Drum Kit Mic Snake Organizing

[KEEF]

I read this with interest.... I have often considered a snake or a stage box to avoid the myriad of mic cables going to to the desk but I've always come to the conclusion that it actually ADDS work. You still have to run the same amount of xlr's (to the snake box) and then run a stereo cable to the desk, thereby adding another 2 plug ins and another entire piece of kit to pack and carry. Yes you can shorten all your mic leads to exact lengths but this then means identifying each one with colour codes etc.
I have identical cables so it doesn't matter which one I grab and I run them to the desk two at a time - 2 x floor toms from one side of the kit and rack and snare from the other side. Bd on its own. I have a sampler and iems that mean 2 more leads done together. The 4 trips to the desk are no better/worse time wise than the snake/box option for me because in the venues I play the desk is never that far away.
Not tried the split tail/loom idea - would certainly be quicker winding up at the end of the night - I might try a compromise of the two and have a 'mini' one to each side of the kit

 

[Stickman]

Great thread.. I've been thinking of similar solutions like this for a while for my acoustic set - glad I'm not alone. I had a snake for an e-kit (before I sold it) and it made a huge difference - color coded with labels for each input/output. It was a bit of a beast but still easier to wrangle than separate cables.

One thing I would love to see - as I hate dealing with cables - is a completely wireless drum setup. . so just clip on your mics and plug in corresponding plugs into a board. Apparently it exists but is super expensive and can be tricky to get the frequencies right...
But my guitarists, bass player and vocalists play wirelessly all the time - running onto the dance floor or going to the back of the hall.. Like how hard can it be?

I've also wanted to try mic'ing cymbals without overheads. In my 7 piece band with 4-5 vocalists there's a lot of mics on stage.. and I have to avoid overheads picking up spillover or feedback or noise etc. I've been playing around with micing closer and closer to the cymbals . Are you using dynamic mics in your cymbal photo? Or condensors?

 

[Luv4drums]

Great thread.. I've been thinking of similar solutions like this for a while for my acoustic set - glad I'm not alone. I had a snake for an e-kit (before I sold it) and it made a huge difference - color coded with labels for each input/output. It was a bit of a beast but still easier to wrangle than separate cables.

One thing I would love to see - as I hate dealing with cables - is a completely wireless drum setup. . so just clip on your mics and plug in corresponding plugs into a board. Apparently it exists but is super expensive and can be tricky to get the frequencies right...
But my guitarists, bass player and vocalists play wirelessly all the time - running onto the dance floor or going to the back of the hall.. Like how hard can it be?

I've also wanted to try mic'ing cymbals without overheads. In my 7 piece band with 4-5 vocalists there's a lot of mics on stage.. and I have to avoid overheads picking up spillover or feedback or noise etc. I've been playing around with micing closer and closer to the cymbals . Are you using dynamic mics in your cymbal photo? Or condensors?

It would be nearly impossible to have wireless mic setup for drums, if you use the radio frequencies that wireless mics are using. Not sure about blutooth, but there is almost no possible way to have that many wireless units operating together using vhf even combining uhf because of harmonic frequencies that get produced, can interfere. Two wireless at once create a harmonic frequency, add a 3rd wireless and it now produces multiple exponential harmonic frequencies and triangulation so with 6 it is nearly impossible. Engineers at wireless manufacturers have custom built system with up to 10 vhf wireless units, but some locations would not work. Ok I think vhf is no longer available because of new laws prohibiting its use. It has been a long time since i was involved with wireless gear. I think it is all using uhf now, which can do more, but is harder to select frequencies that won't have this harmonic interference when all running together. To do it, I would think we need an innovation of technology something like blutooth or cellular, you are right something like that would not be worth the money it costs. Plus you probably use wireless in ear monitors too...