Overheads?

[justwantyou2kno]

What does everyone prefer, one LDC or two SDC overhead? If you like both in different situations, when do you use one LDC and when do you use a pair of SDC?...and specific mic suggestions would be great.

 

[chessrock]

What does everyone prefer, one LDC or two SDC overhead?

2 small.

If you like both in different situations, when do you use one LDC

When it sounds better.

and when do you use a pair of SDC?

When they sound better.

...and specific mic suggestions would be great.

On the budget end, a pair of Oktava mc012s. If you have a little extra dough, then a pair of Neumann km184s, Earthworks SR77, or a new favorite of mine: Shure ksm32.

 

[fprod south]

I used one LDC when I didn't have 2 SDC's.
I'm mixing those tunes now and I'm not very happy.

I've got a MXL 603 and a Nady CM-88. They both sound fine to me and are affordable. I guess you should get two of the same - but I have yet to hear someone say "you're using two different mics for overheads".

 

[littledog]

What's wrong with two LDC's?

 

[Track Rat]

I know you want some kind of difinative answer but it really does depend. On what? The drummer's style and the drum kit (the cymbals in particular) sound. Personally I use either a pair of AT 4033's ( a mid sized capsule), KM-184's, Octava MC-012's or Earthworks SR-71's. I've also had good results with an Octava MC-319 and a Groove Tubes AM-52 in figure of 8 for a M/S setup. I've ordered a pair of modified (Steven Sank) Beyer M-260 ribbon mics. I anticipate that I'm gonna like these a lot. Well see.

 

[Flames]

When you do a separate close micing of the drumkit, you usally prefer SDC mics for the purpose of just picking up the cymbals.

Since I'm more into using LDC's I would get a more naturall sound by some also called a "LO-FI" sound.
But when using LDC's, you carefully got to pick the mic location to get a good balanc between toms, cymbals, snare and kick, and when this is done, add a little closed miced snare and kickdrum since these tend to get lost in the mix when added guitar and bass.
A simple thought is to close mic everything that is played alot, like snare and kick, I've also been thinking about close micing hihat to get that close crisp ticking hihat, but unfortunally you probably have to do heavy compression since there is a huge differens in volume when played with a closed hihat and a wide open hihat.
Do you know any preferble hihat mic to recomend?

 

[justwantyou2kno]

hi hat mic.

When I've had an extra track available I've miked the hi-hat with an Oktava SDC, and the end product didn't even have that mic in the mix. I think it sounds unnatural to have a miked hi-hat (keep in mind I usually record hard rock, so I don't know what a miked hi-hat would sound like on softer music)

 

[Blake Long]

I have a pair of AKG 451s, MXL 603s, MXL 2001s, EV 1776s, ECM 8Ks, KM 84s, and a CAD LDC.

Usually I opt for the 451s because the crashes and rides sound great. But I've recently switched to the EV 1776s because the overall drumset sounds the best.

 

[littledog]

When you do a separate close micing of the drumkit, you usally prefer SDC mics for the purpose of just picking up the cymbals.

I also use SDC's, but I disagree about their function being to "just pickup the cymbals". I use Recorderman's 2-drumstick length positioning technique, and I get slamming snare and toms through the overheads. I'm close mic'ing them as well for more mix control.