Just thought I'd get some conversation about drum miking going.
So what are some techniques you use?

For sake of this poll, we'll say "standard kit" is kick, snare, 3 toms, hat, ride, 2 crash. But if you wanna describe another setup, feel free.

Kick: D112 or Beta 52
Snr: Sm57, beta 57 and/or GT AM52
OHs: pair AKG 451B's in ORTF config
HH: an AT4041 (not always used in the mix, but I like having it)
TOMs: akg C418s or SM57s, sometimes a D112 or Beta 52 on the Flr tom

So usually it's 9 mics or so on a kit when I track drums....
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Bruce Valeriani - Mix Engineer

Well firstly no set rules for me, I treat each drum-set as a first experience, based on the sound. I usually try to replicate as much of the original sound as possible first, then we discuss alternate sounds.

As a rough guide to what I may grab ...

Kick: RE20 + 57 and a speaker.
Snare: 57 top, 57 bottom, oktavas sometimes too. (important)
Hats: Octava MC012 (quite often with a very cheap AKG too)
Toms: Sennheiser MD 541 (sometimes 509s) floor, re20
Overheads: AKG 414s
I'll spot mic the crashes and ride cymbals too.

Ill also double up mics and put them in a variety of places, not unknown to have about 25 channels on the go, and A/B them, shift them an inch here and there, before choosing the best combinations.

I have found the best combination ranges between two overheads or all 25 mics...

I'm just a little odd.
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Recording Studio Suntans

AC wrote:

Ill also double up mics and put them in a variety of places, not unknown to have about 25 channels on the go, and A/B them, shift them an inch here and there, before choosing the best combinations.

Nice. I dream of the day I'l be able to work lke that

Being, a home studio guy, until recently I used only four cheap mics I picked up from radioshack and walmart-- threw one in the kick, one on the snare and two overheads. -ran trhough my 4-track cassette recorder used the direct outs to my soundcard.

But about a year ago I got some better quality mics and now I put a pair of Nady CM88s overhead, a speaker and a Nady SP1 in the kick, the cheapies on the toms, and a Shure 10AM on the snare top.
I've some other stuff more professionally for school, but that's my home setup

Good stuff uncle.

Yeah building the mic box up is so important for an engineer.. that's the last thing to sell when you gotta pay the rent.
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Recording Studio Suntans

Last edited by AC on Fri Jul 29, 2005 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total

Overheads: AKG 414 in A/B or AKG 451 in X/Y or if the room it is high and nice u87 in Blumblein
Kick: D112 inside and u87 outside
Snare Top: Beyer M201
Snare Bottom: Shure SM57
TOMS AND FLOOR TOM: Sennheiser MD421
HiHat: AT4050
Room: Some pair of Rode NT1 to 8 meters far away.
Room 2 (optional): A nice large diagrapham 10 steps and in line with the drummer's chest.

another

Overheads: AKG 451 in A/B with the 2 sticks technique.
Kick: U87 outside
Snare: AKG 451 with the Pad and a few cms, away

It would be nice to have all those mics but i get a great sound with what i got:


Bass drum: Beta 52
Snare: SM57
Overhead toms: SM57
Floor tom: SM57

The SM57's pick up the cymbals just fine with a little manipulation. I run those 4 mics through my mackie board for a premix and then into the computer. I boost the high end on the overall track to bring the cymbals crisp up a little and add a touch of reverb.

The sound is quite amazing considering the drums around basiclly in a closet in my room. Also having a good sounding and nicely tuned drum set helps alot
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Jeremy

Ah, yes minimal mics. I just recorded a song that I was only able to use 4 mics on my dums. 2 Nady cm88s as overheads, a Nady sp-1 on the snare top and an even cheaper dynamic mic in the kick. I had to do everything myself and in a limited time, but I got pretty decent sound overall. The only thing lacking is full sounding toms, but that's probably due to the way I positioned the overheads.

Ok, If sounds good, you have done a great job!!!!!

Recently, i make a drum tracking in a nice room, and studio and Room mics, make a wonderful job, it was a pair of U 67, in cardioid, and looking to a panels just a few inches fo the glass, it sound good.....

and another was: U67 as mono overhead, U 67 to snare/hihat, like 30 cms away, a D112 inside the kick, a snare working like a subkick and a few meters away the U87. This was al most the neumman drum, jeje, it sound really vintage

In bad situations, i have tracked a jazz drum with a pair of C1000's as overheads, a SM57 on snare top, and a Sennheiser 604 i think, don't remember, on kick, and it sound respeatable.

But i repeat, it sounds good????? Congratulations!!!!!!!

Cool post.
(Any combo of:)
Kick: Beta 52
Snare: SM57/PG56/AKG D190 ES - top, Rode NT2 LDC/PG81 - bottom
Toms: 3 PG56s, 2 AKG D190 ESs, 2 SM57s
Hi hat: PG81
Overhead: 2 SM81s XY, ORTF, Spaced pair.

Of couse the style of music, type set, and the drummers style make a big difference in mic choice and placement

With the "standard kit" on most Rock or Pop, I'll probably use 8 mics.

I've done some decent stuff with just an SM58 in the kick and Rode NT2 placed strategically overhead. Mono of course but for Jazz, simple and mono are often preffered. It mimics the mono origins of the jazz era.
Matt

Oh ya, and a PG52 for the floor tom or second kick.
Sorry, forgot that part.
The Bete 52 is great for bass cabs too.
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TweekSound.com

Song Ramp Page

hi, this is my first post on here!
when i record drums i usually use

snare- sm57
kick- beta 91
hats- sm57 or sennheiser E606.. supposed to be for guitar amps but does te job!
toms - sennheiser E604
OH- 2x RODE broadcasters... only because i dont have anything else, but they do a good job!

It depends entirely on the sound I want. If I had the materials I'd have a drum room with at least 30 mics and a dedicated mixer just for that. But I don't. I sometimes only have one mic, for a crappy hollow sound that's a lot of fun. But generally:
Kick: D112
Snare: SM57
and then 2 or 3 overheads with whatever's laying around. im getting a set of 11 samson drum mics though, so i'll be able to have maybe 20 or so total.

This is a paragragh that Iv'e taken from a Mix Online interview with Joey Moi (Engineer for Nickelback) and Chad Kroeger (Nickelback). I found it interesting. If any one wants to see the article in whole,
then just click this link: http://mixonline.com/recording/interviews/audio_studio_nickelback/

Anyway, here's the paragragh:

'As for the drums, Ryan “Nik” Vikedal has got “a huge kit,” Moi says. “Normally, we don't have to use this much. A modest drum kit is a kick, snare, two toms, a couple of cymbals and a hi-hat.” But Nickelback's skinbeater has two snares, four toms, two hi-hats and a surplus of cymbals. To record Vikedal, Moi says they placed one mic inside and outside of the kick (a combination of a D-112 inside and Neumann M147 and NS-10 outside), plus one on top and below the snare (an SM57 and a RØDE NT5). They used SM7s on the hi-hats, two KM184s on the Zildjian cymbals, a RØDE NT5 on the ride cymbal, two RØDE NTKs as overheads and 421s above each tom with SM57s below them. Room mics included two RØDE NT1000s and a Coles ribbon mic."'
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"Supporter of Independent Music"
---------------SIM-------------------

Hi!
That´s what I normally like to work with:

KD.- Shure Beta52a inside / U87ai in front of the maze.
Snr.- Shure SM57 on top / SM57 on bottom.
HH.- AKG C1000.
Toms.- Sennheiser e604 / Md421.
Ride.- Behringer B2 / AKG C1000.
Overheads.- SE Electronics SE3a pair.
Room.- SE Electronics z5600 pair.

For me the Room mics are very important to get the acoustics of the room and/or make up the set on pop/rock/metal style.