Bass Drum Mic?

[rahock]

I know this has been covered in the past ,but I think I was absent that day .
I'm using a Shure 57 with the outside head removed on the drum .It's tough to get enough bottom and the volume is minimal also.
Any good recommendations and a price tag that won't choke me .
Rick

[Psycho Bass Guy]

What are you recording to? Even on the crappiest mics, a bass drum ought to have tons of volume. A 57 isn't my first choice for bass drum, but I wouldn't snub one either. Are you sure the mic cable/signal path is OK?

[rahock]

Should have mentioned this is a live situation. I really don't need a lot of volume , but the 57 is not a real star in the low range ,so you turn it up to try and compensate for the lack of bottom with a little more volume. I even mic the kick down the basement just to make it a little easier on the drummer. My monitors are three of the 1st series JBL EONS with a 15" and horn at 165 watts each and not a whole lot of bottom but are OK for monitors. The mains are two JBL PRXs with 15" and horn at 1000 watts each and a pretty good bottom end. The Mackie board  has a low end filter that I engage on the vocal and harp mics to keep unwanted breath noise /feedback, etc. down. I disengage it on the kick mic to get maximum bottom response . It's a pretty cool filter but it doesn't do much with the 57  which isn't picking up the bottom to begin with. Again, I don't think I need some mega buck mic,just a solid low end thumper.
Rick

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Do you get enough kick through the PA when you play commercial recordings through it?

[Pilgrim]

I'm an Audio-Technica fan.  The Pro-63 ($89 list) and Pro-25ax ($199 list) look good for low end.  Has anyone used them?

I'm betting not, because A-T is little known next to Shure and EV.

[rahock]

I've never played any commercial recordings through the PA, but I can tell you for sure, the monitors are a bit lacking in the bottom end kick but the mains are pretty solid.

The A-T at $89 sounds promising, and you're right, they have never been mentioned in my quest. The Shures and everything else that's come up, start at around $200 and go way the hell up from there. If I've got to spend that kind of money I guess I will but I'd really like to get by on the cheap side and still get the job done. Like I said , I'm not recording, all I'm trying to do is make life a little easier on my drummer and get a nice clean punchy thump. I'm not micing any other drums at this point.
Thanks , and keep 'em coming.
Rick

[ThunderBucker]

I use this one for recording, it is a large diaphragm cardioid, only $69 at musician's friend, has a lot of low end.  I've been happy with it.  Way more low end than a 57. 


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/cad-kbm412-bass-and-kick-drum-microphone/270774000000000

[dadagoboi]

Here it is in action
http://snd.sc/IkTfCH

[Basvarken]

I have a DAP PL02 which is a copy of a Sure Beta 52 (for less than half of the price of the Shure).

I bought it to make sure my bass sound gets miced when I want it. More often than not sound engineers don't even try to mic the bass. They just take a DI without asking what you want. And when you ask for a microphone to take the bass signal they say they don't have any mics left. I hate that. So I bought the PL02. Works great.

When we have a gig in a bar and I don't need it or the bass, we use it for the bass drum. Works great.

[rahock]

What is a DAP and where can I find one? Never heard of them.
Rick

[Basvarken]

Can't find the website of the company itself
The full name is DAP Audio

I think this is an official dealer:
http://www.highlite.nl/

As far as I can see the PL-02 is not there any ore. They seem to have a new mic for the kick, the DM-55




And here's one in my home town, that has the PL-02:
http://dsttl.com/384-Dap-Audio-Microphones/2756-Instr.-Mic-PL02-Kick.html

[rahock]

I can't seem to find anything DAP in the U.S.
Rick

[Dave W]

They may not be in the US.

I think Highlite may be the company itself. DAP-Audio's Twitter account shows an URL of a site that links you right back to Highlite.

[rahock]

I use this one for recording, it is a large diaphragm cardioid, only $69 at musician's friend, has a lot of low end.  I've been happy with it.  Way more low end than a 57. 


http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/cad-kbm412-bass-and-kick-drum-microphone/270774000000000

That CAD has a low end down to 25hz, that's not bad for that kind of money
Rick

[ThunderBucker]

That CAD has a low end down to 25hz, that's not bad for that kind of money
Rick

Yeah, if you solo that channel you get a thumm-thumm  and not much more, that mic has a lot of low end and very little hi end, which is actually OK cuz you don't want a lot the other drum noise bleeding in there.  The impact of the kick turns up in the overheads and any mic used for the snare bottoms.