How do I mike my kickdrum for cheap?

flyingdrummer

Junior Member
Will a bass combo amp work ? Do I need special mike? Can I use cheap mike that I already have? Looking to give kickdrum some nice low thump to play out in small venues.
 
Actually, one time I used a keyboard combo amp, like a Roland KC-500 and plugged in a Shure SM-58 mic and put it in the bass drum. It sounded great. But what do you mean by 'cheap'?

The Roland amp was $500 and the mic was $99. So is under $700 cheap?
 
A Shure SM57 mic goes down to 40hz and makes a pretty good bass drum mic. What is the "cheap" mic that you already have? We cannot answer your question very accurately if we do not know what it is. Your basic idea is a good one. Peace and goodwill.
 
This is kind of tough to answer based on the info you've given us.. anyways.
Standard bass drum mikes for live/studio use
the big 3:
AKG D112
Audix D6
Shure Beta 52A

All run the in the $180 - $200 price range(new). Used on ebay you can find em around $150.
If you need an even cheaper option, look at Audix's F6 bass drum mic. Used they are as low as $90 and they are solid mikes. I have that and the D6 for double miking and they both are great. You'll also need a Sub woofer and those can be pricey, that is assuming the places you will be gigging don't have a built in P.A.
Good Luck!
 
There is an Audio-Technia kick mic that sounds pretty good for a cheap mic. You could get a combo bass amp (whatever you can afford) that can take some low end transients.

Other than that, tune your drum up a bit. The note will sound deeper and stronger in the room than a JAW dead thwap.
 
Actually more concerned with the amp. Will a powered bass amp do the trick? Saw a used Fender bass amp w/15" speaker. When I contacted it was already sold. I would guess that a 15" or 18" in. speaker would be better? I can go $100 for the kickdrum mike if mine does not do it. Probably the response range on my mike does not go low enough.
 
Let me back up a bit here. I've used a bass amp as a cheapo sub before, but that was off a mixer. You can't really plug a mic into a bass amp very well. You need some sort of small preamp. You could try a transformer like some guys use to play a harp into a guitar amp, but unless it's fairly pro, it won't carry much low end. You might also check out a small powered sub, although you won't get much attack out of it. A small Yorkville or Mackie powered sub might be in the budget.

But seriously, try tuning up the drum and have someone else play it while you stand out front. You might be amazed.
 
try tuning up the drum and have someone else play it while you stand out front. You might be amazed.
This is probably the best advice here. Especially, try tuning up the reso head, & taking as much muffling as you can out of the drum. A single ply batter head will also help.

Bottom line is this, delivering useable low end is all about moving air - lots of it - & that doesn't come cheap, but getting your bass drum heard in the mix, is more about finding a distinct sonic space for it so it doesn't conflict with the bass guitar/keyboards/etc.
 
This is probably the best advice here. Especially, try tuning up the reso head, & taking as much muffling as you can out of the drum. A single ply batter head will also help.

Bottom line is this, delivering useable low end is all about moving air - lots of it - & that doesn't come cheap, but getting your bass drum heard in the mix, is more about finding a distinct sonic space for it so it doesn't conflict with the bass guitar/keyboards/etc.

That is why my 18" bass drum works: it does not compete with the bass as much as a bigger one. I also agree that moving lots of air with a speaker is not cheap. Peace and goodwill.
 
Actually, one time I used a keyboard combo amp, like a Roland KC-500 and plugged in a Shure SM-58 mic and put it in the bass drum. It sounded great. But what do you mean by 'cheap'?

The Roland amp was $500 and the mic was $99. So is under $700 cheap?

I agree that a keyboard amp would be better than a bass amp. A bass drum has a wide range of frequencies, and a keyboard amp would reproduce them better. Peace and goodwill.
 
Have been looking at used powered subwoofers. Drum is a late 60's vintage Gretsch 24x16
with Aquarian heads, with hole in resonater for mike. Have looked at some youtube videos on tuning bass drum, but still not clear. I realize it is about moving lots of air. Guitar player tells me he can feel the air with each kick from 5-6 feet away. But I am trying to get a really low end thump. Tuning tips ? Especially batter/resonator relationship.

Thanks for replies.
 
Okay.. Here's what I was able to find for a decent price.
This is one of the cheapest subs on ebay.. I have no experience with it but its cheap :)
Try this mic you'll find the audix F6 on ebay for less than $100 all day. And they sound good.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audix-f6-Dy...=US_Pro_Audio_Microphones&hash=item5af158bbd9

maybe try a remo Powerstroke 3 (clear) on the bass drum.

you could have this setup for less than $475.
Hope that helps!
 
If you're playing small venues, running an unported front head wide open and tuned up, with no muffling will up your kick drum volume and presence. What kind of music do you play? If you are competing with fuzzed out Marshall stacks then you might need the mic, but if you are playing with musicians who are volume friendly, a full front head might be your inexpensive answer.
 
Okay, so you've already got a hole in your head. The reso I mean. But you should be able to get some carry out of it. But you probably won't feel it behind the kit. You're going to need to hear it from out front to convince yourself.

Are you running the Aquarian heads without any damping? Not sure if they make a 24" SuperKick.

It may take some playing around with felt strips to get the damping you want, but don't over damp the drum. The sustain of the tone is what will make a discernible note out in the room. Put the batter up firm so it booms a bit and sounds kinda thumpy with a higher pitch than you're after from behind the kit. Tune the reso kind of loose but not flappy. The lowest real note you can get from hit tapping on the front. Now, have someone hit the beater and walk out into the room a bit. Start tightening the reso until you get the combination of attack and thump you want.

A damping trick I did back in the '70s (on my smaller 20" Ludwig) is to take a thin t-shirt and cut it up so it stretches all around the head (you may have to just go to the fabric store for some double knit material for the size you have) and cut a hole in the middle. Kind of like a stretchy powerstroke ring. I heard a guy do this without the hole and it was killing, but I put the hole in there as I wanted some attack from the beater. Start with maybe an 8" hole and work up from there until the sustain holds enough to make a good solid note.
 
Do you ever play with a PA? I bought an Audex D6. Plug that into the PA mixer and you're away.

Did I miss something?

Davo
 
It has an Aquarian Super Kick batter & Aquarian black reso with 4 1/2" port.
Just checked the damper & some of the felt material has moved, only a bit of it is touching. Have never even checked the damper or messed with it!

Thanks for opening my eyes Aeolian. Guess I will have to remove batter and fix damper, then experiment with damper adjustment knob. Checked reso head and it may be a bit tight. Have not been playing that many years, but found out that they DO sound different out front than they do sitting in back.

I play a lot of country, and old rock. We have added a couple of AC/DC and some other harder stuff into set list.

Have never played thru PA. It is a vintage late 60's Gretsch kit and projects well - just looking for a really solid LOW thump on that kick. Took it to a drum shop after purchase that has been around for 30 yrs for new heads all the way around The guy told me it was the professional series & I had a VERY desirable kit with great sound.
 
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