Suggestions for mics
- Thread starter Ruzic99
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Fox622003
Gold Member
The Samson mic packs are pretty good for home studio and live applications. Generally, they go through a Mixer and then into a speaker system or amp.
Fox.
A
audiotech
Guest
Buy the best microphones you can afford, even if it means fewer than what you would like to have initially. You can always add to your good microphone collection which is much better than replacing the entire set latter on down the line.
Dennis
Dennis
caddywumpus
Archnemesis of Larryace
The only reason you'd need to use mics is if the venue you're playing at is requiring your band to provide a PA system. You don't normally need to provide them yourself.
If you find that you DO need some, don't go for "cheap" mics. Shure SM57s and Audix mics run about $100 a piece...that's as cheap as you'll want to go. Kick drum mics run about $200 and overheads can be spendy as well. It all depends on what your needs are.
If you find that you DO need some, don't go for "cheap" mics. Shure SM57s and Audix mics run about $100 a piece...that's as cheap as you'll want to go. Kick drum mics run about $200 and overheads can be spendy as well. It all depends on what your needs are.
slingerlandfreak
Senior Member
Akg d112-kick
Akg d40-toms and snare
Akg C430-overheads
Akg d40-toms and snare
Akg C430-overheads
caddywumpus
Archnemesis of Larryace
Those mics would be the D Series mics. D-2 for the toms, D-4 for the floor toms. They're the mics that I use, and I've tried just about everything out there...
nicotine25
Senior Member
A lot of it depends on the venue. Most places that have their own PA system do NOT require you to bring mics, and the places that don't have their own PA are usually not big enough to require you to have mics. At least thats what I have found in my experience. I played live for 10 years and have never owned mics. Does your band have its own PA system? If so, and again depending on the gig you are playing, you may want to have a few just in case. When my band played gigs that required us to bring our own PA they were usually small enough that I didn't need any mics. On a few occasions I dropped an extra (band owned) SM 57 on a boom in the kick (not a kick mic per se...but it works). Any gig that required more almost always had their own PA and sound guy with plenty of drum mics. Another option that we used on occasion was just to hire a sound guy who brought everything. If you do end up getting mics, I would look at getting a good Bass mic first and foremost...a set of nice overheads next (bass and overheads should cover you on about 90% of you gigs depending again on the venue)...and if you need more, look at shure sm 57's...they are the snare workhorse mic and make great tom mics also. I would stay away from CAD or Samson. Also if you want to mic your drums and your band does not have a PA...your going to need one...especially if you want to have vocals. It gets more and more complicated from there...especially if you want to have separate monitor mixes and such...but you get the jist...
A
audiotech
Guest
If you have the funds, I would look into an AudiX I5 microphone for your snare drum. They're about the same price as a Shure SM57, maybe a little less expensive, but are a bit more transparent and the head is made from metal instead of plastic, in case a stick might kiss it, lol.
Dennis
Dennis
BillBachman
Gold Member
There's a Shure mic kit with a beta 52 kick mic and 3 sm57 microphones. That's a great way to get going with bass, snare and 2 overheads. SM-57's are great and generally work for everything. Don't worry about miking every drum, 4 microphones can do the job perfectly fine.
And I agree on not buying cheap entry level microphones, you'll only want the pro ones before you know it.
And I agree on not buying cheap entry level microphones, you'll only want the pro ones before you know it.
Fox622003
Gold Member
Well, I don't believe those two brands compare. CAD are certainly (and even sold as) entry level mics, while Samson makes cheaper semi pro/professional microphones.
Have you actually tried these mics? Are you any good with DAWs? I've seen horrible sound come out of Shure and Audix mics, similar to drums with tuning, a great deal of it depends on the actual mixing.
Fox.
nicotine25
Senior Member
Yeah I should have clarified, I meant the Samson pre-packaged drum mic kit...it usually is advertised around $280 ish. I have used both these mic kits before. They belonged to the sound engineers who were running our sound...(separate engineers, separate gigs.) They got the job done, but even the engineers didn't really like them. On one particular gig we had an engineer who used a Beta 52 in the kick, SM 57 on the snare, and some CAD mics for the toms...that wasn't too bad. As for recording I agree that I have heard horrible sound come from great mics. A lot of the sound in recording comes from they way you tune, play, your shells, heads, mic placement...its a science. But live, while the previous holds true as well, I have found it better in my experience to have better quality mics..especially for the essential pieces of the kit...i.e kick, snare....(if your going to have mics at all.) I liken the entry level mic kits to entry level cymbals, as in that they will get the job done, but you will want to upgrade later...whereas good quality mics and cymbals can be with you for a lifetime...
Fox622003
Gold Member
You're right, I forgot they were mainly for live playing. You can do wonders in the studio through post production, but good mics become a lot more essential in a live setting.
Fox.
ZGR8DCVER
Member
My thoughts:
I would rather have a simple setup: Kick, Snare, Overheads vs spot miking everything. And I am glad I did. I get amazing results without miking my toms and the money I saved on tom mics left the $ for better overheads. Audix makes great stuff, as does Shure I just tend to prefer the i5 and D6 over the Shure counterparts. I should note I use these primarily in the studio. Live, I will usually throw a mic on the Kick but the venues I play are small enough to where I don't need to mic the kit......yet. So a bit more detail:
Snare:
I have to agree with the folks recommending Audix mics. I love the i5, D6, and their vocal mics(I own the OM3) As another poster said the i5 is perhaps a better choice than the -57. IMOP the mic sounds better and it is defiantly more durable around the capsule. The latter is huge as mine has taken a couple of stray hits here and there. They both cost about $100 US, so sound aside the i5 should hold up better.
Kick:
The D6 blows the Beta 52 out of the water if....you like more attack and punch over resonance and boom. I am currently using the D6, with a Beta 91. I have the 91 flat on my blanket and the D6 just inside the reso head. I love this combo as it gives nice attack and resonance. The D6 alone will do you just fine....
Overheads:
When it comes to overheads, the sky is the limit. (no pun intended) I have been trying all types; from small cardioid condensers to large diaphragm condensers to recently ribbons. I like the large condensers and I am in love with the ribbons. AT4081's. The best deal for overheads for quality and staying cost conscious are Studio Projects C4: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C4mic/
They are really a steal and great mics. Believe me when I say that when I first started my search for affordable overheads a couple of years ago it took a lot of time and research and returns, before I found these.
I used the i5,D6,SP C4 combo for a long time. I knew I wanted to upgrade the overheads eventually, and have.
For 700.00 MSRP I think that the combo of those 4 mics will blow you away. More so than any "pre-pak" as they usually skimp on the overheads for the addition of tom mics which I really don't think are necessary. I know I will get hammered for saying that but hey..... And I didn't pay anywhere near MSRP, keep your eyes on CL, eBay, sales at retail etc... I actually have purchased all my mics from Sweetwater. They offer 2 years of warranty and unlimited tech support. Also if you purchase all at once they should cut you a deal. BTW, I do not work or have any affiliation to them at all.
So in a nutshell keep it simple! Shoot you could even just use one decent large Condenser about six feet in front of the kit and get great results. I would do that and get a good mike before buying a cheap "pre-pak" Microphones (good ones) hold their value and hold up over time; making them a good investment, in my most humble opinion. If you are just getting started with miking, get a good large diaphram condenser as it can be used down the road for other applications. That is if you can't afford to buy 4 GOOD mics. And if you have to leave one out, leave out the snare. You can always add it later and the overheads will pick up your snare.
Miking drums is a fun, informative, sometimes expensive endeavor. But, wow is it fun and great to learn about sound Mics, Mic placement, and most importantly, listening back to yourself playing! etc etc.
Good luck and have fun! Sorry if my post was a bit long but this and cymbals are my favorite things to chat about!
I would rather have a simple setup: Kick, Snare, Overheads vs spot miking everything. And I am glad I did. I get amazing results without miking my toms and the money I saved on tom mics left the $ for better overheads. Audix makes great stuff, as does Shure I just tend to prefer the i5 and D6 over the Shure counterparts. I should note I use these primarily in the studio. Live, I will usually throw a mic on the Kick but the venues I play are small enough to where I don't need to mic the kit......yet. So a bit more detail:
Snare:
I have to agree with the folks recommending Audix mics. I love the i5, D6, and their vocal mics(I own the OM3) As another poster said the i5 is perhaps a better choice than the -57. IMOP the mic sounds better and it is defiantly more durable around the capsule. The latter is huge as mine has taken a couple of stray hits here and there. They both cost about $100 US, so sound aside the i5 should hold up better.
Kick:
The D6 blows the Beta 52 out of the water if....you like more attack and punch over resonance and boom. I am currently using the D6, with a Beta 91. I have the 91 flat on my blanket and the D6 just inside the reso head. I love this combo as it gives nice attack and resonance. The D6 alone will do you just fine....
Overheads:
When it comes to overheads, the sky is the limit. (no pun intended) I have been trying all types; from small cardioid condensers to large diaphragm condensers to recently ribbons. I like the large condensers and I am in love with the ribbons. AT4081's. The best deal for overheads for quality and staying cost conscious are Studio Projects C4: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/C4mic/
They are really a steal and great mics. Believe me when I say that when I first started my search for affordable overheads a couple of years ago it took a lot of time and research and returns, before I found these.
I used the i5,D6,SP C4 combo for a long time. I knew I wanted to upgrade the overheads eventually, and have.
For 700.00 MSRP I think that the combo of those 4 mics will blow you away. More so than any "pre-pak" as they usually skimp on the overheads for the addition of tom mics which I really don't think are necessary. I know I will get hammered for saying that but hey..... And I didn't pay anywhere near MSRP, keep your eyes on CL, eBay, sales at retail etc... I actually have purchased all my mics from Sweetwater. They offer 2 years of warranty and unlimited tech support. Also if you purchase all at once they should cut you a deal. BTW, I do not work or have any affiliation to them at all.
So in a nutshell keep it simple! Shoot you could even just use one decent large Condenser about six feet in front of the kit and get great results. I would do that and get a good mike before buying a cheap "pre-pak" Microphones (good ones) hold their value and hold up over time; making them a good investment, in my most humble opinion. If you are just getting started with miking, get a good large diaphram condenser as it can be used down the road for other applications. That is if you can't afford to buy 4 GOOD mics. And if you have to leave one out, leave out the snare. You can always add it later and the overheads will pick up your snare.
Miking drums is a fun, informative, sometimes expensive endeavor. But, wow is it fun and great to learn about sound Mics, Mic placement, and most importantly, listening back to yourself playing! etc etc.
Good luck and have fun! Sorry if my post was a bit long but this and cymbals are my favorite things to chat about!
Fox622003
Gold Member
M
mediocrefunkybeat
Guest
Ideal budget set (and I have fair experience with all of these, live and in a 'proper' recording studio (a facility, not your bedroom!))
Overheads: Most important.
Rode NT5 or AKG C1000 - should run you about £200 for two in the UK. Maybe $220.
Bass Drum:
Shure Beta 52 or AKG D112. Both are decent and will actually give you long service for a small outlay. About £110 UK, $130.
Snare Drum:
Shure SM57. The classic, always works, very reliable. £80. $70 over there. Much cheaper (and in plentiful supply) secondhand.
Overheads: Most important.
Rode NT5 or AKG C1000 - should run you about £200 for two in the UK. Maybe $220.
Bass Drum:
Shure Beta 52 or AKG D112. Both are decent and will actually give you long service for a small outlay. About £110 UK, $130.
Snare Drum:
Shure SM57. The classic, always works, very reliable. £80. $70 over there. Much cheaper (and in plentiful supply) secondhand.
ZGR8DCVER
Member
Thanks Fox!
And as far as overheads go save yourself money and get the ones I recommended. The Rode NT-5's are good mics, but I honestly think that the SP C4's sound better.....