I have been recording my band drummer using the simple Recorder Man technique using two overhead microphones, but also with a mic on the kick for some bottom reinforcement and occasionally a mic on the snare drum. My problem is that the cymbals tend to override the rest of the drums. I have asked the drummer to not be so heavy on the cymbals and restrain a little, but in the heat of the song adrenalin seems to take over.
 
Is there another technique where cymbals don't record as pronounced? Should I do away with overheads and just mic up individual drums and perhaps a room mic?
Getting another drummer is not an option. :(
 
 
 
 

Try to place your overheads at a shallower angle to the cymbals and not straight down.

No amount of production will solve the problem. The issue is with the playing itself. Drums are tricky. Some things need to be hit hard. eg toms, other things require immediate change in the amount of power required to produce a very audible sound eg cymbals. It takes skill to be able to regulate the power required in the middle of all that playing where you are hitting various surfaces but control power hits for the toms but much softer hits for other things. 
 
He needs to practice playing and record himself all the time and listen to how bad it all sounds. The reason I have so much control after all these years is because I have been recording myself playing for many years and I have adjusted the power required for the various surfaces for a very even and well balanced recorded result. There is no other way to do it.
 
Excitement has nothing to do with volume. That is where 99% of drummers get it wrong. Excitement results from intensity and intention and conviction in the groove. Great drummers can create the excitement at low volume.  One of my drum teachers told me let the excitement and power and volume flow but just hold it all back at the wrists and let it through in just the right amounts.    Let the PA do all he work out front. A lot of very loud drum sounds out front are often not that loud on stage.  That is a very cool situation to play in.

Yeah, I recently recorded a drummer who had excellent dynamic control. I commented on this, and he said he always practices with an overhead mic and kick mic on headphones, to train himself to balance the kit.

I was also going to suggest the issue might reside with the drummer and how he/she plays in the studio. I also agree with Jeff...processing won't help you fix a track.  Record again after having a talk with the drummer and possibly rearranging the mics.
 
Unless you mic every part of the kit individually into unique tracks, you will have to rely on the drummer to assist in getting the sound needed. Most other players can let it rip and simply turn the volume knob down... drums are a bit different.
 
With overhead mics... they are closest to the cymbals. If the drummer rides those cymbals hard, that's what you will hear. I played in a band with a drummer like that. He actually broke and cracked his cymbals on a regular basis he hit them so hard. Also shredded lots of sticks on the cymbal edges. Cymbals started and ended every song and if he didn't have cymbals, I don't think he would have been able to play.  When our band could afford it, we ended up miking the entire kit so we could hear the rest of the drums.  No cymbal mics were needed.

Trying to talk to him about dynamic playing was futile.  The cat was good and could keep the groove and backbeat going..... but cymbals..... oh those cymbals.... they were one of the contributing factors to my high frequency hearing loss today.

Thanks guys
 

Jeff Evans
No amount of production will solve the problem. The issue is with the playing itself. Drums are tricky. Some things need to be hit hard. eg toms, other things require immediate change in the amount of power required to produce a very audible sound eg cymbals. It takes skill to be able to regulate the power required in the middle of all that playing where you are hitting various surfaces but control power hits for the toms but much softer hits for other things. 
 
He needs to practice playing and record himself all the time and listen to how bad it all sounds. The reason I have so much control after all these years is because I have been recording myself playing for many years and I have adjusted the power required for the various surfaces for a very even and well balanced recorded result. There is no other way to do it.
 
Excitement has nothing to do with volume. That is where 99% of drummers get it wrong. Excitement results from intensity and intention and conviction in the groove. Great drummers can create the excitement at low volume.  One of my drum teachers told me let the excitement and power and volume flow but just hold it all back at the wrists and let it through in just the right amounts.    Let the PA do all he work out front. A lot of very loud drum sounds out front are often not that loud on stage.  That is a very cool situation to play in.

I suspected as much, but the guy is a friend ...... and all the complicated band politics makes it difficult to sometimes tackle such problems. I'm going to have to put on my best diplomatic hat and hope I can resolve this with out causing friction.
I have thought about recording the drums without cymbals first, then adding them later in another take. That would at least separate them from the mix. I'm no drummer, so I don't really know how drummers brains work, and can they not instinctively reach for the cymbal when they feel the need for one.  

Guitarhacker
 
The cat was good and could keep the groove and backbeat going..... but cymbals..... oh those cymbals....

Our guy has a habit of closing his eyes and "getting in the groove". Makes it dambed  hard getting his attention on stage sometimes.

There are a couple of things.  You can try to adjust the mics in the position they are - turning them as suggested above.  You might try different mics.  I use Oktava SDM for overheads and they can help since they are pretty dark and a fairly tight pattern.  I've had some success w/ micing from the front of the kit, too, with the keep it simple stupid drum mic'ing.  I've got great stereo sound by using a pair of nice crown pzm mics about 4 ft. in front of the kit.  But it sounds like you don't have much money for recording.  Try a single ribbon in the front (or overhead)  and as many spot mics as you can.  MXL has cheap ribbons - sub $100.  Worth having one.  I use it on guitar cab and horns.  Not an RCA, but they roll off the top end pleasantly.  I haven't used the one ribbon mic technique, but it should work.  Being fig 8, you get some depth from the back reflections.  Not stereo, but ....  And like I said, you can add some spot mic's if needed.
 
@

optimus
I have been recording my band drummer using the simple Recorder Man technique using two overhead microphones, but also with a mic on the kick for some bottom reinforcement and occasionally a mic on the snare drum. My problem is that the cymbals tend to override the rest of the drums. I have asked the drummer to not be so heavy on the cymbals and restrain a little, but in the heat of the song adrenalin seems to take over.
 
Is there another technique where cymbals don't record as pronounced? Should I do away with overheads and just mic up individual drums and perhaps a room mic?
 

Can't you just play the recording back to him,
so he can hear how his playing is translating to the mic?
 
and then ask him "is this the way you WANT to sound?
 
 
LOL
 
 
 
beyond that, if you are stuck with bad drum tracks, and have to use them, SUBTRACTIVE EQ.
 
and to a lesser degree, multiband compression, where you ONLY USE the bands you need to tame the cymbals.
 

Quick comment to affirm Jeff's post... Has your drummer actually listened to these recordings? He needs to gain a critical ear for his own work if he wishes to improve.

Basically an echo of batsbrew's post... Your drummer needs to be intimately involved in post-production too.