3 microphone Drum mix

L

LaceSensor

Member
Hello all,

I'm going to be recording some rough mixes next week for band rehearsal. Just wondering if anyone has advice for a 3 mic setup on the drums. I'm thinking 1 kick and 2 overhead. The kit is standard size, nothing fancy going on.
 
LaceSensor said:
Hello all,

I'm going to be recording some rough mixes next week for band rehearsal. Just wondering if anyone has advice for a 3 mic setup on the drums. I'm thinking 1 kick and 2 overhead. The kit is standard size, nothing fancy going on.
Click to expand...

Maybe try Kick and one of the overheads just above and behind the drummers head pointed at the snare and one overhead behind the drummer but down low on the opposite side pointed towards the snare, paying close attention to the distance between both for phase. Or alternately place this second mic towards the toms and kick. Also probably flip the phase on the Kick mic. Easy enough to record a short take and zoom into the waveform to check overall phase and adjust accordingly. The phase relationship will be key to it sounding right.
 
Something like the Glynn Johns method is what I used. Watch all the YT videos you can, but just 2 overheads can get a lot of cymbals, depending on the kit and the drummer, plus pick up a lot of room, unless that's a good thing.
 
I've done 3 mic setups at some live jams I've recorded. This is one I did about 3 or 4 years back. Had no clue who was going to be playing or how many instruments, in a warehouse that was totally reverberant. I used 3 mics on the drums. You can see the two CAD 1200XLs pointing up towards the snare/tom/high hat and towards the ride/floor tom. I think I had an SM57 on the kick drum. It gave me a big advantage as they were stable and somewhat out of the way. Putting mics high on stands at a jam can be dangerous.. for the mics!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top