Drum Kit Overheads

[StevieR]

We often use a pair of Shure KSM27's for overheads. These are not multi-pattern like the 414's but, being large diaphragm, give a lovely sound reproduction. Round about £500 for a pair so may still be a bit over your budget.

 

We also use these for choirs, percussion and even live on guitar cabs with great results. Worth a look.

 

Steve

[Bobbsy]

Just a thought...

 

My first choice would still be a small diaphram condensor like the SE (or, if you can afford them, AKG451s) but if you're set on a large diaphram mic, a couple of years back I was given two MXL990s mics for overheads and they didn't sound half bad. They're basically a 990 but with a 10dB pad switch and a 150kHz high pass filter, both of which were useful for miking drums. Cheap as chips as I recall--something like £70 each.

 

Bob

[WAL]

If the budget it tight (or you are after simplicity) why not buy one decent overhead (you can buy another later).

 

I've played some really big venues with just bass drum, snare and overhead. It all fell together better with a mic on the hats, but live there is so much spill that the less mics you have on stage the lower the risk of feedback. The advantage of this set up is that it is really quick and easy.

 

Depending upon the size of the kit, the cymbal sounds can be a bit lopsided if you don't position the overhead right, but we got some really great sounds using this set up. I also know that it is a set up favoured by a number of producers for studio recordings as well - I guess it was a reaction against that 80's drum sound where every drum had a mic, and every mic was tightly gated. This ignored the fact that the rattles from the kit actually contributes something to the sound of the kit.

 

Regards

 

WAL

[ruibr]

Hi,

 

I'm new to this forum but I couldn't help lending you, not my advice, but what is my experience.

In my company we've been using the Beyerdynamic Stereo Set Kit of MCE530 microphones very succesfully on drum overheads.

But I don't know the price for them in your country,

They do perform really well, and you save one mic boom because the kit includes the k&m stereo set accessories. It also has good feedback rejection wich is helpfull for live applications.

 

But the best thing is allways to go for the best sounding mic you can afford, which isn't really an advice just common sense :)

 

Good luck.

 

Rui

[jim b]

a 150kHz high pass filter

 

Isn't that otherwise known as a mute switch :) </pedant>

[cedd]

.........we've been using the Beyerdynamic Stereo Set Kit of MCE530 microphones very succesfully on drum overheads.

But I don't know the price for them in your country,

They do perform really well, and you save one mic boom because the kit includes the k&m stereo set accessories. It also has good feedback rejection wich is helpfull for live applications.

 

They are available from Thomann and studiospares, though I believe that the Thomann one is the only one with the nifty stereo clip (i.e. not a stereo bar, but a combined 2 mic clip).

Have you used them for anything else? I was looking at getting a pair but they need to multitask - stage float mics, some low end ambient recording and perhaps close micing of strings and woodwind, as well as drum overheads.

 

Any thoughts?

[alex_kyuss]

I've used a pair of Behringer C 2's and there very good and very cheap I would say there worth buying a pair anyway good on hi hats and rides

[Killyp]

Actually I'd second the Behringer C 2s. I can't believe how little they cost, and they perform like a 'proper' pair of mics. I'd use them over something like C1000s any day, although the noise shelf is quite high, but that's never been an issue when it comes to drums.

 

They're obviously no way in the same class as something like the C414, but they're not like most other budget mics (which are basically unusable for most applications), but they punch way above their price. Worth getting as a 'spare' pair of mics anyways...

[smalljoshua]

Another Vote for the C2s I have 8 and the Am-Dram group I do lighting for have another 6. I can't fault them and the fact that they are good for most things you can chuck at them is great.

 

Josh

[Pete Alcock]

My personal favourite for overheads is the Oktava MK012. They're Russian made, and can be bought as a matched pair for £130 each. Many reviews say they're all but indistinguishable from KM84/KM184. I've just found them so detailed and open - you can hear the differences between different types of crash, rather than just getting a big splashy mush. Work brilliantly on acoustic guitar choirs, orchestral strings etc too. I have five now and they're among my most cherished mics.

 

My 2p worth for kick - Audix D6. Usually very little eq required. Fat sound, perfect!

 

Pete.

[ruibr]

.........we've been using the Beyerdynamic Stereo Set Kit of MCE530 microphones very succesfully on drum overheads.

But I don't know the price for them in your country,

They do perform really well, and you save one mic boom because the kit includes the k&m stereo set accessories. It also has good feedback rejection wich is helpfull for live applications.

 

They are available from Thomann and studiospares, though I believe that the Thomann one is the only one with the nifty stereo clip (i.e. not a stereo bar, but a combined 2 mic clip).

Have you used them for anything else? I was looking at getting a pair but they need to multitask - stage float mics, some low end ambient recording and perhaps close micing of strings and woodwind, as well as drum overheads.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Hi,

 

Other uses include micing acustic guitars (the portuguese Fado guitar and spanish Flamenco guitar), flutes, violins and we've used it once as a pair for the micing of an orchestra. They were setup behind the conductor at ear height. Worked just fine. They also have the MCE930 stereo kit but those are way more sensitive. Great for recordings but a real pain in live conditions. We've used it once to mic a flute performer who has the habit of waving the thing all over and the result was great in terms of capture,but it was murder on the monitor eq setting for his position!!

[Bobbsy]

a 150kHz high pass filter

 

Isn't that otherwise known as a mute switch :) </pedant>

 

Er, no. A high-pass filter is a filter that passes high frequencies well, but attenuates (reduces the amplitude of) frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency. The actual amount of attenuation for each frequency varies from filter to filter. It is sometimes called a "low-cut filter" and that's what you may be thinking of.

 

Ooops...just noticed the stray "k" that must have dropped off my 'angaroo and into my post. Funny how one letter can change everything--I plead the time difference which gives me permanent jet lag if I try to be up and about to talk to people in the UK!

 

Bob

[i_hate_fisicks]

My personal favourite for overheads is the Oktava MK012. They're Russian made, and can be bought as a matched pair for £130 each. Many reviews say they're all but indistinguishable from KM84/KM184. I've just found them so detailed and open - you can hear the differences between different types of crash, rather than just getting a big splashy mush. Work brilliantly on acoustic guitar choirs, orchestral strings etc too. I have five now and they're among my most cherished mics.

 

We have a lot of these at work, and they do work well on overheads, but I hate them for hi-hat. I definitely wouldn't consider them to be in the same league as KM184s though.

[Livenoise]

Thank you all for your many suggestions, they've been most helpful.

However I'm now in a new dilemma. Large or small diaphragm? Particularly in the area of drum overheads.

Having quickly read through a few notes on the differences/pros and cons for each, I am still none the wiser.

The mic would have to be multi-purpose at the end of the day, not just for overheads.

[Bobbsy]

Hmmm...probably depends a bit on the range of other duties you want the mics to do and also whether or not you already have at least one, preferably two LDCs.

 

For me, one or two LDCs are enough with SDCs being more useful as "utility" mics. I use the small mics on quite a few instruments (strings, brass, woodwind, in a piano) and also as a coincident pair for a lot of stereo recording. Put it this way, ignoring dynamics, my mic kit has 2-3 times as many small diaphram as large.

 

Bob