looking for mic suggestions

NackAttack

NackAttack

Active Member
So I am looking for suggestions on the best way to utilize the mics I have and what I should buy next to make my setup better.
I have a 22/10/12/16 set with 1 snare. HH, China, 16" crash on the left and 18"crash, ride on the right. As for mics, I have 3 Audix i5 and a D6. Right now I have an i5 kind of shared between the HH and snare, another right under the crashes right between the 10 and 12 toms, and the third kind of shared between the floor tom and the ride. All are running through a Focusrite 18i20.

Is there a better way to set up what I currently have?
Moving forward, would I be better off buying 3 new tom mics and using 2 of the i5s as overheads? Should I keep using the i5s on the toms and buy new overheads? My budget is limited. I'd rather not spend more than around 200 per mic if I need to buy more.

I don't now much about mics. If I seem clueless it's because I probably am.
 
IIRC: The i5 is a dynamic, and has a similar profile to an SM57.

We typically use SDC mics for distant-proximity / low-sensitivity (cymbal overheads). We use LDC's for distant-proximity / high-sensitivity (full kit image), and we use dynamics for close-proximity isolation. There are a brazillion exceptions, but adhering to this mic'ing philosophy is pretty benign.

My opinion is that you should get a pair of LDC's if you plan on recording, and a pair of SDC's if your intended use is amplification.

My secondary opinion is to eBay everything, and pick up an EAD10 with the recouped funds.
 
Regardless of what you own, if you don’t gave money, the idea is to use what you have to its fullest. Have you tried the super simple setup of one directly overhead and one in the bass drum? Or how about just one?

Try taking the mics and putting them in different locations, record it and see if you like it. Once you’ve done this enough, then you can problem solve by getting new gear. Once you DO a lot of experimenting, then you’ll KNOW a lot. That’s how it works.
 
NackAttack said:
Moving forward, would I be better off buying 3 new tom mics and using 2 of the i5s as overheads? Should I keep using the i5s on the toms and buy new overheads? My budget is limited.
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I give my nod to keeping the i5s on your snare and toms. Try to borrow (or rent a small condenser or large condenser mic) for a day and fool around with one overhead to see if you like it. If you're patient and keep your ear to the ground some amazing deals pop up on mildly used mic's. I got a pair of like new Audio-Technica AE3000 condensers for $175 each. They were used for several days in an A/B mic shootout for a magazine article. I was able to grab a pair of Audio-Technica ATM450 small condensers for $88 each from a different A/B mic shootout. Do your homework and shop around.
 
This all depends on your goals for the recording.

Uploading play alongs to YouTube? Yamaha EAD10. You can supplement the sound with your other mics, if necessary, using the interface you already own.

Demos, and informal stuff to be shared among players, and not for public sharing? The EAD10 is fine here, too.

Polished, professional sound for an independent release? Want to really learn how to mic (and mix) a kit? Get some overheads (LDCs) and another dynamic for your toms/snare.
 
KamaK said:
My opinion is that you should get a pair of LDC's if you plan on recording, and a pair of SDC's if your intended use is amplification.
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This is what I suspected would be the best route. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
 
NackAttack said:
Pretty much this.
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Gotcha. What sort of music? Are you open to supplementing your drum sound using samples? Some are opposed; some aren't.

A typical recording set up includes a stereo pair of overheads. You can do mono overheads, or two mic approaches, and weird things like that if you're going for a certain vibe. I've heard mono, two-mic recordings that are killer -- but they're compressed, EQ, and distorted in a cool way, or the song/artist is calling for a vintage, old-school vibe. If you want what most everyone expects from a drum recording, stereo overheads are standard practice.

I'd recommend getting one more LDC if you can, to use as a room mic, or a mono overhead, or a "crotch" mic, or a second bass drum mic, or to place under the snare, and so on. This isn't absolutely necessary right away, but maybe down the road. You'll get better at engineering drum sounds if you have some equipment to experiment with.

Some cheap LDCs actually sound very good nowadays. They're not as durable, of course, so you'll need to be careful handling them. But at this point, there's not much reason to spend more than $150 per mic. The mixing and placement matter more than the price tag.
 
NackAttack said:
Mostly metal and rock. I do have a Roland TM-2 triggering my kick as well as the audix D6 in the port.
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That's good then. You'll probably want to enhance your snare with a sample. Maybe toms too, depending on the track.

if you're wanting some cheap but great condensors, look into the lewitt 040 match. you get a pair of matched small diaphragm condensors for not a lot of money. https://www.target.com/p/lewitt-lct...ument-condenser-microphones-pair/-/A-79356866
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I'm sure they're fine, but I'd recommend LDCs for recording. More detail and smoother high end, plus you can use them in a wide variety of other applications. SDCs are often used live because they're small, easy to handle, and off-axis sounds from other amps on stage are more friendly. But these aren't concerns for recording.
 
brentcn said:
I'm sure they're fine, but I'd recommend LDCs for recording. More detail and smoother high end, plus you can use them in a wide variety of other applications. SDCs are often used live because they're small, easy to handle, and off-axis sounds from other amps on stage are more friendly. But these aren't concerns for recording.
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If LDCs are the way to go, then i'd heartily reccomend this model :)

 
If there's one thing I've learned about buying microphones over the years... it's buy once, cry once. Especially when it comes to condensers, LOL.

World-class workhorse dynamic mics can be had for not a lot of money. Condensers are a slightly different story, IMO. Spend as much as you can afford and get something you won't outgrow. Plus, if you do need to move it, chances are it'll retain it's value.

Good luck! (y)
 
AudioWonderland said:
I like AT 4050's, but only have one. I use CAD M177's occasionally but usually old discontinued Kel Hm-1's when I need a stereo set.
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If I couldn't afford a pair of AT4050s and had to pick up a pair LDC's right now, it would give a great deal of consideration to the P420. It's the least expensive multi-pattern with the SPL handling for drums. Behringer makes the B2, but my experience with their other products prevents me from considering them.
 
KamaK said:
If I couldn't afford a pair of AT4050s and had to pick up a pair LDC's right now, it would give a great deal of consideration to the P420. It's the least expensive multi-pattern with the SPL handling for drums. Behringer makes the B2, but my experience with their other products prevents me from considering them.
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I have had my eye on the P420 myself but I have not had a chance to try them. I would also suggest the CAD M179. They are the successor to the M177's I have and are multi-pattern as well. They would be worth taking a look at. They are in the $200 each price range as well
 
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KamaK said:
If I couldn't afford a pair of AT4050s and had to pick up a pair LDC's right now, it would give a great deal of consideration to the P420. It's the least expensive multi-pattern with the SPL handling for drums. Behringer makes the B2, but my experience with their other products prevents me from considering them.
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The P420 would be in my price range. I absolutely refuse to buy behringer. Had some of their gear in the early 00s and it all ended up being paper weights. Probably just bad luck but I’ve never had another brand of anything fail so much.
 
Behringer managed to make a lot of money selling cheap crap to buy companies like Midas and step up their own quality.
 
Being lazy I setup a Cad M179 that I use for rack tom up high in the middle of the room set omni directional. I recorded guitar, bass and drums mono. I was absolutely shocked how well it came out. A really good Mic for the money.
 
Steve30907 said:
Being lazy I setup a Cad M179 that I use for rack tom up high in the middle of the room set omni directional. I recorded guitar, bass and drums mono. I was absolutely shocked how well it came out. A really good Mic for the money.
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+1 on the M179. One of the few cheap condensers that I've never sold off and own a few of them. Really good on toms and FOK. (y)
 
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