Minimizing cymbal/hihat leakage into Snare Tracks

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

hi friends!

I would like to read opinions/suggestions of yours concerning leakage.

generally I:

a) carefully move mics so as to not face the sound sources.

b) try to use smaller hi-hats, 13";

c) try to separate if drummer permits, hat stands from snare;

d) control gain;

e) have tried putting a small paper barrier between hihat stand/snare

f) i know you shall point me not to put a condenser on snare top, but I just do not like dynamic micson top;

g) shall gate at mix stage or edit/soundreplace the snare

h) pray and ask for the drummer not to hit the hat so wildly;

 

someone also suggested me inserting a deesser into snare track at mixdown

 

I have also cut 12.5K with Q4 at the snare track. ( Pro Tools TDM user on here)

 

Thanks for any info!!!

Nice week!!

[Drumlooney]

Alecio, what mic are you using on the hats, and on the snare, positioning is going to be the key, you will get some kind of leak regardless but compressing the snare shoud eliminate most of the leakage.

[where02190]

I'm partial to an Audio Technica 4041 on the snare, and have had no problems with leakage, even with the wildest of drummers.

[Jazzman]

My setup:

 

I use an ATM 63HE(High Energy) mic on the snare and toms, an AT4031 on the hats and for my overheads. On the bass drum I use an ATM 25 located inside the drum, facing the bass drum beater and off set by maybe 10 deg. This mic is centered on a stand in the middle of the drum. The bass drum is 22" with a hole off center. I use a pillow in the bottom but it doesn't touch the batter skin.

 

My hi-hat mic is facing down, about 10" from the 14" hats and on an angle of 5 deg. toward the drummer and about 1/3rd of the way in on the cymbal. My snare mic is just over the rim of the snare and facing down and toward the center of the drum.

 

I've seen some folks use a foam cup taped to the mic with a hole in it for the mic. 8-10 ounce I think. You could put an SM57 on the bottom of the snare to break out the sound better. Can use a trigger on the snare to give an advantage too.

 

I wouldn't gate the drummer. Is the drummer in a room by him/her self? Gates are a pain.

 

My overheads are in the "X" pattern above the and behind the drummer pointing to the cymbals, split up just about in half. I have 10 cymbals to deal with along with other gismos. My kit is a 7 piece Pearl Export set.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jazzman

[DrummerCafe]

A properly positioned mic with a cardiod pattern will reject what's behind it (hihat) very well. Even the Shure SM-57 does this quite nicely; in my opinion.

 

As a drummer, I personally have my hihat set higher, more in front, tilted towards me. I use a cable hihat system to accomplish this ... and I really like the set-up. Ergonomically ... it's great! I know this may not help you much, but I did want to mention it.

 

Physically separating the instruments as much as possible is the easiest solution. Many recording drummers do this with the other cymbals by placing them high above the toms. This provides several advantages:

 

• Gives easy access to tom mic positioning; you're not going to have problems with mic stands rubbing or bumping cymbals.
  
• The audience can see the drummer's face; he/she is not hidden behind the cymbals.
  

 

Although we are dealing with the hihat, I thought it might justify or create some other ideas with hihat positioning ... not just changes in mic types and/or positions.

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

thaks friends... my drums setup generally is:

kick -SM91

Snare - c418 top / Beta 57 bottom

hihat - C3000B or At4050

TOMS - C2000B, C3000B

Overs - AT4050

mono room ambience - C3000B

 

last monday I put a thick piece of paper close to the top snare mic, as a barrier from the hihat and it improved a lot.

 

But a friend on here mentioned that comprewsion would minimize leakage. could you explain a little more? I have always noticed when the comp (dbx or from my 02R) gets into the signal chain, lots of hihats undesirably appear!!!

 

Thanks! hope to hear from you all again friends!

Nice saturday!

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

where,

I am thinking of purchasing the snare mic you mentioned on here.

I just do not like the sound of sm57´s to me. That is why I use the small c418 with the Beta57.

I think also that an at4050 on the snare will accentuate even more the leakage.

opinions?

thanks again