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To bottom mic or to not [message #374904]

Fri, 26 September 2008 01:39

Jonah A. Kort
Messages: 56
Registered: August 2008
Location: Chicago, IL

Member

How many of you all use a bottom mic on the snare? I haven't done

it in a while, but I'm thinking about put it up just in case from

now on.

Cheers

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #374913 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 02:52

NelsonL
Messages: 976
Registered: April 2004
Location: Dubai

Gold Member

I usually prefer additional room mics to a bottom snare, but we only have so many inputs where I'm used to working. I really need the sound of the snare exciting the room, and you can't get that from a sample or a bottom mic per se.

http://www.zillastudios.com/

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #374921 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 04:56

ATOR
Messages: 303
Registered: December 2004
Location: The Netherlands

Active Member

When mixing I find that a little of the bottom mic helps a lot to add a better (mid-)high presence to the snare. More so than eqing the top mic.

Pieter Vincenten - ATORmastering

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #374954 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 09:37

craig boychuk
Messages: 352
Registered: April 2004
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Active Member

I like to put one up almost all of the time.

Sometimes I don't use the bottom mic for crispiness at all, but more to beef up the snare sound.

Throw on judiciously tuned LPF and you can really bring out the body of the drum without the crispy bits.

-craig-

Capture the pasture rapture.

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #374980 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 11:29

Ryan Slowey
Messages: 238
Registered: April 2006
Location: Albany, NY

Active Member

I usually mic the bottom if I have enough channels. Most times I sum them together before AD, so that it records to only one channel. I like to commit to stuff early on.

Ryan Slowey
Albany, NY

Me: http://www.myspace.com/bubba_joan
Music page: http://www.myspace.com/hangmanslowly

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #374999 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 12:50

ShakesTheClown
Messages: 133
Registered: July 2006
Location: Arlington Tx

Active Member

I like to put an omni between the bottom of the snare and the beater of the kick...I usually have to move it a few times to get the correct balance.

I find that if I need more snap from the snare I probably need more slap from the kick drum as well.

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375003 is a reply to message #374999 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 13:02

rankus
Messages: 4369
Registered: March 2005
Location: Vancouver Canada

Platinum Member

I always take a bottom mic, and use it in the mix at least 99% of the time.

Really handy for bringing out ghost notes / drags etc as well as all the reasons mentioned above.

Rick Welin - Clark Drive Studios www.hellfirerecords.com

"Make it count." ~ T Manning

"There is no crisis in energy, the crisis is in imagination" ~ Buckminster Fuller

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375007 is a reply to message #375003 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 13:21

j.hall
Messages: 3414
Registered: April 2004
Location: KC

Platinum Member

i use to hate bottom snares. now i'm pissed if i don't get one.

very useful for maintaining that "open" snare sound.

j.hall
Theta Rhythm

"You have a great ear for vibe and feel and space. I'm not looking for any of that right now."

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375027 is a reply to message #374913 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 15:26

Jonah A. Kort
Messages: 56
Registered: August 2008
Location: Chicago, IL

Member

NelsonL wrote on Fri, 26 September 2008 02:52

I only have some many microphones. I only have two LDCs and I

had two SDCs but one of them decided to stop work. And I'm

starting to use the one SDC (sm81) on the snare top. It sounds

more better than an sm57. I wonder if it has to do with the

large number hehe. I do however duplicate the overheads in the

Protools and hit that with a heavier handed compression to

emulate room mics. I also record in a basement so I take the

sounds I can get.

Cheers

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375037 is a reply to message #375027 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 16:03

beau
Messages: 50
Registered: May 2004
Location: california

Member

i always track with one now. however, if i were in a room where i didn't have enough inputs, i guess i could live without it.. i have done a ton of records with no bottom snare mic.

peace

beau

I'll take ape tit for 500.

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375039 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 16:13

craig boychuk
Messages: 352
Registered: April 2004
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Active Member

Hell, why even mic the snare at all?

Simplify, simplify.

-craig-

Capture the pasture rapture.

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375045 is a reply to message #375039 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 16:40

Jonah A. Kort
Messages: 56
Registered: August 2008
Location: Chicago, IL

Member

Mono LDC in front of the drums, close though, like at the front of

the kick a couple feet, mic on the kick, and mic on the floor tom

so it doesn't lost (or is that too complex) oh and a good drummer.

That's how you get a good snare drum sound, like TNT. hehe

Cheers

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375063 is a reply to message #375045 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 17:41

beau
Messages: 50
Registered: May 2004
Location: california

Member

Jonah A. Kort wrote on Fri, 26 September 2008 14:40

thats what im talkin about! one mic for the band, one for the main vocal... makes mixing way easier with only 2 tracks to work with. Wink

hahaha

peace

beau

I'll take ape tit for 500.

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Re: To bottom mic or to not [message #375076 is a reply to message #374904 ]

Fri, 26 September 2008 18:45

grant richard
Messages: 772
Registered: February 2007
Location: Nashvegas

Gold Member

I never used to do it until the last few projects and I don't think I could go without it now. Even if you end up not needing it on a song or 2, it's better to have it than not.

Grant Richard
grantrichard.com
myspace.com/grantrichard

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