Looking for nice drum mics....

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Currently I'm using $10 vocal mics to record everything. The lead singer of our band recently just purchased a $250 shure vocal mic... wow what a difference. Obviously you are probably thinking, "He's using $10 mics ...pfshhhahahahaha" but being a full time student and part time worker, you have to work with the budget you have given yourself.

So anyways, I've saved $300 for some drums mics. As far as I understand, on the minimum side, you are looking at 3 mics. On the better side you are looking for about 6.

I've looked at a few kits and they don't seem too bad, but from what I've read off this forum... kits are sort of crappy.

Now, I have an awesome benefit to have a friend work at guitar center, so I can get at "cost" items. Now what that means in terms of an actual discount, I have no idea. But Lemme know what you guys think.


Thanks so much for anyone's help!!

Brandon

[joebingo]

I use a Shure SM57, for close micing the snare, and AKG D112, for the kick and just pick up a large diaphragm condenser or two for overheads. (I only use one overhead)

expand it later when you get more cash, but that will be ample for now!

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Thanks for the help! I will check into those mics with my friend.

[brandondrury]

Obviously you are probably thinking, "He's using $10 mics ...pfshhhahahahaha"

Wrong! I thought "Interesting. I'd love to try some $10 mics". I'm serious.

but being a full time student and part time worker, you have to work with the budget you have given yourself.

Don't apologize. This is not a penis length contest. Even if it was I would, win.

In all seriousness, the gear you own makes no difference to me.

So anyways, I've saved $300 for some drums mics. As far as I understand, on the minimum side, you are looking at 3 mics. On the better side you are looking for about 6.

Not true. Some drum sounds only need 1 mic. (I've done it.)

Some drum sounds need 18 mics. I've done it.

What kind of drum sounds are you looking for?

Brandon

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Well we (my band) tend to agree we want the kick to have punch in our music. So obviously we should mic the kick. Then we want a clear stereo image of the rest of the set. Not necessarily focusing on the toms, snare, or cymbals, but focusing on them more as a whole then a specific piece of the set.

As far as the 10 dollar mics go, it seems as though they hold treble alright, but no bass or mid range at all when mic'ing drums. When you're singing through them they sound ok, but that's probably because the mics are two inches from your face.

But I will be posting my first mix here soon. Hopefully I get smashed into the ground, because I want to get a lot better at this.

[brandondrury]

But I will be posting my first mix here soon. Hopefully I get smashed into the ground, because I want to get a lot better at this.

That's the attitude!!!! I recently read a quote that said some thing to the effect of "No one has ever learned a damn thing from succeeding". I must be really smart by now!!

Brandon

[ferguson66]

I originally had the Audix Fusion 7 mic pack. It comes with:

2 condensers (I use these for stereo overheads over the drumkit)
Kick mic
Floor tom mic
snare mic
2 tom mics

They also sell a Fusion 6 and a Fusion 4 pack. Depending on your budget you could get the Fusion 4 pack (Kick, snare and stereo overheads) for some good mics for a good price.

I started upgrading my mics by going to an Audix D6 kick mic. I still get great recordings out of the F series mics however.

I just bought a Shure KSM32 studio mic for vocals. I am going to set it up as a room mic when I record drums and see what type of sound I get out of it. Take that vocal mic your singer just got and try it in different locations when you record drums, you might be surprised.

[brandondrury]

Take that vocal mic your singer just got and try it in different locations when you record drums, you might be surprised.

If you haven't put a LCD (large diaphram condenser) on a snare drum, you are not an engineer! The same applies to the kick drum, but don't blame me if you blow your mic up.

Brandon

[Jroye82]

I use a handfull of sm57z
a beta 52 - im looking into an audix flavor of that tho in the future.
I also have an audixi5
Some rode nt5's for over heads.

The MXL small diaghram condensors work as well....they are some under rated mics IMO.