Very Low Budget Drum Mic Packs

I have a bunch of 57s and 58s and lately I've been using just one 58 in front of the bass drum (non-ported sometimes) and a single AKG SE300 pencil condenser as an overhead and have been getting a great drumsound. Nice and open and no phase problems everybody else gets when they use a bunch of mics on a kit. I may upgrade my bass drum mic to an EV RE20 soon, but keep the condenser as the overhead. But in this instance, if you just had $200, get two Shure SM57s to start with and you will be stylin'!
 
Most mic kits I have ever used under $200
didn't provide me the greatest quality..

I am personally a Shure fan and our studio uses
the PG 6-piece Shure package. (Definitely Recommend)

Under $200, the best drum mics I have ever
used
are Samson Drum Mics($150). They have
a decent tone- especially for that price!

Good luck! :)

-Josh

Is your studio considered profession grade? I never heard of a professional audio studio using the Shure PG series of microphones. Inquiring minds would like to know, lol. BTW, what format of video are you shooting and what type of editing system are you using in post.

Dennis
 
Is your studio considered profession grade? I never heard of a professional audio studio using the Shure PG series of microphones. Inquiring minds would like to know, lol. BTW, what format of video are you shooting and what type of editing system are you using in post.

Dennis

Hey Dennis!


We don't use the entire PG series..

We use the PG 52's on the high toms, an SM57 on the snare (bottom gets a beautiful sound,) a Shure Beta 91A for the kick, the PG kick mic on the floor tom, several Shure overheads, and an M-Audio Sputnik for room ambiance.

We shoot 1080p HD video with Rebel Cannon T3i cameras, using Adobe Premiere, and mix with Logic Studio.

We don't claim to be the best of the best, but we bring in professional drummers into our studio for lesson sessions, solos, etc! :)

Here's an idea of what we do:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kiM4J3D2ik

Let me know any thoughts on how we could improve if you have them!

It would be foolish for me to not attempt to get a better tone/quality.

-Josh
 
I've gotta say, i'm impressed!

Great EQ job! I would've just turned the snare up a tad! :)

-Josh

Actually, the toms and snare are flat.... just tuned well. The kick, on the other hand, is complete mud no matter what compression/EQ I used... which is why I say the CAD kick mic sucks. I've since swiched to a Shure Beta 52A and it's a world of difference.

I should also note that it's an SM57 on the snare, topside.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I EQ'd the overheads to make them a little brighter.
 
Actually, the toms and snare are flat.... just tuned well. The kick, on the other hand, is complete mud no matter what compression/EQ I used... which is why I say the CAD kick mic sucks. I've since swiched to a Shure Beta 52A and it's a world of difference.

I should also note that it's an SM57 on the snare, topside.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I EQ'd the overheads to make them a little brighter.

The kick mic is really bad. Overheads do need Substantial EQ to sound bright, but all in all I have been happy with my purchase of these mics.
 
This was my first time ever mixing anything in my life so the eq is not very good but the Cad pro 7 mics arn't half bad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySZUfek8DKE


my snare sounded like crap before i recorded so garbage in = garbage out

ive done a few more vids since this one and i'm more than happy with my budget mics.

only advice is get a half decent audio interface/mixer with good preamps
 
Try to go used if you can. eBay them, it usually is the best way to get the most mic for your money. If you must buy new, check for clearances first on every music website you know of. I picked up some EV drum mics and a nice carrying case for $99 because it was on clearance on Musicians Friend, it normally was a $399 set but it was a blow out and believe me, less than an hour after I ordered mine they were all sold out.

I have used CAD mics personally (not the drum mic set but the CM217 and the CAD-95) and like them. I can't speak for the drum mics though. I have heard great things about Digital Reference though. I would stay away from GearOne and Nady.
 
I have a bunch of 57s and 58s and lately I've been using just one 58 in front of the bass drum (non-ported sometimes) and a single AKG SE300 pencil condenser as an overhead and have been getting a great drumsound. Nice and open and no phase problems everybody else gets when they use a bunch of mics on a kit. I may upgrade my bass drum mic to an EV RE20 soon, but keep the condenser as the overhead. But in this instance, if you just had $200, get two Shure SM57s to start with and you will be stylin'!

Bo,

How or where is that single overhead positioned? Just 2 mic's?

I used a single overhead before and it would just take in too much cymbal noise.
 
Hi to everybody, first time on the forum
I am looking around for my first set of mics to amplify my drum kit and I am wondering if getting a starter kit or just a couple of good mics to start with (as some members suggested before). Some guy suggested for gigs or recording purpose to use only a couple of panoramics over the heads but would not they get to much sound from the cymbals? where they would suppose to be positioned?
A 8 channel mixer would be able to make the job for cleaning and elaborating the sounds?
thanks from Italy
keep drumming
 
I have the cad7 as well. Sm57 on snare. Kick sucks.
Ho thru a tascam us1800 that comes with cubase le5. On the settings, there is a compressor setting called overhead . I chose that for the overhead and that makes the whole kit sound lively and awesome (except the kick !!)
 
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