To mic drums with a condenser microphone, you can employ various techniques, most commonly using them as overheads, room mics, or for specific close-miking applications, leveraging their ability to capture detail and transient response.
Understanding Condenser Microphones for Drums
Condenser microphones are a popular choice for drum recording due to their extended frequency response, sensitivity, and ability to capture the intricate details and fast transients of a drum kit. They excel at picking up the nuanced shimmer of cymbals, the crack of a snare, and the overall ambience of the drum sound. Both large-diaphragm condensers (LDCs) and small-diaphragm condensers (SDCs) are utilized, each offering distinct characteristics.
Essential Condenser Mic Placements for Drums
The versatility of condenser microphones allows for several effective placement strategies, ranging from a single overhead to elaborate multi-mic setups.
1. Mono Overhead Technique (The "Center Kit" Approach)
One highly effective and often favored method for capturing a balanced, cohesive drum sound with minimal microphones involves using a single large-diaphragm condenser mic.
- Placement: Place the microphone in the center of the drum set, ensuring it is even with the kick-drum beater head and positioned a few inches above the snare drum's height. The microphone should be situated over the drummer's knee, angled down slightly to aim directly at the snare drum.
- Benefits: This specific placement excels at capturing a remarkably balanced sound of the entire kit. It effectively picks up all the drums and cymbals around it, often resulting in a natural and well-proportioned representation of the drum kit itself, sounding as if you're standing in front of the kit. This approach is excellent for achieving a natural, cohesive drum sound with minimal phase issues.
2. Stereo Overhead Techniques
Using two condenser mics as overheads provides a wider stereo image and more detailed capture of the entire kit.
- A/B (Spaced Pair):
- Placement: Two condenser microphones are placed several feet apart (e.g., 3-5 feet) and typically 3-6 feet above the drum kit, equidistant from the snare drum for phase coherence.
- Characteristics: This technique offers a broad, expansive stereo image and captures more of the room's ambience. It requires careful attention to phase relationships between the two mics and with any close mics. Learn more about spaced pairs at Shure.
- X/Y Coincident Pair:
- Placement: Two identical SDC or LDC microphones are positioned with their capsules as close as possible, angled at 90-110 degrees to each other. They are typically aimed at the center of the kit.
- Characteristics: Provides a very focused stereo image with excellent mono compatibility due to minimal phase differences between the capsules. It offers less width than an A/B pair but greater precision.
- ORTF / NOS:
- Placement: These are near-coincident stereo techniques using two SDC microphones angled and spaced according to specific standards (e.g., ORTF: 110-degree angle, 17 cm capsule spacing).
- Characteristics: Offers a realistic stereo image with a good sense of depth and spaciousness, often considered a balance between the width of A/B and the mono compatibility of X/Y. Further details can be found at DPA Microphones.
3. Room Microphones
Condenser mics, particularly LDCs, are ideal for capturing the natural reverb and spaciousness of the recording environment.
- Placement: These mics are placed further away from the kit, anywhere from 10-20 feet or more, depending on the room's size and desired ambience. They can be placed high, low, or in specific "sweet spots" of the room.
- Purpose: Room mics add depth, glue, and a sense of realism to the overall drum sound, allowing the natural acoustics of the room to enhance the recording. They can be used in mono or stereo configurations.
4. Specific Drum Close-Miking
While dynamic microphones are more common for close-miking individual drum shells due to their high SPL handling and focused pickup, condensers can be used for certain elements to capture more detail.
- Hi-Hat: A small-diaphragm condenser (SDC) mic can be placed 6-10 inches above the hi-hat cymbals, angled away from the snare to minimize bleed. This captures the crispness and detail of the hi-hat.
- Snare Bottom: An SDC mic can be placed beneath the snare drum, pointed at the snare wires, to capture the sizzle and snap often lost from the top mic. Ensure phase is checked when combining with the top snare mic.
- Kick Drum (Outside): A large-diaphragm condenser can be placed a few feet in front of the resonant head of the kick drum to capture the low-end thump and natural decay, often complementing an inside kick mic.
Key Considerations for Mic'ing Drums with Condensers
Achieving a great drum sound with condenser mics involves more than just placement.
Microphone Selection
- Large-Diaphragm Condensers (LDCs): Often preferred for overheads and room mics due to their fuller frequency response, warmth, and ability to capture a broad sound.
- Small-Diaphragm Condensers (SDCs): Excellent for detailed, accurate capture of individual elements like hi-hats, ride cymbals, or for precise stereo imaging in overhead pairs (X/Y, ORTF) due to their consistent off-axis response.
- Polar Patterns:
- Cardioid: Most common, picks up sound primarily from the front, rejecting sound from the sides and rear. Ideal for overheads to focus on the kit and minimize room reflections if the room isn't ideal.
- Omnidirectional: Picks up sound from all directions. Great for capturing the natural sound of a good room or for spaced overheads where room ambience is desired.
- Figure-8 (Bidirectional): Picks up sound from the front and rear while rejecting sides. Useful for stereo techniques like Mid-Side (M/S) or for creating unique room mic effects.
Room Acoustics
The sound of the room significantly impacts drum recordings, especially with sensitive condenser microphones. A well-treated room with balanced absorption and diffusion will yield a more controlled and pleasant sound. Poor acoustics can lead to unwanted reflections and muddiness. For tips on room treatment, consult resources like Sweetwater's Studio Acoustics Guide.
Phase Alignment
When using multiple microphones, especially combining overheads with close mics, phase issues can arise, causing frequencies to cancel out or sound thin.
- Rule of 3:1: For every unit of distance between a sound source and a microphone, the next nearest microphone should be at least three times that distance away from the first microphone to minimize phase interference.
- Checking Phase: Always listen critically to mic combinations, and use phase rotation tools in your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) if necessary.
Preamp and Converter Quality
High-quality preamps provide the necessary clean gain for condenser microphones and help preserve their detailed sound. Good analog-to-digital converters are crucial for accurately translating the microphone's signal into the digital domain without introducing noise or coloration.
High SPL Handling
Drums are loud. Ensure your condenser microphones can handle high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL) without distortion. Many condensers include a pad switch (-10dB or -20dB) that can be engaged to prevent overloading the microphone's internal electronics or your preamplifier.
Practical Tips for Optimal Drum Recording
- Tune Your Drums: Well-tuned drums are the foundation of a great drum sound, regardless of mic choice or placement.
- Drummer's Performance: A skilled drummer who hits consistently and dynamically will always sound better.
- Experimentation: Every drum kit, room, and drummer is unique. Don't be afraid to experiment with mic placements to find what sounds best for your specific situation.
- Listen to the Room: Before placing any mics, listen to how the drums sound in the room from various positions. This can guide your mic placement decisions.
| Technique | Mic Type Recommendation | Placement Notes | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mono Overhead | LDC (Cardioid) | Center of kit, over drummer's knee, angled at snare (reference placement). | Natural, balanced, excellent for minimal setups and capturing the kit as a single instrument. |
| A/B Spaced Pair | SDC or LDC (Cardioid/Omni) | 2-4 feet apart, 3-6 feet above the kit. | Wide stereo image, captures more room ambience, potential phase challenges with close mics. |
| X/Y Coincident | SDC (Cardioid) | Mics crossed at 90-110 degrees, capsules aligned, aimed at kit center. | Strong mono compatibility, precise imaging, less expansive stereo width. |
| ORTF / NOS | SDC (Cardioid) | Specific angles/spacings (e.g., ORTF: 110 deg / 17 cm) over kit. | Realistic stereo, good sense of space and depth, a balance between A/B and X/Y. |
| Room Mic (Mono/Stereo) | LDC (Omni/Cardioid) | 10-20+ feet from kit, capturing room reflections. | Adds depth, natural reverb, and "glue" to the drum sound, emphasizing the recording environment. |
| Hi-Hat Close Mic | SDC (Cardioid) | 6-10 inches above hi-hat, angled away from snare. | Captures crispness and detail of hi-hat, minimizes snare bleed. |
