Micing the air-hole on the side of a snare?

[AdamWathan]

Someone recently suggested to me that I try micing the air-hole on the side of the snare claiming he's gotten very good results with it, but I'm sort of afraid to try it, I don't want the air pressure damaging the diaphragm in the mic... Anybody ever done this and able to suggest what sort of mics to try and the safest way to position it to avoid damaging the mic?

 

[ahjteam]

My guess would be that it would have quite a effin much air coming from it, so I suggest that you should be cautious with it and try it out first with the cheapest mic you have (you do have those $10 cheap mics, right?), if it kills it, it will propably kill the other mics too. If it doesn't break, try with a SM57 or a kick mic as those usually do get inflikted with huge sound pressures anyways. My suggestion would be that if you do want use a mic on the airhole, don't point it straight at the hole at 90 degree angle, but put it so that its a bit under the hole at a slight angle pointing torward the hole, so that the air passes over it.

 

[AudioGeekZine]

you could add a pop filter for in front of the mic to protect it. A 57 should be fine, maybe too much proximity effect though.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Try it with that "someone's" mic

 

[dreamcatcher]

The "good results" may have just been the mechanical sound of the diaphragm clicking to slow death in the capsule...

 

[TheDude]

I put an AKG D5 (handheld vocal mic) in the vent hole of my buddy's Spaun. (http://www.spaundrums.com/images/snares/Snare Drum BIG Pics 750x525 10.23.06/PC150007.jpg) It worked. Didn't test it in the studio though, but in the In-ear it sounded promising.

 

[ryanojohn]

I've done it with a 414, with a pop filter, pointed about 45 degrees off axis... Some snares it sounds awesome, some it sounds terrible...

 

[462studio]

I've miked the side of the shell before to get a blend between a top/bottom mic combination with only one mic, but I've never miked the actual air hole. I wouldn't think it would be a very good idea either.

 

[elmuchoescadawg]

Ive done it for live shows before. 57 at 90 degrees to the hole pretty close as well and it sounded great.

it could have just been the snare but for that instance it was perfect

 

[Polpotkin]

I alwas mic the shell instead of under the snare nowadays, preferably with a condenser. I have tried to mic the air-hole but the snaredrum tends to move so i find it better to just mic the shell.