forgot to add i already own a Shure SM58

Get yourself an audix DP5a......I dont know what these gems go for in the UK, but they are the mics you want.

The 58 goes on the snare. A kick mic of some quality goes on the kick. A stereo pair of overheads goes on the ..........errr.... overheads. Tune the kit . Tune it so that no drum excites another one into sympathetic overtones. NO snare rattle while other things are being hit. Cymbals decay at a rate that allows all the other instruments in the mix to hold their ground. In short....create an environment for the drums that allows space for everything else and tightens the sound of the drums to point that everything done on them is important to the sound.

Mics and quality of gear will follow this lead. You'll find you dont really need that much to accomplish the task at hand.

You can also use the SM58 for a kick mic since it produces good signal down to 40hz. I've used it as such many times.

Some inexpensive small diaphram condender mics that work well as overheads would be EV RE200, and Crown CM700. For a little more cash you can move up to the Oktava 012.

tifftunes wrote: You can also use the SM58 for a kick mic since it produces good signal down to 40hz.

You can use one with good results, sure. But if it even picks up source material at 40 Hz (and Shure's specs say it doesn't) I wouldn't call it "good signal."

i've used a 57 on a bass cab once. it's not the same as a 58 on kick.

it was for a live sound gig though.

thanks guys

I actually USE the chinese chipo TSM MT87 big diagraph condensers as overheads. live and in studio. They are about 80-100Euro i think.

For a bit higher quality i fancy the Audio-Technica 3031 on Overhead, hi-hats and vocals.

I bought a pair of AT3031's recently, waiting to try them for overheads, but I've been using AT3035's for OH in a 4 mic setup. They have a slight bump around 200-300Hz that makes for nice big tom sounds, also reinforces the snare. I come in over the drummer's shoulders to get a good balance between drums and cymbals.

The best kick mic I recommend is the Audix D6. Search the net for some reviews, you'll hear nothing but praise. It usually rates 5/5 on most retail stores online. It's a great kick mic that barely needs any EQing. I'm using an SM57 for the top of my snare, layed off using a bottom mic just for the sound I'm trying to achieve (still picks up some snares though, I guess it helps to buy new ones after all). I'm using two Samson C01 large condensor mics for overheads, they sound good enough, could sound a little warmer but they capture the high end really well which is what I really use my overheads for, cymbal capturing. I'm in the process of figuring out which tom mics work well, I sure would NOT recommend the tom mics from Samson, terrible :(

I LOVE the 3031.. Personal favorite. I've used it for everything except bass and kick drum :P
People say its bright. I disagree.

Sell the tube pac and buy a D112 ;->