Using the QKICK
Microphone Placement and Tone Quality
When you mount the QKICK to your drum, it will be easy to get a great sound since the mic is positioned so close to the sound source. You can make slight adjustments to the height and angle that will have an effect on the sound. The changes in sound may be difficult to notice at first, especially in live sound applications, however the more you use your microphone and listen to the sound, the more you will understand, and hear, the effect the microphone placement has on the sound. As always, experimentation and experience are the best teachers. Obviously, in live sound applications you can�t always hear the final results of the sound you�re getting because most of the time your drum kit will be positioned behind the PA speakers, so rely on a band mate or sound engineer to help you dial up the sound. In recording applications, print some scratch tracks and check the sound by listening to them back in your headphones and in the control room monitors. By the way, the �Golden Rule� of getting a great sound miking any instrument, with any microphone, is to start with a great sounding instrument. Be sure that you pay careful attention to the tuning, and if necessary, the dampening of your drum. Miking your drum is similar to putting the sound under a microscope. Any unwanted buzzes and rattles coming from your instrument may be much more noticeable when you mic the drum. You�ll get a great sound just by mounting the QKICK to your drum however, there are some basic principles and fundamentals that should be followed. (If not, at least understood.) � The QKICK has a cardioid pick up pattern, which means it picks up sound directly in front of the microphone, and rejects the sound directly behind the microphone. This means in order to get the best separation between the sound you want to pick up in the mic (for example your bass drum), and the ambient sound around it, let�s say the rest of your kit or the back line amplifiers, you can aim the mic so that it is facing directly at the bass drum. The QKICK is perfectly happy positioned outside the bass drum for more of an ambient sound, which is sometimes desired for recording, or inside the bass drum for a tighter sound like in live sound applications. For more information on polar patterns, see the section �Polar Pattern� on page 6 of this manual. � All microphones, especially uni-directional or cardioid microphones, exhibit a phenomenon known as �proximity effect.� Very simply put, proximity effect is a resulting change in the frequency response of a microphone based on the position of the mic capsule relative to the sound source. Due to the result of the proximity effect, slight adjustments of the microphone position and angle can make a big difference in sound. Specifically, when you point a cardioid mic directly at the sound source (on axis) you will get the best frequency response, however when you start pointing the microphone slightly away (off axis) you will notice the low frequency response dropping off and the microphone will start to sound thinner. Also, you will notice that changing the distance the microphone is placed from the head will have an effect on the low frequency response. You can use the proximity effect to your advantage by moving the microphone closer to the head if the sound is too boomy, or try moving the QKICK back a bit to add more low end.
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