I'm in the market for drum mics. I have a six piece kit I need to mic, plus cymbals.
What would you guys suggest? I cant afford top of the line, but dont want dirt cheap either.
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I'm in the market for drum mics. I have a six piece kit I need to mic, plus cymbals.
What would you guys suggest? I cant afford top of the line, but dont want dirt cheap either.
Six mics will add up quick, even budget ones. Honestly, you can get a great mix out of just a kick mic and 2 overhead mics that are well placed.
I looked at that as well. Almost bought it, but I already have a kick mic, a ton of Sure 57 and 58’s, 2 good condenser mics and plenty of extra inputs on our board. Typically, I just put a mic in the kick and hang one Sure 58 about 24” off my right eye. It’s quick, and seems to work well enough for most places we play.
The only problem with the sabian sound kit from the looks of it is you have no real way of upgrading and adding on in the future...
I agree. But I guess that’s the point of it (or the marketing strategy behind it). It’s a simple, compact and effective system that takes the guesswork out. I assume for guys like me that have limited experience and knowledge of setting up and mixing a complex system. I could see it working well for the 4pc band touring the country from the back of an Oldsmobile station wagon, LOL.
I have used Shure, Nady, Cad and a host of others.
Finally landed on an all around great mic for individual micing.
Sennheiser e604. Quality and convenience.
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I would recommend the T series drum mics from Miktek. Great quality and sound for a very reasonable price.
is this for live work?
Get a decent snare and kick mic to start with. get a set of mid-low range over heads (you can get away with one if you need) and don't worry about toms for now that can come later , the overheads pick up the toms and cymbals ..make sure you understand the mic position this is very important.
Snare - shure sm57 is the go to for snare, they sound great on just about anything so they are handy to have regardless , e604 is a good mic but make sure you get the plastic body version
Kick - Audix D6 - great kick mic super easy to get a phat sound out of . works great on floor tom and bass cab too, well worth the extra price for the resale value and size/sound ratio .
overheads - (cheap) matched pair Behringer c2, (decent) Rode nt5 matched pair,
I am using an audix d6 bass mic and 2 cad overheads at an outdoor party today.. I am bring my cad snare mic in case it is needed but I doubt it will be.
I second the SM-57 snare suggestion. These mics are readily available on the used market and just work on the snare. If you like Shure, then also check out the Shure Beta 52 for kick - great mic if you like a "feel it in your chest" punchy kick.
As for the rest, you can start low end and move up as funds allow. I also agree that the e604/904 mics are perfect for gigging. They sound great and are super small and lightweight.
I've been using Shure SM-94 condensers for overheads for years but there are lower priced alternatives out there as mentioned above. However, I find that I rarely need overheads, even in larger venues, although I do find myself micing the hats from time to time ...
Played an outdoor gig yesterday, brought all my mics and over head stands and just used the Bass drum mic...
that's a fairly common story
Mark, I have the Sennheiser headset and I have been very very pleased with it. Great sound and not too over the top expensive.
This is what I am using for live drums right now. I really don't think you need to spend a fortune to get a good sound, especially in small to mid size venues. Most of my gigs are outside and I am not going to bring my expensive studio mics to a sandy, salty, outdoor environment. I am in Florida and play a lot of tiki type places. I use a SM57 on snare, found this NADY DM90 Bass Mic I forgot I had and been using it on my Bass drum. The NADY sounds pretty darn close to my AKG D112 I use in my studio. And sometimes a couple Beringer C10 Condenser Overheads. The number on those might be different. I rarely use the overheads. I sing so I can just raise my vocal mic over my head in front as a sort of overhead. So basically , snare and bass drum with a little enhancement from my vocal mic. been doing that for months at my outdoor tiki jazz gig for almost a year and get a lot of compliments on the sound, plus not a lot extra to set up. The layman listening to the group are never going to hear the difference in a expensive mic and a less expensive mic. If you know how to EQ. I am running my mics into a old Mackie 1204VLZ and into a Harbinger MS800 tower Bose type system, and it sounds great. If I get a pickup gig I have a carry on type bag I keep the mics, holders, cords in that I have in case I need a little extra reinforcement.
I ordered a Sabian Sound Kit this morning so I can do some in house recording and maybe use it for smaller gigs. Cant wait to get it in so I can see how it works/sounds.
http://sabiansoundkit.com/
Guess I need to hook this thing up and see how well it works!
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I'm curious if they explain the best mic placement location based on your reso head preference.
Looks neat. I just hope it doesn't give you gas to mic the entire kit. You'll easily double what you have there.
Please post some samples when you get them dialed in. If you need any help recording ask here for sure!!