Whether you’re a drummer, producer, engineer or general musician, knowing which drum mics to use and how to use them is essential to getting a great drum recording. At MXL, we have some tips and tricks for recording drums that anyone can deploy to take their craft to the next level.

1) If your drums sound bad, even the best drum microphones in the world won’t help.
You need to make sure your drums sound good in your room. Taking the time to tune your kit properly can make all the difference. There’s a plethora of “Drum Tuning” tutorials out there, so make sure you brush up on your skills.

2) Before searching for the best drum mics, make sure your drums are in the right place.
Experiment with moving the kit into different parts of the room. To find your sweet spot, try the corner, the back and the front of your space, and listen to how the sound changes (pro tip: avoid the middle).

3) Let’s talk about the kick drum mic.

The kick is your rhythmic center, and you want it to sound “huge” but also controlled. While MXL doesn’t have a specific kick drum mic, many find success with the Revelation Mini FET by placing it directly in front of the kick. It’s also good to get a dynamic mic like the AKG D112 or the Shure Beta 52 and put it in the sound hole or right up against the resonant head (front-side with the logo).

4) Never forget your snare drum mics.
The snare is crucial in obtaining great drum sound; you want the snare to compliment the entire sound and track. Make sure your snare is tuned and ringing just the “right” amount.

We suggest something like the 606 mic, which will capture the fast attack of the drum and provide a lot of detail. Either way, experiment with a few different positions and listen until you find what you think is best (see photo).

5) Dial in your overheads, maybe even try the Glyn Johns technique…
Overheads are how you capture the “whole kit” sound. Usually, you use a right and left mic to do so. One of our favorite techniques is referred to as the Glyn Johns technique. Legendary Producer and Engineer Glyn Johns is THE MAN when it comes to techniques for recording drums. Instead of your typical overhead setup (see photo), Glyn Johns uses slightly different positioning using a mic over the drummers shoulder and one closer to the center of the kit.

Check out this article to dive deeper into the Glyn Johns method. For overheads, we suggest using one of our small diaphragm pairs (CR21, 603) or the new Revelation Mini FET.

6) Be creative and have fun!

The best drum sounds have depth, dimension and layers. Experiment with different room mics, put a mic in another room, maybe even in a bathroom. Use your ears, creativity and some compression and EQ, and you are going to be well on your way to a great drum sound.