Two Mics on the Bass Drum Pedal?

[Chienmortbb]

A silly title, but it has got you reading.

 

My real question is how do you mic up drums for both FoH and recording? I know some "pubnclub" bands just mic up the bass/kick drum, while the mic manufacturers want you to buy more mics than the BBC. The famous Glynn Johns method uses three mics for the whole kit, and he has produced everyone up until the 1980s when music died (joke). So whatdo you do?

[EliasMooseblaster]

For recording, I do a variant on Glyn Johns - one on the kick, two overheads, and then an extra one on the snare (I play traditional grip, and I'm no shed builder).

 

For FoH...where are you playing? Pub or small club, even the kick drum sometimes feels unnecessary! Hammersmith Apollo, you might need a little more PA support.

 

(PS apologies if you already have your mics, but I did a video on budget mics for a Glyn Johns-style setup, if it's at all useful: https://youtu.be/mJuHERnZTRE)

 

Edited February 22, 2024 by EliasMooseblaster

[Chienmortbb]

31 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

For recording, I do a variant on Glyn Johns - one on the kick, two overheads, and then an extra one on the snare (I play traditional grip, and I'm no shed builder).

 

For FoH...where are you playing? Pub or small club, even the kick drum sometimes feels unnecessary! Hammersmith Apollo, you might need a little more PA support.

 

(PS apologies if you already have your mics, but I did a video on budget mics for a Glyn Johns-style setup, if it's at all useful: https://youtu.be/mJuHERnZTRE)

 

The drummer in my band has a Gear4Music drum mic set, and I suspect that the mics are of similar quality to those you bought.  The drum sound on your recording sound good on my over ear headphones.

[pete.young]

34 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

 

 

For FoH...where are you playing? Pub or small club, even the kick drum sometimes feels unnecessary! Hammersmith Apollo, you might need a little more PA support.

 

 

 

Sometimes you need to do this if you go for in-ear monitors - good ear buds will block out most of the drums.

[JPJ]

Recording, I’ll mic both sides of the bass drum, one for thwack (suitably gated) and one for boom. 
Live, it’s one in the hole (ooh er missus).

Whether I mic the whole kit live depends on the drummer, the venue, and how well attended. Lots of bodies in a long narrow venue and a light to moderate hitting drummer and I’ll close mic the lot to try to get them to project. I’d rather have control than not. 

[EliasMooseblaster]

On 22/02/2024 at 11:10, pete.young said:

Sometimes you need to do this if you go for in-ear monitors - good ear buds will block out most of the drums.

Good point - I hadn't considered the IEM angle!

[JPJ]

Our drummer is a recent convert to wired IEMs. His comment after his first gig using them “that’s the first time I’ve heard my bass drum in years” 😎

[Dan Dare]

19 hours ago, JPJ said:

Whether I mic the whole kit live depends on the drummer, the venue, and how well attended. Lots of bodies in a long narrow venue and a light to moderate hitting drummer and I’ll close mic the lot to try to get them to project. I’d rather have control than not. 

 

This. It's completely venue and drummer dependant. I like to try to get away with kick, snare/hat and one, possibly two overheads, but it doesn't always work. In a confined space, you can have issues with spill from drums down vocal and instrument mic's, which is a whole other can of worms.

[Happy Jack]

Cheap condenser (designed for the kick) inside the kick, then two general purpose cheap condensers for the kit - one on a low mic-stand with the mic between the snare and the hi-hat, one on a normal mic stand above the toms and ride.

 

I own some very nice condensers (and a couple of ribbons) but I prefer to use cheap mics for the kit, especially at live gigs. Unless you're re-recording Dark Side Of The Moon ain't no one ever going to hear the difference.

 

Basically I use the Glyn Johns method. Not only does it work very well and can be set up in minutes at any venue, but it also attracts compliments from the inevitable know-alls in the audience. 🙄

 

I've seen bands close-mic the kit for a pub gig using all seven mics in the box; I have absolutely no idea why they think it worth the effort but it's their gig.

 

The Glyn Johns method is also nicely unobtrusive. Here it is in action last Saturday:

 

 

 

[Happy Jack]

Tonight's venue (The Fiery Bird, Woking) with a full-on Pro sound system & engineer.

 

He's using the Glyn Johns method PLUS a couple of close-mics on the toms. 

 

I'll see how it sounds when I check the recordings tomorrow. 

[TheRev]

For our own gigs I'll put close mics on the snare, rack tom and floor tom, plus a mic in front of the kick.  I quite like an overhead, but last guitarist was too loud to use that without significant bleed. Now he's gone, I might give it another go.

 

When I do sound for festival stages it'll be two overhead condensers, snare top and bottom, kick inside & kick outside and rim mount/close mics on the toms.