Can An MD421 Be Used As A Snare Mic

[Mark]

I mean, physically.

It does look kind of fragile

And big

VERY big

[subspace]

No, when pointed at snare, the MD421 stops passing audio.
























Sorry, it was too easy.

It's gotta be the most common tom mic on the planet so people have found a way around the placement issue for decades. Fragile isn't even in it's vocabulary. I think most folks just find it doesn't accent the sonic traits of snare as well as some of it's skinnier cousins. I've used it as a bottom mic on occasion though. HTH

[Screws]

Since it's a German mic it will only work reliably with a Ludwig snare.

Ok, I've used the 421 on a snare that was a bit thin sounding, and the 57 wasn't helping to bring enough body into the sound. The 421 fattened it up just right.

[Mark]

Do I have the only MD421 in the World that appears to be made of Bakelite then?

[Tim L]

"Can An MD421 Be Used As A Snare Mic?"


... Does it feel lucky?


If it does, cool. If not, move on to the next contender in your locker.

[scotty-o]

I use a 421 on snare quite often. Sometimes it's the right ticket. Sometimes it's not. Try it, you might like it!
Don't worry about it being fragile. They're tough and can take a beating

-Scotty

[blackcatdigi]

421 was my snare mic of choice during the 80s.

FYI-youngsters:
That's back when we were trying to get the lowest, deepest snare sound possible.
Take an 8" wood snare, tune that sucker as low as you can, blend in a little simmons or 80hz sine to taste, and you're there. Don't forget the duct tape... Do forget trying to do any double strokes.

[STUDIO2]

Just the other day I was setting up for a session and I droped a new MD421 about 3 feet onto a rug, I was very worried about it but it seemed to work ok after. Are they as tough as they are made out to be? I hope so.

Also I have an older MD421U or something like that anyway, but is sounds slightly different than the new one? Is this an age or condition thing or do the new and old mics sound slightly different anyway.

[frist44]

I dropped my vintage 421 the other night on the floor from about 3 ft up and thought the same thing. It seemed to be ok, but I don't know if i'd do that again and feel comfortable about it. I've tried the 421 on snare and been really surprised. It seemed to have much more range than the typical 57, but sometimes that can clog things up in the mix. I ended up using the 57, just because it was much clearer through the rest of the kit. The frequencies the 57 seem to accentuate are definitely tailored for a snare. If you were doing a really dense rock mix, i would say stick with the 57, but something else a little less clogged might benefit from the 421. Had a little more crack, less plastic kind of sound when soloed.

Hope this helps,
Brandon

[Mark]

I was thinking of using it in the context of a four mic set up where the overheads are a pair of Beyerdynamic M201s or Behringer ECM8000s, and the kick mic is a Beyerdynamic M99 or an Audio-Technica ATM25. All being bussed to two tracks.

Obviously if I use the ECM8Ks the M201s are available for snare miking duties. But if I don't then my other choices are:

AKG D321
Electro-Voice EV635A.

And I'd like to save those for my vocal part (the D321) and miking up a guitar amp (the 635) respectively.

[toledo3]

421 on the shell, and 57 pointing towards the top- a couple inches out, so it can pick up some of the bottom side.

[Mark]

Erm...


I think I'll try and get another M201, thanks all the same

[ulysses]

The MD421 is my current "go-to" snare mike. But I put it underneath. Ordinarily, I find bottom-miking a snare to be thoroughly useless, because I don't generally feel the need to get more thin, raspy snares sound. But I find if I mash the 421 as absolutely close to the bottom head as I can get it, the proximity effect gives me a really thick, warm snare sound and at the same time the snare wires sound crisp without being overbearing. I haven't needed a top snare mike along with this. Of course I get the majority of my drum sounds from "distant" mikes typically 3 or 5 feet up/out from the kit, but the 421 is great for filling in a little beef or usually just for sending to the reverb.

[Mark]

Hooray!

A new way to mic Snare!

Thanks Justin.

[barforama]

Originally posted by ulysses
The MD421 is my current "go-to" snare mike.

Same here. MD421 is definetly my "go-to" mic!! Actually MD421 is my "go-to" close-micing-drum-mic. Toms, snare, kick....and guitar amps too. IMHO the absolute best/most allround dynamic mic EVER made.

[patrox247]

thumbsup