[Fredbob Jackson]

I'm considering purchasing a pre-packaged set of mics for a drum kit.
Does anyone have a drum kit pack they would highly recommend? Does
anyone know of a drum kit pack that should definitely be avoided?

One other question: are condensers preferable to dynamics when it comes
to miking a drum kit? The differences in my setup (moving a few things
around due to phantom power concerns) are managed easily enough. I'm
talking about sound quality, life of the product, stuff like that. If
it makes a difference, the application is always a live setting,
usually for recordings, but sometimes split and going both to a
recording and to FOH.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Fred

[Scott Dorsey]

Fredbob Jackson wrote:
I'm considering purchasing a pre-packaged set of mics for a drum kit.
Does anyone have a drum kit pack they would highly recommend? Does
anyone know of a drum kit pack that should definitely be avoided?

Not really. Buy two good condenser mikes for overheads and then buy an
RE-20.

One other question: are condensers preferable to dynamics when it comes
to miking a drum kit? The differences in my setup (moving a few things
around due to phantom power concerns) are managed easily enough. I'm
talking about sound quality, life of the product, stuff like that. If
it makes a difference, the application is always a live setting,
usually for recordings, but sometimes split and going both to a
recording and to FOH.

Depends on how you are miking it. Traditionally, 90% of the drum sound
comes from the overheads, and you typically want good condenser mikes for
the overheads and very directional dynamics as spot mikes. But, if you
are trying to get a more artificial sound by heavily relying on spot mikes,
or you're forced to work in a lousy room where you can't get a good sound
through the overheads due to room problems, your mileage my differe a lot.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Edwin Hurwitz]

In article om,
"Fredbob Jackson" wrote:

I'm considering purchasing a pre-packaged set of mics for a drum kit.
Does anyone have a drum kit pack they would highly recommend? Does
anyone know of a drum kit pack that should definitely be avoided?


I got the Audix D series kit (not the Fusion series!) and it's pretty
nice. Given that it was on sale, I am happy. I did find that the D6
makes the decision for you about what the kick sounds like, although
it's a pretty good sound for a lot of drums. The clips can be a little
finicky, but they work.

It really depends on the drums you are going to record and in what
environment.


Edwin

[david correia]

In article ,
(Scott Dorsey) wrote:

Traditionally, 90% of the drum sound
comes from the overheads, and you typically want good condenser mikes for
the overheads and very directional dynamics as spot mikes. But, if you
are trying to get a more artificial sound by heavily relying on spot mikes,
or you're forced to work in a lousy room where you can't get a good sound
through the overheads due to room problems, your mileage my differe a lot.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."



Scott, I think you're point is good, but that you overstate it by saying
its 90% overheads. Except for a down and dirty jazz thang maybe.

E.g. I know more than 10% of my typical drum mix is the 2 mics in a
natural reverb chamber near the drum kit, never mind all the mics on the
kit.

But I do agree that in a good room with a good drummer, the overheads
are where lots of the drum sound comes from.

If I had to put a number on it, with a good drummer, I'd say 60-65% come
from my overheads, which typically are a pair of 87's. In particular,
ballsy tom sounds come from the close mics. The overheads fill them out,
but the potent tom wack come from the close mics. As does the initial
bright attack of the snare, and the full bottom thump of the kick.

My 2¢ anyway ...





David Correia
www.Celebrationsound.com

[Mike Rivers]

david correia wrote:

Scott, I think you're point is good, but that you overstate it by saying
its 90% overheads. Except for a down and dirty jazz thang maybe.

Isn't that what real "drum sound" is? Put a lot of mics around a drum
kit and you are no longer recording the sound of "drums," you're
recording the sound of a one man percussion band with everyone getting
his own mic. It's all artificial and what you get depends on the mic
you choose and where you put it. And as an engineer creating something
that isn't there, it's your decision as to what sounds right. This can
greatly influence your choice of mics and how you mix them.

[Ty Ford]

On Mon, 2 Oct 2006 07:44:36 -0400, Mike Rivers wrote
(in article . com):


david correia wrote:

Scott, I think you're point is good, but that you overstate it by saying
its 90% overheads. Except for a down and dirty jazz thang maybe.

Isn't that what real "drum sound" is? Put a lot of mics around a drum
kit and you are no longer recording the sound of "drums," you're
recording the sound of a one man percussion band with everyone getting
his own mic. It's all artificial and what you get depends on the mic
you choose and where you put it. And as an engineer creating something
that isn't there, it's your decision as to what sounds right. This can
greatly influence your choice of mics and how you mix them.


Listen to most rock recorded in the '70s. Dead room, lots of mics, gating
etc. These things go in and out of fashion. I like the stereo overheads as
mains and adding spots as you need them. (this year)

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

[david correia]

In article . com,
"Mike Rivers" wrote:

david correia wrote:

Scott, I think you're point is good, but that you overstate it by saying
its 90% overheads. Except for a down and dirty jazz thang maybe.

Isn't that what real "drum sound" is? Put a lot of mics around a drum
kit and you are no longer recording the sound of "drums," you're
recording the sound of a one man percussion band with everyone getting
his own mic. It's all artificial and what you get depends on the mic
you choose and where you put it. And as an engineer creating something
that isn't there, it's your decision as to what sounds right. This can
greatly influence your choice of mics and how you mix them.



A "real drum sound" is what people pay good engineers for ;

People have absolutely no idea what a drum kit in a room sounds like, as
they have no idea how L O U D a rock drum kit is! (Lucky them !!)

But they do know what drums sound like on their fave songs, CD's and
their iPod. That sound def ain't 2 overhead mics. Typically, it's a
talented drummer with a great kit in a good room with an engineer who
knows what to do with it. Or, of course, it's a ****ing drum machine or
triggered samples.

Learning how to record a drum kit takes years. And like any craft, that
learning never stops. It's a challenge - unless your clients bring in
great studio drummers. Then it's easy as pie.




David Correia
www.Celebrationsound.com