SDC as close mics?

[SlowerHand]

I've been getting great results with a 4 mic setup, using dynamic close mics on the snare and kick, and small diaphragm condenser microphones on the toms. Because they're so sensitive they still pick up a lot of cymbal sound, the perfect amount of cymbal I want, really. I still have a beautiful stereo image, a la Glyn Johns method, just more toms. (I actually stumbled upon it that way, by putting the floor tom mic really close by accident. I tried it with the rack tom and ended up sounding exactly like what I had been trying to achieve for a long time.)

But because they're so sensitive, would it be bad for the mic's diaphragm?

 

[Simman]

Really depends on if you exceed the SPL spec on the mic. In all likeliness, you're probably not going to do that unless you paly using baseball bats and thrash around like animal from the muppets. Even then, you'd probaly have a better chance of damaging the mic from hitting it with a stick. Now, if you were using ribbon mics that be a different story.

 

[Dogbreath]

I'd check the mic specs and see what kinda spl's it'll take. More than likely you'll be ok.

 

[Rimshot]

I have gone to a 4 mic set-up as well in the last few years with really good results. Close dynamic on snare and a good kick mic, then two SDC's in a coincidental stereo pair situated over the kit. The small diaphragm condensers pick up all the cymbals beautifully and all four toms as well.

 

[SlowerHand]

My overheads/tom mics/sdc's are the ubercheap Behringer C2's (try to contain your stomach's contents, they're actually really good). The actual volume or spl in the close mic position is actually hardly any more than the good ole overhead setup. I'll post a sample when I can, because the results are pretty amazing.

 

[RawDepth]

Those C2 mics have a max SPL of 140, (150 with the pad turned on.) So you won't hurt them.

However, they start rolling off the lows at around 400Hz. Due to that alone I wouldn't recommend them for toms. Also, SDC mics have a fast transient response which makes them way more difficult to blend into the mix. It will sound like mostly all head slap (attack) and not much of the rich tone and sustain you want from a tom. That is why dynamic mics work better for toms. They respond slower and capture less attack.

On the other hand, if your tom heads happen to be old and dead sounding, SDC's will give them more life.

If you like the way they sound that's all that counts. There are no rules...you can do it if you want.