The DijonStock Digital Home Recording Support Forum

Need some advice on kick drum mic'ing.

I'm using an AKG kick mic, and tried the kick presets on the G, but it's "boomy" and has too much duration.

Please help, as I'm close to sticking a drum stick in my eye out of sheer frustration.

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You can choose your friends. You can choose your line. But never let your friends choose your line.

i'd probably try recording it dry. get the drum sounding as close to 'right' as you can, then play around with mic placement until what you are getting recorded matches what you hear in the room. then EQ if needed after.

OK '61,

First a quick disclaimer. I'm a guitar player, not a drummer percussionist and I'm still a relative overall newbie.

I can tell you that over the last few months of tracking drums, IMHO the sound that I capture best is kick drum. I like the smack you in the chest, "thwacky" but full sound that stands out distinctly from the bass line.

If you like that sound try this (if not, stop reading my post):

- Obviously ensure the kick drum is tuned to taste and unwanted overtones are eliminated.

- I almost always end up stuffing a blanket or sand bag against the beater side of the kick drum head. For me it makes it sound thicker and punchier.

- Mic position is everything. Try it everywhere, but start out inside the kick drum with the mic pointing up at the beater from a side angle. This is an "hours", not "minutes" exercise until you figure out your room, kit and mic position.

- If you are getting too much bleed from other drums on your kick drum track (not good for definition and punch) try creating an impromptu bass drum tunnel. An easy way to do this is to drape sleeping bags over 2 - 4 chairs in front of the kick drum.

- I usually compress (mildly) the kick drum to taste after tracking. I will EQ the track depending on where it sits naturally in the mix, adding high end (5K - 7K) for more "slap" and a high pass filter @ 50hz to clean out some mud (if necessary).

Good recording to you !

Gary

I appreciate the replies guys.

That's the sound I want in a rock tune for sure Gary, I'll be trying that tunnel thing soon.

I'm currently working up a drum part for a Waltz I've written (Sorry Mic, that's a Waltz of the Country & Western variety, or more correctly in the Southern tradition - accordian, fiddle I hope, etc.) this needs a "softer" kick drum approach, any ideas on that?

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You can choose your friends. You can choose your line. But never let your friends choose your line.

why not some foam or something between the head and the beater?

what the hell do I know.......I work from the waist down.

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THE MUSIC IS DOWN IN HERE
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Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Heh, heh, he said "foam"......

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You can choose your friends. You can choose your line. But never let your friends choose your line.