drum overheads

[mbuono]

Any tips on placement of overheads to reduce the amount of hi hat going into them?

[Extreme Mixing]

Any tips on placement of overheads to reduce the amount of hi hat going into them?

You could try placing them over the bass players head...

[Naagzh]

There's really no good way to do what you're talking about with the standard XY overhead placement. You can additionally close mic the hi-hats, and substitue this track for the overheads when there's a hi-hat groove going on. Won't work if the drummer is all over the place, or if you have the room mics high in the mix. Unfortunately, the hi-hat is the loudest part of the drumset.

The best way I know of depends on the song. Mic the hi-hat on one side up closer, and then set up all the other cymbals way over on the other side (ride, crashes, china). You're effectively close micing cymbals at this point.

Might be easier to have the drummer play without the hi-hat, and then overdub the hats. Just tell the drummer to lightly tap his leg where the hi-hat hits would be (to help him keep his balance and his time).

I think I can help, but I need more info from you.

[missilanious]

if you have wood floors (obviously this isn't an overhead technique, but it will capture the whole kit with the high hats being less dominint) take a small diapram condensor or a quality condensor and point it at the floor off axis (45) rougnly 2-3 inches of the floor 2-3 feet away from the front of the kit, pointing towards the kit. And I say this alot, and this one always works better, tell the drumer to go lighter on the high hats and cymbals.

[perfectsound]

This all depends on the drummer. A really good, experienced drummer will have a well balanced sound in the overheads. Get the drummer to hit the snare harder so more of that appears in the overheads.

[Bryan Cook]

the obvious idea is to have the drummer play the hats quieter. if not, then...

try large diaphragm mics (like u87) and place one over and behind the drummer's right shoulder (behind, so he doesn't hit it!) and point that one towards the floor tom and ride. the other overhead try placing above the rack tom (equal distant from snare compared to the over the shoulder mic) and angle it so that its paralell to the rack tom head, which usually means it will be angled away from the hat a bit, and usually has enough snare and crash in it that it overshadows the hat.

[ixnys]

I think certain hi-hats are better for certain genres. I was using a Zildjian 13" A custom hi-hat for rock music. I was constantly hitting it open for that loose trashy hi-hat sound. This hi-hat was always so harsh to me and always stood out too much. Just a few days ago, a friend comes over and brings his hi-hat that is a little thinner sounding...but just what I wanted to hear finally. This thing sounding great when it was thrashed open. Then just recently I was listening to a 311 song and really liked the hi-hat there. Though THAT hi-hat was probably the hi-hat that I had all along, but it just sounded better and faster closed instead of being hit hard open. So give us the low down on your hat.

[Jules]

The problem is made worse

Worn snare heads - put a new one on
A drum room / snare tuning that features the SSSSSSSSSSSSS HiHat rather than the snare 'bang'
Loud HH - play em quieter
Overhead and room mic's + eq / compression that features the SSSSSSSSSS HiHat rather than the snare....

Try to address those potential problem areas!

One day I will own some 1970's vintage Zildgen 'new beats (sigh!)

[Alécio Costa]

A nice way to go is to have a big nice sounding loud snare with the proper sticks and s very small hi-hat like the Zildjian recording hihat.
Bad drummers get out of control and hit the hihat so hard that mankes me think: no reason for have tracked the hihats!
I have been recording the snare with a side mic, between the two rack toms, pointing to the metalic/wood part of the snare. The other mic is in the classical mic position, over the head, 2 inch up.
It helped improve the sound 15%.

[Allan Speers]

You could go the other route, which is what I do: Get LOUD hats, keep the crash cymbals physically low, and don't use a spot mic onthe hats at all. They tend to sound bad anyway, IMO.

I always put up a hats mic just in case, but almost never use it as it always messes up the snare.