How would you mic a kit with these mics?

[andyforssman]

Ok so i think i have a pretty reasonable choice of mics and have used these on a couple of projects in various configurations.

This week i will be recording a funk/rock band. I am wondering this;
-which mics would you use and where??
-Specifically i am interested in your thoughts on which mics for O/H and/or rooms mics

I have an average sized room for tracking... 6m(L) x 4.8m(W) x 2.6m(H). Treated with DIY broadband absorbers.

The mics
3 x sm57
2 x sm53
1 x sm58
1 x sm7
2 x md441
1 x D6
1 x D12
1 x Beta 91a
2 x km85i
2 x shure ksm27
1 x AT3030
1 x Beeznees Mahalia

GO

[Wiz]

how many piece kit... what sort of sound are the band chasing?

[andyforssman]

5 Piece...
Not too sure yet.

But based on a rough demo i listened to, i'd say natural/open and punchy (drums that is)

[Wiz]

All things being equal, and after finding the best place in the room for the drums, and tuning em...

assuming they wanted stereo drums


My first shot at thowing mics up would go like this

SM57 snare

D6 Kick Inside D12 outside

57 on hi and mid tom 58 on floor

Mahalia out front of kit about 3ft high

Km85 as overheads (subject to room sound)


Then I would try D6 on floor tom, if I could get away with it and try the 91a inside the kick

MD441 on toms

KSM27 as over heads


that would be my first reaction

(i am used to using 57's 58's on toms and D6 on kick , so I would head there first)

[Alistair]

I'd be thinking-

2 x sm57- top and bottom of snare

D12- kick drum right on skin/inside depending on the drum, chasing some attack and beater sound.
AT 3030 about 4-8" off front kick head for some body.

Km85s as OH pair, slightly off centre (eg one over floor tom and ride, one over crash and hi-hat, both equal distance from centre of snare)

MD441 on hi-hat

From there it get's messy. If the room is great sounding, and has floorboards, I'd probably put the KSM27's about 3 metres back from the kit and muck around with their height (mix of cymbal/drum/reflections depending on how far from the floor they are), and have the Mahalia at around head height facing the front of the kit for a mono OH.
I'm not a big fan of SM57/58's on toms, but if it's a good room I'd be getting most of my body on the toms from the OH and distance mics, so I'd just be looking for a little bit of controllable attack in the tom mics.

If the room isn't sounding so great I'd probably stick the KSM's on the toms, and try and recreate a room sound later. Maybe even switch the AT303 onto the floor tom and stick the Mahalia out the front of the kick.

[andyforssman]

Thanks guys
some good ideas for me to try out
Either of you used the 53 before?

[Alistair]

Nope!
I've used some of the Unidyne models before the 57, and they always just sounded like crappy 57's to me! Not sure if they are similar to the 53 though.

[Drumstruck]

... bit of close / bit of distant


2 x md441 - kit overheads XY

1 x Beeznees Mahalia - snare / hats

1 x D6 - BD front
1 x D12 - BD vent

2 x sm57 - snare underhead, BD beater

2 x km85i - AB rear overheads

[andyforssman]

thanks Ian
I must admit i hadnt thought of using the 441 for O/H

Have you had success with them?

[Drumstruck]

thanks Ian
I must admit i hadnt thought of using the 441 for O/H

Have you had success with them?

Hi Andy,

I tried the 441's on my kit a few months ago and was very pleased ....... had them mounted fairly close (30 or 40cm above in XY) as I was playing quietly. I think they'd work well in a Glyn Johns orientation too.

atm, I say to all my other mics "why should I use you instead of the 441?"

[Manning]

Andy

Slightly OT, but what's your overall opinion on the BN Mahalia?

I've got a few other BN mics, but the Mahalia is one I've never tried.

As far as the 441 on O/Hs, I've never tried that, will have to give it a whirl.

[andyforssman]

Andy

Slightly OT, but what's your overall opinion on the BN Mahalia?

I've got a few other BN mics, but the Mahalia is one I've never tried.

As far as the 441 on O/Hs, I've never tried that, will have to give it a whirl.

To be honest this will be my first session with the mahalia...
And it is my first beesneez purchase

I have literally only used it for an hour or so on my vocals and acoustic guitar.
Ben actually modified to bring our the mids slightly (based samples of my vocals that i sent him)
My initial response is.... LOVE IT!!

But hey i really dont have much to compare it too

[Engininja]

441 overhead. (Most of the time for me) Mental eq, stupid compression & transient designer.
Both of them if you like stereo. (sometimes for me)
Maybe something on the kick D12.
Maybe something on the snare sm57.
Beezneez under the drum stool. (414 always for me) Mental eq, stupid compression & transient designer.

or

441's pointing into room corners maybe 2 inches from the corners. Mental eq, stupid compression & transient designer.

[gigpiglet]

i would look at this as a first try....

3 x sm57 - snare top and bottom
1 x sm7 - mono "overhead" full kit sound, behind drummers head
2 x md441 - toms
1 x D12 - kick out
1 x Beta 91a - kick in - my favourite!
2 x km85i - hats and ride (under) since you say funk
2 x shure ksm27 - overheads
1 x AT3030 - may as well try for some other room/ ambient/ vibe sound.. point it at a wall somewhere, or put in the next room with the door open for some weird vibe
1 x Beeznees Mahalia - ROOM, chest height not too far away from kit

let us know what you end up with

[andyforssman]

I also posted this over at GS and wow the responses have got me thinking.... SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!!

Thanks for spending the time to respond

II'll try to post something (pics, rough mix of drums) next week