Recording drums can be one of the more difficult and daunting aspects of audio recording. A good drum recording will most likely be scrutincordingized before, during, and after the recording process. There is a multiplicity of elements to the drum set, not just in each drum piece and cymbal, but in the volume, equalization, and tone for each piece and as a collective whole. When recording drums you must allow for a number of factors and any oversight will most likely be noticed during mix-down. Nevertheless, attention to detail when recording drums can produce excellent results.
More than any other instrument drum recordings place important value on the microphones. The amount, type, and brand of microphones used in drum recordings are a significant part of acquiring the desired sound. No matter how many or what kind of microphones are used, it’s important to consider the frequency range of a typical drum set. The lowest and some would say most important part of the drum set is the bass drum or kick drum. The highest are the cymbals. Drum toms are usually arranged in a decreasing pitch, while the snare drum contains a specific pitch or tone in tune with the rest of the drums. Being aware of this range and understanding the context of the drums within the mix is critical.
If you’re using a minimum number of microphones (one or two), you will want to place them in a strategic position(s) that captures the entire balance of the drums. In this situation the high’s of the cymbals will usually carry more than the low’s of the bass drum, so place you microphone(s) accordingly. If you’re using two microphones, try to keep them an equal distance from the drums for a more balanced recording. Experiment with microphone height and distance to find a complimentary drum sound.
For three microphones or more, you can start to dedicate a microphone to a portion of the drum set. Typically, the bass, or kick, drum will benefit from having its own microphone, along with the snare drum and the hi-hat cymbals. These microphones (snare and hi-hat) can be positioned at various angles facing the drums. Often the snare drum microphone will be placed just above and to the side of the snare, where the hi-hat mic can be angled to include other parts of the drums. If you have more than three mics, you can start to assign a microphone per drum part, keeping in mind that dynamic microphones are ideal for each drum, while the condenser microphones are best used for recording cymbals.
If additional microphones are available, adding in the sound of the room with a mono microphone or stereo set of microphones may be beneficial to the recording. As always, experiment with different recording techniques while keeping the context of the music in mind.