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What is the best way to mic congas live?


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Djembe is really a different animal. My daughter plays one...she has done both top and bottom, bottom alone, and top alone, depending on the size of the room, composition (competition from) of the band, sound equipment available (usually no compression available where she plays). She will say that she prefers the top mounted one if she can only get one mike, and that too close is really bad on the bottom one. One sound guy wanted the mike up inside the drum because it was a condensor test mike...really bad idea! Didn't take long to change that one. She prefers dynamic shure 58 types.

 

God bless!

 

-Ron

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Originally posted by congaron

Djembe is really a different animal. My daughter plays one...she has done both top and bottom, bottom alone, and top alone, depending on the size of the room, composition (competition from) of the band, sound equipment available (usually no compression available where she plays). She will say that she prefers the top mounted one if she can only get one mike, and that too close is really bad on the bottom one. One sound guy wanted the mike up inside the drum because it was a condensor test mike...really bad idea! Didn't take long to change that one. She prefers dynamic shure 58 types.


God bless!


-Ron

 

 

yeah i was really afraid of wind noise with a 57, i put it just outside the bottom rim maybe 6 inches away pointed in.

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Yeah, they really move some air! When she plays the little one (10-11 inch head) it thuds the downstairs of the church from up in the sanctuary. The 14 inch one really thunders when she wants it to. I play the small one occasionally because I prefer the familiar head diameter..helps me adjust to the thin skin. It's pretty amazing how they boom.

 

God bless!

 

-Ron

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One more thing and I'll shut-up (bored old guy here). I have also miked in the studio with a single ovehead studio condensor mike actually hanging high enough to not catch my heavy breathing. Many ways to skin this cat...hope that helps.

 

God bless!

 

-Ron

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Has anyone used the Audix D series mics for congas and djembe?

 

These are marketed specifically for drums/percussion -- the Audix D2 for close-micing the conga heads and Audix D4 for close-micing the djembe head.

 

To pick up the bottom end, someone suggested another D4 or possibly a D6 kick drum mic at the sound hole of the tumba and the djembe.

 

I'm looking at buying these soon -- if anyone has tried them out, please tell us about your setup and results. Thanks!

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Originally posted by Senor Tuco

Has anyone used the Audix D series mics for congas and djembe?


These are marketed specifically for drums/percussion -- the Audix D2 for close-micing the conga heads and Audix D4 for close-micing the djembe head.


To pick up the bottom end, someone suggested another D4 or possibly a D6 kick drum mic at the sound hole of the tumba and the djembe.


I'm looking at buying these soon -- if anyone has tried them out, please tell us about your setup and results. Thanks!

 

Yes! Yes I have used the exact combination you talk of and what's been suggested. The D6 kicks it better than the D4, but the D4 has a nice tight sound.

 

That's my opinion, of-course.

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So you used the D6 instead of the D4 at the sound holes of both tumba and djembe? What was that like? I don't want to go overboard on the "boom", but I do like a well-defined bass sound. Do you think the D6 is a better choice?

 

Saw a guy last night use his quinto as his lead drum and his djembe as his bass and I have to say it worked really well. He also combined a small cymbal with some deep bass off the djembe and that was awesome. Very lush and exotic.

 

The bigger scheme for me is to add a small-diaphram condensor mic to pick up cymbals / bells / tree chimes. But for now, I'll try the basic Audix setup.

 

What's your overall impression of the close-miced Audix sound?

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