Recording Dums 3 - Cymbals Overheads & Front / Back Mics

 Recording Drums, Percussion - & Dealing with People Who Like to Hit Things 3

Here at The Coolest Recording Studio in London Town - we cook up some sweet sweet sounds - using all kinds of interesting musicology paraphernalia.
It's paramount that in a session, drums are recorded well - as it's Tres difficult to overdub a timing track - even if it's gone down to click. 
So. 
Think. 
 Are you after a close, tight drum sound (Funk, disco) - a big ambient Rock, Pop or Orchestra feel, something inbetween - like modern hard rock / metal which uses close tight mics & heavily compressed ambient mics. 
Get your brain into the session & make it right.

Here's the basics of overhead & Front / Back kit miking.  

Overheads 1  

Two pencil condenser mics above the drummers head mounted on a stereo bar - you can alter the width of the stereo image by moving the mics in & out. You can also use ribbon mics for a softer warmer tone. This setup is excellent for picking up the ambience of the kit & maintaining phase correlation with the snare drum - with All overhead mic setups you need to ensure that both mic capsules are equidistant from the centre of the snare drum. Don't ask why - you just do. You can lower the mic support stand to get more drums & less ambience - think about the final audio picture you are trying to achieve.

Overheads 2 

 This is a more traditional setup - again make sure that the two overhead mic capsules are equidistant from the snare centre. You get a wider stereo field using overheads this way. 

Front of Kit Mic

A very important mic! - This should be 5 - 8 feet away from the front of the kit - you need to experiment with both small & large diaphragm condenser mics - & a ribbon or valve mic to achieve the desired tone. This mic - & the overheads, should define the ambient sound of the drum kit - so do some trial recordings. It will add a 3d-ness to the overheads - & if you're after a big roomy sound - you only then need to introduce a little bit of the close drum mics (or spot mics) to define their place in the stereo image. If you're after a tighter drum sound - then the spot mics will predominate the stereo image - & you'll add the front & overheads to taste. 

Setting the mic lower will pick up more kick drum & less snare.
As I've said before - talk to the drummer Before you start recording & tell them to lay off the cymbals & hats. It's a recording - not a gig!

Behind Drum Kit Mic 

 This mic (pencil condenser usually) is placed behind the drummers head pointed at the snare - & if you have a good, balanced player - can actually be used by itsself in a mix. Or - for a bigger more ambient drum sound - add it to the overheads & front mic - but be aware - it will be out of phase with the front of kit mic, so at mix time you'll have to realign it. 
In a mix with all the other ambient mics it can add a sense of depth to the drum mix - & if you're after a mono - or near mono audio image - you can just use the front & back mics mixed in with the spots. 

Next time - The Joy of Crushing Drum Mics with Compression & Odd Distortion Techniques. 

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