Favorite Drum Overhead technique?

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by joeq

(be aware also that two drumsticks in height is NOT enough for some drummers- you may need to move them a little higher than that to keep them out of harm's way

if you hit a mic that's 2 Drumsticks in heights above you you need to get back
in the practice room.........

[firby]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

Two Beyer M160s pointing straight down on the kit. One over the ride/floor/rack side and the other over the snare/hihat/rack side.
Placed as high up as possible.

Hello Steve,

When you use that setup, are you positioning the red dots on the mics any certain way? I think that those red dots are telling the orientation of the ribbon. I always wondered about that.

I too like the sound of a m160!

[firby]

Originally Posted by bigbone

if you hit a mic that's 2 Drumsticks in heights above you you need to get back
in the practice room.........

Two sticks above the snare drum is where lots of drummers have their crash cymbals. That's especially true if you have a left side ride as you need sufficient distance between the crash and the ride cymbal if they are both on that side.

If you are setting up for hard rock or hair metal I would leave more space as those setups are pretty tall. Also, those guys use thick, serious sticks which will mess up your mics real good.

[trevjonez]

i have cymbals way to my right and if i only do two stick lengths to my right hand recorder man it will get hit when i go for my far right crash or china.

[icecubeman]

I am using AB technique showing in this video In studio with George Massenburg - Ep. 1 : miking the drums - YouTube Using two Rode NT5 microphones into ART PRO MPA II

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by firby

Hello Steve,

When you use that setup, are you positioning the red dots on the mics any certain way? I think that those red dots are telling the orientation of the ribbon. I always wondered about that.
I too like the sound of a m160!

The M160 uses two ribbons and the determination of the relative position is indicated by these two red dots along the longitudinal axis of the double ribbons.

These red dots are important when placing them because of the M160's hypercardioid polar pattern. The added proximity affect and directivity (sensitive in one direction than in another) makes positioning paramount.

I make sure these dots are always pointed in the same direction when the M160s are used as pairs. When the mics are not pointing straight down over the drum kit I make sure the axis of these mics are in the vertical position.

You should also store these mics with the “red dot” pointing up to help minimize ribbon sag. Laying them horizontally could cause the ribbons to bow.

I hope this helped;-)

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by andychamp

Any considerations regarding equal distance to the snare?
Does it even matter after a certain distance?

Not for me!

It's more about grouping than distance.

Let us say you have a four piece drum kit with two crash, one ride and a hi-hat...

I would place one smack center of the hats, snare, crash and rack tom while the other is centered over the ride, crash and floor tom. I then pan the hard left and right.

[BFrederick]

I saw this video a while back after reading about George Massenburgs OH miking technique and have NEVER looked back. Fantastic stereo image.. and has you bring additional microphones into the picture everything stays put together.

Recorderman Overhead Drum technique - YouTube

enjoy