Hi everybody...well I'm not a cocktail drum owner yet! Thanks Yamaha, I don't mind waiting 6 months + for a Club Jordan. I do need to get mics w/ the cocktail set up in mind. Will be for clubs mainly. What are people using, where are you putting the mics? My big question is do you use a bass mic on the bottom of the drum or another type? I'll be using the separate snare mainly and have a condenser on that. Thanks!
BT
Mic placement/types for live setup
On my setup live I use an AKG D112 on the kick, SM 57 on the snare and Senn e604's on my toms. I mic each drum. It's really up to what each band I play with requires. I play the the cocktail at smaller gigs but it's made several appearance at bigger ones. As long as the Tech or band has enough channels you can do what you want.
Dinkus
Dinkus
Cocktail Mics
Hey Brian,
There are so many good mic options out there it is probably best for you to decide first how much you want to spend, how much you want to lug around, and what type of venues you will be playing.
Most decent clubs with their own sound system will have enough mics for you already. The nice thing with a cocktail kit is even if they only have a kick mic and an overhead mic, you'll still get a tighter, more focused sound than on a regular kit that is spread out too far for a single mic to pick up well!
If the club does not have enough mics (but somehow has available channels!) then you had better see if the board has phantom power. If not then you will not be able to use any condeser mics (they must have phantom to work). Most modern mixers have phantom power but every once in a while you'll hit that club with the 'vintage' mixer and you're screwed.
Also consider the amount of extra gear you want to carry. Several mics have rim clips built in and are amazingly small. If you use a mic without a clip you will need an LP claw or something similar. These add quickly to the weight and bulk of your hardware.
The cost / function factor is really worth determining. I would hate to see you go out and spend $500+ on mics and then fiind out that you didn't need them. Find out what kind of systems the clubs you play at have, how many drum mics/channels they have, and if their mixer has phantom power.
With all of that said here are some of my favorites!
Dynamic Mics (no phantom power required)
AKG D112 - a classic great sounding kick mic, bulky, requires mount
ATM25 - a great sounding (RE20) compact kick mic, requires mount
Sure SM57 - the ultimate classic! Maybe not as refined but sounds great on everything, requires mount
Sennheiser E604 - great sounding drum mic, built-in rim clip
Condenser Mics (phantom power required)
ATM35 - condenser clip on instrument mic with mini gooseneck, very compact
C1000 - long condenser, very natural overhead mic, bulky, requires mount
Oktava MC012 - inexpensive small condeser, good for overhead, more edgey sound, compact, requires mount
I would say I have mostly used a compromise (most venues I play have decent sound systems and mics) just as a backup: one LP mic claw + ATM25 for the kick, a couple of ATM35s to close mic the snare and anything else I need to close mic.
If you want to mic everything then you can't go wrong with a setup like Dinkus has. You can get a 3 pack of E604s for $300, an SM57 for under $100, a D112 or ATM25 for $200. You will only need 2 LP Mic Claws (since the E604s have clips built in). This setup is also nice since the mics are all dynamics (more durable and no phantom requirements)
Depending on the type of music and clubs you play, you may also want an overhead (1 should do the trick because of the small cocktail spread) and a stand.
Hmmmm.... sounds like I should add mics to the Cocktail Drum Shop!
Hope this is helpfull!
John
There are so many good mic options out there it is probably best for you to decide first how much you want to spend, how much you want to lug around, and what type of venues you will be playing.
Most decent clubs with their own sound system will have enough mics for you already. The nice thing with a cocktail kit is even if they only have a kick mic and an overhead mic, you'll still get a tighter, more focused sound than on a regular kit that is spread out too far for a single mic to pick up well!
If the club does not have enough mics (but somehow has available channels!) then you had better see if the board has phantom power. If not then you will not be able to use any condeser mics (they must have phantom to work). Most modern mixers have phantom power but every once in a while you'll hit that club with the 'vintage' mixer and you're screwed.
Also consider the amount of extra gear you want to carry. Several mics have rim clips built in and are amazingly small. If you use a mic without a clip you will need an LP claw or something similar. These add quickly to the weight and bulk of your hardware.
The cost / function factor is really worth determining. I would hate to see you go out and spend $500+ on mics and then fiind out that you didn't need them. Find out what kind of systems the clubs you play at have, how many drum mics/channels they have, and if their mixer has phantom power.
With all of that said here are some of my favorites!
Dynamic Mics (no phantom power required)
AKG D112 - a classic great sounding kick mic, bulky, requires mount
ATM25 - a great sounding (RE20) compact kick mic, requires mount
Sure SM57 - the ultimate classic! Maybe not as refined but sounds great on everything, requires mount
Sennheiser E604 - great sounding drum mic, built-in rim clip
Condenser Mics (phantom power required)
ATM35 - condenser clip on instrument mic with mini gooseneck, very compact
C1000 - long condenser, very natural overhead mic, bulky, requires mount
Oktava MC012 - inexpensive small condeser, good for overhead, more edgey sound, compact, requires mount
I would say I have mostly used a compromise (most venues I play have decent sound systems and mics) just as a backup: one LP mic claw + ATM25 for the kick, a couple of ATM35s to close mic the snare and anything else I need to close mic.
If you want to mic everything then you can't go wrong with a setup like Dinkus has. You can get a 3 pack of E604s for $300, an SM57 for under $100, a D112 or ATM25 for $200. You will only need 2 LP Mic Claws (since the E604s have clips built in). This setup is also nice since the mics are all dynamics (more durable and no phantom requirements)
Depending on the type of music and clubs you play, you may also want an overhead (1 should do the trick because of the small cocktail spread) and a stand.
Hmmmm.... sounds like I should add mics to the Cocktail Drum Shop!
Hope this is helpfull!
John
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SJB05
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Guest
In a pinch, I can get away with two mics. On my floor tom/bass drum, I use a bass drum mic, and attach it to the top head of the floor tom. My thinking was, that if this was a bass drum only, The floor tom head would be the front head of the bass drum; which is where I would point the mic anyway.
Then I take a sm-57 on a straight stand, ans place it next to my side mounted snare and small tom. It picks up both drums, and the hi-hat. This setup works for me because My main drum does not act as my snare. It is a tom/bass drum only.
Then I take a sm-57 on a straight stand, ans place it next to my side mounted snare and small tom. It picks up both drums, and the hi-hat. This setup works for me because My main drum does not act as my snare. It is a tom/bass drum only.
Mics
I have added links to some microphones in the online store!
http://www.cocktaildrum.com/shop.html
John
http://www.cocktaildrum.com/shop.html
John