What drum mics should I purchase?

sadwashedupdrummer

Junior Member
I have a 10% off Guitar Center card that expires soon, so I thought I'd get some drum mics. I don't want to spend more than $300.

I have a bass, snare, four toms, a hi-hat, a ride, two crashes, a china, and two splash cymbals.

I play mostly rock and metal music.

How many mics/what brand should I get? Can you send me a link of a good package that'll fit my needs?

Or would it just be easier and cheaper to buy triggers? I just need some method to amplify my playing.

Also, do I need a mixer, wires and stands, or do they come with the mic kits?
 
I have a 10% off Guitar Center card that expires soon, so I thought I'd get some drum mics. I don't want to spend more than $300.

I have a bass, snare, four toms, a hi-hat, a ride, two crashes, a china, and two splash cymbals.

I play mostly rock and metal music.

How many mics/what brand should I get? Can you send me a link of a good package that'll fit my needs?

Or would it just be easier and cheaper to buy triggers? I just need some method to amplify my playing.

Also, do I need a mixer, wires and stands, or do they come with the mic kits?

Mic kits would just be mics, and maybe some cheap cables (if you're lucky). Mixers and stands are extra. $300 is the cost of one of my microphones, and that's on the cheap end.
 
I also like to take advantage of Guitar Centers discounts. I spent quite a bit of money on microphones last weekend during their memorial day sales. It was 15% off then. Some microphones are expensive, but I always buy from major manufacturers and have a clear conscious that when I need them, they're going to work and work well.

In my opinion, you can go as little as three microphones or as many as 9 with your compliment of drums and cymbals. This will also depend on your final product and the degree of professionalism you want from that product. This is just the head of the nail, lol.

Dennis
 
Like Bo said You will need to buy stands or clips to hold the mics, mic cables, a mixer, speakers. And on a $300 budget that's going to be pretty hard to do. Triggers will be just as expensive if not more. You'll need the triggers, a processing module/electronic brain of some type like a roland or yamaha to hook the triggers into to create the sound sample, then cables and some sort of pa to run it through.

Even getting three affordable,yet high quality mics, like the Shure Sm57 which is a workhorse mic will run you $300 just for the mics.
 
....I play mostly rock and metal music....

.... I just need some method to amplify my playing....


Not a lot of info to go on. What sticks are you using? Maybe you just need some heavyweight 2B's or larger and a heavy handed playing style.
You might end up breaking cymbals and heads going that route though. LOL

If you play loud trashy music, just need to be heard, and aren't too concerned about quality, just get a cheap set of mics. There's several at GC for $99:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Percussion-Microphones-Microphones.gc?o=1

If you'd like a little better quality, think you might like to record with them some time, and can stretch your budget to $399, I'd say you wouldn't go too wrong with these: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Audix-FP-Quad-4-Piece-Drum-Microphone-Pack-H84501-i2519618.gc

Yes, you'll need cables, and if you use more than one mic, you'll need some way to mix them down.
You'll also need some way to amplify the mixed down sounds.

Triggering presents its own set of problems - especially for cymbals and hi hats.
 
For 300 dollars your not going to get much like was said. I don't think your going to be able to afford a decent mixer even used. I would forget getting fancy with the drum micing and just buy 2 brand new shure sm57s and the 2 cheapest stands that will get them above your drumset. Just put the sm57s in front of your set and point them in a x patern one pointed across the snare and high hat but not right at it above it parralel to the ground and do the same with the oppisite just pointing at your floor tom.

It will probably actually give you a really decent sound and when you get the money for more advanced set ups you will still have 2 really good mics you can use in conjunction with other mics you will buy.

If you do want to get a cheap mixer it just get the cheapest berringer they have that suits your needs. It will be ok for a live set up don't try useing mixers like that for recording though and expect decent results.
 
For 300 dollars your not going to get much like was said. I don't think your going to be able to afford a decent mixer even used. I would forget getting fancy with the drum micing and just buy 2 brand new shure sm57s and the 2 cheapest stands that will get them above your drumset. Just put the sm57s in front of your set and point them in a x patern one pointed across the snare and high hat but not right at it above it parralel to the ground and do the same with the oppisite just pointing at your floor tom.

It will probably actually give you a really decent sound and when you get the money for more advanced set ups you will still have 2 really good mics you can use in conjunction with other mics you will buy.

If you do want to get a cheap mixer it just get the cheapest berringer they have that suits your needs. It will be ok for a live set up don't try useing mixers like that for recording though and expect decent results.

I totally agree with this: two Sure SM57's and a small Behringer mixer. Peace and goodwill.
 
I can attest to the excellence of Shure SM57 microphones, everybody needs a few, but I could not recommend Behringer products with a straight face.

Dennis
 
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One thing about forums, ask a question and you get many opinions.

So, to add to the confusion, I wish to give my 'take'. Not an opinion or suggestion, because in the end, it's an individual thing. I only give my personal experience.

For the last 6 months I sat on the fence about 'mics', and like you, very budget minded.

I have a Sonor 3007 maple kit, 2 top toms, one mounted floor.

I went with 2 OH condenser mics, MXL 603's. Found a pair new for $159.00

http://www.uniquesquared.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=MXL+mics

I also found a pair of AKG 170's for $179...both mics got rave reviews from my researches, but went with the MXL's because the retailer is a mile from me, and they offered free shipping. Since I could drive and pick them up, saving them UPS charges, I got them a bit less.

Anyway, picked up 2 boom mic stands from Musicians Friend for $30.00, two Monster cables from local Guitar Center for $50. I have a Yamaha MX102 mixer for $69.00

This is for my basement studio use. They work fine. I have the ability to add up to 2 more mics if desire (snare/bass) and perhaps sometime I will.

But 2 overheads is all I need.
 
I've had good experiences with the digital reference drum mics. Those paired with a good kick mic is a great combo.
 
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