Topic: If you had to mic a drum kit with just ONE mic, where would you put it?

[Church-Audio]

I've been doing a lot of acoustic jazz recordings lately with my R4 (see website in sig). I typically run in one of three configs for these gigs:

1. Single stereo pair in any number of different configs
2. Stereo pair plus one or two spot mics on instruments that I expect to be weak in the mix
3. for duos, trios, and quartets, sometimes I spot mic every instrument and don't even run a stereo pair at all

For 2 and 3, let's just say, I'm learning a lot about phase, but I'm getting better, and having the extra channels has made for some killer recordings. I've been doing a lot of reading up on spot micing various acoustic instruments (and amps), dealing with phase, the 3:1 rule, etc., and the one thing that is interesting is how the guerilla-style of audience recording like this flys in the face of home studio and pro recordists sometimes.

For example, I seriously don't care that much how a pro would mic up a drum kit with ten mics or a piano with four mics, etc. I'm coming in old-school, indie-style, and I'm figuring out how to mic each instrument with a single mic. The obviously big challenge in that pursuit is the drumkit. I've tried it a bunch of ways at this point, and I've found a few suggestions for single-mic setups for drums on the web, but I was wondering if any of you might have an opinion on this subject.

So far, I've had the best results using a single overhead about two feet higher and foward of the drummer's head pointing straight down. I usually do this with a card, but I've tried a hyper before when I was really worried about bleed from other instruments. This seems to pick up detail from the entire kit with the exception of the kick drum, which is weak but still audible (and I find the kick bleeds into the other mics too sometimes, so that actually helps a little). It's actually quite amazing what mixing in a tiny bit of that overhead into a stereo pair does for the detail of the drums (I often have to EQ the cymbals down a little because the overhead picks them up almost too well, but after EQ'ing or even de-essing those high hats, this has worked great). I've also heard of running a single mic out in front of the kit kind of inbetween the hieght of the kick and the cymbals, but not sure that one worked out as well for me (although it's easier to setup and less obtrusive to the drummer). The thing about over the head of the drummer, is that (in jazz at least), the drummer is playing with balance to his own ears, so getting near his/her head means you're picking up that balance that the drummer hears.

Thoughts? Ideas?

I would use a VP88 thats one mic and I would put it dead center about 3 feet above the kit near the drummers head..... I know its cheating.

[cleantone]

Didn't read the thread but for ONE mics I suggest two possibilities...

A) somewhere above the drummers head, from behind him sort over the shoulder.

B) there can be a sweet spot (jazz espessially) off of the drummers left knee. In front of the kit (but to the side)

I suggest option A first but try B if and when you can futz around during soundchecks. For both apps I suggest a large diaphram condensor.

[BobW]

hmmm, hard to just with just ONE mic....
if i had to do it that way i'd say an Earthworks SR25, centered over the kit, not very high up.
3 of these mics will get you a KILLER drum sound.

Yes!

Or if you have access to a quality ribbon mic...