and Nobel and look in the music section. There are many good books on home recording basics. It's a good way to get a lot of information at your fingertips if you are starting out. Good luck and happy recording.
Tom
 
Using a y-cord or similar arrangement to plug multiple mics into one input is NOT a good way to go because the electrical signal from one mic can run back up the y-cord to the other mics (making them in effect into little speakers if they're dynamic mics), messing up the sound and potentially damaging the mics.

Among the excellent suggestions already here, Behringer makes very inexpensive small mic mixers.

A mixer contains one or more mic preamps. A microphone's signal is not strong enough to be plugged directly into a preamp input, so a mic preamp is necessary.

A mixer takes multiple mic inputs and mixes them together electronically. Due to the nature of mic preamps (or most any preamp), the power does not go back up the cord to the mic, as it would if you simply used a y-cord arrangement (again, just forget that idea, although at your age, I certainly thought about it!!).

ALSO: YES....you CAN make a decent recording of a drum set with just ONE mic. As others have said, either over the drum it, or (probably best), out in front of the kit, so you get more bass drum. If overhead, probably boost the bass to get more of the bass drum.

In fact, many classic recordings were recorded this way, if not with even more primitive miking arrangements.

So, if you can't afford even the cheap mixers and mics yet, you should be able to get a decent sound with just one mic.

For example, Mitch Mitchell's drums on the Are You Experienced album/CD by Jimi Hendrix, were probably recorded with three mics, or less, on the drums.

Hope this helps...best of luck on your musical journey....


Rob
 
I'll get made fun of for this, but this is how I do it "on the cheap":

Nady SP-1 $0
Shure SM57 $65
Shure PG58 $40
Behringer MX802A Mixer $70

I found the Nady in a box of junk at my friend's house. The SM57 was bought on eBay for misc. recording and the PG58 was for live vocals. None of these are proper drum recording mics.

All three XLR mics go into the mixer, and from there I have a cord that gets plugged into my computer's Line-In port. I think it's good enough for a beginner. A million times better than a computer mic. I never used a Behringer ECM8000, but I trust these guys' suggestion.
 
Might I suggest a single Shure sm57 and a small yamaha mixer for starters. this is an easy little package to expand on, the mic will have some use in the future and will even plug straight into the mic in of a sound card. It wont be the worlds greatest sound but it will point you in the right direction, besides resale is very good on sm57's if you decide recording is not for you.

an AT 25 pro and ecm8000 combo with an audio buddy is probably going to give you the best sound for little cash.
 
2 overheads and the kick very easy, can sound very very good and cheap. Play with your room and tunings. This drum recording thing is so out of hand with all the high $ stuff, just use what you got and make it happen.
 
noodles2k5 said:
The SM57 was bought on eBay for misc. recording (...). None of these are proper drum recording mics.
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I beg your pardon?

Rainer
 
Chris,

learn to tune and play (with regard to sound) your kit. That will work wonders on a recording you'd do even armed only with, say, a SM57.

Rainer
 
moinho said:
I beg your pardon?

Rainer
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Boy, I second that! The SM57 is a standard for recording drums. It's only the most used snare/tom mic in history.
 
I was reading this post and got some idea's but still need help please.
I have a box of mics that includes 2 audiotechnica atm25's
One audiotechnica ATM33R and a sure sm 57. I have heard 57's are good for snares. (is there a special stand for snare mics?) What about the other mics? What else would I need for a 5pc kit with 2 cymbols and a H/H? I wouldnt want to spend much since I dont even play drums LOL But I do want it to sound good
Is it better to have 2 overheads?
ok any help is appreciated

Thanks
Stacy
 
To clarify, I meant the SM57 wasn't suitable for being two overheads and a kick mic. Close-micing is different.
 
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