Recording on a Dime

Jun 14, 2005 5:11 PM

           
 

FIG. 3: The minimalist drum-miking setup made popular by engineer Glyn Johns (of Led Zeppelin fame) requires only three mics: one directly in front of the kit, and a spaced pair of matching overheads behind, each aimed at the snare drum.

and it's going to be solid and flexible (by varying the levels of the front and room mics, I can drastically alter the sound as needed).

If I'm really in a hurry and dealing with a great-sounding drum kit, I might keep it simple with a Glyn Johns — type setup (see Fig. 3): one mic two to four feet in front of the kit and two to four feet above ground level, aimed directly at the drums (listen to be sure this mic picks up enough kick drum), and two overheads — one roughly over the hi-hat and aimed at the snare drum, and the other to the right of the drummer's right shoulder (assuming a right-handed drummer), also aimed at the snare. This is a time-tested formula that delivers a great natural sound (though do make sure to check for phase problems). I often use the Royer R-121 as the front mic, and usually large-diaphragm condensers such as the Audio-Technica AT4047 (see Fig. 4), Neumann U 47, or AKG C 12A for the overheads. Or I might use ribbon mics for the overheads — two Coles 4038s or Royer R-122s do nicely. If I'm recording a jazz session, I'll use the Royer R-121 in front and a stereo Royer SF12 as the overhead and call it a day.

FIG. 4: The Audio-Technica AT4047 is supremely flexible - it's great for vocals, drum overheads, kick drum, upright bass, bass cabinets, horns, and many other instruments.

For bass, nothing is quicker than using a DI. However, I rarely find the resulting sound very appealing. That said, a nice-sounding bass through one of the high-end DIs such as the Avalon Design U5, or the line input of a Peavey VMP2 mic preamp, can be just the ticket. Otherwise, I have another simple solution: put a mic in front of the bass cabinet.

FIG. 5: Neumann's KM 140, which comprises the KM 100 output stage fitted with an AK 40 (cardoid) capsule, is smooth, quiet, and detailed. It's great on acoustic instruments for which a natural sound is desired.

Pretty radical, huh? Specifically, I put a Royer R-121 a couple of inches from the cabinet, and bingo — a great sound (contingent, of course, upon a great sound coming out of the speaker). Other mics I routinely use on bass amps are the Audio-Technica AT4047, Shure KSM44, and Lawson L47MP.

On electric guitars, I generally use a Royer R-121, again a few inches in front of a good-sounding amp. (Royer makes some of my favorite all-purpose mics. I always know what I'm going to get out of them. Again, they might not get me the best of all possible sounds for a given instrument, but I find without fail that they yield a damn good sound.) For mono acoustic guitar, I typically use a Neumann KM 140 (my favorite all-purpose small-diaphragm condenser; see Fig. 5) aimed at the neck-body joint anywhere from 6 to 18 inches from the guitar. For stereo acoustic, I usually add a second KM 140 aimed either at the bridge or positioned above the guitarist's right shoulder (assuming a right-handed guitarist) and aimed down at the guitar body.