Mics for vintage drum sound soul/blues/dirty funk

[danjcarroll90]

Hey everyone.

I am new to the forum, and even though there are a few threads around kicking up some of this info, I was hoping I could get some specific advice from those in the know for my own particular circumstances.

I play in an original blues/funk/soul outfit in Australia and am moving into producing my bands music now.

I am after some advice on two particular mic's to get a big old school, dirty type of late 60's early 70's blues/funk/soul drum sound.

I will be using an old AKG D12 on the kick with the front skin off.

I am after 1 dynamic mic to place centered above the two rack toms, facing slightly towards the snare about a foot or so above the actual toms.

I am also after 1 ribbon mic as an overhead.

These will all be mixed to one track on my half inch 8 track.

I was thinking maybe an EV RE 15/16 or an EV664 or 666 for the dynamic.
I have no idea what ribbon will work well as the overhead.

I am trying to keep these mics on the cheap side of things as well.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[beingmf]

just 1 radio shack pzm anywhere close to the kit. not joking!

[hobson]

we've got an old EV RE55 dynamic omni - works well in the position you mentioned... also good as a close up kick drum mic (outside front head).

[danjcarroll90]

Cool thanks guys, ill check those out definately.
Ive heard the radio shack idea before via Gabriel Roth at Daptone studios. Very cool indeed.

Anyone else with some ideas??
Takers on the ribbon??
Cheers

[darryl2112]

Cascade Fathead II for the ov.Might I suggest leaving the resonant head of the bass drum on as well, maybe choke it off a bit, but to my ears the only kick sounds I've gotten with the "no resonant head" approach are very modern "click" sounds.
Of course, even in the scope of 60's-70's blues, funk and r&b, drum sounds are pretty all over the place.


There are several inexpensive(from China) ribbons on the market now, Cascade, Nady.....I've used the fatheads and there are very dark sounding but seem to respond to eq very nicely.

[rty5150]

i'd go for a 4 mic setup for something like this.

pair of fatheads in blumlein, 6 feet in front of the kit around 4 feet in the air. top mic the snare with a 57 and the kick with the d112.

using mainly the fatheads and bringing in the snare and kick to reinforce, but not to be the dominant mics.

rich

[space2012]

Originally Posted by danjcarroll90

I am after some advice on two particular mic's to get a big old school, dirty type of late 60's early 70's blues/funk/soul drum sound.

do you have some song names ?
anyway...
Mic-Pres affect alot.

im guessing some recordings have Neumann and RCA ribbon mics.
Tube Mic pres similar to Universal Audio 610,

some 70s disco/funk had MCI sound.

i think wiki has the answere.

[John Eppstein]

Originally Posted by darryl2112

Cascade Fathead II for the ov.Might I suggest leaving the resonant head of the bass drum on as well, maybe choke it off a bit, but to my ears the only kick sounds I've gotten with the "no resonant head" approach are very modern "click" sounds.
Of course, even in the scope of 60's-70's blues, funk and r&b, drum sounds are pretty all over the place.


There are several inexpensive(from China) ribbons on the market now, Cascade, Nady.....I've used the fatheads and there are very dark sounding but seem to respond to eq very nicely.

If you get too much "click" on the kick your mic is in the wrong place, especially with a D12 (my favorite kick drum mic). Pull it back a bit and move it to the side of the drum.

The Nady ribbons aren't worth the very small amount of money they cost.

The Cascade Fathead II is nice, for the investment. Get the version with the symmetrical grille.

If you can afford it a Beyer 130 could work well.

For the dynamic the EVs could work well, but they don't have any proximity effect so you might find yourself boosting the low end. You might also try an SM56/SM57 or a Sennheiser MD409 if you can find one that isn't way overpriced.

[John Eppstein]

Originally Posted by rty5150

i'd go for a 4 mic setup for something like this.

pair of fatheads in blumlein, 6 feet in front of the kit around 4 feet in the air. top mic the snare with a 57 and the kick with the d112.

using mainly the fatheads and bringing in the snare and kick to reinforce, but not to be the dominant mics.

rich

He spec'd a D12, not a D112. The D12 is a much better mic.

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by John Eppstein

He spec'd a D12, not a D112. The D12 is a much better mic.

my bad, the d12 is way better, especially for this particular style.

rich

[danjcarroll90]

Again thanks guys.
Ill be checking out all these options. Really appreciate everyones two bobs.
Dan