SM 57 VS. i5

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saul84aguilar

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I currently have an i5 i am using to record a snare. Any opinions on using a sm 57 instead? I normally mic the top and bottom of the snare, I am just not sure if I should go for another i5 or a pair of 57s. If anybody has any opinions or feedback would be greatly appreciated


thx
 
I've been using a condenser (small diaphragm - either Shure SM81 or Oktava MK-012) to mic the bottom of the snare, while using a (57, an i5, or some other) dynamic for the top. That said, between those two I'd probably get the 57, because you already have an i5 - you'll probably have occasion to use them both on the top of the snare at some point (not at the same time :) ), if nothing else
 
Yeah, I have both and like both for different things. The SM57 is a little middier, the i5 is a little brighter. If you need a second dynamic and it doesn't NEED to be a match for a current one, it seems silly not to expand your options.
 
Would you prefer to use stands instead of mounting clips for toms and snare
 
I've been using mounting clips because they're cheaper and then I can use the stands somewhere else. Additionally, if you're also using stands for overheads (and you probably are) you can sometimes get to the point where there are so many stands that the drummer can't play effectively :). But the stands are more versatile as to positioning, of course. A *big* non-sound variable for snare mics is the likelihood that the drummer is going to smack the mic, and in the case where I can get a good sound in a safe position with a stand and not a clip, I'd use a stand.

but wait a minute - I'm probably in the bottom 30% of board members when it comes to drum micing experience, so I'll stop now :)
 
antichef said:
I've been using mounting clips because they're cheaper and then I can use the stands somewhere else. Additionally, if you're also using stands for overheads (and you probably are) you can sometimes get to the point where there are so many stands that the drummer can't play effectively :). But the stands are more versatile as to positioning, of course. A *big* non-sound variable for snare mics is the likelihood that the drummer is going to smack the mic, and in the case where I can get a good sound in a safe position with a stand and not a clip, I'd use a stand.
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I just wanna say, I use an i5 and have sm57 copies. They both can get the job done but I'm commenting more on the clips comment. I use clips and I find that mic positioning is much more difficult. I dont have enough boom stands to set up the mic's around the kid so instead I use some drum mic clips. These puts the mic's right near the head and I feel like this doesnt work well on the drums I record. Within that close proximity, I just get a lot of woofiness from the proximity effect on the mics. I think microphone stands are good because they are flexible with mic placement. Also, they can be obtrusive, like antichef mentioned, Pro's and con's... you have to ask yourself what's important to you.
 
I figured since I have the extra space, mic stands probably work best for me.
I asked because I was getting that "woofines" and figured investing in a few more mic stands avoid that.
 
I have an I5, a SM57 and a Senn E609. Out of the three, I think the SM57 is my least favorite for most applications- though, they're all capable mics. Right now I have the I5 on my guitar cabinet, the 57 on the other guitar players cabinet and the e609 on snare.

I don't trust the clips for drums. I use stands for everything. But, I have enough room and a relatively uncomplicated kit.
 
I know jack shit about drum micing, but I'd think with clips you'd run into problems with sympathetic vibrations, and the mics vibrating along with the drums...?
 
I use a mic stand for the top(more variety of angles) and rim clip for the bottom.
 
I have an i5 and sm57 and a few ES57's. Like mentioned earlier, the i5 seems a little brighter to me than the sm57. On my last recording I had the sm57 on the tube amp, the i5 on the solid state amp, and the ES57 on the top of the snare.

I've never had much luck with mic clips. It's hard for me to get the mic in the right position. I just recently bought a couple more boom stands so I don't have to use clips.

I think my next mic purchase is going to be an e609. I've heard so much good stuff about them. Plus my theory is it's better to have a variety of mics instead of having all the same.
 
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I'm just starting my studio mic collection thanks for all the input
 
I used to use a 57 on the snare top and have recently used the i5. I liked the i5 better overall. I could get good recordings with the 57, but sometimes if the mic was just a little out of place (proximity effect), it would kill the track. Didn't have this problem nearly as much with the i5. More recently I have used a MD-421, which I'm really digging :D
 
dastrick said:
I have an i5 and sm57 and a few ES57's. Like mentioned earlier, the i5 seems a little brighter to me than the sm57. On my last recording I had the sm57 on the tube amp, the i5 on the solid state amp, and the ES57 on the top of the snare.

...I think my next mic purchase is going to be an e609. I've heard so much good stuff about them. Plus my theory is it's better to have a variety of mics instead of having all the same.
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Thanks for mentioning the 609. I'm going to try a Heil PR22 on snare this morning. But if things work out it looks like I'll have a spare track or two and I was thinking about trying a Fathead on the side as a second. (Problem is, don't get to do drums often enough so every time is a chance to get try.. :D
I have a 609 for my guitar live bag, I'll try to give it a go. :)
 
Up the-FWIW-date; Didn't get to the 609, Heil was doing nothing super on head/rim position so it went to hat (nice there) and i5 went from hat to snare. >=more funner than the Heil in this case. Fathead stayed on the middle of the shell position about 4-5" out. Wanted to do fig8' there, and it works great with just as much (or little) hat bleed as the i5 on the rim, nice full freq' balanced picture that can go either way (as is' thick and broad) or filtered and/or a more complete stand alone' sound than a lot of close' pictures to boot. 8's cool. Want more. :)
Between the two got drier/tighter more mid' and the softer/broader, either mix separate or combined for nice variations. Roughs' only at this point but got to try lots of combos along the way in the phones on tracking and the ref cd mixes. (This was a bunch of songs done 'keep it moving shotgun/CYA style'.

I come away from this (as often) with 'yeah there may always be that one exactly perfect one for the moment' picks, but there are dozens' of simply different not necessarily better' picks.
Jaded?
 
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