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Thread: Internal Mic'ing for drums

  1. #1

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    Default Internal Mic'ing for drums

    Anyone here have or ever tried drums with mics built inside them? I know a couple of the big name famous drummers with them but would like to see if anyone has any on hand knowledge?


    I bring this up because the other night we played at a venue we've played a couple of times and they only keep a standard 5pc mic set for drum set sound. So we have been bringing two extra mic's because I play a 7 piece kit.

    We kinda of laughed and talked about doing an internal mic'ing system for my drums but that started getting me thinking about really doing it.. Has anyone on here ever done it? What did they use? How did it sound? Hold up? etc.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Internal Mic'ing for drums

    You can easily mic a 7pc kit with 5 mics but...

    Im not a fan of internal mics, think about what you have to go through to reposition a mic.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    think about what you have to go through to reposition a mic.
    That would be my biggest concern, but it would be convenient to just plug in and play.....................but from what I've seen, the mounts and mics are pretty expensive.

  4. #4

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    I internally miked my 5pc maple kit and didn't like it. The problem I encountered primarily centered on the smaller toms and the limited space inside. The space problem required the mics to be so close to the batter head that the impact sound was completely dominant. I was using SM57s, so a smaller mic might solve that problem. The larger toms sounded just fine.

    By the way, repositioning the mics was never a problem because by using quality hardware the mics never moved from their original position.

    I still internally mic my bass drum.

    GeeDeeEmm

  5. #5

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    With the exception of bass drums, internal mics often have a hollow basketball trait to them.

    Even the great Thomas Lang was demoing his May Internal Mic installation and when he starts playing at about the 11 minute mark, you can hear what I'm talking about.


  6. #6

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    Default Re: Internal Mic'ing for drums

    Quote Originally Posted by gdmoore28 View Post
    I was using SM57s, so a smaller mic might solve that problem. The larger toms sounded just fine.


    GeeDeeEmm
    I remember seeing a shorter version of an SM57 for internal mic'ing, but can't remember what they were called.....................off to Google!

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    With the exception of bass drums, internal mics often have a hollow basketball trait to them.

    Even the great Thomas Lang was demoing his May Internal Mic installation and when he starts playing at about the 11 minute mark, you can hear what I'm talking about.

    Quite honestly.....I don't like the sound of those drums at all.
    "The problem with information on the Internet is that you can not validate it's authenticity. " -Abraham Lincoln

    SILVERFOX DRUMSTICKS & SOULTONE CYMBALS Endorsing Artist.

  8. #8

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    Yeah I'm kind of a contradiction on this one myself. I like the mic inside the kick, above on the toms, above and below on the snare.

    Collectors Black Ice Finishply
    10x8,12x9,15x12,16x14,20x18,24x16
    14X6 Collectors 10 and 6 snare Natural Satin
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  9. #9

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    A couple if things:

    1. MAY just came out with a monorail system inside a drum so that adjustments can be made via remote control. I have only seen pics and have no experience with these.

    2. Speaking strictly from a live miking situation, if miking from the top is best, would there be any sound difference between a drum with bottom and top head vs a power tom?

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by porkpieguy View Post
    A couple if things:

    1. MAY just came out with a monorail system inside a drum so that adjustments can be made via remote control. I have only seen pics and have no experience with these.

    2. Speaking strictly from a live miking situation, if miking from the top is best, would there be any sound difference between a drum with bottom and top head vs a power tom?
    #2: Absolutely! The resonant head has a great amount of influence on the batter head. Think about what concert toms sound like from the driver's seat vs. double-headed toms.

  11. #11

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    I have my kick drum internally mic'd and it is great. I have bought the parts needed to build my own mounts for my toms, but, I have put off on doing it. I can't decide if running the cable through the vent hole will hurt the sound or if it would be ok to drill the shells and install an xlr connection to the drum. But, to answer your question, Yes I would ( and will) internally mic my toms.
    1976 Tama Imperialstar Saturn 12+1 Platina6,8,10,12,13,14,15,16 concert toms, 16, 18 floor toms, 2-22x18 Bass drums.
    1971 5x14 Ludwig acrolite snare
    Tama metalworks snare 13x6
    DW collectors Maple Blue Glass7x8, 8x10, 9x12 rack toms, 11x14, 13x16 hanging toms, 18x23 bass, 8 and 12 timbale toms, 5.5x10 Ten and Six All Maple snare, 5.5x14 Supersolid snare, DW 9000 rack system, DW 5002 Double bass pedal, DW 5000 Hi-Hat stand, DW 9000 Snare stand.
    Sabian Xs20 cymbals: 16 & 18 crash, 20 ride, 14 hats, 8 splash, 18 china.
    Zildjian cymbals: 21 ride, 15 hats. All '70's era.

  12. #12

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    I used the May system for years, even on the snare. I chose Audix mics, which were particularly good on the kick and larger toms. The sound guys seemed to like just plugging in to the drums, and even though more often than not, my kit was not tuned to perfection, they got them sounding like drums when we played. They never moved from position once installed, unless I moved them. Eventually a couple of them started working intermittently. I haven't dug into them to see why. Probably something simple. I set my snare up differently from most, so never loved how it sounded with that setup vs external. Your mileage may vary, but it's a very tidy, generally reliable setup.

  13. #13

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    I'm thinking about doing this. Apex makes a good, cheap, quality (good reviews) tom mic that I think I'll use, the APEX 326. My plan is this:

    1. Gut the mics (housing is too large)
    2. take the internals and stick them inside some small PVC tubes
    3. get some cheap 1/2" x 5" steel connectors, bend them at ~70 degrees
    4. mount the rebuilt mics to the connectors
    5. mount the connectors to the inside of the lug screws, nearest the vent hole
    6. run the wires (just the wires: the cable is removed to conserve volume) thru the vent hole
    7. connect the wires to a right-angle XLR (Switchcraft brand) input on the outside of the shell (this way I only have to drill the mounting holes and not the XLR hole)

    I think I will aim the mics towards the center of the heads, positioned about halfway between the center and edge of the head (meaning that the length of the connectors will change with the size of the head).

    Links:

    [links removed. Please refer to forum rules. Thx - Tom]



    When/if I do this, I will post photos.

    Cheers, and good luck!
    Last edited by ItalianAvalanche; 04-03-2015 at 01:34 PM.

  14. #14

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    I ordered the May monorail with an Audix D6 mic for my new DW cherry Collectors 16x22 bass drum. I based that on the sounds I've heard on the Internet. We'll see how it sounds when it gets here.
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by cabasner View Post
    I ordered the May monorail with an Audix D6 mic for my new DW cherry Collectors 16x22 bass drum. I based that on the sounds I've heard on the Internet. We'll see how it sounds when it gets here.
    Cool.............I'd be interested in your thoughts.............been thing about doing this myself

  16. #16

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    Default Re: Internal Mic'ing for drums

    Looking back at slightly older threads...still waiting on my new kit, so no reports on the internal Audix mic yet...
    Now, just a tiny bit less than an absolute drum newbie
    DW Collectors Cherry kit, Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, DW SuperSolid Oak/Cherry Snare, DW Sabian Vault Edge Snare

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