Originally posted by littledog:
This softball is aimed at Recorderman, but naturally, i welcome any and all input:

On another board recently I noticed Harvey mentioning using a padded "tunnel" for mic'ing a kick drum from 4-6' away. I've heard of this before, of course, but haven't ever gotten around to trying it.

Any tips on construction (materials and dimensions) of such a device? On what sort of material have others found this to be a useful technique? Is this an obvious role for a 47FET type mic, or would something else be just as good or better?

I'm guessing it would be really useful on a double headed kick with no hole. Thanks to all in advance for other ideas and assistance. :w:

I personally don't do this anymore...although it was very popular in the eighties to mid-nineties in my neck of the woods...I just don't have a problem getting a kick sound.

Packing blankets were the simplest way. You can use something as simple as a chair ( probably have one around for musicians to sit on...on arm variety (although I can't see where that would matter...just what I'm used to using). Place the chair so that the small kick drum mic stands (you are using thoughs, right?) are underneath the chair. Back of the chair facing the kick drum. Now drape packing blanket(s) over the chair and use a strip of duck tape on a corner, or part, of the blanket so that it is "attached" to the top of the kick drum.
You should be able to get the mics where you wnt them with this scenario and help cut leakage into these mics.

I like leakage. So as I said I don't do this...but my tastes and bordom may bring me back around in the future.

Thanks Bear and R.M. for the helpful ideas. As I said, I've never tried it, but was thinking it might be interesting. Especially on those double headed kicks with no holes that come through the door every so often.

Originally posted by littledog:
Thanks Bear and R.M. for the helpful ideas. As I said, I've never tried it, but was thinking it might be interesting. Especially on those double headed kicks with no holes that come through the door every so often.

it's even benificial for kicks with holes...it lets you get a really punchy kick w/isolation...for lots of top end eq (the reason it was developed)

I used to keep a sawhorse around the studio to make a blanket tunnel. I would only do this to accomodate a client (I don't much care for multi mic set ups). I personaly like the sound of a D112 inside the kick through a small hole in the front head. It's important that the hole be at the 3 o'clock position as you look at the drum from the front. That way you can aim the mic away from the snare. Deadringers on both heads, no blankets inside the drum. It's important to get some resonance from the drum shell. If I want to mic the drum from outside I'll add a distance mic in front, adjusting the distance for phase until it all sounds solid. That's it... it seems to me that most kick drum tones on records from the mid 80's on have been unnatural in nature anyhow so I find this set up to work well most of the time. For jazz or somthing more traditional I would probably forego this in favor of placing a mic a foot or two in front of the kick drum,a couple of overheads and the snare. Fats

Littledog....

Whats up, my man?! ;)

heylow