How would you record drums given this set of mics?

[Sex Panther]

Just curious to see what you guys would do/try. I already know what I'm going to mess with on Thursday.

D-Dynamic
C-Condensor
R-Ribbon

Shure SM57 x 4 (D)
Shure Beta 58a x 2 (D)
Shure PG-57 (D)
Shure Beta 52 (D)
Shure SM7b (D)
EV N/D367 (D)
Rode M3 (C)
AKG C214 (C)
MXL 990 (C)
Cascade Fathead (R)
Audix OM2 (D)
Other various dynamics (D)

Kit info: 2 crashes and a ride...ride is centered on the kit. 3 piece...kick, snare, floor tom. 10.5'x12.5'x8' treated room.

I have a couple different configurations I'm going to try, but thought this would be fun...

[BroSlinger]

SM57 snare
SM57 Floor Tom
Not sure what to do about Hi Hat, unless overhead will pick it up
Beta 52 Kick
Rode M3 overhead
AKG C214 overhead
Cascade Fathead ambient room mic

done

[Sex Panther]

SM57 snare
SM57 Floor Tom
Not sure what to do about Hi Hat, unless overhead will pick it up
Beta 52 Kick
Rode M3 overhead
AKG C214 overhead
Cascade Fathead ambient room mic

done

My exact thoughts, except I was thinking a 57 on the hi-hat and the SM7b on the floor tom. Everything else I had exactly. I've gotten good results with a 57 on the hat from underneath a few inches away.

[Sex Panther]

Also considering just the C214 as a mono overhead. They're kind of "Jammy" so it might give it a more laid back feel.

[EndTime]

SM57 snare
SM57 Floor Tom
Not sure what to do about Hi Hat, unless overhead will pick it up
Beta 52 Kick
Rode M3 overhead
AKG C214 overhead
Cascade Fathead ambient room mic

done

My exact thoughts, except I was thinking a 57 on the hi-hat and the SM7b on the floor tom. Everything else I had exactly. I've gotten good results with a 57 on the hat from underneath a few inches away.

I agree with a 57 on the hats and ride, even if you end up not using them. Also agree with the sm7b on the floor..

But here is an alternative i would try if i were you.

Having owned the beta 52 for 15 years, i honestly hate it for recording. If you have a bigger kick, unless its been tightened up nucely, the 52 is aways just muddy low end for me. I happen to have a 22x18 kick, and an sm57 has gotten better results nearly every time. I once borrowed a smaller kick, and i liked what the 52 got, but i MUCH prefer the akg d112 kick mic..

Anyways try the 57 in the kick if its a big sounding kick.. And then I'd throw the beta 52 on the floor tom. The last recording i did in the studio we used beta52's on both floors and it sounds like a mountain! For just heavy floor tom hits, i wouldn't want it any other way.

[EndTime]

Also, id give the beta 58 on the snare a try.. the beta series has a quicker response, useful for drums. I like my beta 57 on my snare over the sm 57. But if i use the beta on top, I'll use the sm on the bottom, or vice versa..

[Sex Panther]

I agree with a 57 on the hats and ride, even if you end up not using them. Also agree with the sm7b on the floor..

But here is an alternative i would try if i were you.

Having owned the beta 52 for 15 years, i honestly hate it for recording. If you have a bigger kick, unless its been tightened up nucely, the 52 is aways just muddy low end for me. I happen to have a 22x18 kick, and an sm57 has gotten better results nearly every time. I once borrowed a smaller kick, and i liked what the 52 got, but i MUCH prefer the akg d112 kick mic..

Anyways try the 57 in the kick if its a big sounding kick.. And then I'd throw the beta 52 on the floor tom. The last recording i did in the studio we used beta52's on both floors and it sounds like a mountain! For just heavy floor tom hits, i wouldn't want it any other way.

Not a bad idea. Also could throw a 57 in and mix it with the 52. I have about 1.5-2 hours of time to mess with mics and placement...should be plenty of time to experiment.

[Sex Panther]

Also, id give the beta 58 on the snare a try.. the beta series has a quicker response, useful for drums. I like my beta 57 on my snare over the sm 57. But if i use the beta on top, I'll use the sm on the bottom, or vice versa..

Yeah, I've found myself liking the Beta 58 more than the 57 for guitar cabs too...

[EndTime]

Yeah, i use the beta 57 on my cabs more often. The difference is significant to the sm57. For sm57 tracks i have to cut low end typically right from the preamp. Its just unusable.
For my beta 57 tracks i track it with no low frequency roll off. I track it with flat eq and even if i roll it off in post, i find its still a usable tight low end, and its there if i need it..

[Sex Panther]

Yeah, i use the beta 57 on my cabs more often. The difference is significant to the sm57. For sm57 tracks i have to cut low end typically right from the preamp. Its just unusable.
For my beta 57 tracks i track it with no low frequency roll off. I track it with flat eq and even if i roll it off in post, i find its still a usable tight low end, and its there if i need it..

It just seems less harsh all around. I can typically just toss it in front of a cab and get something usable. SM57 seems to take a little more fiddling.

[nakedzen]

I'd probably go mid-side pair for overheads with the 214 and fathead.

c214 needs to be the mid mic (cardioid pattern) and fathead the side (figure-8).

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/mid-side-mic-recording/

[fretless]

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdiPLpXASgo[/video]

[Sex Panther]

I'd probably go mid-side pair for overheads with the 214 and fathead.

c214 needs to be the mid mic (cardioid pattern) and fathead the side (figure-8).

http://www.uaudio.com/blog/mid-side-mic-recording/

I was looking into M/S the other day. May try it and see what we get. Depends on what kind of sound they'er going for. We'll see...just scored a cheap ART Digital MPA ii, so I think I'll run the OH's into that.

I just bought some heavy duty earmuffs for shooting range/yard work and I'm going to pop my in ears in and the muffs over, hoping it isolates sound enough for me to hear the real-time difference in mic placement for drums/cabs...etc.,

[Sex Panther]

*Video

Will listen to this on the way home from work. Mark'd (Thanks!)

[Sex Panther]

Ended up going M/S with the C214 and Fathead. SM57 on top and bottom snare, Rode M3 on the hats, Beta 52 on the kick, and the SM7b on the tom. Seemed to be the best sounding options for the drums/rooms. Not in love with the snare sound, but that's what he wanted...so it'll do.

Here's a small clip:

http://theroaband.tripod.com/DrumSample.mp3

[nakedzen]

Sounds pretty sweet.

Just parallel compress that snare to hell to give it more thwack. Vladg Molot is a good one for that, love it for anything that needs to go "Hulk SMASH!"

[BroSlinger]

Sounds pretty sweet.

Just parallel compress that snare to hell to give it more thwack. Vladg Molot is a good one for that, love it for anything that needs to go "Hulk SMASH!"

I love the molot comp. hard to believe it's free.

[Sex Panther]

Never heard that one. Gonna have to give it a whirl.

[Devin]

Snare does sound pretty weird there, but everything else sounds like the potential is there



speaking of mics, I finally found another AKG D870 mic....this was my favorite mic I've ever owned, and my ex girlfriend fucking lost it somehow years ago

Came across one on used.gc for $50 just now; instantly bought it

[Sex Panther]

Nice! I'm a mic whore lately.

Snare is definitely weird, but I'm messing with some stuff to fix it. The ping may even fit in with the mix...they're kind of weird reggae/hip hop/fusion type stuff, so it isn't a typical sounding band anyway...

Messing with it a little. Ping is still there, but I feel like it's more musical and fits in a little better now. Who knows...I'm calling it until I at least have the bass tracks in here...can only do so much with just the drums.

http://theroaband.tripod.com/MixedDrums.mp3

[ajaxlepinski]

Snare recording tip: Tape a piece of cardboard around the business end of a SM57 (or your mic of choice).
Shape the cardboard so that it hovers about 1/4" above the snare skin.
This is the best way to reduce hi-hat bleed onto the snare mic.

[Sex Panther]

Snare recording tip: Tape a piece of cardboard around the business end of a SM57 (or your mic of choice).
Shape the cardboard so that it hovers about 1/4" above the snare skin.
This is the best way to reduce hi-hat bleed onto the snare mic.

Yeah, I've done all kinds of tricks like that. Hi-Hat bleed doesn't bug me too much though in this application...especially because I'm attempting to trigger a snare from SD2.0. The ping is driving me crazy, so I'm going to eliminate it.

[ajaxlepinski]

Snare recording tip: Tape a piece of cardboard around the business end of a SM57 (or your mic of choice).
Shape the cardboard so that it hovers about 1/4" above the snare skin.
This is the best way to reduce hi-hat bleed onto the snare mic.

Yeah, I've done all kinds of tricks like that. Hi-Hat bleed doesn't bug me too much though in this application...especially because I'm attempting to trigger a snare from SD2.0. The ping is driving me crazy, so I'm going to eliminate it.

If the "ping" that you're talking about is the "after ringing" from the snare skin, you need a Zero Ring.
I used them on the snare and the toms. I never record analog drums without Zero Rings

[nakedzen]

Snare recording tip: Tape a piece of cardboard around the business end of a SM57 (or your mic of choice).
Shape the cardboard so that it hovers about 1/4" above the snare skin.
This is the best way to reduce hi-hat bleed onto the snare mic.

Yeah, I've done all kinds of tricks like that. Hi-Hat bleed doesn't bug me too much though in this application...especially because I'm attempting to trigger a snare from SD2.0. The ping is driving me crazy, so I'm going to eliminate it.

Why not gate the snare? I always put a fast attack and release gate on the snare track and use verb to bring the sense of space back.

[Sex Panther]

Tried it. I'm still working on stuff...but it's not working as planned (the gating that is...).

Problem is he limp dicked his snare hits. I tried getting him to hit it harder, but most non-technical drummers hit their snares too soft and their cymbals too hard.