Drum Micing for Dummies (the Dummy is me)

[Schroeder]

I am recording drums for the first time. Any advice on micing a five piece kit (bass, snare, two toms, one floor tom, hi-hat, ride, crash)? I am working with Sonar Producer and have a MOTU 828mkII interface that can easily handle the multiple inputs. I have a Rode NT1-A, a Shure 57, and a bunch of dynamic microphones from my bands PA. I also have access to a second large diaphragm condenser mic (similar to the Rode NT1-A). I am looking for opinions on the best setup (which mic for what piece of the set, placement, etc.) with what I've got so that I can have as much sonic control of drum tones in the mixing phase. Thanks in advance.

[jbird]

How about:
57 on the kick.
Rode NTA-1 on hi-hat.
The other large diaphram condenser on the floor tom.
The other dynamics on toms and snare.
Placement is all about experimentation. Have fun!

[Schroeder]

Thanks jbird. Gonna give it a go in the next few days.

[redmax61]

I'd have to modify that plan just a bit.

I would start with the following:
SM57 on the snare
Big diaphragm on the kick (EV RE20 or equivalent if possible)
Condensers for OH

This is a very minimalist setup, but I've always been told to start with just the basics. If you need more, you can add mics as needed.

Good luck!

[Quinny]

Redmax has outlined a good approach, starting with a simple set-up and working from there. Many great drum tracks have been recorded the whole kit with just ONE mic! :eek: I did a drum take a couple of years back with just a single Neumann sat around 20 feet away from the kit, sounded great!

What I would do.... : Use the two condensers for overheads. Bear in mind when you do this that cymbals project their sound in a 'figure of 8' pattern (vertically, at a right angle to the horizontal axis of the cymbal), so the quietest spot to mic a cymbal is right beside it, on it's horizontal axis. If you want more volume then move the mics somewhere up into the upper bout of the figure of 8. I would put the 57 on the snare, good move. Bass-wise you need to be cautious about putting a large diaphragm condenser in there.... the low frequency boom of a bass drum can often damage a large diaphragm, many such mics were not designed for bass drum and cannot cope with being in one. The likes of the AKG D112 are that shape for a good reason. I would put another dynamic in there..... what are the other mics incidentally?

Whether you mic the toms and the hats individually is down to taste, what you are trying to achieve exactly and how much control you want to be able to have when mixing time comes. Having a mic on your hats is always a good idea.... if you have a single mic pick up your snare and your hats then you won't have much control separating them and processing them individually in the mix.

The two biggest points??? Number 1..... as with micing an acoustic or a guitar cab, experimentation is the key! There are general 'guidelines' to such a process but very few hard and fast rules. Spend some time moving mics around, trying different mics and follow what your ears tell you sound best.

Number 2, most important when recording drums...... it is always a GREAT idea to spend a day or an afternoon with just the drummer and the kit, making sure the heads are in good order (batter and res) and that the whole kit is TUNED properly. The number of drummers I've seen with their DW's and their OCDP's and they've easily managed a truly horrendous recorded sound from a truly great kit..... a 3 grand kit does not make for a good sound if you don't know how to fine tune the thing. The same for any kit..... don't spend the time tweaking and tuning it then you're doing yourself a dis-service right from the start.

So yeah, decide how much control you want when mixing the kit...... get it properly setup and tuned.... and have a great time doing some experimentation before you press record.

Good luck!

Q.

[redmax61]

Thanks for clarifying Quinny. I forgot to mention that you do need a Dynamic mic on the kick. The RE20 (the one that looks like a coke can) is a dynamic mic, as is the Sennheiser 421 and the AKG D112. I use an AKG D3600 dual element large diaphragm Dynamic mic that I got from Les Schefman over on TGP. It makes an absolutely KILLER kick and bass guitar mic. And I only paid $125 for it. The deals are out there, and half the fun is finding them.

[Schroeder]

Thanks a lot guys. Looks like I need to go shopping!

[redmax61]

NEWS FLASH!

Blue has a new microphone that's supposed to be great for kick drums. It's called the Kickball. Great price point as well, Sweetwater has them for $119. They are getting rave reviews, and at that price, they can't be beat.

[Axemeister]

My son Charlie is immersed in his drums, and has been working a great deal on miking them. He has been lucky enough to work in a recording studio with some experienced pros too, so he has had a bunch of mics to play with.

Since we got our home studio set up, he has been experimenting with his drum mike set up a great deal. He is very much a fan of Danny Carey and Josh Freese. so his drum mic tastes are tailored to that type of sound. I sent him a copy of the thread and here is his response:

“Is this all going to be multi-tracked and loaded on the computer or a digital recorder?

I LOVE my Shure Beta 52 on the kick drum! Its perfect for my ears. I have the Beta 52 in my 22” DW Kick. Listen to A Perfect Circle’s “Judith”, that’s what my kick sounds like with the Beta 52!.

A Shure SM57 will also yield a nice result in the kick if you don’t have a kick specific mic, especially if you can edit later! Also, you can try a large Diaphragm condenser on the kick. EQ it a little.

Put a SM57 on the snare, SM 57 or condenser on the kick. Use Condenser or two as overheads. And, if you have some decent dynamics mics, put them on the toms. Move mics around to find a nice placement and to eliminate phase issues!


Best of Luck!”

[Schroeder]

Thanks again for the advice guys. I am going to give it a go this weekend.