Micing Jazz drums
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Posted on May 07, 2004 09:19 am
Mauz
grrrrrrr
Member Since: Mar 29, 2004
So I'm back with my drum micing. I finally found a drummer that goes with the style of the project I am working on. A jazz musician who has been playing for 20 years.
Last night I was at a show in a small bar and the drums were not mic'd. They were jazz drums and you couldn't hear them at all! So I thought. Why not mic the set up so he can play as quite and chill as he likes and it will come across strong.
Anyone had experience micing drums in a situation like this? I am thinking that two condenser mics at about knee height either side to get some stereo might do the trick. Also in the studio I think these drums will be easy to mic up a bit.
Right now I have two AKG cardioid condensors and a normal dynamic mic similar to the shure. I guess I will experiment a bit until I can get a decent sound, but any advice would be appreciated.
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WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
May 07, 2004 11:36 pm My take on that is more than most any genre, (that nasty word) I like individual mics on each voice as much as possible. Our drummer does some especially tasty work with brushes that does not always make it out of the blend on shows. I guess it's like "know your drummer". What is it he or she does that is something you want to highlight. That may change song to song (studio application). For performance it is a compound consideration. Were the drummer sits what do you need to capture? What do you need to reject?
Clip ons on snare and toms are always a simple pretty sure bet. Close capture, good rejection. Kit overheads for performance can be problematic per poor rejection of other instrumentation.
I know I am kinda babbling around the question. I do mic every drummer differently. How seasoned is the drummer is one of the first questions I ask myself. I know one drummer that has worked the boats for years and he is simply superb. Tonal control, dymanic control, metronome accuracy. Ya, I can mic him with a couple of "distant" catch the whole kit mics and done deal. The dude comes "pre mixed". Others need refinement in a mix. A little help so to speak.
riffgodwww.charlienaebeck.comMember
Since: Apr 10, 2004
May 08, 2004 05:17 am you know what sounds cool sometimes when you're working with Jazz drummers is to set up two overheads roughly 3ft. above the kit and one kick directly inside the kick drum pointed at the beater, or if you dig cool ambient sounds, try two mics just over the drummers shoulders (high enough so he or she won't hit them of course) pointed about 45 degrees down at the kit and then create a kick drum tunnel by setting up a large diaphram mic about 3 ft away from the kick drum, but directly pointed at the kick and then put like a large blanket or comforter over the kick drum and mic stand to create a kick tunnel. You get this really cool boomy air sound on the kick which works well with Jazz with this technique. :)
I usually have found that its sometimes cool to get some room sound also on Jazz drummers as they're always more "in the groove" so to speak and don't nessecarily always have to have mics working like a rock drummer would. :) Goodluck with the project.
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
May 10, 2004 07:28 am Thanks for the advice. I have tried to find the best drummer around who can do a quick take. Hopefully he is like walt's river drummer. He has been playing Jazz for 20 years and is really good. So I guess a kick mic is necessary. I think I am going to bring him to my house in rome where I have really high ceilings (20 -30 ft!!) and have him set up in there. Might be too much echo, but have a feeling it will sound cool. Will try out your trick as well riffgod.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
May 10, 2004 10:27 pm If you can have some absorbant panels available. This way you can "tune" the room to your taste.
MauzgrrrrrrrMember
Since: Mar 29, 2004
May 11, 2004 05:22 am Any way I can build them myself budget stilo??
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
May 11, 2004 10:02 am dB has a piece on building them with wood. Also watch your community for schools or businesses doing renovation. You can often get "cubie" dividers free if you are there when the old ones come out.
