Drum Micing - Clips Vs. Stands

[surf's up]

I generally use clips that attach to the drum for close micing of snare and toms, but it can be a hassle sometimes directing the mic precisely where you want it (or experimenting with various precise positions), and Ive also run into clips who dont support the weight of the mic well enough, and gravity runs its course, forcing me to adopt some kind of odd balance system just to keep the mic from resting on the drum.

Im not made of boom stands, but Im warming up to the idea of using them to close mic drums. Im also concerned that there wont be enough floor space for all those tripod bases and all those cymbal stands to co-exist in a way that still lets me mic things the way i want. I will probably just end up buying a few more boom stands and trying this.

Just wondering if there is any convention for this when it comes to professionals for whom gear limitations are not an issue, or if it really just comes down to whatever's convenient in any given situation.

[Doublehelix]

I'd have to say that you should use what works for any given situation. If it is a clamp or a stand. I use mostly stands, but with certain mics (Audix D2s for example), I might use a clip, while others (Senn MD421s) I will always use a stand.

It really can be a sea of stands and cables at times, but once set, is a thing of beauty!

[drumsound]

Round base stands are easier to place around a drum-set. If you?re using really heavy mics, get an old weight set from a garage sale and put them on the stands permanently. Get shorter booms if you can, and don't forget to have short stands. The standard "club height" stand is good for rack toms, scratch vocal, sometimes room mics and that's about it. Grab a couple goosenecks too!

[googacky]

I always try to use stands because it makes sense to me to decouple the mic from the source. I'm sure it makes a difference having the drum resonate up through the clip.

[sleep over jack]

i've never had much luck with clamps. not only does it fuck with the resonance of the drum, you also have issues with the mic vibrating in sympathy with the drum, which ain't a good thing either.

[joel hamilton]

Stands. For sure.

[stinkpot]

If you?re using really heavy mics, get an old weight set from a garage sale and put them on the stands permanently.

A fabulous idea that I've never thought of. Now I can get rid of that old electric furnace motor I've been "positioning" as a counter-weight!

Stands, though. I definately prefer them to clamps for recording.

[weatherbox]

I tried clips a couple times. Granted I'm no expert at drum sounds, but I found it a lot easier to dial in sounds with the mobility and flexibility of a stand. Worth the pain in the ass for me.

[Brett Siler]

I use clips usually only because i have a small room and I don't really have roomd for a drum kit amps, band members, me, my recording equiptment, and a bunch of stands. Hopefully that will change in the not so distant future.

I would definiatly use stands if I had the room to because some times in is hard to get the mics adjusted the way I would like with clips..

[ctmsound]

Audix gooseneck clips are great!