Do You Need Drum Mics?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Do you need drum mics?

Miking up a drum kit on stage isn’t always necessary or possible in small venues

. However, if the size of the room and the PA system can handle it, even a single mic on the kick drum can really contribute to the live mix.

Can I use any mic for drums?

For snare drums, we recommend the industry standard Shure SM57, for rack toms we recommend the Shure PGA 98D microphones as they can easily clip on to your drum and for floor toms we thoroughly recommend the Shure PGA56 dynamic microphone which can also be used for snare drums.

How many microphones do you need for drums?

You typically need

5-20 mics

to record drums, though you can use as few as 1-4. More microphones don’t automatically guarantee that your recording will sound better and may make it more difficult to get a clear, realistic sound. Proper recording involves spot, stereo, and room microphones.

Can I use 1 mic for drums?

What is needed to record drums?

Since I’m in short-description-mode, here are all the parts you need to record: a room, drums (and someone to hit them), microphones, microphone preamps (optional), recording hardware (assume it’ll be digital), recording software, a sense of what you want to hear, and much more time than you think you’ll need.

What mic is best for drums?

  • AKG D112 MKII.
  • Audix D6.
  • Shure Beta 52A.
  • Sennheiser E602 II.
  • Neumann U 47 FET.
  • Audio-Technica ATM250DE.

How many songs does it take to record drums?

If you’re playing many drums or the song has a lot of samples, then record them individually. Since most software will let you record

up to 16 tracks at once

, it’s worth considering how many different samples you will need and how many different tunes your song has.

Can you record drums with a condenser mic?

One of the more abstract microphone placements to record drums with one microphones involves placing the microphone approximately 10 feet in front of the kit. The microphone should also be pointing to the center of the kit for optimal results. From this far away,

the only type of microphone I recommend is condenser

.

How do you mic a drum with 2 mics?

Can you record drums with a blue yeti?

How do you record drums without a mic?

How do you record drums at home?

  1. Tune your drum kit. Any recording engineer will tell you that the most important element to a great-sounding recording is a great-sounding instrument. …
  2. Mic the kick drum. …
  3. Mic the snare drum. …
  4. Set up overhead microphones. …
  5. Mic more individual drums (optional). …
  6. Set a preamp and compression sound.

How can I record drums at home cheap?

What equipment do I need to mic my drums?

Take ideally

a large-diaphragm condenser mic

(but any mic you have at hand will do!) and set it up as an overhead microphone, pointing straight down at the kick drum beater. This is a great place to start as it’ll cover a good general mix of the drum kit.

Can you record drums with 2 mics?


Probably the best choice for a stereo drum-miking configuration is a relatively new one called the Recorderman method

. It consists of two mics, one placed over the snare (about two drumsticks’ height above the snare head), and one over the shoulder of the drummer.

How do drum mics work?

Are dynamic mics good for drums?

Dynamic mics These have a thin diaphragm and do great at high-pitched recording sounds from the cymbal instruments.

They are usually designed for toms and snare drums

. They have an above-average mid-range frequency and are well-built. They also come pre-tuned to enhance sound quality.

How do I record drums on my phone?

How do you record drums in a small room?

How do you mix drums with one mic?

Can you record drums with 3 mics?

How many drum mics do you need for live?

It is often suggested that you add at least one dedicated hi-hat mic and that, if you can, you have two overhead mics. This means

five mics total in an ideal environment

.

Can you record drums with one overhead?

How do you mix drums?

  1. Visualize your drums with panning.
  2. Fast-track your submixes with Track Enhance.
  3. Dial-in the details with Transient Shaper.
  4. Create a powerful kick with Dynamic EQ.
  5. Delineate drum tones from spill with a multiband gate.
  6. Apply multiband compression on overheads.

How many overhead mics does a drum have?

N Stereo Mics Spot / Close Mics 6-12 Stereo overhead microphones One or more microphones for each of the drums in the kit
8-20


Stereo overhead microphones

One or more microphones on each of the drums in the kit Microphones positioned close to each group of cymbals

Where can I speak to Blue Yeti?

Yeti is a side-address microphone, which means you should speak, sing, and play into

the side of the microphone

with the Blue logo facing the sound source, not the top of the microphone. Now you can start recording and streaming in stunning audio quality.

How do you record percussions?

Do you record drums in one take?


Recording an entire drum kit at once results in a bigger/fuller sounding mix

. Avoiding microphone bleed totally works in some instances, but it’s really an aesthetic choice. By recording drums one at a time, you’re still sacrificing some of the “realism” associated with recording an acoustic drum kit.

How do I record drums on my laptop?

How do you record cheap acoustic drums?

Is a mixer necessary for recording?


A dedicated mixer can be optional if you only tend to record from one to two sound sources

. However, the audio interface is another story. If you want high-quality audio, this device is absolutely essential.

Do you need a preamp to record drums?

Where do drums go in a home studio?

What kind of interface do you need to record drums?


A studio essential

is a great audio interface — and one that works well for drummers. I’ve come up with a cool list of interfaces for you to consider that all have four XLR mic inputs. Most of them have all kinds of other inputs as well, such as line-level and digital inputs.

How do I record my garage drums?

Can I use a condenser mic for drums?


A matched pair of either large or small-diaphragm condensers would be the perfect choice for miking the drum overheads

. Both directional and omnidirectional polar pattern microphones can be used as overhead mics, although cardioid mics are most commonly used.

Jasmine Sibley
Author
Jasmine Sibley
Jasmine is a DIY enthusiast with a passion for crafting and design. She has written several blog posts on crafting and has been featured in various DIY websites. Jasmine's expertise in sewing, knitting, and woodworking will help you create beautiful and unique projects.