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RE: microphone question | from KeithNov 14 2003 - 19:51

I always opt to go for the room sound, do more with less. A nice way of getting the top and bottom of a snare is either to use the overheads to cover the top, or what seth suggested. Experiment.

I just got a pair of studio projects c4's, and they are amazing anywhere on the kit.

And, yes, no mic will make a poorly tuned drum set sound like a million bucks. Or even 10 bucks.

RE: microphone question | from grumpoNov 13 2003 - 22:50

hmm, I clearly type more quickly than you and fuck far more slowly.

RE: microphone question | from JeanNov 13 2003 - 20:38

You obviously don't, taking the time to post so much shite here.

RE: microphone question | from monkhumpeyNov 13 2003 - 19:21

Fuck me. Do you guys ever get laid?

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardNov 13 2003 - 17:12

I usually like to mic snare drums with a cardioid mic pointing in from the hi hat side so that the rear of the mic points directly at the hi hat. This does a two things. It protects the mic from getting hit a little if you keep your hi hat close to your snare. Also, the point in the mic's pickup pattern that gives you the most rejection is pointed at the hi hat, so you get less hi hat in your snare track.

Tuning is really important as well. If a drum is tuned badly, it will sound bad recorded no matter how well it's played.

Other than that, just play the snare evenly, and try to land your hits in the middle. The closer you get the mic to the middle of the snare, the bigger it will sound, but it's a tradeoff. The closer the mic is to he middle, the more likely you are to hit it when you play.



RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonNov 13 2003 - 15:31

i have bought some mics now. sm57s and md-421s. still have a couple to go to have what i want. the the overhangin mics and the kickdrum is up next. i have been looking at cm2 and samson. they didn't sound warm at all. it sounded distorted in my ears. i like warm sound. more bass. i need another tip with other words.

i have been listening a lot to snares lately. i don't like the short, distinct "deftones-snare". i want a deep and big sound. is there a certain way i should place the microphone or is it all about the snare itself? or is it both?

RE: microphone question | from g-daddyJul 02 2003 - 20:51

the glow pt.2 is pretty fantastic i would say

RE: microphone question | from AlexJul 02 2003 - 12:50

Sounds like quite a deal. Go for it.

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJul 02 2003 - 12:13

he wants $300 for all of them. that is 4. he'll be adding a shure sm58 also.

i'll check out that site. knowledge is what i need!

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJul 02 2003 - 12:02

I've never heard of any of those, but that doesn't mean they might not be good. If he is selling them really cheap, buy them. Even if they turn out to be terrible, they might add interesting character for certain things.

I'd recommend signing up for the message board on TapeOp.com if you haven't done so already. There are a lot of very knowledgable people on that board when it comes to gear, but also a lot of people who record at home on a limited budget.

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJul 02 2003 - 05:31

a guy is offering me a deal. i can't seem to find any info of these. can't ask you guys to look either. but i was wondering if you have any idea if it is good stuff and what kind of mics they are.

AKG D190ES
RCF 1750s
EV/ZECK ZM 25

RE: microphone question | from Sam SJun 24 2003 - 11:49

Seth is certainly right about the phase thing. Less is more when it comes to drum miking.

My fave is the three mike wonder: two overheads and one kick. The overheads are placed close to one another in the center yet pointed slightly to the right and left (this way you get plenty of snare without actually miking it). Rodes and AKGs work well for this.

If you MUST mike snares, 57s are good if you want a warmer "classic rock" snare sound. You WILL lose some snare sizzle over 16kHz, but it's not really that noticeable unless you're playing softly or with brushes. Sennheisers are always better, though.

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 24 2003 - 08:57

Yes. More mics will give you more options, but the more mics you add in your mix, the more phase problems you can introduce.

I love the sound of room mics in a good room. I jammed with some friends last night in a warehouse space. We put 2 58s up just for the hell of it and squashed the living hell out of them with a crappy compressor. It sounded surprisingly good.

For used prices, I'd say these would be pretty decent:

RE20 - US$300
MD421 - US$200

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 24 2003 - 08:32

i can see where you are getting. but i think it depends on what music you are recording. you'll have more options with more mics. 1 mic/drum would be enough of course. but i think when we recorded our last demo in a studio he used mics away from the drumkit as well. the get a real room sound. kinda like fu manchu (on eatin' dust). or pedro the lion (on winners never quit).

this is what i'll need then:
Electro Voice RE20 - kick drum
Shure SM-57 - snare
Sennheiser MD-421 - toms (i might need two?)

sorry for being lazy asking you guys. but you might know without doing a major search. but what could be fair prices fpr these mics (if they are used)?

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 24 2003 - 07:40

I'm with you, Alex. I prefer as few mics on drums as I can get away with. I'd much rather have 2 great mics on a drum kit than 8 mediocre ones.

RE: microphone question | from AlexJun 23 2003 - 16:35

I (as well as many recording industry professionals) think SM57s do the job just fine on snare. You can get great drum sounds with very few mics. It just takes practice and experimentation. Of course, you may not have time for either...

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 23 2003 - 15:57

For a kit that small, you could get away with a kick mic and a single overhead as long as the room you're recording in sounds good, and you don't need stereo drums.


I like the Electro Voice RE20 on kick drum a lot. I think the Shure SM-57 is fine for snare drum. Other people hate them. The Sennheiser MD-421 sounds really good on toms, but it's expensive, and difficult to place in tight spots (though not a problem for a small kit).

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 23 2003 - 15:12

i do not know alot about microphones. i am actually looking for drummicrophones right now. give me a tip. i need good stuff. and i got a small kit. kinda like this one: http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre900/e991/e99133zmoj4.jpg i do have another drum though. so i might need 1 for the bassdrum and 3 for the rest?

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 23 2003 - 14:25

You can never have too many microphones.

Have you guys tried Earthworks mics? I got a pair of SR-77s on ebay in the fall. I totally love them. They are not "warm" per se - just really clean and accurate.

RE: microphone question | from AlexJun 23 2003 - 13:39

Ah hah! Found the right mics this time. It appears that some studios use them along with Neumanns and other expensive mics. So maybe they're not too bad. Side note: I use Neumann TLM 170R mics most often. They're the warmest things I've heard. Comparing them with my other mics is like night and day.

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 23 2003 - 13:32

it's supposed to be new too. he just bought it along with a portable player that he sold right away. i don't even think he tried. i wonder how he can say that the mic is great then.

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 23 2003 - 13:18

Cool. If he paid $150 for it, that's probably fair - assuming the mic doesn't suck of course.

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 23 2003 - 13:05

alex - haha! doesn't sound like the kind of mic i am looking for.

RE: microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 23 2003 - 13:04

well he owed me $65. i gave him $35 and got the mic. he said the price for the mic when he bought it was $150. i still have the chance to return it to him and tell him he's a dick. then he owes me $100 instead.

yes. the microphone in the picture is just like the one i got. i'll try it on now. it might fit me ;)

thanks seth.

RE: microphone question | from AlexJun 23 2003 - 13:03

See if this helps: http://www.alpha-comm.com/pdf/aps526.pdf

RE: microphone question | from Seth HowardJun 23 2003 - 12:52

I've never heard of it. The model number suggests that it might be a Neumann U87 copy, and the pictures I've found online confirm this. Here's one example:

http://www.gix.raindogs.dk/sub/gear.html

My guess is it's probably one of many Chinese-made condenser mics that are being sold under various brand names these days. That's not to say it's a bad mic. It could be a real gem. The only way to find out is to give it a shot.

I guess the important question is how much your friend owed you :)

microphone question | from JR OlssonJun 23 2003 - 11:52

since there is alot of musicians here you might be able to answer a little question. i just used a friends dept (to me) and took a microphone from him as payment. i got a TSM mt87 class A. anyone who knows anything about this specific mic? is it good?

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