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Miking Drums in the Recording Studio

By Bruce Hathaway

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 06Mar2011 Word count: 823 Viewed: 412 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

In the recording studio the process of connecting the drums to the several microphones is not an easy one as there are various factors to consider such as the particular microphones that should be used as well as the appropriate placement of the microphones. As such, the remainder of this article will be focusing on some things to know about miking drums, as well as the proper procedures and pieces of equipment that one should get for the job, such as the proper mic stands or clamps.

Of all the various instruments that are being used in the band, the drums are the ones that typically require the most mics. The most basic way of connecting the drum set to the console system is known as the 'triangle' and even that requires a minimum of three mics. One of the mics should be placed right within or just outside the kick drum and the other two should be placed further back on either side of the drum kit to provide for a more realistic stereo sound. ( Unless you're a mono diehard.)

If you wish to obtain the clearest, sharpest and most controllable sound possible out of a drum kit, it would be best for you to mic each individual drum separately. Small dynamic mics, which can easily withstand high pressure levels, are pointed towards a single drum head, such as the snare drum, the various toms and of course the kick drum. Proper placement is key in preventing sound "bleed" from one mic to the other. Cymbals usually need overhead mics of their own because you'll need to control that element at mix-down. (Miking the high-hat is optional in order to separate the sound of the snare drum, usually close by.) Another of the biggest challenges in miking the drums is ensuring that the sounds produced by the cymbals do not overpower the rest of the mix. The use of compression, either in tracking or mix-down is often used to mitigate such a problem.

If you wish to record the drums along with other instruments, you'll need to find some way of controlling the other sounds from mixing and blending together with the drum track. The best way to achieve this would be to place a wall (known as a Gobo) with one side to absorb and the other to actually stop the sound waves. Placing the Gobo around the drum set will at least achieve a certain amount of isolation. Various kinds of noise dampening materials are readily available or, if you're handy with carpentry, you could make a Gobo yourself (refer to actual DIY designs by Googling it on the web).

Next is a discussion of the mics themselves. There are three basic kinds of microphones that are best used for miking a drum set. The first of these would be the dynamic mics. These are widely known as the most durable and dynamic of the three styles and they typically operate by allowing sound waves within the air to move a tiny cone inside a tight coil of wiring that is, in turn, surrounded by its own magnetic field. It usually takes sound waves of considerable intensity and amplitude to actually vibrate the coil, and as such, the downside of these microphones would be that they are much less sensitive than the other two microphones that will be mentioned later on.

Condenser microphones are those that will allow for sound waves to pass through a thin plastic diaphragm, thereby causing it to vibrate accordingly. These vibrations are then measured by their relative distances from an electrified back plate. Condenser microphones are especially useful for professional recordings since the diaphragm is much more sensitive than the coil of a dynamic mic, making them an ideal choice for overhead miking; for instance, the high-pitched chime of the cymbals.

If you're planning on recording the ambience of the space, along with the drums, you can use the condenser or the ribbon at various far distances from the kit. Ribbon microphones, although they may be of an older technology, are still capable of generating sounds with superb amounts of clarity as well as sensitivity. A thin metal ribbon hangs down between two magnets on either side of it, and small vibrations will generate fluctuations in its electromagnetic field creating a wide range of audio signals. In particular, ribbon mics are ideal for capturing the faintest of sounds. The extremely sensitive ribbon typically picks up every imperfection very easily. These mics are also quite fragile and will break easily under power surges or rough handling. (Never use a ribbon with "phantom power."

If the drummer plays well, a good drum sound is indeed an essential element that is able to move a recording to another level.

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