Mic Questions

[Tuggernaut]

Hey guys, I've started to become more and more interested in micing my kit. My current situation isn't good in terms of recording, but I'm not sure if it can be delt with. I play in my basement that has poured concrete walls and floor, drywall halfway down from the ceiling, open ceiling, open ducts, bars etc. It's basically unfinished with a bit of drywall. My kit it sitting on a rug but that's about the only absorbance I have. I read that placing mics closer to the drums can reduce unwanted reverb created by less than optimal surroundings. Is this true? Is there a special way of doing this? Awhile back I watched a video on setting up mics so I know a little bit like where to point them and stuff, but very basic.

Also, I was looking at a Shure PGD-MK6 Mic Pack. I'd have 2 overhead, one snare, one for 2 rack toms and one for 2 floor toms. Does that sound possible? Is this a good pack? I was also looking at the SM57-52 pack which I know is better but is it worth it for say $200-$300 more because I'd need overhead mics? Is there any other pack for say $300 - $500 you would recommend?

Annnnnnd one more. I'd be recording into Garage Band for now (might upgrade later on) so I'd need some kind of mixer/interface of some sort. I'm looking at spending $300, tops. I realize it may be a tight budget but I was thinking about used. I'm weary of buying used electronics, so I was wondering if there was anything in particular that would be safe bet.

Thanks in advance!

P.S I'm not looking for Studio quality stuff, it'd be used for youtube videos and hopefully demos down the road. So I do want something that'll sound good to the average ear, if you know what I mean. I don't want junk, basically :P

[Andy_TAMA]

You have a very similar problem to me, read the thread under this one called 'e kit or cheap drum mics?' and that will help, there's a lot of talk in that thread about good mic positioning and mics etc. My kit was in a large room with wooden floors and painted Walls which isn't great for recording either :p
I'm a newbie to recording myself but I do know that the closer you place the mic to the drums the more bass you pick up, which is something you have to be weary of when trying to eliminate reverb.

[nucjd]

Andy your room is great based on what you are saying. Large room= good, wood floors= good. All you need is acoustic treatment for the walls and a rug to throw down on the floor to put your kit on.

[Northern Redneck]

Andy your room is great based on what you are saying. Large room= good, wood floors= good. All you need is acoustic treatment for the walls and a rug to throw down on the floor to put your kit on.

Thats kinda what I was thinking lol

[Tuggernaut]

Ya I read that thread, but I felt like our situations are different enough to warrent a new thread. Like these guys said, your set-up seems great, aside from some foam.

[Russ]

Generally there's a lot of nasty echo when you have a large room with stone walls, it can be good but it can also be undesirable in some occasions. Hang carpet or rugs on the walls if at all possible to control and dry up the environment a little more, otherwise you're going to need some skill with close miking and editing. Decide which as well as how many mics you're going to use, and buy the best ones you can get within that budget.

[nucjd]

Thats kinda what I was thinking lol

Right on NR. I have heard some live stuff you did in big rooms with wood floors and they have a natural, organic sound that cannot be reproduced in the box.

[eddahenry]

Open rooms sound great for drum recording nothing like natural reverb
The biggest thing is line some ply with acoustic material and use it in the comers of the room depp 90 degree comers can produce so crazy peaks and dips in the frequency curve.
Making the boards let's you experiment with placement
Remember deadening a live room is easy
If you kill it buy carpeting the hole thing it takes a lot more to liven it up again

[Tuggernaut]

I just found the CAD Premium 7 - Piece mic kit, for $250 online. Has anyone on had any experience with these? Or just CAD in general. I watched some videos on youtube, and it seems like you could get a really nice sound out of them, just looking for a second opinion.

[itchie]

Cad..... I don't like them

[Tuggernaut]

Cad..... I don't like them

hehe... care to say why?

[SuperPbizzle]

Tuggernaut: I have a similar situation to you. I have asked a studio/session drummer I know what he thinks and he suggested buying kick, snare and overhead mics and going from there and buying better quality mics but getting them second hand/used.

I would also suggest putting some dampening in there too for example, some old couches a mattress you dont want against the wall, something like that.

[Dad3353]

...so I was wondering if there was anything in particular that would be safe bet...I don't want junk, basically :P

Good evening, Tuggernaut...

Here's my previous post on this subject, might be worth looking at..? I think that Superlux mics are easy enough to find in Canada...

On Superlux mics

...Hope this helps...

[Nechre]

Gate those drums and let those overheads will soak up the reverb. It'll make your kit sound huge.... mmmmm when the levee breaks....

[Tuggernaut]

Tuggernaut: I have a similar situation to you. I have asked a studio/session drummer I know what he thinks and he suggested buying kick, snare and overhead mics and going from there and buying better quality mics but getting them second hand/used.

I would also suggest putting some dampening in there too for example, some old couches a mattress you dont want against the wall, something like that.

That's a good idea with the mattress, and I've even got one lying around :D And I would like to get a couch, because for some reason my friends like to sit around my drum kit, even if it's not being played...

Now, from my understanding, the benefit of playing with fewer better quality mics is to have a good starting point for when things get more serious, correct? Because, I may just be weird, but it seems to me, buying half decent mics to mic my whole kit, would most likely produce the same sound as a few good ones. Is this true? Especially since my environment isn't top notch, wouldn't overhead mics pick up more tom reverb than mics actually mounted for my toms? Do you see my logic, or am I just being a piece of work?

[itchie]

hehe... care to say why?

If you buy these mics .... You will have to pull the bad fequencys out

[Tuggernaut]

If you buy these mics .... You will have to pull the bad fequencys out

Aha, alright. I'm off those now anyway. lol. Check out this video I found that has me thinking about the Shure PGD-MK6 mics again. He has the same cymbals as me, and I really like how they sound. His drums might be a little better than mine, but I think they're close and with some new heads, I may even be able to get a better sound, who knows. Anyway, online this set goes for $400 which isn't bad to me. So I'm seriously considering it.

[Bish]

I just found the CAD Premium 7 - Piece mic kit, for $250 online. Has anyone on had any experience with these? Or just CAD in general. I watched some videos on youtube, and it seems like you could get a really nice sound out of them, just looking for a second opinion.

Cad..... I don't like them

If it is the same set that I had, 2 things to look for...

Look at the frequency response of the bass drum mic. If memory serves, it was rated with less of a range for low end than a lot of other mics.

Also, I don't think you can mount them to just any mic stand. They have their own built in mic clip so you become limited as to how you can mount them.

[itchie]

imho it less pain starting off with 2 better overheads