Drum micing...for dummies

Posted on Feb 03, 2005 06:34 pm
Tadpui
I am not a crook's head
Member Since: Mar 14, 2003

Just found this article on the dummies website, and it has some great illustrations and some suggestions on compressor settings for some of the mics. It looks like I'm going to be tracking drums for the first time here in a few weeks so this article, along with the one here at HRC, will be instrumental!

www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/...le/id-1122.html

Actually, my biggest question for any drum micers out there: I know that the overheads need to be in phase with each other, but do they have to be in phase with the dynamic mics on the snare, bass, and toms?

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dansaltdog
another day another ray of hope
Member
Since: Oct 14, 2004

Feb 04, 2005 04:46 am

I found out the hard way about the phase problems between overheads and kick drum mic. The kick drum sounded great, but as soon as I put the overheads in, the kick lost all its oomph. Problem was, I didn't notice this until mixdown.

So, yes, they do all have to be in phase, but its not as tricky as it sounds, it does nearly always turn out to be the overheads that are the offending mics. but in my situation I would have done well to move the kick mic as the overheads were in phase with all the other mics, and generally there is not too much problem with snare, toms and kick mics being out of phase with each other as there is usually very little bleed from the rest of the kit.

have fun

Tadpui
I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Feb 04, 2005 09:20 am

Cool, thanks dan. Which mic do you place first? I'd think that it'd be easiest to place the kick, then snare, then overheads.

I think I'm going to stick to 4 mics since I don't think that toms will play a big part in the drum lines. The songs are pretty simple alt-country kind of classic rock songs...some older material of mine that I intended to record as soon as I got my first recording card almost 2 years ago.

Does anybody have any pointers for a first-timer? A drum micing virgin if you will?

dansaltdog
another day another ray of hope
Member
Since: Oct 14, 2004

Feb 04, 2005 02:56 pm

yeah. I tend to do it that way, although it probably makes sense to do the overheads first, and get the other mics to work as a back up, if you will, to the overhead sound. I was explaining in a thread by Wond about using the overheads to control the higher frequencies of the whole kit (snare, hats, cymbals) then use the spot mics to control the lower frequencies of the kit. I find this works for me.

Micing the kit, imo, is really satisfying and there's loads of diferent ways to do it, it's just a matter of finding a way that suits you. I'm still not sure that I've got it completely right, but I'm getting better

dansaltdog.tripod.com/sit...es/cadillac.mp3

dansaltdog.tripod.com/sit...iles/simple.mp3

This is my latest attempt, not a finished mix, just a rough one for the singer to take home before we track him.