Budget Drum and instrument Mics.

[bbrownderville]

Ok so I'm sure all have read about my pa setup issues with my church. Well now that they have got their system "rigged" up, They want to mic the drums. They simply do not know anything about doing this, so they think any cheapo mic will work for the job. Myself, being a drummer knows otherwise. Although, my issue is, I dont play acoustics, so I have no idea which mics to go with. We are going to have at most 3-400 to get a set and that is pushing it. I hear good things about Audix but I dont know what to go with.

 

Other stuff that need mics:

a pair of Congas,

Fender guitar amp,

Fender Bass Amp..

 

I could really use some suggestions on the cheapest thing, but also something that produces a halfway decent sound.. Anything will make these people happy. I wish we had a decent budget but we don't. Thanks for any help. I can use any info, I can get.

[BenBroChill]

Audix makes a good kit (the D series) but if you are on that much or a budget get an Audix D6 and a sm57 on the snare. Thats what I currently use and you can always save up and buy the rest of the tom mics down the line if you want. As for everything else you mentioned, a 57 has my vote or even a e609 on the guitar, and run the bass direct

[banddad]

+1 on the D6 and SM57 combo. Works for me too! You may not need to mic the rest of the drum kit at all.

 

SM57's are a good versatile instrument mic, I'd suggest them for the congas as well. I also use an e609 on the guitar cab, pretty much a toss up with the SM57. If the gear gets used by many people, standardizing on a rugged mic like the '57 for all instruments keeps it simple.

 

Resist the urge to 'cheap out' with lesser mics. Shop used if you need to.

 

I don't mic the bass - using a DI (direct) box instead. Whirlwind makes a decent value one, the EWI boxes from Audiopile also come highly recommended. In fact, Audiopile is a great source for cables and other accessories you may need.

[Unalaska]

3-400 doesn't leave you a lot of room. Prolly get a audix F series drum package, then some 57's for guitar/conga. SHS OM450 is a pretty copy, so is the OM500 to a 58. Mostly though it's you-get-what-you-pay-for.

 

Guitar amps seem to be the most forgiving, I've even used the digital reference DRVX1 er 2 instrument mic (the MOST horrid mic I've ever seen, beats the AT Pro4L!).

 

If the EWI drum mic package was still available I'd say use them. Even the tom mics make good instrument mics. I musta bought 8-9 tom mics and a few kick mics. I only use the oldest EWI though, looks like a beta52, great sounding mic, the newer one I just can't seem to warm up to. The tom mics though are excellent and have held up very well. The other tom mics I have are the radio chack 33-3032 clip on mics, similar to the E604. Very nice and sound great. Of the 7 I bought in 02, 2 had to be resoldered at the terminal end and 1 had the capsule quit working. The rest are still in use weekly.

[Mogwix]

buy as many used SM57's as you can afford.

 

With your PA, I'd avoid putting mics on the drum kit. It's going to cause more problems.

[drummer_jay]

Hmmm... With that budget there's not much you can do...besides spend it wisely. If I was in your situation, I'd buy a good budget kick mic and as many 57's as you can afford. Mic the kick and use a 57 as a single overhead pointed more towards the snare/hi hat.

 

Not ideal, but it would work.

[monthlymixcd]

 

If the EWI drum mic package was still available I'd say use them.

 

 

... that kit was a great deal... great price for just the condensers, too... but the whole package was like getting all the other mics for free since the condensers are really worth the $180 or whatever the whole package cost.

 

Senn e609 is a good mic for guitar cabs AND congas I've found.

[mshifflett]

Audix D6 on the kick, Audix i5 on the snare. I would also try the i5 on the guitar amp, go direct with the bass if possible.

[Craig Vecchione]

The room isn't big enough to require a fully-mic'd set. I'm in the "D6 and SM-57" crowd. One on the kick the other near the snare, where it'll still pick up enough of the kit for your needs.

[drummer_jay]

 

The room isn't big enough to require a fully-mic'd set. I'm in the "D6 and SM-57" crowd. One on the kick the other near the snare, where it'll still pick up enough of the kit for your needs.

 

 

This is why I was suggesting the one overhead situation. Typically IMO, the snare is the loudest "drum" on the kit. In a small room, it's the one thing that will naturally cut through due to shear acoustic volume.

 

If anything at all on the kit (besides kick) is going to need any reinforcement, it's going to be the toms.

 

The biggest downside of going with one overhead, the cymbals. I'm sure in a small room, that's the last thing you need more of.

[RoadRanger]

I generally use only a kick mic and a single overhead for . Often the overhead is off most of the time - just used to bring up a drum intro or solo. An Audix D6 on the kick and just about any small diaphragm uni-directional condenser for the overhead would do - maybe an EV PL37 ? Those two would be under $300 .

[RoadRanger]

The biggest downside of going with one overhead, the cymbals. I'm sure in a small room, that's the last thing you need more of.

Just turn the "high" eq knob on that channel all the way down .

[Unalaska]

If cymbals are going to be an issue then I'll only mic the snare and toms, esp if the drummer has a vocal mic.

[drummer_jay]

If cymbals are going to be an issue then I'll only mic the snare and toms, esp if the drummer has a vocal mic.

 

I've had good luck using one overhead in small rooms as long as I can use some form of LPF. If not possible, i've dialed back the high end with luck before.... All I know is, in a small room with limited PA the snare and cymbals are typically the loudest damn thing on stage... I don't like tom work and fills getting lost in the mix.. every time I decide to JUST mic the kick.. I'm pissed all night because every time the drummer will do a fill, it's like he stops playing for a few bars.

 

This is why I love micing everything, even when I know there's a great chance I won't need certain things in the mix. It's more work for me, but it's pretty easy to engage Mr mute.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

This is why I was suggesting the one overhead situation. Typically IMO, the snare is the loudest "drum" on the kit. In a small room, it's the one thing that will naturally cut through due to shear acoustic volume. If anything at all on the kit (besides kick) is going to need any reinforcement, it's going to be the toms. The biggest downside of going with one overhead, the cymbals. I'm sure in a small room, that's the last thing you need more of.

 

 

 

Yeah, there are compromises in either arrangement, and the stage acoustics will play a part in whether you go with a close(er) mic near the snare/hat or go with an overhead. The irony is that so often either winds up sounding better than a fully mic'd kit!

[drummer_jay]

 

Yeah, there are compromises in either arrangement, and the stage acoustics will play a part in whether you go with a close(er) mic near the snare/hat or go with an overhead. The irony is that so often either winds up sounding better than a fully mic'd kit!

 

 

True that.

[1960LesPaul]

I've had good luck using one overhead in small rooms as long as I can use some form of LPF. If not possible, i've dialed back the high end with luck before.... All I know is, in a small room with limited PA the snare and cymbals are typically the loudest damn thing on stage... I don't like tom work and fills getting lost in the mix.. every time I decide to JUST mic the kick.. I'm pissed all night because every time the drummer will do a fill, it's like he stops playing for a few bars. This is why I love micing everything, even when I know there's a great chance I won't need certain things in the mix. It's more work for me, but it's pretty easy to engage Mr mute.

 

 

I like to mic everything too for that very reason but I play in a loud cover band in medium to large rooms so we actually have to mic everything or it doesn't get heard. I am using SM57 on the snare, a Beta 52 on the kick and the Cad 411's on the toms.

 

I bought the 52 used in A-one condition for 100. The Cads were in an aluminum case. 3 tom mics and kick mic that I do not use and all the mic clips for 100 bucks. For the money they sound great. You can find 57's for 50 or 60 dollars. So that is around 250 but if you can find just the tom mics without the kick it should lower your cost.

[boomerweps]

SM57's sound great on snare and as a general purpose mic, great on toms, too. BUT they do not like stick hits, they are NOT a rugged mic. The Audix i5 is their improved copy of a SM57. It has a machined cutaway grill guard that CAN take stick hits and works well on guitar cabs, too. Some say they are a little brighter than SM57s for toms but I use them on all my toms when micing the whole kit. The i5s cost about $10 more than an SM57, new or used. I sold off all but a couple of my SM57s when I got the i5s.

 

That said, I most often mic the kit with an Audix D6 in the kick and a single EWI C61 (I forget the new model number, same mic) overhead. The snare rarely needs individual reinforcement unless a large venue or outdoors. I cannot recommend the C61 condensors enough, great mics for the price.

 

I usually recommend getting a quality kick mic, the EWI61s for OH/hihats, and any inexpensive drum mic set with decent rim clips for toms for anyone starting out drum micing, unless budget isn't a corncern ;>) The Apex mics are even usable tom mics, as are the 2nd level CADs, or even the Nadys. Just use the so-called bass drum mic on the largest tom.

 

Boomerweps

[RoadRanger]

I cannot recommend the C61 condensors enough, great mics for the price.

Not that I've tried a lot but I've yet to hear a cheap pencil condenser that wasn't "good enough" . Not true of dynamics however .

I usually recommend getting a quality kick mic [...] and any inexpensive drum mic set with decent rim clips for toms [...] even the Nadys. Just use the so-called bass drum mic on the largest tom.

Yah, the Nady kick mic I have takes too much work to sound good. I plan on gettin' a D6 (or maybe PL33?) and moving the Nady kick to floor tom duty. The set I have has decent cheap condensers (see above) and the tom/snare mics are adequate but didn't come with rim clips. I have some of them heavy metal CAD DSM-1 clamps that take too much time to set .

[Coaster]

i have been very successful with using ONE NT1000 on an entire kit.

 

the drummer has to be good and play the kit evenly, I.E. not out of balance like a typical kid on their first kit.

 

i had best results placing the nt1000 somewhere in the area of the highest tom and top of the kick, about 12" away from the kit, this sounds very natural and picks up cymbals, kick, toms well. add a little low shelf and the kick and floor tom sit right up.

 

everyone i have ever showed this to has laughed and said i cant possibly right about this, then i showed them how it sounds. many now copy my trick.

 

i think an M179 might work well too, ive never tried it though. its not as wild of a mic as the nt1000.

[boomerweps]

Not true of dynamics however .Yah, the Nady kick mic I have takes too much work to sound good. I plan on gettin' a D6 (or maybe PL33?) and moving the Nady kick to floor tom duty. The set I have has decent cheap condensers (see above) and the tom/snare mics are adequate but didn't come with rim clips. I have some of them heavy metal CAD DSM-1 clamps that take too much time to set .

 

I lent a semi-local internet friend my AKG D12E to try in place of his drummer's Nady Kick mic. night and day difference. He had thought it was problem with his homebrew 15" subs.

 

Those heavy cast DSM1 CAD clamps are the worse design I've ever tried. I bought a few and sent them back. First, VERY heavy. 2nd, the design holds firmly by pressing against the shell while pulling outward on a single tension rod. NOT good for resonance and since it is an adjustable lever, I fear for the good of the drum shell and tension rod lug casing ;>( NOW throw in that many suspension tom mounts don't leave the space needed around the tension rods in the area you'd want the mic clamp to be to keep the mics out of harm's (and performance's) way. They plain suck.

 

weps

[RoadRanger]

They plain suck.

Yep - maybe I can sell 'em to one of them 2x15 JRX soundguys? They really LOOK kickarse .

[drummer_jay]

 

i have been very successful with using ONE NT1000 on an entire kit. the drummer has to be good and play the kit evenly, I.E. not out of balance like a typical kid on their first kit. i had best results placing the nt1000 somewhere in the area of the highest tom and top of the kick, about 12" away from the kit, this sounds very natural and picks up cymbals, kick, toms well. add a little low shelf and the kick and floor tom sit right up. everyone i have ever showed this to has laughed and said i cant possibly right about this, then i showed them how it sounds. many now copy my trick. i think an M179 might work well too, ive never tried it though. its not as wild of a mic as the nt1000.

 

 

That way does work pretty well... I got suckered into a craptastic battle of bands situation on a nice rig several years ago. Didn't have common drums and since it was "metal", every damn drummer wanted to use their own kit.. EDIT: Their own crappy kit!..

 

I was NOT about to go above and beyond on this low paying gig... I ended up using a AKG C1000 in that same spot as you along with a akg D112.. Worked out great and made my job way easier.

[RoadRanger]

TI ended up using a AKG C1000 in that same spot as you along with a akg D112.. Worked out great and made my job way easier.

You cheated - he used the one mic to pick up the kick too .

[monkeyland]

 

NOW throw in that many suspension tom mounts don't leave the space needed around the tension rods in the area you'd want the mic clamp to be to keep the mics out of harm's (and performance's) way. They plain suck. weps

 

 

 

i've been thinking about this a lot lately trying to find good clips and it's the same problem on almost all of them. i've got the EWI clips as well as some of the audix d-vices and they just wont work with drums that have R.I.M.S. mounts or any of the similar systems, which these days seems to be almost all decent drums.

 

the only ones that i've found that work are the cheap ones from guitar center with the spring clip and wing nut and those are not nearly adjustable enough.

 

what do you guys use? i've been eyeballing the shure clamps although right now i'm just considering ordering up a few more of the EWI short tripod mic stands and going that way just so that i don't have to worry about it.