Micing the bass drum

max77

Senior Member
Hi,

I just bought some new overheads: Fostex MC10ST. It's an amelioration of my my poor Behringer C4 who sound like ****. But, I have some problem with my bass mic, my bass drum sound better when I mute the bass mic on my mixer...

My bass drum mic is a Audio Technica Pro25AX. I think it's a problem of Phases...

How can I make my overheads and bass mic in sync?

My overheads are in XY configuration, I found an article who help me to place my mic:

http://www.kimcheerecords.com/articles/drums/


My latest recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yqteeBjb7A

Thanks

Max
 
have you tried simply hitting the polarity reverse button on the kick channel? Keep in mind the snare/toms initially move away from their mics while the bass drum head moves towars its mic. When using the setup you describe I often have to flip polarity on either kick mic or the overheads
 
As far as I can see, it looks as if your overheads are too high and too far front. I would start with repositioning them. If that doesn't help, try using your overheads as a spaced stereo pair.

Dennis
 
have you tried simply hitting the polarity reverse button on the kick channel? Keep in mind the snare/toms initially move away from their mics while the bass drum head moves towars its mic. When using the setup you describe I often have to flip polarity on either kick mic or the overheads

I don't see a Polarity switch on my mixer... It's a Behringer Xenyx 1204.


As far as I can see, it looks as if your overheads are too high and too far front. I would start with repositioning them. If that doesn't help, try using your overheads as a spaced stereo pair.

Dennis

Ok thanks I'll try bringing down and closer the overheads. It can affect the bass drum mic if the overheads are too far?
 
Your mixer probably isn't equipped with a phase reversal switch. It's very easy to construct or re-wire a cable that will give the same results. At one one of the microphone cable just reverse the wires on pins 2 and 3 of the XLR connector. This will give you a phase reversal from one end of the cable to the other. If you do this, be sure to mark that cable so you'll know what it's use is for and so you're not getting reversals when they're not intended.

Positioning microphones is the most crucial phase of the recording process. In some instances a half inch difference can greatly alter it's sound. When they're mixed, the position of one microphone can greatly influence the overall sound of the others.

Dennis
 
Not that it inset possible but…You shouldn’t have phase issues between overheads and the kick mic. I get this when I mic a snare from both sides or the kick from both sides so the mics are pointed at one another.

I did notice in your video you’re recording in a corner of your room slammed against the 2 adjacent reflective walls. Just about the worst spot to record from. The sounds your hearing that you dislike could be all these reflections.

Your bass drum is up against your bed. Brutal again! Is your kick mic in the drum or in front of the head?

If you can get your drums closer to the middle of the room or better yet if you can get into a bigger and or less reflective room.
 
Not that it inset possible but…You shouldn’t have phase issues between overheads and the kick mic. I get this when I mic a snare from both sides or the kick from both sides so the mics are pointed at one another.

I did notice in your video you’re recording in a corner of your room slammed against the 2 adjacent reflective walls. Just about the worst spot to record from. The sounds your hearing that you dislike could be all these reflections.

Your bass drum is up against your bed. Brutal again! Is your kick mic in the drum or in front of the head?

If you can get your drums closer to the middle of the room or better yet if you can get into a bigger and or less reflective room.
My room is not really big , sure it's a problem. My kick mic is inside my bass. So I should try replace my kit in the middle, more on the left and stay away from the corner.
 
I think I resolve my problem!

1. I move my drumkit into the middle of my room.

2. Change my overheads placement by bringing down into recorderman configuration.

3. Put the bass mic more into the bass drum.

My drums sounds so nice now. The only thing I'm not sure it's the toms... I think I should change my heads for some more muffled. Because right now I have some coated ambassador over the stock reso...Maybe some Emperor over ambassador...What do you think?

Listen to the new recording(the bass drum is a little too high in the mix now I think):
 

Attachments

  • Test overheads 3.mp3
    1.1 MB · Views: 147
Better. My opinion is the kick is not to high in the mix but lacking attack. It’s just kind pillowy (is that a word? LOL) for me right now but it depends on what your after.
Make sure your mic is aimed right at the spot the beater hits the head.
If your recording through a mixer experiment with the strip eq in the kick channel. Try adding in 5 or 10db between 1 and 2k. Maybe even a little low end as well… something like 5db in the 80 to 120hz range. Experiment, experiment, experiment!
 
Thanks Numberonefan. I'm new to recording so I read a lot of things on the net but I don't know where to start.

My mic was not pointing my beater I'll try that. Trying to play with some EQ too.
 
By pointing the mic to the pedal beater and boosting the mid and low I came with a sound that I really like :
 

Attachments

  • Test Overheads 4.mp3
    1.5 MB · Views: 212
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