Although ribbon mics sound great on snare drums, they're a bit tricky to use without endangering the ribbon mic. Here are some tips: Place an R-series mic underneath the snare with the rear of the mic facing the snares and front of the mic facing the beater side of the kick drum. Remember to flip phase with this mic so it will be in phase with the top mic as well as with the front kick mics. Compress to taste! This is engineer Dusty Wakeman's snare drum setup.  

---

  This snare is from an MXPX session, produced by Dave Jerden. For a jazz or vintage setup, place an R-series with the front facing the snare and the back toward the hi-hat (remember, ribbons are bi-directional).