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Mic bass drum or not ?


Kevin Dean
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[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1449824053' post='2927110']
Had to google Mega cone! :blink:

Very interesting!

We always mic, even in a small ish place, just bleed enough through to bring the
thud to the front.

Did this thing add a lot of volume/depth to the kick drum?

:)
[/quote] It gave it a tight thud , just as though it had been mic'd up & eq'd .

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Mega cone is not in the same league as going through PA. I play regularly with a drummer with a mega cone and whilst it's better than nothing, he'll still push for the PA. If your observation is that the kick drum is sounding like it's coming out of the PA, then I would wager your subs aren't much cop.

The success of getting your bass drum to sound good through the PA all depends upon your gear. First of all, you need a good sub... but secondly, you need some fairly powerful eq and critically, a compressor. Digital desks win here. If your EQ options are limited, an Audix D6 is a pretty good mic to go for - as it's naturally EQ response is pretty much where you want to be. You'll still want that compressor though...

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  • 4 months later...

You could try one of these.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Solomon-LoFReQ-Sub-Mic-NEW-/331836243708?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

[URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Drum%20speaker%20mic_zpsqdc5ld8j.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Drum%20speaker%20mic_zpsqdc5ld8j.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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Yep, I`ve never used a mic to make the bass drum louder, just the same volume but through the PA - gives it more presence. We also used to drop virtually all of the lows and highs off, leaving mids slightly boosted, so it didn`t become a pillowy durge.

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Our PA is a pair of HK Power Works RS152X,rated at 300W each, and that's all, for FOH. We use these for pubs, clubs and even intimate outdoor gigs, such as garden parties and such. We usual mic up the bass drum and one overhead, just to integrate the drums more fully into the stage presence. Other than that, it's voice only; the two guitars are half-stacks, the bass a 200w Hiwatt valve amp into a 2 x 15 HH cab. We've never felt the need for a sub of any kind (the bass drum itself provides a decent amount of low frequencies as it is..!); we play '80s pop/rock such as Radiohead, AC/DC, RATM, Sound Garden, Noir Désir, Bashung and much more. No, we don't play at dizzy volumes, but we're not that soft, either. Subs have their uses (in cinemas, for earthquake FX..?), but add nothing to a pub gig, in my opinion and experience, except for very specific repertoires, such as death metal and the like.
Put a bass drum mic through the PA by all means, but don't think it'll add bass; that's not what is wanted. The sub frequencies 'thud' is not useful in those venues.

Edited by Dad3353
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