Recording toms w/ 2 mics

[Ridge AndersonParticipant]

Hey everyone,

Just a quick question: I typically mic my toms with Audix i5s, or a 421 on floor and an i5 on rack and I get pretty good sounds. I don't typically, however, mic the resonant heads on toms for lack of mics that I'm not super eager to purchase. Do any of you mic the resonant heads on the toms? If so, what are the benefits/drawbacks? Do you feel like you really get that much better tom sounds that it makes it worth the extra mics? What mics do you use on the resonant heads? Thank you!

Ridge

[Paul MotionParticipant]

Hey Ridge, when I used to record a fair bit I would rarely mic the bottoms. Typically I'd use 421s on all.. occasionally AKG414s on the racks, just depended on the music really. Then 87's on the overheads.
The times I would add bottom mics were usually when I had more time for the set up. 🙂 Just be mindful of phase alignment when using the bottom mics.
Hope that helps

[Ridge AndersonParticipant]

Thanks for the advice and experience, Paul! That’s really helpful.

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