*QUICK!!* Drum Micing help!!!

[smileywiley]

Hi all,
Been a while since I've posted. I need some help micing drums.

I have 2 CAD small diaphram condensers, 1 Rode NT1000 and 2 Shure KSM137's. How should I mic my drums? It is a 5 piece kit with 1 crash and 1 ride symbol, and the HH. I have very little experience micing drums. My best recording was with the two CADs and the Rode - I'm borrowing the Shures from a friend - how should I use them?

You can hear that recording on AcidPlanet here:
http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?PID=714405&T=887580

And remember, this recording was a TOTAL joke - watch SNL if you don't get it... It just has the best recording I have been able to get out of the drums.

I recorded with the NT1000 on the bass, one CAD on the toms and one CAD on the HH/snare.

How should I mic now that I have the shures?

Thanks!
SM

[djui5]

2 Shures on OH's
Rode on kick
Cad's on ride and small toms.

Hit snare and toms hard.

[Hynek]

CADs on OH
Rode on Kick
Shure on Snare
Shure on Floor Tom

or

CADs on OH
Shure on Kick
Shure on Snare
Rode on Floor Tom

depending on which sounds better on the kick, I wouldn't take for granted it's the Rode, SDs can actually sound pretty nice even though they're perhaps not considered standard on kick (love my C480+CK61)

[djui5]

Trust Hynek, he knows these mic's better than I do :)

[Hynek]

Trust Randy! I've actually never worked with any of these mics!:scared:

Experiment to find out which mic sounds best on each given thing. I certainly didn't mean to "correct" Randy on anything. What it is about is that first I'd put a mic on snare and sacrifice ride and second I'd either mic the floor tom or, if you wanna capture more toms from a distance, at least put the mic closer to the side of the large diameters. Three things to support this:

- If you put a matched pair of condensers on a 10" and a 12" toms the 10" will be a bit louder on your indicators to begin with (might be different if you use a mic that's big on the bottom, like MD421 or something)
- The smaller toms will get picked up by the OHs better (again, could be different if you had ribbons up there)
- And most importantly, the smaller toms will always project a lot better in the mix, it's the floor tom you may end up trying to pull up (and fail if you didn't have it miked)

[djui5]

Experiment to find out which mic sounds best on each given thing.




This is actually the best advice, as I haven't used any of these mics either :smokin:


hahaha :banana:

[SlyMonkey]

You can't get your hands on a regular old Shure SM57 to use on the snare? I can't believe you wouldn't have one laying around.

[Hynek]

What's the obsession with SM57? The world's moved on man :smokin:

[SlyMonkey]

What has taken its place? I didn't get the memo.
The SM57 is still the world standard snare mic because it sounds great. Most of the biggest names in the business still use a 57 on the snare.

You can use other mics. Why not start with a great snare drum sound first with a mic that nearly everyone has laying around? Once you get your technique and experience on the 57, then by all means, go ahead and experiment. the "break all the rule man!" attitude doesn't help anyone. That only works when you know all the rules.

[andyppl4ce]

yea i would agree the sm57 is by far the most versatile mic out ther its frequency response and SPL rating can handle pretty much everything although i usually mix it with other mics on snair like any small diaphram condensor on snair bottom as well as the BLue baby bottle on top with the snair for a little more clairity i love the baby bottle place just a few inches further away from the snair off axis sounds great and it still handles hard hitting drummers. but yea the 57 on everything ill shuv it in my kik off axis along with a d112 on the outside. sounds great!! the only other mics i use other than a 57 and a d112 is the audix i5 and the d6... although my favorite kik mic is the Blue Mouse this thing kills all. its also a lot about the placement of the mics.

[smileywiley]

Thanks for all the help guys! I tried Randy's suggestion first (was the only post up when I last read it), came out pretty good, except I wish the snare was a tad louder. I really haven't mixed anything yet though - just listening raw...

As for an SM57 - nope, not yet. I just started building my "mic cabinet". I do have a Radioshack vocal mic laying around, which is quite possibly a shure with a different name, but I don't know for "shure". :p

Thanks again!
SM

[djui5]

Buy a 57!!

Glad my suggestion sounded good. Seems I haven't lost my touch :bounce: :bounce:




:D

[smileywiley]

When I get it finished, I'll post up a link so you can hear the results of your magic work... :D :banana:

[smileywiley]

Well, I hate to rehash an old thread, but I did say I would report back to let you hear what the recording came out like. Not bad, not great.

Visit http://www.myspace.com/aletheuoband and listen to the song "Demon Slayer". There's an intro you'll have to listen through that's drumless.

BTW, I finally got an SM57!!! So, if we add that to the mix, what would be the best setup now?

My initial thought would be:

Bass = RODE NT1000
Snare = SM57
Mounted toms = one CAD
Ride/floor tom = other CAD
Overheads = Shures

Thanks!
Smiley

[mesaboogiewes]

i'm curious as to what other mics could be compared to a shure SM57?...everytime i ask what else is out there to anyone in a music store they get that "oh ****, what do i tell him" look no their face like no other mic could be good without paying over a K for it....

[analoguepilot]

What has taken its place? I didn't get the memo.
The SM57 is still the world standard snare mic because it sounds great. Most of the biggest names in the business still use a 57 on the snare.

You can use other mics. Why not start with a great snare drum sound first with a mic that nearly everyone has laying around? Once you get your technique and experience on the 57, then by all means, go ahead and experiment. the "break all the rule man!" attitude doesn't help anyone. That only works when you know all the rules. the sm57 is the only mic that is clinically proven to survive a nuclear blast. rumor has it that the troops in iraq use them for chain-mail style armour on their humvees. heck- its the mic that sits on the president's podium and is used on about 99.9 % of all the drumsets in the world. i plan on dying with one in my hand... i swear by it. but thats not to say i dont use other mics- i'll try any mic on a kit im just saying you cant go wrong with a 57.

[mesaboogiewes]

the sm57 is the only mic that is clinically proven to survive a nuclear blast. rumor has it that the troops in iraq use them for chain-mail style armour on their humvees. heck- its the mic that sits on the president's podium and is used on about 99.9 % of all the drumsets in the world. i plan on dying with one in my hand... i swear by it. but thats not to say i dont use other mics- i'll try any mic on a kit im just saying you cant go wrong with a 57.
:banana: lol i tink i just shat myself...

[smileywiley]

HAHAHA!

Well, I have one now, just haven't had a chance to test it out on drums yet.

Just curious, what do you guys think of my mix? Of all, I think the drums probably came out the worst, simply because I have almost no experience with them. I went back and did a re-mix with more panning and EQ and it helped a ton. Somehow the snare ended up being very quiet - hopefully the 57 with fix that...