One or two room mics when recording drums???

[exfakto]

How many room mics are you guys using when recording a drumset ? where do you usually place them ?

I was thinking of buying a Soundelux as a room mic and use my AKG 414 b/uls as overheads. r do you guys believe its better to use two U195s as overheads and the AKG's as room ? Thanks for the imputs>

[antti]

Listen where it sounds best in the room
and put it(them) there. Then again it depends what do you want from them.
Unless you specify your need for a room mic(s) it's impossible to answer your question. Do you want to build from starting with room mic(s) or do you want to add them to work with close mics?
Mono vs stereo? Natural vs artificial?

[exfakto]

Ok I plan to use them along side my closed up mics. I've never used room mcis before and will start experiemnting in the up coming week. I record mostly hard rock, metal and punk bands. i want to see if they can help me in getting a bigger sound. I plan on squashing them with my Distressor, Ive heard its a popular trick. Let see how it goes.

[HudHudson]

I often mic drums with 414s as OHs and a Soundelux (either a U195 or a U95S) as a room mic. I find the 414 too bright to use as a room mic as it catches too much of the cymbals when I smash it with an 1176 or Distressor. I prefer a single room mic in smaller rooms but have used two room mics in larger rooms when I want to use real stereo room ambiance in lieu of outboard/plug-in reverbs.

[Jay Kahrs]

I wouldn't put either a U195 or a 414B/ULS up for overheads as a first choice. I've found both of 'em to be a bit too dark and low-mid heavy for my tastes, I've had pretty good luck with things like the Blue Dragonflys, Josephson C42's, AKG 451's etc. Though, either the 195 or BULS can be fairly cool as front of kit mics, placed low to the ground and about 2-4 feet from the kick drum.

[exfakto]

Originally posted by AngeloClematide
use as many microphones as you like, placed where the ambience sounds as you like.

Also write down the distances from microphone to microphone
for later delay correction.

i guess you are one of this mono kids since you talk of a single mic or is this Soundelux a stereo mic?

Thats the thing, Since I havent bought the mics yet Im still wondering how many room mics to use, either one or two. Thanks for everybody for their help.

[doorknocker]

Originally posted by HudHudson
I often mic drums with 414s as OHs and a Soundelux (either a U195 or a U95S) as a room mic. I find the 414 too bright to use as a room mic as it catches too much of the cymbals when I smash it with an 1176 or Distressor.

Totally opposite method for me. My 414 B-ULS works great as a front of kick/room mic smashed by a 1176. Never sounded too bright but obviously this TOTALLY depends on the kit/drummer/room and so the only true answer to the question asked by the original poster would be: Try for yourself....

Andi

www.doorknocker.ch

[exfakto]

Originally posted by doorknocker

That's exactly what Im planning on doing, the thing is which mic could work best. Remember that I havent bought the u195 (or any other room mic yet). Which room mic would you guys recomend. Thanks

[antti]

Coles 4038

[kennyd03]

In addition to standard drum miking techniques, if I have the input(s) left, I always like to stick a random mic or two in the room. Sometimes it's fun to pull out some "Darth Vader" mic or something like that which was purchased from a garage sale. There are some interesting results sometimes and you can use that track to either mix it into the drum mix, or save for making loops.

-KD03

[exfakto]

Thanks antti, nice suggestion. Im using AD-16X so Ive got a couple of channel left over not being used. I better get more API pre's

[brendondp]

Of course, it depends on the room. In a problematic room often one mic can be placed more successfully than two. And depends on whether you're planning to use the mic as an "effect", i.e., smashed with a Distressor, or for natural capture of the kit and its' interaction with the room, in which case, the placement of your (two) stereo mics becomes paramount.

Though I like a 57 on hardly anything, I really like them as room mics smashed with a 1176/660 type thing.

Cheers,

bdp

[Drumsound]

I'm partial to stereo room mics in omni. In my room AT 4050s sound great.

YMMV.

[Jules]

My room = 2 x M149's (or large capsule condencer mics) pointed AWAY from the kit 6 inches from a brick / concrete wall (mic's pointed at the wall) THIS SEEMS TO PROVIDE MOSTLY EXTRA CYMBAL "SHEEN" & UNDER SNARE "CRISPNESS"

+ often one 'above drummer head" high snare mic - often gated (keyed by snare close mic) & smashed by SPL Transient Designer... THIS DELVERS "SNARE ROOM SOUND"

These days I seem to not want much kick 'room sound" at all...

It's only when I am recording R&B influenced 'soul rock' that kick room tone starts to re-enter my world...

But frequently I skip the stereo room mic's and just use the overhead... This choice is driven by the fact that I want to use the M149's on toms often...

Hmmmmmm I have NEVER thought to use a condencer for my reflected 'off the brick wall' trick when the Neumanns are in use... Perhaps I better try it one day...