Comments on: How to Record the Best Live Drum Sound Ever

By: Andy C

Andy C — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 08:33:42 +0000

The best drums sounds on earth have been recorded simply with very few microphones.

The idea of trying to record an instrument by putting microphones DIRECTLY next to the skin defies logic.

That’s why it’s so hard to get a great drum sound because you’re polishing a turd. Recording a pitter patter and then adding effects to make it sound BIG.

Let the drum kit BREATHE. Place the mics far away so they actually PICK UP THE ACOUSTICS of the drum. Why the hell do sound engineers put the bass drum microphone directly in front of the beater? IT’s F*CKING INSANE? How is that going to pick up the warmth and acoustics of the drum?? Can anyone not see the insanity of putting a microphone directly next to the skin and then afterwards ADDDING F*CKING REVERB and ECHO!! JESUS CHRIST DON”T USE FAKE REVERB, USE REAL AUTHENTIC ROOM REVERB!!!!! ARGGHH!

Buy a Royer R122 Ribbon microphone, and a high-end condenser microphone, experiment with room placing and you will have a drum sound that will crap all over ones where they use 20 microphones.

By: MetalCallOut

MetalCallOut — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:16:56 +0000

Thanks for this guide. The Can-Clamp Mic is an interesting idea. I have used somewhat of the same idea, but using a sub woofer for a bass drum mic. Same principle behind it.

By: Mick Betts

Mick Betts — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:20:09 +0000

Come one guys… evryone’s entiled to a different opinion… what one likes others don’t and visa versa… if old mate is getting a sound he (or she) likes from one mic then good for him (or her)… how easy would it be to set up!
I’ve gone from 8 mics to 3. and love the sound i’m getting! if your drums sound good then they sound good.
my 2 bobs worth is if they sound like shxt then yeah your gunna need to mic the bejesus outa it, compress the crapper to it and eq and effect it to make it sound good, placing headphones on either side of a snare drum is going to chnage the sound of that drum. i use no gaffa tape anywhere on my kit. no muffles. take the front head of my bass drum and the sound is going to be diffferent. if things are ringing perhaps tune them instead on tape. sometimes the tuning you need for a particular song on each drum can make other drums ring… this can be a flavour if you like it and make it work for you. in my younger days i hadn’t developed the ear to tune (or taken a few days outa my life to learn the way that works for me the best) so i’ld reach for the tape…

please, lets not argue over the best way… everyone’s way is the best if it works for them. if it’s not working for you then try everything to get to where you need to be so your able to focus on playing the instrument and doing what you love without being side tracked…

By: nick

nick — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:43:49 +0000

Some tips are very usefull. The truth is the better drum set and mic’s you have the less you need them. The #5 tip is a revolutionary idea. That idea gives to every kick what every drummer want to hear.

By: Ray Fulber

Ray Fulber — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:10:39 +0000

Good creative drum mic ideas. I love the sound I get with a good drummer playing drums he knows how to tune. Then the fun can begin.
cheers Ray

By: Floris

Floris — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:45:12 +0000

A good sounding drumkit doesnt need drummer.

By: Sean V

Sean V — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:04:19 +0000

In my experience stands are much better in a studio situation… clamps transfer too much of the mechanical noise to the mic for a clean sound. I don’t like to mic the hi-hat from underneath as i find you get all kinds of phasing problems. Inverting the phase on the hi-hat channel to cure it just seems to make the sound more un-natural… but – it’s all about the individual kit and the drummer’s playing style…so you might find your way works for you. That’s what makes engineering fun!

By: zerolmzero

zerolmzero — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:41:10 +0000

For live drums you will end up with 8-9 mics. Some tricks I’ve learned:
-try to avoid booms and stands all together. The ground shakes when the drummer goes wild and your mic will be pointing at the wrong direction. You can use clams for toms and the snare, but also underneath the snare you can use a small clipped gooseneck microphone. One of the best ways to record the hi-hat live is to clip the mic underneath the hi-hat, at the same height of the snare, thus dampening most of snare sound and still picking up the hi-hat sound very clearly.
-The ride is essential in jazz. Sometimes it’s better to pick it up from underneath. Same applies here as well. If it’s at the same height of the low tom you will not pick up the tom and focus on the ride itself.
-Trowing a contact mic into the kick will pick up the actual “clack” and can be blended with the “thump” from the outside kickmic.

By: Guilherme Canaes

Guilherme Canaes — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:56:04 +0000

Say to all your artists this kind of bullshit ” the great drum sound need just one mic…” then, try to convence it in a recording session or doing a liveshow. You gonna loose the gig very quickly. Even in a jazz session, with the best drummer, you need at minimum four excelent mics, such a Brüell 4006 and 4007. I loved the Sean Vincent`s ideas! Not all the same, but new ways to get the diference. Thanks a lot.

By: TheME

TheME — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:26:46 +0000

“The good sounding drumkit needs only one mic”
That’s so blantantly not true. Why do you think sound engineers dedicate such a huge amount of time to getting great drum tone? It’s one of the most difficult (if not THE most) difficult to record instruments ever.