Being outdoors, I’ve found that the drum overheads can really be pushed for a whole kit perspective in a way that’s not wise indoors. This plan worked just fine with the maximum of five-piece drum kits that were showing up – until the last set.
The final band didn’t have a teenage drummer, but rather, employed a grizzled veteran who’d been through rehab and was playing for redemption. Via a 12-piece kit.
This band brought their own roadie as well. (I snickered at first, but to be fair, these guys were worthy of a roadie.)
So my method had to evolve to include the second kick drum. The roadie and I conferred. Not having another (Sennheiser) e602 in my bag, or for that matter, any other “proper” kick mic, the roadie grabbed another SM57 and went to work.
And in short order, my level of respect for the guy went way up. He pointed the 57 one way, listened, then drastically changed the position of the mic and listened again, while the drummer kept up a double-kick beat.
He did this probably a dozen times, randomly re-positioning the mic until he was satisfied with the similarity between the sound of the two. He looked at me. I matched the levels, applied some gentle EQ, and marveled at how identical the two completely different mics sounded.
He found success by pointing the mic at the sound he wanted, and away from the sound he didn’t want.
Whether reducing the snare in the hi-hat mic, finding a good guitar sound from a frowned-upon amp, or using a non-kick specific mic to match another mic – it can all be accomplished as long as we don’t confine ourselves to the self-imposed limitations inherent in viewing one technique as “right” and all others as “wrong”.
Since his start more than 35 years ago on a Shure Vocalmaster system, James Cadwallader remains in love with live sound. Based in the western U.S., he’s held a wide range of professional audio positions, performing mixing, recording, and technician duties.
More articles on PSW by James Cadwallader:
Feedback: A Big Necessity In Developing Quality Live Mixing Skills
How And Why Unity Mixing Can Make All The Difference In The World
No Slave to Gear: Maximizing What You Get Out Of What You Have