Kick drum mic - recommendations?

[rob99]

Hello

Need your suggestions for a kick drum mic. I have no such mic and am not fimilar with that category of product or application.

thanks
rob

[rob99]

Forgot my related question...

Has anyone used the Earthworks Kick Pad? It is very inexpensive, but is it worth it for that EQ boost?

thanks

rob

[warhead]

Rob, I made some Kickpad clips here using an SM57 and a CAD M179:

******//www.nowhereradio.com/artists/...2079&alid=1222

For a good all purpose kick mic the ATM25 is good, as is the E/V ND868. For metal the Audix D6 has big click and presence going on that works well for aggressive dense mixes.

I like the SM57 on kick a lot too though, it can be all you need in a rock mix.

War

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by rob99

Hello

Need your suggestions for a kick drum mic. I have no such mic and am not fimilar with that category of product or application.

thanks
rob

AKG d112 work great for me.
thumbsup

[r0ck1r0ck2]

cad e100
it's lovely...

[kats]

My fav is an ifet7 on the outside.

[Fletcher]

A Sennheiser MD-421 has been "old Mr. reliable" for me... but I've used everything from a 609 to a 57 to a U-195 to the 6" speaker into a trasformer thing to a tube 47, [UM-]57, 67, etc.

The thing is that damn near anything will work great if you have a great drummer with a well tuned [for the song] drum.

[rob99]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to post !!

The various suggestions have been very helpful.

I neglected to give more background. I am from film and video applications. Environmental, machinery, animals, effects and dialogue recording. My musical recording is limited and has not included a drum kit.

I thought the mics I use were over kill for a kick drum given that I read ads selling kick drum mics for $300 and under.

I posted here to receive a variety of suggestions from those who have the experience.

Your repsonses have been just great and provide an excellent direction!!

thanks very much

rob

[Bat Head Sound]

I agree with Fletcher on the 421 and 6" speaker combo. That seems to work very nicely. I will also sometimes use a 414 about a foot and a half away from the front head (if there is one).

[tedcrop]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

A Sennheiser MD-421 has been "old Mr. reliable" for me... but I've used everything from a 609 to a 57 to a U-195 to the 6" speaker into a trasformer thing to a tube 47, [UM-]57, 67, etc.

The thing is that damn near anything will work great if you have a great drummer with a well tuned [for the song] drum.

Tell me more about the 6" speaker into a transformer thing. What does it do and how do you do it?

[toolskid]

I've just been having some fun with an r-122 on the FOK and a c419pp on the batter side (dangling down just above the beater polarity inverted) running through a channel of the TD-4 with a little extra attack and almost full cut on the sustain!!! Its a definite sound, but I like it!

[arpodthegreat]

yeah i have been wondering how to do the 6" speaker thing myself. i keep on hearing about the NS-10 trick. then i hear some explanation about reversing the phase and then.... WTF?! how the hell do you do this. i've got a pair of old TANNOY pbm 6.5 lying around. can i use these?
my friend was just recording with don smith and he said that they used the NS-10 trick and it was the phatest kick he had ever heard

[mtstudios@charter]

Akg D112 Inside
Speaker upper left Outside or Neumann U47fet Outside
Speaker needs a transformer and a pad (SHURE), the SPL time shifter does not hurt either.

www.bluethumbproductions.com

[NathanEldred]

I usually reach for a Soundelux iFET7 in "I" mode, not big on dynamic mics they always sound a little dead to me. Usually drum has head off (or large hole), tuned so there is a bit of resonance but is still quite tight, mic is around half way to a bit closer to the beater head side depending on genre of music. Excellent blend of thump and attack with this method.

[arpodthegreat]

i converted a couple of small speakers (maybe 4 or 5 inches) to female xlr, so that i could use them as mics. is that all the NS-10 trick is doing? will my homemade microphone work? i have only tried it on piano, where i lay the speakers on the strings or sound hole. crazy old time sound. sounds super cool with a lot of EQ. any advice on how to mount the speakers onto a mic stand? that's been the main problem so far.

[TML]

rock- 421/speaker or 57/speaker
emo/metal- D6/may not need speaker
the 421 takes eq very well
the D6 doesn't....it's like...dude I got that covered...keep your hands of dumping 350 on the 1073....
tim

[jayfrigo]

Some combination of Shure SM or beta 91, or Sennheiser 421 inside, and AKG D12(E) or Shure beta 52 outside. If it's a one mic situation, AKG D112.

[arpodthegreat]

for less agressive sounds i love my old AKG D12 right outside the kick

[Vasypher]

I own an AKG D112, Audix D6, and Shure Beta52, and use all three for different applications. I think my favorite out of the three is the D112. I also use an MD421 inside for more attack.

[arpodthegreat]

obviously best mic depends on the application. but aside from the D12, can't beat a sennheiser in the kick with or without LDC (i like 414). also one of the best kick mics i used was an AKG d200e. these are amazing and overlooked mics. dual capsule dynamics. great hi and lo end response. sound great on kick, bass, vocals, amps, toms, everything. kinda like a cross between a 441 and a 421. really perfect kick sound though, lots of body, good attack, it's so easy. you can get em for $50 on ebay. don't know why nobody has found these yet.

[Tyrone]

The Sennheiser 901 is an awesome multi purpose kick drum mic, I find it great as you can get alot of both depth and click out of it! I used to use a D112 and a beta91 to get the best results, but as a single mic the 901 is top notch for the price !

[mixerguy]

D20 thru pultec, or Beta 52. Add subkick to either.

[superburtm]

Originally Posted by kats

My fav is an ifet7 on the outside.

then try a real fet 47

[andredb]

D6 for rosck stuff, almost no need of eq!

Useful for quick session, no time to tweak around.

Laso nothing compares on Live gigs!

[Matej]

My vote goes to Yamaha SubKick (or a home made slightly crappier looking but equally as efficient gizmo). You get to use it on bass cab too and it kicks all kinds of asses. Lately I've been using the subkick signal without the di and it's a great sound. On kick it needs a mic inside for the 2K-5K snap, but it will reward you with thunder!

[cdog]

U195
at4047
ae2500
KSM32
md421

All are nice kick mics.

To go with your subkick.

[DirkB]

Today:
D112 inside kick
U195 room mix 10 feet away, nuked 6-10dB with Distressor and delayed 16ms.
.

It's for a acoustic song with very much room for all instruments to breathe, love it.

Normally in more dirt guitar oriented rock I start with a D112 inside and U195 outside, sometimes using a tunnel. D112 IBP-ed to the U195.

Greetings,
Dirk

[7rojo7]

I've been using a Brauner Phantom V recently, figure 8, 10 dB pad inside the drum, closest thing to a baseball bat hitting a heavybag that I've ever heard.
I have a stedman N90, an EV PL80 and some JV 74b s that see action for different types of music.
I dislike "kik" mics i always end up eqing them anyway

[absrec]

Originally Posted by 7rojo7

I dislike "kik" mics i always end up eqing them anyway

Finally! Somebody had the balls to just blurt it out.

I with ya, brother. No matter what I start with, I always end up with the same basic eq curve and of course, the sound of the player. That's really all there is. It sort of depends what you're going for, though. I personally like to nearly induce a bowel movement when the kick hits. 50Hz is about right for that.

That being said, if I only have one mic, I'll take the EV RE20 any day of the week. But hopefully it'll never come to that. The kick drum has two heads. Both of which are crucial to the sound. I like the outside to be the low end. I'll either use a U87, 414B-ULS, NT2, or an NS-10 speaker into a Countryman Type 85 DI. That's for the thunder. For the attack and focus, my inside mic will be an RE20, SM7a, or the ever popular D112. They both are eqed rather aggresively. Since I've been using this method, haven't had anything but praise and compliments.

[stevep]

EV PL/ RE 20 No question

I cant believe that only one other person has listed this one.