Recording drums and drum miking are challenging endeavors. There are so many different parts that contribute their own unique sound to drum set recording. To get the best end product, you must mic up the various drums of the set individually.
While this sounds like a complicated process for beginners, this guide will help you ensure you have everything in place to get an exceptional sound that will impress everyone that hears it.
After reading this guide, people will assume you had your drum music professionally recorded.
Setup Your Recording Room
One of the first things you need to do is ensure that your recording room has the best possible acoustics and setup for optimal sound. The room should be of a decent size so that the sound has enough space to reverberate. Many people choose to use their garage or a spare room.
If you do not have a room with ideal recording conditions, there are few things you can do to make the space more conducive to recording:
- Consider leaning sheets of plywood against the walls to create more reflective surfaces that will help the sound reverberate more.
- You also may want to consider placing microphones in the room to catch ambient noise that you can mix into your track to get a full sound.
- One way to do this is to position a spaced pair of mics two feet above the ground, four feet in front of your drums.
- If you are in a smaller room, it may work well to place them in the corners of the room, facing away from the drum kit to create a bigger room sound.
- You could even consider placing another outside the door of your recording room to get even more ambient noise.
Choosing the Right Microphones
As we go through how to mic each drum individually, we will suggest different types of microphones. However, it would be best if you understood how each drum mic operates so that you can make informed decisions about the mic that’s best for your sound.
The Dynamic Microphone
This type of mic functions like a reverse speaker. The movement of the diaphragm moves a coil near a magnet that creates an electrical signal that is translated into sound. These robust devices can handle the occasional miss-hit without ruining the recording.
Cardioid pattern dynamic microphones are especially useful because they are specially designed to avoid drum sounds that come from behind it. They focus more on sound coming from beneath it. Drummers tend to use these on the snare and kick drum.
The Condenser Microphone
This type requires power to send from the pre-amp or desk to operate. With this power, a small amplifier inside the device enhances the signal from the diaphragm’s movement.
This option is more sensitive than dynamic microphones making it useful to pick up the sounds of
the cymbals, hi-hats, and overall drum kit.
How to Mic the Bass Drum
To capture the intense sound of the bass drum, most drummers go with a dynamic mic. Some companies even sell products that are specifically designed to pick up the booming sound of kick drums. Once you have your mic, there are several placements you can use to get the sound you desire.
Bonus tip: If you want the bass drum to have less of a booming sound, you can place a blanket on the inside to gently muffle the sound a bit.
By the Outside Head
If you have both heads on the drum, one option for placement is near the outside drum head. For a more open sound, you can point it directly at the center of the head. However, if you are looking for a more subdued sound, you can offset it and point it slightly toward the center of the kick drum.
By the Inside Head
If you opt to remove the outside head or cut a hole in it, you can choose to place the mic near the inside head of the drum. You will want to put it a couple of inches away from the inside head of the drum. Make sure it is also a couple of inches off-center. This location will help capture the acute sound of the beater striking
the head of the drum.
Halfway
Another variation of the above placement involves moving the mic a bit further back so that it is halfway inside the drum. This location will give you a fuller body sound instead of focusing so much on the sharp noise of the beater striking the head of the drum.
Using Two Microphones
Consider using two microphones if you want to get the best possible sound out of your bass drum. You can either place both inside or one inside and one outside.
When using two inside, consider a boundary mic lying on the ground coupled with a dynamic microphone that is mounted to capture the attack of the beater.
Conversely, you can use a kick mic on the inside in tandem with another on the outside positioned in the middle of the head angled at 45 degrees towards the head.
How to Mic the Snare Drum
With the snare drum’s proximity to the other drums in the kit, you will want to go with a cardioid pattern snare mic. Try to position it one or two inches away from the head of the drum.
If you do not have a ruler handy, then the distance of three fingers stacked on top of each other is about how far away from the drum you want to be. Test the sound to ensure you are not getting any bleed from the surrounding drums. You may need to make small adjustments to get the most precise sound from just the snare.
If you are looking for a more powerful snare drum sound, you can try placing a second mic underneath it as well. You will want to make sure that this one is also set a couple of inches away from the drum. Listen to the combination of the devices and adjust the settings as necessary to get the sound you want out of your snare drum.
How to Mic the Tom-toms
For the tom-toms, you will want to go back to using a dynamic microphone. If you have mounted tom-toms above your bass drum, you can use a single mic or a pair of them.
When using one mic, place it in between the two drums and try to make sure it is about four to six inches away from each head.
If you choose to use two mics, you will want to use positioning similar to the snare drum. Place the spaced pair one to three inches above the head of each drum. Luckily, the configuration is identical if you have a floor tom setup.
How to Mic the Hi-hats
Some people do not bother to mic the hi-hats individually because their sound spills over to the mics of other drums in the set. However, if they are particularly integral to your piece's sound, you may want to take the time to record these instruments individually. Additionally, it is always good to mic it up and end up not using it, then to not set it up and then wish you had a fuller sound.
Most people chose to go with either a dynamic microphone or a small diaphragm condenser mic. If you are looking for a trashier sound, you will want to go with the former, whereas if you are looking for a brighter sound, you should opt for the latter.
As for positioning, make sure it is pointed down three to four inches above the drum. You do not need to be as exact with the positioning because of the tone of the hi-hat. However, you should keep the following in mind:
- If the mic is close to the edge of the cymbal, you will get a sound that accents the closing and opening of the hats.
- If you place it closer to the center, you will end up with a pinging sound.
You should avoid placing the mic on the side of the hi-hat because, in doing so, you will continuously hear air being pushed out as the hats close.
Bonus tip: Be wary that the microphone is not so close to the drum that it is in danger of coming in contact with
your drumsticks as you play.
How to Mic the Cymbals
The cymbals can be tricky; however, a small diaphragm condenser will capture the instrument's high frequency. You will want to make sure to leave plenty of room between the device and the cymbal. Six inches should be sufficient.
Bonus tip: Be wary of how hard you hit the cymbals when you are recording. They can easily overpower the rest of the drums in the kit. The drums will sound more impressive if you temper your approach to the cymbals.
How to Mic the Drum Kit Overall
Ambient mics will help you pick up the overall sound of your drum kit. Most musicians opt to mount overhead mics. Small and large diaphragm condensers tend to be the most popular because they do a great job of capturing the drum set's brightness. Ribbon mics are also a practical choice for capturing the vibe of
the entire drum kit.
There are two main ways to set up these overhead mics:
- You can go with the X-Y setup
- You can go with the spaced pair setup
While both are effective, the XY method tends to be more popular for miking the drum kit because the sound is easier to work with in post-production.
When utilizing the former, you will want to place them a couple of feet above the cymbals in the center of the set facing each other pointed downward at a 45-degree angle. The mics should create the appearance of the top half of the letter "X" or the letter "Y." The XY technique helps to eliminate problems with phasing.
You will still want to keep them one to two feet above the cymbals for the spaced pair setup, but instead, these overhead mics need to be on opposite sides of the drum kit, pointing downward towards the middle.
Regardless of which technique you use, it will be best to center your bass and
snare drums as much as possible
What if You Only Have One Mic?
While having a few mics to capture the sound of each drum individually is ideal, it is not always possible or practical. If you find yourself in a situation where you can only afford a single mic, or have very little setup time, then there are still some places you could put it to get a useful recording.
The Room Position
With this mic placement, you will want to ensure that it is at least ten feet away from the drums. This location will give off the most ambient sound.
The Front of the Drum Kit Position
Placing it two feet in front of the bass drum and four feet up in the air will give off the punchiest sound.
The Drummer’s Point of View Position
Finally, this position places it directly behind the drummer and offers a realistic sound of the drum kit. With a single mic, you certainly will not get the most pristine sound, so this method should only be used as a last resort.
Conclusion
If you take the time to properly set up each microphone, you will end up with an incredible drum kit recording. However, if you cut corners and do not set up all the mics correctly, no matter how well you play, it will not sound great when you play it back.
However, in certain situations, a single microphone can help you record your drums to an acceptable level. We recommend preparing ahead of your recording date and doing a few tests in the space!
