Thread the best mic setup for recording a full drum set

I have been recording drums for a few years now and have always tried to use as many mics as possible. SEPARATION was always the goal. I figured if I could get all the drums isolated then I can mix and eq each with impunity and have the most flexibility in my mixes. This past week I started a new project in which our goal was to be as old-school and rough and gritty in recording as possible and trying to think outside our collective box, limiting ourselves to only using the instrumentation that we would be able to recreate live. When we went to record drums, we decided that if the Beatles and Led Zeplin can get great sounding dums without micing EVERYTHING, than so can we. The result: 2 overheads, an SM57 about 4" off the snare and an Audio Technica LD Vocal Mic 3 feet in front of the kick...wow. We got the drum sounds of our dreams. Better sounding drums in a matter of minutes and 4 mics then we have been able to get in years and 8+ mics. The lesson here (finally) is that you need to experiment and use your ears. There are lots of starting points for what to place where and blah blah blah...but just have fun and don't worry about going against the grain. Set em up and hit record. Just don;t forget to tune those drums!

Quote: I have been recording drums for a few years now and have always tried to use as many mics as possible. SEPARATION was always the goal.

I have been recording drums professionally for about 15 years and lots of my clients have been on the cover of Modern drummer etc. and I use as few mics as possible. I started like beaproduct and then made the same realizsation that he did after a few years.

If you have the right drummer playing the right part you can get a wide range of great sounds with 3-5 mics. Like beaproduct relized, once you get into simple micing, you get spoiled by how coolit can sound and how well it can sit in a mix.

yeah the more mics you have the more phase problems you have, if your kit and room sound ok then just mic the kick, snare, and 2 overheads. hell you can get away with just kick and overheads or even just overheads depending on what you're going for.

I mostly mic up drums for live sound reinforcement.

Kick AKG D112
Snare Shure SM57
Toms AKG C419
Hi-Hat Audio-Technica AT4041
Overheads AKG C414

Sometimes use SM57's for Hi Toms
Sometimes use Sennheiser MD421 for Low Toms
Sometimes use Audio-Technica ATM-25 for kick

Best comment I ever got was "It sounds real." from a musician.