How can I reduce my stage mic picking up drums?

[logdrum]

It’s actually a new kit and is smaller than his last one, but it seems louder!

The last gig he used IEM’s for the first time and he seemed to play a bit quieter? It still bled into the vocal mics though.

Many of the new drums like DW and Tama, even their small sizes are loud. Better machining and design and shells and mounts just make them loud and efficient. If it is carbon fiber, then it will definitely be loud. Vintage drums are lower in volume in general. Good luck to you. Lots of technical advice already, but in the end you and the rest of the band may have to nicely ask hime to play quieter.

I have a Odery Cafe Kit, It has 14 inch bass drum and when I put Aquarian marching band heads with a ported front (there are marching band 14 inch bass drums ) It was loud all of a sudden, that I went back and installed the original heads

 

[Baker69]

If there were no amps on stage would the drummer be able to play more quietly?

The drummer wears headphones and the guitarist’s (small) amp is usually in front of the drums. Neither the guitar amp or bass are amp are very loud, as we use IEM’s they are there for a bit of stage atmosphere only, and the keyboard player doesn’t use a backline amp any more, so there’s nothing really there to make the drummer want to play louder.

Even on songs where he does play quieter the drum and cymbal bleed into the vocal mics is still evident.

We are planning to have a technical rehearsal in the next few weeks and it’s something that we are going to have a look at and discuss. It will be said about the drum volume anyway. Our sound guy is going to borrow and bring along a couple of different mics for us to try, so we will hopefully be able to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Baker69]

Sooooooooo we're not gonna talk to the drummer? OK din.

Yes the subject of the drum volume is being brought up at our next technical rehearsal.

 

[Baker69]

It's this or the foot switch rout. The foot switch would be a lot less expensive and probably work as well.

Maybe the Optogate might be an option, the cheapest One I’ve seen is £56.

 

[kittywithabanjo]

If you have Phantom Power, a Beta 87A can be a good choice. It also sounds better than my Beta 58 by a long way. I only use my Beta 58 when I don't have phantom power available.

I work with a Drummer who uses one of these and it picks up loads of cymbals, I have it gated which helps some.

 

[GregT]

I work with a Drummer who uses one of these and it picks up loads of cymbals, I have it gated which helps some.

The polar pattern might explain why it would do that if a drummer was using it as a vocal mic. Like a lot of mics, it also picks up off the back, and that would be pointed toward the cymbals. It also doesn't work well right in front of a floor wedge monitor because of that.

 

[Windreaper]

On mobile so making it brief. If your drummer is a basher, you are SOL, but you can try

- Move the drums so that they are away from the vocal mic and not on axis (or move the vocal mic) - better rejection
- Make the drums quieter/softer. Thinner sticks, thinner cymbals (Zildjian K, Meinl Byzance etc.), cympads. FTD. If your drummer is using heavy "projection" cymbals, fire him twice.
- Use a drum shield. Bulky. Looks bad if all scratched up, so needs to be babied.
- Can try a different mic, but many high GBF mics need to be eaten

 

[Wasnex]

The polar pattern might explain why it would do that if a drummer was using it as a vocal mic. Like a lot of mics, it also picks up off the back, and that would be pointed toward the cymbals. It also doesn't work well right in front of a floor wedge monitor because of that.
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Usually the mic will be aimed up at 15-30 degrees.

The mic's tail might pick up snare and high hat, but probably not the cymbals.

 

[Baker69]

Usually the mic will be aimed up at 15-30 degrees.

The mic's tail might pick up snare and high hat, but probably not the cymbals.

I will try this at our next gig as I usually have my mic horizontal.

 

[walterw]

vocal gates never seem to work right, and full drum shields are heavy, bulky, expensive and change the experience for the drummer

here's what can actually work in bars and clubs, and fairly painlessly:

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the circular shields are placed between the drum kit and the particular vocal mics, and they do a great job of taming the treble pain of cymbals and even the snare while not blocking off the toms and kick. they very nicely reduce stage volume without turning it into a "silent stage" or anything like that