I can't comment on the Tool record, but it is not an un-common practice-at least in LA-Rock recording circles, to record the drums with a PA, so as to do things like add Kick, or Kick,Snare, and Toms through it to excite the room more. Metallica's Black Album. recorded@ One on One (Now known as Extasy north-new owner) was recorded this way. That studio had/has, a pair of Misubishis drivers-huge single cones; I can't rememberb the demesions(at leat 18"). There were only six pairs of these speakers ever made. Yolu could literrally plug them into AC outlets and they'd sit there and reproduce 60hz quite nicely.
Anyway, on that record they'd bus the kick drums, first through a graphic equalizer, All frequencies off above 100hz and a roll off below 20hz. These two speakers were on either side of the drums facing out into the room. Just enough was sent to them so that the kick volume in the room was at least equal to the unaided snare.

So....you can send the kit, or parts out through a PA, to get a "bigger" sound...it's really cool, when it's appropriate

Originally posted by Ryan Powell:
hey guys... just wondering if anybody knows anything about the technique David Bottrill uses on Danny Carey's drums (Tool). I know most of the mic's he uses etc..no surprises there..?

share what you know... do you mean he uses the regular old 57s/421s/D112s? I like the Tool drum sound and am always interested in what mic choices engineers are using. do tell.

well..there's some pictures on www.toolband.com, can't find the article..but i read somewhere...u87s for top and bottom of toms, c12s for overheads...

not sure about kick..i've lately switched to double micing toms as well..421 on top, 57 on bottom..haven't tried 87s yet..little leary about drummers hitting em..
i also like the c12s..but i'm partial to 4050s in a blumlein on a budget..
and for kick, i don't know what he uses, but i've had great results with a d112 on the beater, a 421 on the whole..and a D30 on the front skin...

i'll post some mp3s soon...