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Getting a Pro Drum SoundApr 22 '04 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Learning to get a great drum sound takes the same thing as getting to Carnege Hall - practice. These guidelines should give you a good start.
I've worked in a demo studio now for 2 years and the number one question I hear when I'm talking about recording is how you go about getting a nice, clean drum sound. I usually give the short answer of "Practice," but every once in a while I'll indulge whoever asks me about it and give them my real advice. Starting with the kick drum, it really does depend on what type of music you are aiming to make and how many channels you have to spare. If I'm mixing a rock CD and have 2 channels to spare, I'll put a Crown PZM (a little, flat boundary condenser) inside of the kick to pick up the snap of the kick, and then place a Shure Beta 52 about even with the outside head to get the "beef" of the drum. The Beta 52 is somewhat interchangeable with the AKG D112 (which isn't quite as nice of a mic) or the Sennheiser e602 (which I've heard both good and bad about), but I really prefer the Beta 52. If you only have one channel to spare, you can just use the Beta 52/D112/e602 inside of the kick, pointed toward the beater. I always EQ out the midrange to emphasize the low end and the snap. To do this, I usually will pull out from 250 Hz to 1.5 kHz, which makes the kick really snappy. For snare, I will almost always mic top and bottom of the snare. The top will usually be the meat of the snare, it's the main body, and then the bottom picks up the snap of the snares, which is a nice addition to the sound. I usually use Shure SM57s on both top and bottom, simply because they aren't the best mic, but I know how to use them and EQ them. Again, you want to roll off some of the mids, but you can also add in the 500 Hz range to add some rasp or body to the snare. For toms, I have a pair of Oktava Mk 219s that do the trick - they require very little EQ to get a great tom sound. MK219s are relatively cheap (I paid $70 each for them) and they are large diaphragm condensers. They also double in a pinch as a nice, full sounding vocal mic. Again, you'll want to pull out the 250 Hz range to tighten the tom sound up, and you can also add some attack around 4 kHz to add the snap that will make the drums sound extra tight. For overheads, I love to use Shure SM-81s - they are a small diaphragm condenser, and they are as accurate as I've found. They aren't cheap (~ $300 each), but they are a wonderful mic for many different uses. I put them in an XY stereo pattern over the drums, and attempt to place them as best I can to eliminate phasing and also to enhance the stereo image. On hi hat, I usually put a Studio Projects B1 (an $80 LD condenser) which serves to add some "rasp" to the hats, and then I can EQ them how I see fit. Again, much of recording is subjective - it's as much an art as it is a science. The only way to attain the sound that you want is to practice and learn how to listen. I just hope that the guidelines here can serve as a sort of building block to finding your own great sound.  |
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