Snare Bottom mic? Is a small diaphragm condenser worth considering?

[Pursuance]

Hey guys I'm about to start work on a very serious project for me. My first really big move into my career as i'm renting space for drum tracking.

I'm thinking I will most likely 57 the top snare as well as the bottom but I've been quite intrigued with trying a small diaphragm condenser on the bottom to catch that high end sizzle.

I'm just weary of the crazy amount of bleed i will have.

Thoughts?

 

[JeffTD]

You get more bleed but it'll be way more useable/good sounding than the bleed from a 57. I like condensers on the bottom, but a 57 does always work.

 

[Pursuance]

I know I'll end up just having to try both but thanks for ze reply baby boiiii

 

[~BURNY~]

Try a SM7 if you get a chance. Less bleed than the 57, awesome sound.

 

[Nolly]

I'll always use a condenser on the bottom if I can, AKG C451 is my usual choice, though a C414 or other LDC can be good too. I never have a problem with bleed on the bottom snare mic regardless of type, and much prefer the airier crisp sound you get with a condenser, rather than a dynamic which tends to have a strong presence peak then a roll off which leaves you with a ratty/lo-fi sounding character, to my ears anyway.

 

[egan.]

SDC on the bottom or side of the snare is great.

 

[Pursuance]

Try a SM7 if you get a chance. Less bleed than the 57, awesome sound.

Ill have to try this, I haven't used my sm7b for anything other than vox so this is interesting.

But thanks for all the replies again guys, looks like ill try a small diaphragm on it for sure

 

[Jordon]

I like LDC's for bottom snare mics. The AudioTechnica AT4033a is my current go-to.

 

[drew_drummer]

Are people using that much snare bottom in their mixes? I find that it really splats out the sound of the snare, and I tend to dislike it even when it's recorded well. I'd rather take samples and layer up the room sound than waste a microphone on the bottom. Although for the BFD Oblivion pack we just did, we had two snare top mics and a snare side mic, and it was much much nicer sounding than a bottom mic.

 

[~BURNY~]

Are people using that much snare bottom in their mixes? I find that it really splats out the sound of the snare, and I tend to dislike it even when it's recorded well. I'd rather take samples and layer up the room sound than waste a microphone on the bottom. Although for the BFD Oblivion pack we just did, we had two snare top mics and a snare side mic, and it was much much nicer sounding than a bottom mic.

Not a lot but recently I started to aim the mic differently, not pointing directly at the wires but only at the reso head and it's much more usable that way imo.

 

[Nolly]

I don't think I could mix a snare I liked with only a top mic, with maybe the exception of a 5" or thinner depth where the snare wires come through a lot more clearly. Certainly a 6"+ needs the bottom mic for me to be happy.

 

[Jordon]

I don't think I could mix a snare I liked with only a top mic, with maybe the exception of a 5" or thinner depth where the snare wires come through a lot more clearly. Certainly a 6"+ needs the bottom mic for me to be happy.

Same here. Sometimes it's nice to get that "splat" from the kick bleed going for more rocky, less-dense mixes. I use the bottom mic in every mix, but find myself automating that one a lot.