THE DRUM MICROPHONE / MICROPHONES THREAD

[hauk]

thanks guys. anybody else?

[TitanSound]

I bought a pair recently and they are great!

Used them as overheads on a recording session and the sound quality was very good indeed. Obviously they do not stand up to professional mics but they are good for home recording.

We also use them when we rehearse, just set them up as 2 rooms mics and we get a great sound.

[hauk]

well thats reassuring. i also plan to use them as overheads

[bromasi]

(already posted this in the recording thread a while ago, doesnt seem anybody goes there any more)

does anybody have any experience with behringer c-2 mics? i know behringer is regarded a quality company, but these mics seem ridiculously cheap. i know the get-what-you-pay-for adage (had a feeling somebody was gonna quote that), but i'm curious about any hands on experience. the reviews i've seen were good, but i'm still suspicious. hopeful though, cheap + quality = good for me
I bought these and I really like them, I use them overhead mainly for my cymbals they really bring out the sound.

[HardcoreLogo]

Quality control and reliablity are two things Behringer falls short on. I work for a dealer, and shouldn't really say anything bad about it, but some of thier stuff is "ok" and other stuff is just junk...........buyer beware!!!

[drum.all.day]

I am wanting to know what mics you use the manufacturer and the mic for both live and recodring. THANKS

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Well something a little more specific would be appreciated... but here's what I like the sound of when recording drums.

Overheads: High Quality Small Diaphragm Condensers. Eg. AKG C1000.
Snare: Medium Diaphragm Dynamic Eg. Shure SM57. (Batter and sometimes Resonant).
Bass: Large Diaphragm Dynamic Eg. Audix D6.

Some people like to microphone up the individual toms, I personally prefer to let the overheads do most of the work as far as that's concerned, I've had annoying experiences with individual tom miking before that really got on my nerves.

[IDDrummer]

Audix D6 on the bass drum, live and recorded, although a large condenser is sometimes placed in front of the bass drum resonant head as well when recording, with the D6 inside or facing the batter head from the outside.

Live I like to use Sennheiser e604s on toms and snare - they sound good and are very easy to position.

Recording - at home I use various combinations of the above mics, but I'm not going for pro results, really. Not yet, anyway.

In a studio, I defer to the engineer. Mostly I've seen Shure SM57s on the snare top/bottom, Sennheiser 421s (I believe) on toms, and Shure Sm81s for overheads.

[Skitch]

I am wanting to know what mics you use the manufacturer and the mic for both live and recodring. THANKS

All of my drums, with the exception of the snare drum are MayEA mounted.

Bass Drum - D112
Small toms (less than a 14") - SM57
Big Toms - D112
Snare drums SM57

The soundmen seem to really dig this combo although the D112 in the bigger toms are a hotter signal than the SM57s. I dig this combo because it is easier to set up and tear down (less work) and there are no mics in the way of my playing.


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[ryanlikealion]

I have been asked by my band to purchase some drum microphones. Who can recommend any good ones????

[ryanlikealion]

My band members have asked me to buy some drum microphones. I will need these at live gigs and for recording. Can anyone recommend any good ones???? Email - ryanlikealion@googlemail.com

[Tama Player]

Welcome to drummerworld! Make sure you search, using the button at the top of the screen, before u post. There are numerous threads on this. Thanks! : )
AGR

[Just Drums]

A lot depends on your use and your budget. Will this be for gigs?

A good, dependable generic mic for your snare, toms, and cymbals is a Sure SM-57. They usually run less than $100 US Dollars a piece and you can find them just about anywhere. A good BD mic is a AKG 112. I had one of those for several years and it did a really good job. Those run about $200 or a little more.

Hope this helps.

[catlover]

Try Audio Technica products !

I love their mikes for catching drums, and they are not very expensive !
-ATM 25 on bass drum
-ATM 23he on snare
-AT 4041 on HH
-Pro 25 on toms (very cheap and a big low end sound !)

Here's a sample of my drumset recorded with these mikes + SM57 (snare bottom), subkick (DIY with a
NS10 woofer !) and Rhode's NT5's as overheads !

[Skitch]

What does everyone use in leiu of the $329 SM81?

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[IDDrummer]

A local fellow has been using the Audix F15 (I believe) in his home studio, and it seems to produce decent results. It does not seem to capture the low end that the SM81 is capable of, at least the way he was set up. He relied on close-micing the toms for depth, anyway. They reproduced cymbals nicely, especially for a mic that costs $100 or so.

The last project I worked on (actually I have two more songs to record) used the Groove Tube GT55 as overheads. This recording called for brushes with a lot of cymbal work and texture (for a singer/songwriter and his acoustic guitar) and they worked quite well. Beautiful rich sound with great detail. I looked them up and they cost about $500 a piece. Nice overheads, though!

[Fat Elvis]

A local fellow has been using the Audix F15 (I believe) in his home studio, and it seems to produce decent results. It does not seem to capture the low end that the SM81 is capable of, at least the way he was set up. He relied on close-micing the toms for depth, anyway. They reproduced cymbals nicely, especially for a mic that costs $100 or so.

The last project I worked on (actually I have two more songs to record) used the Groove Tube GT55 as overheads. This recording called for brushes with a lot of cymbal work and texture (for a singer/songwriter and his acoustic guitar) and they worked quite well. Beautiful rich sound with great detail. I looked them up and they cost about $500 a piece. Nice overheads, though!

I use the F15 as well, and while im sure that the SM81 will produce better results, the F15 does a good job -- especially the highs. I use it in my last recording session on my hats, and it did fantastic. To hear it, go to http://www.myspace.com/jesusoragunlv

[Skitch]

Don't laugh, but I once saw that Radio Shack had a knock-off of the SM81 in their Realistic line. I actually used this one in a country band! Hey, why is everyone running to the car?!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Deathmetalconga]

Don't laugh, but I once saw that Radio Shack had a knock-off of the SM81 in their Realistic line. I actually used this one in a country band! Hey, why is everyone running to the car?!

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

Radio Shack gets no respect. Who would even want to endorse them?

They have geat adaptors, however, like stuff to link XLR to banana plugs and RCA. Otherwise, the stuff is awful and overpriced.

www.terrasonus.com

[give the drummer some]

I ONLY use AUDIX mics on my drums. They sound amazing!!!!!! D6 on kick, i5 on snares, D2 on rack toms, D4 on 14" floor tom and another D6 on 16" floor tom, SCX condensers on high-hat and overheads. PERFECT!!!!!!!!

[TalkShowMan]

Ahoy hoy.

Just a quick question; does anyone have any experience with CAD microphones, specifically their Kick mic. Seems pretty good range at 20HZ - 20,000HZ, and seems like a pretty good entry level mic. Just wondering how it would compare with say a D112 or a D6 (my two main options I think).

Also, any thoughts or opinions on the XL1200 would be pretty handy as well. My many thanks to y'all in advance.

[Peter W.]

Well, well gentlemen! This is a most interesting topic.

You see, I bought this great Yamaha drum kit. I just liked the look and the size of it. It just fitted into my car.

BUT: It had a 18" bassdrum... and I play rock music. So I kind of needed a little low end and volume in my bassdrum... and some room just kills the bassdrum sound!!!

SO: I installed a Shure Beta 52 inside with the MAY Internal Miking Systems (Just like Simon Phillips and Steve Smith). So I just plug the wire in my bassdrum... from the OUTSIDE. And all of a sudden, I have the greatest bassdrum sound EVER... from a 18" bassdrum. I recomend it to every drummer playing small party gigs!!!

In fact I got so thrilled about the whole miking thing, that I bought my self a Shure VP88 to pick up the rest og the kit (like when Steve Smith is small gigging)... And boy does it KICK some serious ASS!!!

So, now I never have to wory about bad acousticks.. And it is such a relief!!!

I'm planning to get a cheap Shure SM57 to pick up the snare, though I'm told it's not neccesary... But I'd like the thought of being able to add some reverb to just the snare some day!!!


og it

[IDDrummer]

Well, well gentlemen! This is a most interesting topic.

You see, I bought this great Yamaha drum kit. I just liked the look and the size of it. It just fitted into my car.

BUT: It had a 18" bassdrum... and I play rock music. So I kind of needed a little low end and volume in my bassdrum... and some room just kills the bassdrum sound!!!

SO: I installed a Shure Beta 52 inside with the MAY Internal Miking Systems (Just like Simon Phillips and Steve Smith). So I just plug the wire in my bassdrum... from the OUTSIDE. And all of a sudden, I have the greatest bassdrum sound EVER... from a 18" bassdrum. I recomend it to every drummer playing small party gigs!!!

Where did you get the May mount? My leads keep falling through...

[Peter W.]

Where did you get the May mount? My leads keep falling through...

I got it in my local drumstore (I live in Denmark). There's a link to MAY on DW's homepage. Look under "hardware".

Here it is: http://www.dwdrums.com/may/

As i recall it, I bought the Shure Beta 52 as a MAY product, because it was kind of preparede to the MAY system. And in another box, I bought some MAY hardware and bolts. So, when you mount it, the mounting system goes through the bassdrums vent-hole... with NO drilling and damage to your drum at all.

It's easy, and I highly recomend it to everyone doing small gigs without an external soundengineer to take care of your drumssound....

[BCains]

Dragging up an old thread, but i wanted to put my list up =)

Kick: AKG D112
Snare: Shure SM57 / Audix i5
HiHat: AKG C414B-XL II
Tom Racks: Sennheiser E604
Tom Floors: Sennheiser MD421
Overheads: Audio Technica 4041
Room: Blue Baby Bottle

[RUSTE]

Has anybody used the studiospares (england) own mic's? i have
2 bassdrum mic's & 4 instrument mic's i use for toms. They seem good for £30 or so a piece. Just wondering how different they are to more expensive mic's?
I also have 3 staggs that pretty much look the same as the studiospares mic's.
I also have 2 t.bone large condenser mic's that you can get from a german site for £20 each!!! I bought them for £40 years ago & i use them for overheads & vocals. Again seem quiet good for the money.
I also have a shure sm57 but we all know about these good old fashion mic's :) straight on the snare it goes...

[PdoubleE]

I want to point out if you are recording digital.. An A/D Converter REALLY effects the sound quality.. even if you are using Neve preamps and Telefunken mics.. if you got Cheap digi 001 converters.. or m audio.. ect..ect.. all that Expensive stuff cant really do what it should be able to. Converters are a Big Deal!!!

[Halidman]

(already posted this in the recording thread a while ago, doesnt seem anybody goes there any more)

does anybody have any experience with behringer c-2 mics? i know behringer is regarded a quality company, but these mics seem ridiculously cheap. i know the get-what-you-pay-for adage (had a feeling somebody was gonna quote that), but i'm curious about any hands on experience. the reviews i've seen were good, but i'm still suspicious. hopeful though, cheap + quality = good for me

http://www.thomann.de/ie/behringer_c2_stereoset.htm

I agree, this is slap-the-the-face cheap. Surely someone is going to hell for selling mics so cheap!!