IN-TUNE

An interesting article written by Ken Lee from Blueberry Buddha Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA: I like capturing not only the impact of a kick drum, but also its tone and character. I noticed that recording engineers often go about positioning the snare and tom mics differently, rarely placing the mics inside, so I thought I'd try applying this technique on a kick drum. I place a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser in front of the kick drum, but instead of placing it directly in front and perpendicular to the kick drum, I place it close to the outer rim, with the microphone aiming across the front, much like the way someone might position a floortom mic. I'll aim the mic closer or farther from the side of the kick to try and balance out the woodiness of the kick and the skin tone. If the bleed from the cymbals and other drums is too much, I will sometimes take my wooden dining room chairs and wrap acoustic foam around them to form a sort of tunnel, placing them over the kick mic, and use sound treatment panels to surround the mic to minimize the bleed. This microphone technique tends to work for quieter sorts of music, such as ballads, jazz, or simply times when the drummer is not wailing on the kit. It's not always right for the song; there are times when using a dynamic mic inside the kick drum is indeed the best answer. But when it works, it brings a smile to the drummer's face. Drummers rarely hear the musical note of their kick drum on recordings, so if you can capture this, the note, the woodiness, and the fundamental character of the kick drum, you'll have made a friend for life. And a pretty good recording as a bonus.