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Old 08-11-2001, 04:28 AM
where02190 where02190 is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Ma USA
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Default Re: Senheiser MD 421 or Shure Beta 52 for kick drum?r kick drum mic?

I have been using a combination of the Beta 52 on bass drums for years now. The 52 has a wonderful, tight low end, and nice highs, in conjuction with a midrage designed specificially for kick. SM-57's are always a useful microphone, and work wonderful on toms. I have used them as tom mics many a time with no regrets.
The AKG D112 is more the industry standard, however I would stay away from the package deal with the 418's. Although the 418's work decent for live, they tend to pick up vibrations that are very undelsirable in the studlo, and they are not very rugged, tending to have cable breakage easily. Actually, properly placed overheads can often yeild wonderful sounding toms without close micing. A really good choice for this is a stereo mic, one with fixed capsules so as to not have an issue of phasing. I use the Shure VP-88 with great success. (it also makes an amazing piano mic)
The Sennheiser 421 is a good choice for an all around large diaphram dynamic, and makes a decent kick drum mic, but would not be my first choice. Another consideration is a Beyer M88.
Position is ultra critical when micik a kick drum, and the slightest movement can create entirely different sounds. I prefer to mic a kick with a mic hole, placing the mic diaphram even with the outside head, and aiming the sweet spot to tailor the top end. As with everything, I never eq when tracking.
Good luck!!www.npstudios.com
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