how do you mic a drum?

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 4:26 am

This is not easy to answer but i'm looking for tips like how do you go about isolating its different components at best(position of the microphone, cymbals from snare, etc) and what mics are recommended for each one of them... the style of the song is pop jazz. I have never done this type of work. Anyone?

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 4:29 am

Streamworksaudio.com is an online magazine I recently discovered. They have some articles on EQ, Mastering, Dynamics etc., I also found this mic page:
http://www.streamworksaudio.com/index.php?id=29

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 7:34 am

Thx atOmic, this is very good info indeed!

krizrox · Post by **krizrox** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 9:21 am

For pop-jazz style, I suggest you try a very simple set-up...

One mic in kick drum and a set of stereo overheads. That's it! Try that first and if you don't like it, then think about miking all the individual elements.

Use an AKG or a Sennheiser or an Audix kick drum mic - either inside the kick or outside the front head (if no hole).

The stereo overheads should be condensers of some sort - try to use large diaphragm for something like this. I like a wide spread on my overheads so I can get at the ride cymbal on one side and the Hi-Hat/Snare on the other side. My overheads are typically around 3 feet (1 meter) above the kit. I use a mild compression setting on the overheads.

Experiment and have fun!

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 10:05 am

very easy !!
just put the right mike at the right place !

totally agree with the three mike things ...
be sure the drum have the right sound . if yes then three mikes is enough . less is more . the thing I like is to put two mikes for the kickdrum . one into the hole ( large dynamic mike ) and the other ( a small condenser mike ) on the front . this one record also some sound from the snare lower side .for the overhead I like a spaced omni paire with small diaphragme condenser ( oktava mc02 with omni capsul are fantastic for this purpose ) . so with four mikes I've got a very natural and powerful drum . sometime a use mike on every drums but I do the basic sound with the four mikes and I bounce this four tracks into one stereo tracks . then after if a need a special effect on a tom or snare etc .. I crank up the track with the effect when I need it . so my drum track can be natural and also very produced on the same tracks . i'm use to mix some hardcore/progressive/jazz/ electro bands sometime with all this style on a same song !

. and it works very well ..oh ! for drum the vinco is a must to have . it help a lot .

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 10:56 am

I once lived in a very small town where musical resources were non existant and communication with the outside world was limited to letters or phone calls... boy has the net changed all that, thanks!

Post by **garyb** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 3:42 pm

it really depends on what effect you want.mostly i use 4 mics(kik,snr,hihat,and overhead).when i whant that in your face tom tom sound,then i mic individual toms,however,those tom mics MUST be gated.

mic choices include sm57 and audix d1(or really any dynamic)for snare,sm57 or audix d2(or any dynamic) for tom,cymbals and overhead need a nice small diaphram condensor like the audio technica pro37 or atm33 or the akg 460 or 451(or anything similar)kiks use a large diaphram dynamic such as the akg d12,d112 or audix d2 or d4 (or anything similar).

actually,whatever sounds good to you IS good.

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 4:48 pm

I need a microphone preamp. Does anyone have advice on this? I noticed there are a lot of new devices.

siberiansun · Post by **siberiansun** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 10:01 pm

try the behringer ultragain pro, a very good stereo tube preamp that don't cost too much. apx 250€.

i always put my overhead microphones behind the drumkit in left/right UPPER corner of the room where the walls meet the roof.point it into the corner, not in the direction of the drumkit but "mic up" the wall. a tip i learned from several pro sound technichians. this way you capture almost every frequency of the drumkit in your overheads.
add, if neccessary, a hihat mic and close cym mics.

keep it up!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: siberiansun on 2002-12-14 06:39 ]</font>

Post by **garyb** » Sat Dec 14, 2002 2:22 pm

that is the "pzm" effect.there are pzm mics made as well that function in this way.manufacturers include crown(the main supplier of pzm's to the world),audiotechnica and shure.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 8:56 am

thx for all, I'm going to record the drummer at a studio on Sunday with my newly bought A16

wayne · Post by **wayne** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 12:45 pm

a good way to get a decent kick sound is to wrap a foam mattress around the front rim of the drum so it sticks out in a tube, then place a mic at the end of the tube.

This will give you fatness and isolation, witthout a specialised mic as such, as the bass wavelengths get more chance.

congrats on the a16, you will love it

i recorded a drummer this week with pulsar 1 and a16 for our city's festival's opening ceremony, using this technique, and it sounds huge.

i had 1 rode nt2 and i stuck it above the drummer about 1.5 metres, and the bloody thing sounded as good as everything else put together!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: wayne on 2002-12-17 12:53 ]</font>

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 5:24 pm

Amazing what that rode nt2 can do, I used it on a song to record saxophone, trumpet and trombone as well as voices... it renders the sound very close to the real thing. Good to know it can also be used as a drum overhead!