Recording Drums

Book excerpt: Recording great drum sounds is one of the most challenging tasks facing any drummer, audio engineer, or music producer. Capturing the variety, nuance, and excitement of the drum kit and other percussion instruments is part art, part science, and part creative experimentation--and there's a lot more to it than simply setting up a mic and hitting the Record button. In this comprehensive book, recording engineer/producer/mixer Mike Major leads you through the sometimes complex and often misunderstood art of recording drums. Along the way, you'll cover all the ins and outs, including establishing the drums' role in the song, preparing the drum kit (and the room) for recording, choosing microphones and getting sounds, and tracking, overdubbing, editing, and choosing the final take. Not only will you find plenty of tips and techniques to help your recordings sound better than ever, you'll also be inspired to examine the philosophies and thought processes that go into creating and capturing drum sounds that are unique, interesting, and powerful. With plenty of helpful illustrations and sample setups, and all of the files you need on the companion website, RECORDING DRUMS: THE COMPLETE GUIDE puts you on the fast track to great drum sounds.