Miking the Conga Drum

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slater
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Slater

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I have a straight tubular (about 3 1/2 feet high)drum with a thick skin on the top and a thin head on the bottom end with a kick.It has a great Conga like sound to it and I've tuned the bottom head to where it sounds rather complimentary to the top section.
Have an AKG1000 which I've tried placing in different positions all over this drum.Am recording into an 880EX and have tried different levels of compression and reverb but still am not too happy with the sound.
Has anyone had any luck with congas?Would appreciate hearing your story.
Thanks.........
 
my personal opinion would to be not to use a condensor for this application. if you have access to a large diaphragm dynamic, that is the best way to capture smooth conga sounds. i find dynamics control drums better then condensors.
 
I use a 4033 on conga's and it provides a very detailed sound. I haven't found too many good uses for a C1000S.

Ed
 
Your advice has been very helpfull.I got a Roland mic(DR-20) with my 880Ex and tried that in the large dynamic mic sim mode with limiter added and it really brought the drum to life.Also added a touch of medium room reverb(35%) to even give it a fuller sound.
Thanks again........
 
I've used an sm-57 placed slightly overhead. I always get a nice sound.
 
i've always done well with Sennheiser 421s on congas, though i've seen people do the large diaphragm or 57 route (both of which may meet your needs better - it seems to always depend on the situation)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Slater:
I have a straight tubular (about 3 1/2 feet high)drum with a thick skin on the top and a thin head on the bottom end with a kick.It has a great Conga like sound to it and I've tuned the bottom head to where it sounds rather complimentary to the top section.
Have an AKG1000 which I've tried placing in different positions all over this drum.Am recording into an 880EX and have tried different levels of compression and reverb but still am not too happy with the sound.
Has anyone had any luck with congas?Would appreciate hearing your story.
Thanks.........<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Why not try miking the conga with two mikes top and bottom i.e. 2 x SM57 with the bottom mike phase reversed so as to keep the correct phase relationship. You can mix them together to one track or pan them left and right for a stereo spread.
 
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