Your favorite drum mics are...........

[BrianT]

Hi there,

Well I'm about to drop some $$$ on a few new drum mics.

Who's crazy about what these days? Especially kick, toms and OH.

I'd love to learn something I don't already know, so be as descriptive about the sound as you like. Thanks.

[Lynn Fuston]

The little side address AE 3000s (A-T) are pretty killer on toms. I left behind the 414s for them. The only problem is that they pick up a lot of cymbals, but it's good sounding bleed. $250.

EDIT: Just figured out why. They become more hypercardioid, with corresponding rear lobe, as the frequencies near 8K. See the chart here:

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wi...bf3/index.html

[Bat Head Sound]

Sennheiser 421

[BrianT]

Hi Lynn,

Thanks. I've taken to generally top/bottom micing the Toms, with a 421 or ??? on top and a large diaphram condenser on the bottom. These look like they could be the ticket for the bottom, with the plus of bypassing the cymbal bleed.

[BrianT]

You know what's weird?

I was micing toms with 421s in 1979 when I had just started. It's hard to believe that they're still one of the top recommendations, isn't it? Wild.

Anybody who used to be a 421 fan for toms been blown away by something else more recently?

[Lynn Fuston]

Originally Posted by BrianT

These look like they could be the ticket for the bottom, with the plus of bypassing the cymbal bleed.

Credit where credit's due.

Our friend, John Hammond, turned me on to these. I've been borrowing his, that he hauls around, to use on his set. I've used them on the last three projects though and I'm still impressed. Two albums with toms flat through APIs, the last one through a GAMA pre. They do a good job.

I was a 421 man for years, but have been using 414s for the past 3-4 years. I like these better than either.

[mtstudi@pacbell]

Kik In = AKG D112
Kik Out = Neumann U47fet or Dynaudio Sub Kik Speaker
Snare Top = Shure SM57
Snare Btm = Sennheiser 441 or Shure Beta 56
Hat = Neumann KM185 or Shure 81
Toms = Sennheiser 421 or AT 25
Ovr Hds = AKG 414
Ride = Neumann KM185 or Royer 121
Room = Neumann U67, SounDeluxe E47, Royer 121, 122, Earthworks TC30

www.bluethumbproductions.com

[RedWallStudio]

I love the sound of the 421's, but they are kind of big for using on Toms (seem to get whacked alot), so I have been using E604s with the clip on mic holders... those really are the cats ass- no mic stand. And they sound great, even considering how small they are.

For Kick Drum, I'm pretty much using an EV RE-20 and not much else.

[indie]

YES...Blue Blueberry on Toms is really incredible. I love 421's too, but these are insane.
Like a much better 414 for tom work--I've not had a problem with bad bleed on the Blueberry's.
For big, juicy OH's, AEA Ribbons sound huge.
57 with a 451 taped together on snare.
ATM 25 inside kick, Blue Mouse out!

[radiant]

Lynn,

Still using AT4040's on OH's?

Also, you knew we just had to ask... How did you like the GAMA?

Kyle

[Splico]

AUDIX D6 on kick (sometimes AT ae2500 )
Md 421 on toms
AKG 451b under snare
SM57 snare
AKG 451b hihat
AT 4033 OH (sometimes 451b akg )
ROOM RODE NTK

thats all I have

[Bat Head Sound]

Originally Posted by radiant

Lynn,

Still using AT4040's on OH's?

Also, you knew we just had to ask... How did you like the GAMA?

Kyle

Hey, I've gotten great results with 4040's as overheads...

[Kestral]

Kick - AKG D112
Snare - SM57
Hats - Neumann KM185, SM57
Toms - 421's
Overheads - Royer SF12
Room - Neumann U47

[retropete]

OHs -- Soundelux U195s
Snare -- Josephson e22s
Kick -- EV RE-20
Room -- Royer 121

[max cooper]

My ideal drum sound is one 4038.

[username]

I'm not going to bother with OH's and hats.. I havent used enough high end stuff to know..

Kick- atm 25 or M88 (usualy the atm)
snare- Beyer M201
Rack toms - 421's
floor- 421's, M88, D112

[thenoiseflower]

depending on preamps....Today we did...

beta 52 in -- kick (lately using an octava 319!!! )
rode ntk or at4033 outside the kick
Rode ntk -- snare
421/414 toms
609 crotch mic
beneath the snare
2)ksm 44 OH
Shure BG 4.1 hats


1 tlm 103 far far away room if needed.....( IBP Phase tool exells here!)

and i absolutly will always throw 2 rode NT1 (not 1A!!!!) in the room but not too far from the kit going to 512api's direct to tape/192's using the onboard pad if needed, that s**t is the s**t!!!!

[arrogantbastard]

Lately I've been doing this:

Kick In - Audix D6/Sennheiser 421
Kick Out - Violet The Globe/Yamaha Subkick
Snare Top - Sennheiser MD441
Snare Bottom - Sennheiser e609
Rack Tom 1 - Heil Sound PR30
Rack Rom 2 - Heil Sound PR30
Floor Tom 1 - MD421
Floor Tom 2 - D112
Hi Hat - 451
Ride - 451
OH L - Innertube Audio 450 Tube w/Blue B6 Capsule
OH R - Innertube Audio 450 Tube w/Blue B6 Capsule
Room L - Gefell UM900
Room R - Gefell UM900
Mono Room - Royer R121

[84K]

Overheads -Coles 4038s (tried tested and flat out awesome)

Snare - Top and Bottom, Josephson e22s.... I don't care to ever hear anything else again on snare

Room - Elam 251s or Innertube Mag Mics.... but if those are too $$cy, 414s will do great

Kick - 421 on the Beater side, D25 on the outside head

Toms - Josephson e22s top and bottom

Hat - Royer R121 is magical

Tuning and playing is more important than all of that tho

[84K]

Originally Posted by max cooper

My ideal drum sound is one 4038.

One U47 has been a magical thing. Once I recorded a bands rehearsal with one U47. The album never had that much vibe. It was interesting. Performances were the main part of the reason, but the drums were awesome with the one mic.

[indie]

Originally Posted by 84K

Overheads -Coles 4038s (tried tested and flat out awesome)

Snare - Top and Bottom, Josephson e22s.... I don't care to ever hear anything else again on snare
...

I HAVE to hear one of those Josephsons!!

[tommyd]

e602 kick in
subkick kick out
i5 snare top
sm57 snare bottom
e 604 toms top and bottom, y cable to 1 pre per tom bottom mic phase flipped
u195s overheads
TM1 front of kit/mono close room 12 to 15 feet out
NTV (2) stereo room

If the song/drum part needs it I'll throw something on the hats and ride cymbal

TommyD

[Han]

Originally Posted by Lynn Fuston

The little side address AE 3000s (A-T) are pretty killer on toms. I left behind the 414s for them. The only problem is that they pick up a lot of cymbals, but it's good sounding bleed. $250.

Absolutely, I was amazed by these little thingies, very open sound, no boom at all.

[Drive All Day]

we use a royer r121 and an aea r84 for over heads, and we are really liking the sound. they make the cymbals nice and dark, instead of the brittle brightness you might get with some condensor mics.

[BrianT]

OK, it already looks like I have to hear a couple of Josephson e22s. And a couple of other choices keep popping up as well.

Cool, keep it comin'.

[Froombosch]

Just worked with some cheap ass large condensor (Cascade-something) on snare and absoluly loved the sound.

It worked nice for the ballad kind of stuff.

I prefer 57 for rock stuff



kind regards,




Harrie

[owl]

beyer M160 or 57 or KM100 over snare
akg c1000 or 57 under snare
AT pro 37 hihat (really good hihat mic)
AT 4033s or Senn E602 and E604 Toms (wish i had 421s as well!)
Akg D112 or Senn E602 inside kick
U47 tube LDC outside kick
Oktava MK5000 over shoulder. kit. omni
AKG C452 or 414 overheads.
Crowley and Tripp proscenium ribbon. room fig 8 M+S
Beyer M160 and M130 M+s room or mono overhead
Realistic PZM room ambience
neumann m50 decca tree!

[Lynn Fuston]

Originally Posted by radiant

Lynn,

Still using AT4040's on OH's?

Also, you knew we just had to ask... How did you like the GAMA?

Yes and no. I do use them, just last week as a matter of fact. But I rotate my 122s and 4047s in occasionally depending on the kit and the room.

GAMA? Pretty darn sweet. I had it for two days and tried tracking everything through it. Drums, horns, strings, woodwinds, vocals. I mix that project next week. Overall, I was very impressed sonically, with just a few reservations. For the price, it seems like a very good choice as long as you don't personally have to move it. I never picked it up, but I was told it "is as heavy as it looks." And that's not including the power supply which is in a separate box.

[Brad McGowan]

I recently picked up a Heil PR20, PR30, and PR40 which I'm starting to use on drums. I don't have a good enough feel for the mics yet, but they really capture the transients better than any other dynamic I've used on toms and snare.

I sold my D112 not too long ago and replaced it with a Sennheiser e602 which I like much better. Otherwise it's an ATM25 inside.

I put something different on the drums every session. I think I can honestly say that I've never recorded a drum kit the same way twice. There are things I keep coming back to but it's never the same choices all around. The SF12 does see pretty consisten action on overheads though.

Brad

[84K]

Originally Posted by indie

I HAVE to hear one of those Josephsons!!

Originally Posted by BrianT

OK, it already looks like I have to hear a couple of Josephson e22s. And a couple of other choices keep popping up as well.

Cool, keep it comin'.

Yeah. they are the bees knees. Seriously. AMAZING. There is no way you won't like them. Only problem. You will want 6 of them!!!>>>> Snare top-bottom, toms top-bottom. (and that's 6 if you only use one rack tom, 8 if you use 2 rack toms) They are expensive but worth every cent