Kick Drum Mic Recommendations

[SoLiEn]

For me, there really is not contest, The Beta 91 is an amazing mic, and also, if you need at somepoint to pick up the low end on a grand piano, it works amazingly for that as well. such an incredibly microphone, and it doesnt break the bank either!!!

[mostlyharmless]

M88, RE20, B91

[misterbass]

I use a D6 at the mouth of the kick and a Beta 91 up close to the beater.

[Rob_Beech]

Straying OT a little from SoLiEn's post. Beta91 on piano low end is fantastic. Added to a pair of C414's makes the perfect combination for most pianos. (from the POV of both and engineer and a pianist)

[Trunker]

I know this topic is old now, but we always used a D112 on the kick in the studio until we discovered Sennheiser e602. The Kick drum now sounds as it should. The D112 I feel is too clicky, but, if you like that sound it's great, not really how the drum is meant to sound though.

[Matt Pengelly]

All of my tech riders for bands I have regular work as FOH with spec a B91 inside with a D6(pref) or B52 outside. Easily the best real-world solution (i.e. readily available on the whole; if only one mic of the two is available I can still get a very workable sound; most other engineers who might be sharing kit channels are happy to use this combo etc.) in my opinion.

 

HOWEVER

 

Seeing as we're chucking a few curve balls about, I recently got to play with a Beyer M99 leant to me by a visiting BE at my house gig...

 

The only way I can describe it is that it has the click of a B91, combined with the 'airyness' (his word, I was far more onomatopoeic in my attempts at explaining what I was trying to put my finger on!) of an RE20 and the gutsy low end of a D6. And all this with no more than maybe +/-3dB anywhere on the channel EQ, wheras I'd generally expect to be putting anything up to 7/8dB of boost in around 80, 7k and 12k with the obligatory huge chop in the 250-450 region on any other single mic solution.

 

Even more impressive considering that the drum in question really wasn't anything hugely special sonically when played acoustically.

 

All in all, a right little tinker of a mic. If you ever get the chance, I urge you to try it!

 

http://www.cunnings.co.uk/graphics/microphones/m99.jpg

[Rob_Beech]

Beyer have always been there in the background, with special things that simply just work, but they rarely get a mention for many applications, it's a shame really, they do make some damn good mics. I've never used the mic above, and never knowingly heard it used but I am not surprised by it's review.

[Matt Pengelly]

Aye, I've long been a fan of the good old 201 on snare, but as I say this was a new one on me. Quick read seems it's mainly designed for broadcast applications which would explain the RE20-like quality of it. Something a bit different is always nice!

[TimmyP1955]

Last night I finally got around to pulling the Audix D6 and trying my Heil PR40 on kick. Wow.

 

I need to borrow an E901 and compare them.

[Killyp]

I know the D112 must be a good mic as so many people like the sound it makes, but I just find it to sound like a little puff of air with no real tone, and (contrary to other comments in this thread) no real 'mix-cutting' bite. Even though I've tried it with all different kinds of music/kick drum sizes/micing positions, it just never does what I want. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong :D

 

On the occasions I've used the Beta 52, I've found it to be great when it comes to getting plenty of low-end clout, and a good amount of 'click', and I've never had to apply any real EQing to get it cutting through busy mixes.

 

However, after having solod multitrack recordings I did recently of the Beta 52 used in a live performance, I found it to sound really unnatural, almost like it was clipping (even though it wasn't, and was going through Midas H1000 pres/recorded pre-EQ). I guess what works in a live situation doesn't necessarily work in a recording/studio-mix situation. I still always use a LDC ~1-foot from the kick for recording, but that's going way OT.

[H..]

M99 a rare but good choice would spec one often but nobody seems to have them :-(

D6, D12, B52, B91, E602, M88 all work and I will use all of them depending on what style of sound is required, alot of times bad positioning / badly tunned drum / badly tunned PA is blamed on the mic - go listen to the source first!

[Chris Adam]

However, after having solod multitrack recordings I did recently of the Beta 52 used in a live performance, I found it to sound really unnatural, almost like it was clipping (even though it wasn't, and was going through Midas H1000 pres/recorded pre-EQ). I guess what works in a live situation doesn't necessarily work in a recording/studio-mix situation. I still always use a LDC ~1-foot from the kick for recording, but that's going way OT.

 

 

I don't think that is going way off topic and I'm always interested in trying new mics. I've never had issues with the 52/91 combo, but nearly all of the studio guys I know wouldn't consider it. It's always nice to get someone elses perspective on things.

 

I'll also add a +1 for the Audix D6 while I'm here. I've recently changed any rider of mine to audix mics as first choice. I'll be happy with anything I get, but the audix vocal mics are the closest thing to natural vocals I've heard, without going down the neuman route. I believe you get a lot more mic for your money that you do with Shure. (but it's just personal taste isn't it)

[minty]

For general rocky sort of sound I tend to go with e602 out and b91 in.

 

M

[ian hatch]

Sennheiser 901 inside, sounds great and I don't even need another mic on the outside, also no stand to woorry about.

[Bobbsy]

A few random thoughts on this:

 

First off, for all the different mic recommendation I bet there is a much variety in our ideas of how the drums SHOULD sound. Unlike most instruments or vocals (where we're trying to make something sound natural but louder), with drums we're trying for some sort of idealised concept--usually gleaned from studio recordings--of what a drum kit SHOULD sound like. This often has very little resemblance to what you'd get it you sat 20 feet away from an unamplified drum kit. This is probably why there's so much variety in our preferences in microphones.

 

Second, though we've all been chiming in with our favourite mics, it's always worth remembering that the position and pointing of the mic(s) can make as much or more difference at the choice of microphone. If you've never done this, may I recommend a great five minute education in drum miking: just get down on your hands and knees and crawl around the kit while the drummer is playing (you may want ear plugs if he's a loud one!). You'll be amazed how much difference a move of just a few inches can make but, once you've found your favourite "sweet spot" (or two), putting a mic there is what's known techically as a "good thing". Frankly, finding the right spot is probably even more important than the absolute choice of mic! The trouble is, no two kits and drummers give you the same sweet spot so be prepared for a lot of crawling...and a lot of funny looks.

 

Third though, you can't make a kit sound like something it's not. If a kit is thumpy and wet, all the mic technique in the world isn't going to make it sound like a perfectly tuned DW kit.

 

Bob