Members MrJoshua Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 I've been using ribbons as room mics or, a couple of times, overheads. But I recently, on a whim, put a ShinyBox 46MX on the snare drum, about six inches back from the shell of the drum and angled so that the hat and kick were in the null of the mic. Half of this came from wondering what it would sound like, and half of it was from wanting to try a figure-8 mic in that position to see if it would make it easier to keep the kick and hat from bleeding as much. The sound was very good, plugged into a Groove Tubes SuPRE with the input impedance set on 1200 Ohms. It sounded like the drum, which is what I was going for. The figure 8 pattern helped keep the bleed down as I had hoped. But I'm wondering if the mic is really going to hold up to this. It's not anywhere that it can be struck but it's a pretty high SPL at that position. Has anyone else here used ribbons as close mics on drums? How do they hold up? Am I going to wind up damaging the ribbon pretty quickly if I keep doing this? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flogger59 Posted January 10, 2011 Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 High SPL=OK. It's wind that'll kill your mic, so don't blow on them, or mic a drum port with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrJoshua Posted January 10, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 Good deal. I normally go with the idea that as long as it isn't distorting it's OK, but I tend to be a little paranoid about ribbon mics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrJoshua Posted January 10, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2011 You know what I hate? When you start with one thread title (like, say, "Ribbons on drums") and decide to change it to something else (for a random example, let's say I changed it to "Ribbon mics on drums") only to later realize that in the course of changing the title, you mangled the grammar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MyNameIsMok... Posted January 11, 2011 Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 I prefer the thick sound I get with a ribbon mic on drums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 You know what I hate? When you start with one thread title (like, say, "Ribbons on drums") and decide to change it to something else (for a random example, let's say I changed it to "Ribbon mics on drums") only to later realize that in the course of changing the title, you mangled the grammar. Here - let me just fix that for you... I like ribbons on overheads, but I'm wary about getting them in too close to drums - or drummers. I DO like figure 8 microphones in the location you described, but I'd feel safer with something like a C414 in that spot than a ribbon. It may hold up fine, but it would make me a bit nervous... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrJoshua Posted January 11, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 11, 2011 Here - let me just fix that for you... I like ribbons on overheads, but I'm wary about getting them in too close to drums - or drummers. I DO like figure 8 microphones in the location you described, but I'd feel safer with something like a C414 in that spot than a ribbon. It may hold up fine, but it would make me a bit nervous... A 414 is an interesting idea. I do have a C414 B/XLS that I could try there. I think I'll give that a shot next time. I had used a 57 there a few times but while I loved the snare sound it got (a MUCH more natural sound than when I put a mic on the top head, IMO) it picked up so much kick that I had an awful time trying to get the drum sound dialed in. I may also try to find some sort of barrier to put between the kick and the snare. As a side note, on the last couple of drum sessions I haven't even used overheads. I mean, I put a pair up (Mojave MA-101fet small-diaphragm condensers) and recorded them but in the final mix they just got muted. Instead I used the room mics to pick up the overall drum sound - a Microtech-Gefell MT-71S and a Royer R-101 set up in a mid/side arrangement about ten feet away from the kit (the room is only about 24 feet long), approximately four feet off the ground and pointed across the kick at the snare. They pick up a good full-kit sound with plenty of room in it. I've been running them through the Neve Portico preamp with the "Silk" button engaged and have been really pleased with the sound I've been getting. Thanks for fixing the title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MyNameIsMok... Posted January 20, 2011 Members Share Posted January 20, 2011 Here - let me just fix that for you... I like ribbons on overheads, but I'm wary about getting them in too close to drums - or drummers. I DO like figure 8 microphones in the location you described, but I'd feel safer with something like a C414 in that spot than a ribbon. It may hold up fine, but it would make me a bit nervous... Try a modern day ribbon in the Blue series...pretty robust. Nothing to worry about. Air is what kills them...they are not kickdrum mics. They will pick up a good bass response at a distance with proper mic placement... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted January 20, 2011 Members Share Posted January 20, 2011 I've used a Lawson L251 in figure-8 on the snare, but I don't own any ribbons. Like Phil, I'd be nervous about it...but then again, Fletcher has used Royers to mic kick drums, so what the hell do I know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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