The DijonStock Digital Home Recording Support Forum

CAPTURE EVERY DETAIL WITH JUST 3 SM57'S!

Have you ever wished for an easier way to clearly record your drums? I know I have, but for years I'd never been quite satisfied with different methods, including close-miking and the recorderman method. So, I set out to develop my own, using as few mics as possible for simplicity. This will show you my cutting-edge new drum micing technique.

Other micing techniques involve complicated room acoustic calculations and complex mic placement to achieve a desirable sound. However, my new "Direct Impact Method" places the mike as close as possible to the source at the time of stick impact for maximum clarity and punch.

The best part? All this can be done with only 3 Shure SM57's and a LOT of duct tape! And now, I'm going to show you how to achieve these amazing results in a simple 3-step process. Are you ready? Then let's go!

First, have the drummer find the biggest, burliest, most lumberjack-resembling pair of drumsticks he or she can. However, the drummer needs to be comfortable playing with these sticks for long periods of time as they will be rather heavy in the final configuration.

Next, using extremely copious amounts of duct tape (preferably brightly colored), tape an SM57 to each drumstick so that the windscreen end of the microphone is level with the tip of the drumstick. This is very important for getting as ABSOLUTELY CLOSE to the source as you can. Tape the mic cables up the drummer's arms and over their shoulders, making sure you use as much duct tape as humanly possible, especially if they have hairy arms. Run these two cables to a premium preamp, as they will consist of 2/3 of the drum's sound, and you won't want to miss out on a thing.





At this point, you're 2/3 of the way through your tutorial! Keep going, you're almost done!

Last, take your one remaining SM57 and tape it to the beater of the kick pedal. Make sure the windscreen end of the mic is lined up with the end of the beater and that it is directly facing the beater head of the kick drum. This may require large amounts of tape. If using a double kick pedal, use another SM57 on the other beater, set up the same way. Run this into whatever preamp you desire. This will capture the exact sound of the beater impacting the head, with no EQ or compression needed!



You are now completely set up with the Direct Impact Method of drum micing. Good luck, and feel free to discuss your results!

(DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for the mics getting hit on the drums, or the drummer getting frustrated and simply playing the drums with the mics. But I understand: after all, you did pay $100 for each one of them, but don't worry: My license agreement with Shure allows me to tell you that each of these mics has been certified as Class-A Military Grade Nukeproof Indestructible by a thorough examination at a top-secret testing facility under the Arizona desert.)
__________________



this was posted on another site I read...thought I'd share it with y'all...

_________________
"Arpeggios are like women...'cept you can't tie one up and put it in your trunk..."

Why?

Oh, drummers...

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

I tried it this morning. It's works great . . . even on my e drums. Brilliant.

_________________
GSMUSIC: Hey RZ, Im not no upper class american, the gear I own is what I have special to me. My car sucks, my house sucks, my nieghborhood sucks. Does yours RZ? Does it?

rz-land

As our drummer only uses one hand I can do this revolutionar method of recording 40 % cheaper than you ..

_________________
Blues aint nothing but the blues!

That would be 33,33 % ...

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

Ok, seems I need to have some lessons from you ...

_________________
Blues aint nothing but the blues!

Can't push any math crap past this guy.

_________________
THE MUSIC IS DOWN IN HERE
____________________________________________________

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Oh no sir.

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

well it's better than the piano miking tutorial that needed 10 mics...

_________________
Wanted to buy: one Right Word Clock, in good condition.

... or 200 pickups, one for each string...

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

I just tried it yesterday with my bass guitar. I only used one mic, but I couldn't lift my index finger.

_________________
GSMUSIC: Hey RZ, Im not no upper class american, the gear I own is what I have special to me. My car sucks, my house sucks, my nieghborhood sucks. Does yours RZ? Does it?

rz-land

I tried my triangle this way.

Can anybody explain why this "sample pad, sample pad" kept ringing in the back of my head...

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

Will try to record a leslie with only one mic. Is this possible to do? Running around the cab with the rotating speaker with the mic in hand could be a solution

BTW: I really appreciate the seriosity of some threads her

_________________
Blues aint nothing but the blues!

I want to record a shotgun. Can I tie an sm57 to the bullet?

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

Yes, tie one end of the mic to the bullet and one end to your finger.

_________________
GSMUSIC: Hey RZ, Im not no upper class american, the gear I own is what I have special to me. My car sucks, my house sucks, my nieghborhood sucks. Does yours RZ? Does it?

rz-land

I think that would hurt.

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

Yeah but think about the sound quality.

_________________
GSMUSIC: Hey RZ, Im not no upper class american, the gear I own is what I have special to me. My car sucks, my house sucks, my nieghborhood sucks. Does yours RZ? Does it?

rz-land

Think of all the bleeding in the mic.

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating

Ooh I'll bet that would sound nice.

_________________
GSMUSIC: Hey RZ, Im not no upper class american, the gear I own is what I have special to me. My car sucks, my house sucks, my nieghborhood sucks. Does yours RZ? Does it?

rz-land

Talking about recording wet...

_________________

---

Don't judge the coffee by its cup.
The proof of the cheese is in the eating