Tom-Toms

The floor and rack toms are miked from the top only. I have miked the top and bottom of toms and I don't think it is worth it except for some strange and very tonal sounds. There is a point at which too many microphones around the kit will cause a loss rather than a gain. Furthermore, I find myself obsessing on too many internal drum balances and not focusing on just making a good drum recording. The principal question for tom mics is whether to use dynamics or condensers; both have advantages and disadvantages. Dynamics give you a "dry" and immediately present sound. You'll have better isolation from the rest of the kit making balancing easier. Dynamics are also better for loud drummers who hit hard. Condensers give you a fuller sound and are able to capture more of a drummer's subtleties. Condensers are great for light to medium drum volumes. Disadvantages include: more leakage, more expense and the risk of damage from being hit, larger and prone to distort more at louder levels.