by Mike Snyder
Mic’ing Drums 101
February 19, 2010 12:02 pm in Drumset by Mike Snyder
Hello everyone!
The links below are to new (and free!) videos I just finished for Audix Microphones on the basics of mic’ing up your drums for live performance. There’s tons of great information in them. (Okay, I think there is … LOL) I hope you all find them useful. Let me know what you think!
All the best,
Mike Snyder
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Introduction
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Kick
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Snare
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Overheads
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Tom Toms
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Hi-Hat
How To Mic Up Your Drums – Full Kit
Hey Ivan,
Glad you got something out of it!
Tell all your drummer friends about The Exchange!!!!
Be well,
Mike
Great info Mike. Thank you very much
Hey Mike,
I’ve known some folks who swear by mic-ing the snare drum shell (usually in addition to a second mic on the batter or resonant head). The concept of mic-ing a shell seems a little counterintuitive to me, and I guess the success (or not) of using this technique would depend largely on what type of snare drum you were using. Metal, wood, number of plies, etc.
I’m curious if this is something you’ve ever experimented with this, and if so, what kind of microphone you’d recommend for the job.
Thanks!
Hey Andy,
Great question … YES! I’ve done some wacky mic’ing.
The times I’ve mic’ed the shell, I’ve actually been mic’ing the vent hole of the drum—2-3″ out. Depending on the tonal quality of the drum it can be cool sounding. I’ve have had the best results with very “live” metal-shelled snares with little or no muffling.
Experimentation is the key!
Be well,
Mike
Hey Mark,
For non-ported front heads I’d start with the mic pointing directly at the head, about 4-6 inches away, and placed about mid-way between the center and the edge of the drum. I’d also have someone play the drum and listen for the spot where the drum sounds the best. Make sure you don’t get blasted!
The DW kick in the video is 22″ diameter and 18″ deep. The batter head was a Remo EQ3, as I remember, and there was the stock DW muffle pillow do-dad in it. Tuning wise I barely took the wrinkles out of the batter head and the resonance head. This is typical Pop/Funk head choice and tuning for me. It’s punchy and fat, with minimal resonance—it mic’s up well.
Be well,
Mike
great vids, Mike!
Couple of quick questions..
Where do you usually place a bd mike on a head without a hole cut?
Can you tell me how low your bd is tuned – and how much muffling you were using to get that sound? Seems fairly compact and punchy without too much resonance.
Thanks!