Alright. this saturday will be the first time recording a kick without a hole in the front head. It's a custom DW kit with beautiful new heads with a fantastic drummer hitting them.
The sound they are going for is along the lines of the Mars Volta but heavier. He doesn't want to cut a hole in the front head, and he doesn't want to remove the head either.
So...I'm obviously going to be Micing the beater side and the front of the kick. I'm not sure what mics I want to start with as we won't have much time to experiment. Here is a short list...can someone give me a few ideas on mic choices and technique?
SM7b
D112
Beta52
Beta91
SM57
KSM44
E609
Any thoughts? He also has triggers, but only wants to trigger as a last resort or to layer behind he kit when we are mixing.
Anyone get a solid "rock" kick sound from this approach?
Comments
I'd say use the 57 for the beater side, simply because it's smal
I'd say use the 57 for the beater side, simply because it's small and can get in where it needs to be.
Try making a tunnel with blankets and mic stands for the front of the kick, and try your different mics about 3 feet away inside the tunnel. This will help isolate the kick some, and give the low end room to develop. If you have another kick drum shell around, you can use this to help make the tunnel too.
Haven't you ever watched Conan O'Brien with Max Weinberg?? I re
Haven't you ever watched Conan O'Brien with Max Weinberg?? I recorded Max Weinberg years ago! He has a Beyer M88 in front of his bass drum without a hole. Does that sound bad to you?? Of course not! Try that! You'll be happy you did.
Girl with a hole!
Ms. Remy Ann David
i record my own kick without a hole. large diaphragm dynamic on
i record my own kick without a hole. large diaphragm dynamic on the beater side (i use a heil pr40, used to use the beta52) - straight on almost at edge less than an inch away = plenty of attack but not too harsh, bit of tone OR little farther away pointed at beater = more trad "pah" sound.
then a large diaphagm condenser (pad engaged and phase flipped) close at the resonant edge for rumble, or farther out and more centred for less tone and more low end.
24" kick, powerstroke batter, evans eq1 res. no muffling.
with your mics id pick the sm7 beater and the ksm res side.
bonhams drum tech used a 421 beater side and an re20 res side.
if his heads resonate too much putting something against the outside front head will tighten it all up... but i like some rumble. don't tune the kick too low.
Our drummer doesn't have a hole--he's using a nice jazz kit for
Our drummer doesn't have a hole--he's using a nice jazz kit for some weirdo rock projects. I'll try to find out what mic he used on our last wierdo-rock recording, but here's the drum sound anyway:
http://www.myspace.com/shinyville
The "Fat Camp" and "Let's Get Gone" tracks are all acoustic drums with that particular kick. The other tunes have moments of that kick mixed with some electronic percussion stuff.
**edit: well, he doesn't remember what it was. Rats.
Does he have any thing inside the kick..like a pillow. I think
Does he have any thing inside the kick..like a pillow. I think its better for him not to have any or little dampening when they dont have a hole.
(any drummer not willing to put a hole in there head or remove it sounds like a pain in the ass to me, IMO)
Dont put the front head mic to close. and you'll probably have to cover the kick with a blanket.
the outside front head mic, try what eve mic sounds best in the right location...it will be pain but every drum is different and you got lots of mic choices to get a better sound.