SDC for snare?

[sirslurpee]

I got my MXL 603's today and I toyed with mic placement earlier (before I had the 603s unfortunately) and I realized that I need to double-mic my bass drum to get the sound I want from it. So I was thinking, I'm moving my stuff out of my place and into my friends place and the one mic I used for the batter on my bass drum is staying here (it's my dads)... So I was wondering if I could use my i5 for the bass drum batter side and then use one of my cad condensers for the snare? Do I have to worry about SPL blowing it out or anything?

 

[jonnyc]

Well you'll need some kind of pad. If you're hitting your snare right, which IMO is hard, then yes you may need to worry about high spl's. However I mic my snare with a condensor all the time with no problem, you just need a pad really.

 

[giraffe]

a sdc on snare can kick ass, but sometimes the bleed acn be more of a problem than it's worth.

 

[sirslurpee]

Well you'll need some kind of pad. If you're hitting your snare right, which IMO is hard, then yes you may need to worry about high spl's. However I mic my snare with a condensor all the time with no problem, you just need a pad really.

Pad? What do you mean?

 

[jonnyc]

Some condensors have a small switch on them that say -10db or something like that. That's a pad switch, some preamps also have them. That helps to control the levels going into your DAW. It just keeps things under control volume wise. And as mentioned the bleed can be a real whore, I've had a couple of runaway hihat recordings using a condensor, not pretty.

 

[sirslurpee]

Ah yeah it's got a pad switch on it then... Honestly, I think I might actually place it a little ways away from the snare to pick up the hats in there too. The way I am setting my overheads up it kind of centers the kick and the tom pan out right but the snare comes out a little to one side and the high hat is way to the same side.. I think I might use the closer mic to capture both and pan them opposite a little. I dunno I guess im just gonna experiment with it tomarrow and I'll post back and let you guys know how it turns out for me...

 

[jonnyc]

Yeah I'm not sure you're gonna wanna try to pick up more of the hihat, especially with the snare mic. That's just gonna lead to some headaches when you can't eq because the hihat instantly becomes unbearable. You're overheads are going to pick up the hihats just fine, just get a good stereo pattern going and you should be in good shape.

 

[Cult_Status02]

LDCs work really good on the underside of the snare and on the side of the kick. You'll get a great kick sound and a wonderful "snare" sound, I mean the snares, not just the top head, I think you'll be pleased.

 

[sirslurpee]

heh I don't think I am going to need it. I just recorded using my new 603s for OH, i5 on snare, and I used my "chaddy" cad mic for the kick and it came out really really good. The 603s are EXACTLY what I needed for OH's... compared to the cad mics that came in the pro7 package the 603s are god-like. I also used it for acoustic guitar and it made my guitar sound like no other microphone I have ever heard! Sorry to be raving about it but I am just excited

Anyway, about the SDC on the snare, I may consider using one of the cad SDC's for and under-side snare like you said. I am a little worried about phase issues, seeing as I don't really have any way other than chopping up cables to reverse phase but I think I can position it to where it won't be that big of a problem.

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[slidey]

LDCs work really good on the underside of the snare and on the side of the kick. You'll get a great kick sound and a wonderful "snare" sound, I mean the snares, not just the top head, I think you'll be pleased.

aye carumba I did that recently with an AKG solidtube to give a centre element to a double bassdrum kit mix for a heavy metal band

I panned the kicks at about 10 past 1 (as it where) & used the solidtube just underneath with a lot of the bottom taken out