Omni's are great for acoustic instruments and also if you just have 1 mic for overhead. 2 mics over the kit for OH in cardioid will give you a stereo field you would not have in omni. 8)

Thanks Maintiger, I definitly want to keep my stereo image rocking so that's a MAJOR factor. Thanks. ANyone else?

Recording with two onmis in AB will give you the most natural sound impression for acoustical drums. For Rock and Pop drums close micing is necessary and this is more easy to be done with cardiods. Try AKG C391 for over head.

I'm not sure how exactly you are going to position your mics... I assume that by saying 'spaced' you mean spaced pair (aka AB), if by saying 'the recorderman method' you mean that method with two drum sticks ([[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.recordin…"]here[/]="http://www.recordin…"]here[/])- I know nothing about it.

I would argue that when it comes to stereo micing techniques the first question is which method (Blumlein, NOS, ORTF, etc.) then each technique involves a different polar pattern. I also disagree with maintiger, cause my experience taught me that some omni-based stereo micing techniques (eg Blumlein) will give you better stereo field than cardiods.

With Omnis you need to remember that if you aren't using AB, things can get messy if the mics are not in the right distance from the kit (due to phase interaction between the front and back diaphragms); so I guess you'll have to do some research on that.

If you are using AB, then omni will usually give better results than cardiods, but all in all, you can always try both in the studio and decide which one you like the best...

For rock I would try out Blumlein (omnis), 110 degrees Cardiods or M&S, but then again - there are so many types of drum sounds in rock, maybe you can give one famous track with drum sound you like, and we can guess the OH technique...

Hi,

I thought Blumlein was crossed figure of 8s ??

If you can hire the mics first and try them out it'll take all the guess work out of it.

Cheers

Liam

Croessed figure of 8 : Thats MS

Sidhu

Sorry... Blumlein is based on Figure of 8 not omnis. (Late night mistake).