Shure's Microphone Placement Diagrams

Individual Drums

Here is a basic individual drum miking technique:

Shure's Drum Microphone Placement Diagram Front View. © Shure Incorporated. Used with permission.

Shure's Drum Microphone Placement Diagram Top View. © Shure Incorporated. Used with permission.

Bass (Kick) Drum

This drum’s purpose in most music is to provide transient, low- frequency energy bursts that help establish the primary rhythmic pattern of a song. The kick drums’energy is primarily focused in two areas: very low-end timbre and “attack”. Although this varies by individual drum, the attack tends to be in the 2.5-5kHz range.
A microphone for this use should have good low frequency response and possibly a boost in the attack range, although this can be done easily with EQ. The mic should be placed in the drum, in close proximity (1 - 6 inches), facing the beater head. (position D)

Snare Drum

This is the most piercing drum in the kit and almost always establishes tempo. In modern music it usually indicates when to clap your hands! This is an extremely transient drum with little or no sustain to it. Its attack energy is focused in the 4 - 6kHz range. Typically, the drum is miked on the top head at the edge of the drum with a cardioid or supercardioid microphone. (position C)

Hi-Hats

These cymbals are primarily short, high frequency bursts used for time keeping, although the cymbals can be opened for a more loose sound. Many times the overhead mics will provide enough response to the high hat to eliminate the need for a separate hi-hat microphone. If necessary, a mic placed away from the puff of air that happens when hi-hats close and within four inches to the cymbals should be a good starting point. (position G) Simpler methods of drum miking are used for jazz and any application where open, natural kit sounds are desired. Using fewer mics over sections of the drums is common. Also, one high quality mic placed at a distance facing the whole kit may capture the sounds of kit and room acoustics in an enjoyable balance. Additional mics may be added to reinforce certain parts of the kit that are used more frequently.

Tom Toms

While the kick and snare establish the low and high rhythmic functions, the toms are multiple drums that will be tuned from high to low between the snare and kick. They are primarily used for fills, but may also be consistent parts of the rhythmic structure. The attack range is similar to the snare drum, but often with more sustain. An individual directional mic on the top head near the edge can be used on each drum and panned to create some spatial imaging. A simpler setup is to place one mic slightly above and directly between two toms. (position E )

OverHeads

The cymbals perform a variety of sonic duties from sibilant transient exclamation points to high frequency time keeping. In any case, the energy is mostly of a high-frequency content. Flat frequency response condenser microphones will give accurate reproduction of these sounds.
Having microphones with low frequency roll-off will help to reject some of the sound of the rest of the kit which may otherwise cause phase problems when the drum channels are being mixed. The common approach to capturing the array of cymbals that a drummer may use is an overhead stereo pair of microphones.

Miking Drums with Limited Microphones

Number of Microphones	Positioning Alternative (Positioning reference)
One	Use as "overhead" (Diagram #5)
Two	Kick drum and overheard (Diagram #1 and #5)
Three	Kick drum, snare, and overhead or kick drum (Diagram #1, #2, and #5)
Four	Kick drum, snare, high hat, and overhead (Diagram #1, #2, #3, and #5)
Miniature microphone draped over amp in front of speaker.	Kick drum, snare, high hat, tom-toms, and overhead (Diagram #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5)

Timbales, Congas, Bongos

Microphone Placement	Tonal Balance	Comments
One Microphone aiming down between pair of drums, just above top heads, possibly if you have two mics place one on top to grab attack and add another at the bottom opening or inside to grab more resonance and decay.	Natural	Provides full sound with good attack.

Tambourine

Microphone Placement	Tonal Balance	Comments
One microphone placed 6 to 12 inches from instrument	Natural	Experiment with distance and angles if sound is too bright.

Steel Drums

Tenor Pan, Second Pan, Guitar Pan

Microphone Placement	Tonal Balance	Comments
One microphone placed 4 inches above each pan	Bright, with plenty of attack	Allow clearance for movement of pan.
Microphone placed underneath pan	Bright, with plenty of attack	Decent if used for tenor or second pans. Too boomy with lower voiced pans.