Live Mics for Drums

[chrisdrums]

I'm looking at my live mic setup for situations when there's a PA, but no drum mics, smaller rooms and possibly only 1,2 or 3 inputs for the drums. My thinking is:

1. If only one mic possible, then bass drum, Shure Beta 52.
2. If two mics, then bass drum beta 52 and snare sm57.
3. If three mics possible, add a single overhead. But which one?

I have some AT2020 laying around that I used for overheads in a home studio. Will they work in a live situation as a drum overhead? I was thinking just one. Or would I be better to put 57's on the both toms and forget the cymbals?

Again, this is for the situations where the club/house doesn't have any drum mics at all, an emergency setup. I'm mostly wondering about the 2020's for live. I also sing through an sm58 and maybe that would pick up enough cymbals along with the mics out front?

Thanks for any advice.

[Jeff16years]

I really love the Sennheiser e604 for Live drum mics, great for Toms and even snare. They're pretty cheap too.

good luck!

[Jeff16years]

Shure KSM 137 would be a good single OH, or a Sennheiser e614, the 614 is very directional which might be nice for a live OH.

[glissando]

I'm pretty sure that in clubs that don't have mics that you will not need any overheads...in fact, I've mixed in thousand capacity rooms and not used overheads...as you say, the vocal mics will pick up your overs...probably too much...in small clubs, I find that if I need a mic at all, it's the kik that needs a little support...If you are going to use an over basically any mic should do.

[mexicola]

I'd say go with an Audix D6 for kick. It's a much better sounding mic. The B52 has a bunch of low end crud that needs EQ-ing and it also changes it's sound drastically with differing SPL's.

Audix D4's or Shure Beta 56's are also great tom mics.

Any venue that doesn't have it's own drum mics is likely very small and you'll probably be fine with kick and overhead or kick and snare. The AT2020 will work fine for an overhead.

[mexicola]

Originally Posted by Randall

I'm happy with the sounds I get from the Avantone drum pack

the mondo is a killer, I have 2
the atoms are very effective, I have 4
their snare mic may be the only weak link but it is still very effective
the overheads are exceptional

the whole setup is only a few hundred

AVANT ELECTRONICS - ABOUT US PAGE

the mounting hardware is

I've used the Avantone Mondo Kick before, and it is a great value for the money. They're less than $90, IIRC.

[IDOAUDIO]

i'm a HUGE fan of Equation mics for drums. They have a 'drum pack' called MTD mictools, that has a kick mic, pair of condensers, pair of card mics and pair of super cards. They come in a package, and in my opinion, is amazing. I used them on various arena tours, and TV dates. Best part, besides the sound is the price- under 300 for the kit.

I use the kick mic (DMI.104.slf) on bass cab as well. I have used Shure 52, 52/91 combo, AT 2500, and most every other mic, adn I think I get the best natural sound out of this mic. I can fidn the right placement, and almost pull the EQ out of the desk, it sounds so good.

Check them out here:
Equation Audio - Mic Tools For Drummers - Alpha Series Microphones

hope that helps.

[cortisol]

I like drums to come though the PA no matter what. Even in small venues. If you don't have a strong point of focus for the drum sounds then they seem to exhaust the punters brain as the sound bounces and scatter of the walls of the venue.

It's like sensory overload for the brain as the person tries to identify the direction of the loud sound source.

Some venues are better than others with acoustically dampened backdrops or with walls that stop flutter echoes.

All you have to do is raise the level of the drums just a smidge above their acoustic volume and as if by magic they sound less loud and irritating to the listener.

Even just using one SM58 sort elevated over the hats and pointed to pick up a bit of cymbals and snare and null the hats a bit will work and the sound becomes more produced than the pure acoustic sound.

I'd take the SM58 overhead and a kick drum mic over a snare and kick drum combo in a small venue any day of the week.

Loud noises switch on our fight or flight response and not being able to localize the source keeps us aggitated. Try it and see the difference for yourself.

I've heard lots of talk of using the AKG 214 as an overhead mic for live gigs lately.

Peace,
Cortisol

[AlexK]

Audix D6 on kick, easily my first choice over a Beta 52 or a D112 (euck! talk about a bangy 'plonking' kick mic).

I too tend to find in smaller venues, there's no point in OH on drums, as they cymbals are often too loud, plus spill into the vocal mics like there's no tomorrow...

[mixedupsteve]

I've done 2 mics many times. Shure B52 on kick and an AT8033 overhead. Overhead stand behind and boomed over drummer and looking down at drummers lap. Sometimes you need a minor adjustment after sound check for balance.

[hbphotoav]

I've been tracking a guy in a small club with a tiny stage and PA, and limited to 16 available channels, and, since he (the house guy) relies on his toms mics to get some cymbal wash into the house, I wanted a bit more "ping" and a lot less "clang" to my tracks (also, btw, the way I prefer a small setup in my live FOH work). So... I unplugged his T1/T2 mics from my console record split (Onyx 1640) and did a homerun from my Rode NT4 (X/Y SDC) hung overhead about 24" and "centered" ("aimed" from its position over T1) on the snare. That, with the D6 in the kick, has provided very useable drum tracks for a "Live in the club" project. Last night featured 4 vocals, three electric guitars, three horns, keys, bass, harmonica, and... kick and OH L/R. Ate up all 16 of my record channels, it did.

I've also done jazz trio work with the same setup. I like it. YMMV.

HB

[honeycrippen12]

Originally Posted by Jeff16years

I really love the Sennheiser e604 for Live drum mics, great for Toms and even snare. They're pretty cheap too.

good luck!

Hey....guy....I agree with u as I also love it.



Thanks

[GZsound]

I ran a D112 or D6 on kick and a single SM58 as an overhead in clubs for years and years. The drums come over the vocal mics anyway so we just gently enhanced them.

The 2020 would work just fine as an overhead. I now use a CAD M179 for an overhead frequently and any decent LD mic works just fine.

[Murton]

Another reccommendation for the Audix D6 on kick and SM57 on snare. Go for toms over overheads for FOH, overheads over Toms for live recording.

I use Beta 56A's for toms but you need the right stand for them. e604's or the new 9 series ones are great tom mics. Great clip and perfect sound, cheap and small.

[RMJAZZ]

Mt recommendation is to audition kick mics and find which one you like the best for your specific application. Then get the best stereo pair of SDC mics you can afford. Decent SDC's are very versatile, so you can use them on a ton of different things per the venue you might be in-OH, snare, kick, hat, toms..people sleep on SDC's but they really are great tools.


A lot of times kick and overheads are all I have done, and the gigs rocked. I usually carry a BCM705 and a pair of KSM44's with me. You would be in a good place to have a Beta52 and (2) NT5 mics.......or a D112 and pair of KSM137 or 141.

Just my 2 cents.
Rob

[lyssagale12]

Hmm.........that's great.........i love it.! As I have also a information about
magic sing, u know guys..i just bought this mic at discount offer.


Lyssa

[thelowendtheory]

Originally Posted by cortisol

I like drums to come though the PA no matter what. Even in small venues. If you don't have a strong point of focus for the drum sounds then they seem to exhaust the punters brain as the sound bounces and scatter of the walls of the venue.

Even just using one SM58 sort elevated over the hats and pointed to pick up a bit of cymbals and snare and null the hats a bit will work and the sound becomes more produced than the pure acoustic sound.

I'd take the SM58 overhead and a kick drum mic over a snare and kick drum combo in a small venue any day of the week.

Yeah man. If it came down to only having one or two mic selections I would take the kick and put a 57 as an OH above the hat, snare, cymbals. Instead of a muddy wash in the room, this will add presence and clarity to the drum sound. Lots of people think that this is overkill in a small room due to the cymbals but it really helps out and you get the hat and the crack of the snare which you dont get just by micing the snare. Just roll off about 100hz and boost a little 4-5khz and maybe even boost the hi shelf a touch around 8-10khz. that will give you cut and definition.

[thelowendtheory]

Also what really helps to get a better drum sound is not having the drumset center stage behind the VOX. I always try to put the drums stage right. I know it doesn't look as cool but if your mixing loud rock vocals you wont get slammed with cym bleed in your vocal mics which really helps with the monitors also.

[Buyloujoe]

I gotta go with hbphotoav on this one. I use a D6 every day in a small room and if I don't feel like using 604s on all of the drums I throw an NT5 over top. Usually from the hi hat side over T1, snare and hats. If there's a crash I go in from the floor side, over center trying to stay angled away from cymbals. I would say just about any overhead but I wouldn't skimp on the D6.

[mingustoo]

"...All you have to do is raise the level of the drums just a smidge above their acoustic volume and as if by magic they sound less loud and irritating to the listener.

Even just using one SM58 sort elevated over the hats and pointed to pick up a bit of cymbals and snare and null the hats a bit will work and the sound becomes more produced than the pure acoustic sound..."

Peace,
Cortisol"
I find a good spot for my situation is over the kick and in front of the toms pointed 'through' the toms toward the snare.