Custom Internal Kick Mic Mount

[metalshredder]

Bart,

In response to your positioning and angle suggestion, I have rotated my mic.  Tell me if from these pics, if this is what you had in mind.

The 3rd pic is probably the best.  It was just hard to show without removing the reso head.

[Bart Elliott]

Yes, what I see in the third picture was what I was talking about doing.

With this position the diaphragm of the mic is not parallel to the drumhead and air-flow when the drum is struck. This will reduce unwanted noise from air "popping" the mic. Secondly, with this mic position, you are taking advantage of the mic's cardiod pattern.

In the end, be sure to use your ears and not your eyes. It's easy to get a method down, doing just because you've seen it done before or it's worked in the past, and forget that it's all about the sound. Moving the mic an inch in any direction can make a HUGE difference! What I've suggested is just a starting place for you to then begin making minor adjustments as needed ... per your tuning, drumhead choice, venue/room and desired sound.

[metalshredder]

Sure.  I'll be sound checking it later, the baby is sleeping right now.  I just hadn't gotten around to doing it until today though.  I'll let ya know how it goes.

[dmhdrums]

Bart,
I tried this new-fangled mic placement and it worked like a dream. I was getting great kick sounds before but now it's just incredible!
I've played a couple gigs since I installed this and the first was a big band gig playing in a large auditorium, but I didn't use it.
The next was my praise band playing at a small youth center where I DID get to use it. The sound was great. It would have been amazing if the sound system were better though....
Thanks for the tip!

[metalshredder]

I wanna say that it helped for me too.  Not overpowering the mic anymore either.  Although i went and screwed up the EQ like a knucklehead...

Oh well....more tweaking to come...

[TheBeachBoy]

I have my Beta 52 set up inside my bass drum.  I took a regular short straight mic stand, took it off the base, then attached it on the inside using the extra tom mount (those big ugly Pearl tom mounts came in handy on this one).  I then de-soldered one end of the mic cable, ran it through the vent, the re-soldered it back together.  The reason I like this setup is:

1.  I use a non-ported reso-would have too much bleed from other instruments if I set a mic in front of the reso.
2.  Don't have to have a mic stand in front that a guitarist can kick over ("but I thought it was a 'kick' mic" ;) )
3.  Convenience-don't have to set up one more thing every time I need it mic'ed
4.  Consistent sound, for the most part.
5.  Amaze sound guys-this is more than just to show off.  Sound guys tend to listen to me and my ideas and don't get into a power trip about being the sound guy if they know that I know a thing or two about live sound (have run live sound myself for musicals and plays, as well as bands)

I have the mic set up inside to where it gets a good sound (better than most local sound guys with a mic outside).  I can change the tuning of my bass to change the overall sound if it needs it, since I can't move the mic without pulling one of the heads off, so there is somewhat of a downside, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in my situation.  Now if I was playing bigger venues with larger acts and needed the best sound possible, I'd do it differently.

BTW, metalshredder, that's a sweet, simple, and sturdy idea to make the mount out of diamond plate (the three S's).  I might have to make something similar if I ever find a need to use my other tom mount.

[metalshredder]

Thanks, Beachboy!

I think you'll agree with a few quotes:

Don't make it more difficult than it has to be-

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[dizz]

Unfortunately the pics on this post are gone so I cant really see what he built.  I too mount my D112E on the inside of the bass drum. 

I Mount all my toms off stands and so I have free tom mount on the starclassic bassdrum.  I added a 13" piece of appropriate diameter tubing that clamps inside the tom mount with nothing showing on the outside of the drum except the cord coming out of the mount at 12 O'clock.  I clamp the kick mic clip to the chrome tube on the inside.

I agree with Beachboy on all accounts especially if you are gigging constantly.  Studio is a different story.  Kick mic stands suck in real life situations hehe.  If you're not on your own drum riser, its gonna be in the way

I would like to add that in my opinion, mounting a kick mic off a rig that is attached to that very drum adds Hz that you feel more than hear.  Im thinking you are moving the diaphram with sound and through a real, solid medium too.

[metalshredder]

Unfortunately the pics on this post are gone so I cant really see what he built.  I too mount my D112E on the inside of the bass drum. 

Sorry about that.  I'll put those pics back up, maybe today.  I was messing around with my web host, and put something in the wrong place, then couldn't find it, and wound up deleting everything...