Our goal at INDe drums is to serve drummers better, and our videos are built to serve that philosophy. The purpose of our demo videos is to give a clear representation of what the drums ACTUALLY sound like, and will sound like when you get them home.
We could follow along with the drum industry norms, and go to a fancy studio, close mic everything, add some compression, some gain, some reverb, EQ out the harmonics, gate out the snare buzz, and make them sound pretty much like every recorded drum sound you have ever heard. Maybe some slick lighting, bring in some famous drummers to play them- you know the drill- we have seen it all before. The problem is, we could take our drums, some competitor's drums, and some beat up Craigslist beginner kit, and get them to sound about exactly the same- it doesn't really give any indication of how the drums really perform.
The photo above shows our setup for some recent snare demos- Zoom Q8 camera, an AT2020 overhead mic, and a D112 on the bass drum- all far away from the drums, to give the most realistic impression of what the drums sound like in that room, and in person. You don't listen to drums with your ear right up against the head, and for demoing a drum, that isn't where the mic's should be either.
I don't have a mixer, or any way to add compression, or any other studio magic. We keep it simple, real, and accurate. Our videos show what the drums sound like, and you should expect nothing less.