Suggestions for overhead drum mic placement

> > > Suggestions for overhead drum mic placement

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Member Since: Dec 29, 2004



Hey all, I've seen several websites, each with different advice on positioning drum mics (overhead condensers). Currently, I have them on opposite sides of the kit, about 18 inches from the top of the cymbals, pointing straight down at a 90 degree angle to the floor. The mic on the left side is positioned so that the capsule is pointing to the space between my crash, my hi-hat, and my snare. On the right side, the mic's capsule is pointing down at the area between my other crash, my ride, and my floor tom (I know, might be kind of hard to picture without a diagram to accompany this). I saw this setup recommended on one recording engineer's website.

However, I've noticed this setup leading to problems. Mainly that the hi-hat and ride are completely dominating the mix. Even when I play the drums hard, and the cymbals softly, the cymbals (especially the hi-hat and ride) are WAY too loud, and just kind of drowning out the rest of the drums.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend any setups that might be good. I've also tried the X-Y micing from the front/above the kit, but I'm still getting lots of cymbals. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Justin

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Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004

Feb 03, 2005 07:51 pm

i like to put one in front of the kit between the kick and the hi hat, and the other behind the floor tom...the trick is to get them both the same distance from the snare (i usually use the sticks to measure distance, which is usually between 2 and 3 stick legnths) i wouldn't point them strait down to the floor either, try messin whith the angles, put your head right behind the mic and look at what the mic is "seeing".

Member
Since: Dec 29, 2004

Feb 03, 2005 08:16 pm

Thanks for the advice.

Do you put them at ear level, just above the drums, or do you put them up above the cymbals? Thanks!

Justin

Bane of All Existence
Member
Since: Mar 27, 2003

Feb 03, 2005 08:35 pm

use a guitar or mic cable to measure distance from mics to snare. that way you don't have to pile sticks on each other.

i put the mics just out of reach of the drummer, since i don't have any rooms whose acoustics i would want to emphasize (mic farther away from source means more room sound).

another day another ray of hope
Member
Since: Oct 14, 2004

Feb 04, 2005 02:42 am

I take it from your post you are only using overheads to get the whole drum sound.

Here's a link to some experimenting I did, miking a kit using just two mics

dansaltdog.tripod.com/id1.html

Hope this helps



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