How to Record Drums
Getting Started - Recording drums
may be one of the most daunting tasks that face the home recording enthusiast.
Recording the drums usually requires many more mics to fully capture the full
range and combination of loud and soft sounds. Multiple mics means you will need
multiple inputs to keep the tracks separate. Also with multiple mics phase
cancellation can be a huge problem causing drums to sound thin and weak. Often
small moves of one mic can ease this problem so remember to use your ears. If
you are having trouble refer to the drums on an album you like as a reference.
If you are recording other instruments at the same time make a tent over the
drums using blankets to block "bleed through" to other microphones
or use
a separate room for the drums if possible. Also keep in mind that drums have a
very large dynamic range so don't try to record too hot or you may overload your
preamp causing very unpleasant digital distortion. Well recorded drums can make
or break a recording much like a good
vocal. Now that you know
the difficulties you face in recording drums let's jump in and get started.
Snare Drum - First let's start with the snare drum. A
good snare sound is key to a good drum sound so take your time and get it right.
For snare drum recording we recommend a Shure SM57 mic placed two inches above
the edge of the front or audience side of the drum and aimed down at a 45 to 65
degree angle. To get a little less bottom end move the mic up a few more inches
away from the drum head. Remember to keep the angle deep enough to avoid getting
a "bleed through" from the high hat or cymbals. We recommend recording the snare
separately to allow EQ adjustments later when we get to the mix down stage.
Remember as with all recording use your ears to determine if the snare drum
sounds right through the headphones before you record. If you are getting an
annoying ringing sound try a piece of tape across the top head of the drum to
eliminate or diminish the ring.
Bass Drum - Now that you have
your snare drum ready to go its time to tackle the bass drum. To properly record
a bass drum you need a mic that first of all can handle the incredible pressure
caused by the bass drum. Also you need to have a mic that can accurately record
the low end frequencies. We recommend a dedicated bass mic like a Sennheiser 421
or AKG D112 to accurately capture the low end spectrum. Next we need to get a
good bass drum sound. We recommend removing the drum head and using a pillow or
soft heavy object inside the drum to help muffle any bad ring or overtones.
Don't let it touch the head too much or you will muffle the sound. The mic
should be placed about half way inside the drum but be sure to listen through
the headphones to hear what the recorder will "hear" and make any adjustments.
Point the mic at or near the beater angled away
from the the snare drum and make small adjustments if necessary. To get a
roomier sound pull the mic out a bit or use a second mic a few feet back from
the first but as will all multiple mic placements be sure to avoid any phase
problems. Note: To get the classic kick drum sound recording on Nirvana's
Nevermind engineers used a ten foot cardboard tube which was connected to the
bass drum and the microphone was set up at the end of the tube.
Toms - To record toms we
recommend a good bass mic like the above Sennheiser 421 or the AKG 414 or in a
pinch use a normal dynamic mic like a Shure SM57. Mic all the toms from 1 1/2
to seven inches above the outer rim of the drum and pointed at a 40 to 60 degree
angle down and away from the audience. The further the mic is away from the
source the more room sound you will get so experiment to get the desired sound.
As with the snare use tape to reduce any ring in the drums. Many engineers
assign a direction to toms panning toms on the left to the left side of the mix
and the right tot the right side to give a moving or flowing feel to the drums.
Some studios will combine
the stereo overheads with the toms, using two tracks panned far
left and far right for all the toms and cymbals.
Overheads or Cymbals - Recording
cymbals with overhead mics (or overheads as they are commonly called) may be one
of the most difficult tasks assigned to the home recording enthusiast. Overheads
are usually recorded in stereo with one mic placed over the left cymbal and one
over the right cymbal. In a typical studio setup the left signal is bussed or
assigned to the same side as any other drums bussed to the left like left toms
for example and the right to the right respectively. Experiment with this to see
what sounds better for your particular situation. Also try to use a good quality
mic for these like a Neumann U87 or the very versatile AKG 414 or possibly a
Shure81. Don't forget you need two mics here, one for each side. In a pinch use
a dynamic mic here like a Shure SM57 over each cymbal or if you only have one
mic just mic the overheads in the center high above the kit. Overheads are
notorious for phase problems so really use your ears here to get a good result.
If your drums sound thin when the overhead mics are assigned then you have a
phase problem with the overhead mics. Start with the microphones about 18 inches
over the two cymbals pointed strait down. Remember the three to one rule, you
want the mics three times as far from each other as they are from the sound
source so don't go too high or you will have more phase problems. If you have a
high roll-off switch on your mic or console try it and see if it helps the
sound. Again a little piece of tape can help with any annoying or overly bright
sounding ring that the cymbals may have. Remember if your short on tracks you
can combine the stereo overheads with the toms, using two tracks panned left and
right for all the toms and cymbals.
Room mics - If you are recording in a nice sounding
room then take advantage of it by setting up a room mic or two. Where to set it
up depends on the room so do some experimenting to get the best sound possible.
Some options might be corners of the room, far in front of the kit, or far
behind to name just a few. The only real rule is not to put the mic too close to
the kit or you will get phasing problems.
Ready? - Now that you have the basics of setting up your drums check out these other
links to help jump start your recording process.
Tips and Tricks - Already set up and
you just need tips
and tricks to make your recording sound better.
Click here.
Electric
Guitars - If you want help
recording a electric guitar then check out
this page.
Acoustic Guitars - If you want help recording
an acoustic guitar then check out
this page.
Bass - Need help capturing that
electric bass we offer a few options for you
here.
Vocals -
Vocals can make or break a project. Get some nice
tips
for recording vocals here.
Other Instruments - Want to add
that saxophone, cello, or flute to a project. Get the
facts here.
Mixing - Need help
mixing those tracks to get the right sound from your
mix. We can help here.
Equalization or Eq - Do you have a basic overall level and the tracks panned where
you want them. Then check out our tips on
Equalization or Eq.
Adding Audio effects - If you have the levels where you want them and have
added Eq its time to add some plug-ins or effects like reverb, delay, chorus,
flanger, and other effects to help that
final mix
shine.
Mastering - Need help
mastering your songs. Get the low down
here.
Other Items of Interest
- Also while your
here feel free to check out our record label
Silver Dragon
Records and see what we can offer your band in terms of recording and other
services. Also check out
Lazarus X
Houston's hottest local band and their new
CD release
Weapon of Love or
download a free mp3 for a limited time.
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