Drum Sets are arguably the hardest instruments to record. That's because they aren't just one instrument, but rather a collection of instruments working together as one.
Don't let that scare you! Drum set was the first instrument I ever recorded, and it was much easier (and cheaper) than most people acted like it would be. I'll explain how to record with four mics, or if that's beyond you price-wise, I'll also explain how to record your drums with just two mics.
microphones:
Since all drum sets are different, a lot of your microphone placement is going to depend on your set up. Most drum kits include a bass drum, snare drum, high-hat, crash cymbal, ride cymbal, and 2 or 3 tom drums.
Overhead microphones
Regardless of how many (or how few),drums you have on your kit, the easiest way to grab a whole picture of the sound is with overhead mics. Overhead microphones aren't specifically pointed at one drum, and are used to capture cymbals and toms.
You'll want to use two condenser microphones, that way the recording will be in stereo, and you'll be able to capture more sound accurately.
Using small diaphragm microphones work perfect for this, large diaphragm would work as well, but they typically cost a little more. I use these microphones, the Samson C02s. They work SO well! I record everything from violin to piano with these little guys. They come in matched pairs so they work perfectly together.
Some other options:
There are loads of methods for placing the overhead mics, I've had the most luck with simply putting a mic on each side of the set, both behind pointing towards the front and middle.
Once you get your microphones on either side of the drum set, you'll want to make sure your stereo image is in phase. This is very important step, it sounds complicated, but it's not too bad. Just use a cable to measure the distance between the middle of the bass drum and each microphone. Make sure each microphone is the same distance away from the middle of the bass drum, that will ensure that all the instruments will be properly balanced in the stereo image.
The most important step is to experiment and make sure that you hear all the drums and cymbals at equal volumes.
Two microphone option
If you are really pressed for money, it is possible to get a decent recording of a drum set with just overhead microphones. You won't be able to get as much bass or detail on the snare, but the recording with just two microphones will sound good enough for a lot of recordings.
snare microphone
While the snare will show up in the overhead mics pretty well, I like to give it a little more detail. I close-mic my snare drum with a dynamic microphone. The SM-57 is another great microphone, it can be used for everything under the sun! It's also only $100!
Any other dynamic microphone will work for this, but the SM-57 works best in my experience.
Bass drum microphone
It's best to use a dynamic mic for the bass drum as well. In a pinch, you could get a way with using another SM-57. I use an old microphone that I inherited from my dad, but this is the closest mic I can find to what I use.
A quick google search will turn up loads of results for Bass Drum microphones, just use a dynamic microphone with a large diaphragm.
Recording bass drum can get sloppy quick because the resonant head often rings a lot. People solve this problem by cutting a hole in their bass drum. You can also take the resonant head off the bass drum.
My solution to the problem is to mute the resonant head almost completely. I also usually tilt my microphone at a small angle to avoid air from the head hitting the microphone and creating a plosive.
Remember! The best way to record anything is to experiment with mic placement and levels until you get the sound you want! Don't be afraid to spend some extra time (it doesn't have to take a long time) experimenting with the location of your microphones!
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