How to Find the Ultimate Kick Drum Microphone?
You could say that the kick drum is the signature of the song. Rap, Rock, Jazz, R&B all have distinctive kick drum sounds that help define the genre of the music. With that in mind picking the right tool for the right job will make your task at creating the sound you are trying to achieve a lot easier. Here are some tips that may be helpful in making the proper purchasing decision.
1) Frequency response. Check the frequency response of the microphone. Do you really need a built in 12 dB boost at 40 Hz to mic a jazz kit? Or will a massive 3 kHz boost be helpful for R&B? These are the things you want working for you, not against you. If you put up a microphone on a kick that you don't want all that high end, you're going to immediately go into fix it mode, trying fix the frequency response to get the sound your looking for or to cut back on feedback. Find a mic that compliments the frequency response of the type of sound you are trying to achieve it will save you time and headaches.
2) Ease of use. I can hear you now, "Ease of use? It's a microphone, you put it on a stand and stick it in fron of something." It's not that easy when you are trying to achieve the best sound you can before the signal hits the console.
What you want to look for in terms of ease of use for a kick drum mic is, Tilt Angle: does the mic tilt properly for you to achieve the placement you want? Connector Position: Does where the mic cable plug into make it harder to achieve proper position? Does it take away from some of the angle when a connector is plugged in? Size: Is it too big to fit through the hole in the front of the kick drum head? That's a real drag when you want to get the mic close to the beater and it won't fit through the hole, what do you do then? All of the previous tips are things that can cause frustration if they are not taken into account when deciding on which microphone you are going to use on your kick drum.
3) Sound. Not frequency response but, how much leakage is there? Does the mic constantly rumble? Microphones have certain physical characteristics that also contribute to how well they sound. Does it pick up a lot of vibrations from the floor? All of these factor into how useful the microphone can be on certain stages.
4) Cost. You may only have a certain budget to work with, but it's always better to just wait and save a little longer to get the right tool for the job. I heard someone say, "Buy once, cry once". Meaning it may hurt a little to get what you really need, but if you buy the wrong tool, you'll end up regretting it and ultimately making another purchase. Make sure you are going to be happy with your investment for the long run.
5) Quality. Believe or not, not all microphones are built the same way. Good build doesn't necessarily mean a great microphone, but poor build quality will always mean a poor microphone. Most are made from brass or steel, some are plastic. Do you think a plastic body mic would have the same sound characteristics as a brass body microphone? Some mics have plastic threads that go into the mic stands. It's a way that manufacturers cut costs to bring the product down in cost, but in the end it ultimately costs you. Also look at how the company stands behind their product with a warranty. You'll find warranty offering range from a matter of a couple months, clear up to ten years. That says a lot about how much the manufacturer believes in the product, and is a good indication how much you should believe in it too.
Summary; Tools should make our jobs easier, and not create more problems for us. That's why finding the right microphone for the right job is essential for having a successful show and as I have talked about above there are a lot of decisions that go into finding the right tool for the job. You'll know that you have made the right decision when the tool works for you, not against you. It's important to know your toolkit and have a few different choices to select from so that you don't have to compromise in getting that killer kick drum sound. I encourage to do your homework before you buy, look at the specs and see if they will work with your type of music. Find out what it's made of and how long the warranty is for. Some dealers will also arrange for you to try a demo to see if the microphone will work in your setting. If it is a big investment and no demo is available you may want to consider a rental from a local sound company before you spend your money. My hope is that the pointers above will help you make the best decision for your investment.
