Recording Tips & Tricks

Learn how to create your own professional demo recordings whether you're looking to distribute a demo for a record deal, sell yourself or your band to an agent, make money without the need for a record contract, or archive a personal performance.

Quick start: 3 ways to begin

• Phone-only: Put your phone 4–6 feet in front of the kit, chest height, set level so the loudest crashes don’t distort, and record in 1080p. Great for fast practice clips.
• Minimal rig: 1–3 mics + free/low-cost DAW (Reaper trial, GarageBand on Mac, Ableton Live Lite). Start with a single overhead; add kick; then try a 3‑mic Glyn Johns variant.
• Full kit: Close mics on kick/snare/toms, stereo overheads, optional hi‑hat/room. Use an interface with enough preamps (8+ inputs is ideal).

Treat the room first

• Pick the most controlled space you have. Soft furnishings, rugs, and curtains help tame harsh cymbal splash.
• Kill early reflections around the kit with blankets or portable panels at ear/mic height.
• Tune the kit for the song; ring control on snare/toms is often more effective than heavy EQ later.

Mic placement that just works

• Single mic: Aim an LDC or phone at the kit from 4–6 feet away, pointed between snare and kick beater line. Move it until the snare feels centered and kick has weight.
• Two mics: One overhead above the snare (about 3–4 feet), one on kick. Keep overhead roughly centered to balance toms/cymbals.
• Three mics (fast Glyn Johns): Overhead above snare; side mic over floor tom aimed at snare; both the same distance from the snare (use a cable/tape measure). Add kick if you have a 4th input.

Gain staging and phase

• Set peaks around −12 dBFS in your DAW to avoid clipping on accents.
• Flip phase (polarity) on kick or overheads if the low end thins out when combining mics—choose the fuller sound.
• Time-align close mics to overheads only if needed; preserve the natural feel if it already sounds punchy.

Play for the mix

• Balance with your hands: hit shells a touch harder and cymbals a touch softer for a cleaner overhead picture.
• Use a click when appropriate; set count-in and punch points to speed up takes.

Simple mix recipe

• High-pass where needed (e.g., overheads around 40–80 Hz); avoid removing body from toms/kick.
• Snare: gentle cut around 400–600 Hz if boxy; add 3–6 kHz for crack. Kick: boost 60–80 Hz for thump, 2–4 kHz for beater click if needed.
• Compression: slow attack/medium release on snare/kick to keep transients; try parallel compression on a drum bus for extra energy.
• Panning: overheads set the kit image; place toms to match your perspective (drummer or audience).

Video that looks pro

• Light the front at 45° angles; avoid bright backlights that silhouette you.
• Record at 1080p/4K, 24–60 fps. Clap at the start for easy audio sync in the DAW or editor.
• Lock exposure/white balance so brightness and color don’t shift mid-take.

Export and share

• For YouTube/shorts: aim around −14 LUFS integrated, with −1 dB true-peak ceiling to avoid platform clipping.
• Name files clearly (Song_Tempo_Date_Take). Keep a notes doc on mic positions and mix moves so you can repeat wins.

Essential gear checklist

• Audio interface: 2 inputs for a minimal rig; 4–8+ inputs for multi-mic setups.
• Mics: dynamic for kick/snare (e.g., “kick” style for low end, versatile dynamic on snare), a pair of condensers for overheads/rooms.
• Stands/cables: make sure you can place overheads securely; use short, sturdy stands for close mics.
• Monitoring: closed-back headphones to prevent click bleed; simple in-ears work too.
• DAW: Reaper (low cost), GarageBand (Mac), Ableton Live Lite, or any DAW you’re comfortable with.

Tuning & dampening (control the ring)

• Snare: seat the head, then tune in small, even turns. Use a small moon gel/gel pad 1–2 inches from the rim to tame ring; move toward center for more control.
• Toms: clear up note “wobble” by matching lugs; if overtones jump out on mics, add a tiny gel or a half strip of gaffer tape on the edge.
• Kick: a small pillow/rolled towel touching the batter and/or front head reduces boom; try removing the front head port plug (if you have one) to adjust air flow.
• Cymbals: if recordings sound harsh, raise overheads a bit, tilt away from cymbal centers, and play cymbals a touch lighter.

Monitoring, click, and backing tracks

• Create a headphone mix with click just loud enough to lock time without bleeding into mics.
• Use a 1–2 bar count-in and loop record tough sections. Label takes as you go.
• If tracking to a backing track, high-pass it slightly so it doesn’t mask your kick when monitoring.

Noise and gain hygiene

• Cables: keep power and audio cables tidy and separated where possible to reduce hum.
• Interfaces: disable direct monitor if you’re hearing comb-filtering with DAW monitoring. Use one or the other.
• Peaks: leave headroom (−12 dBFS peaks) and avoid “red lining” plugins; clipping anywhere in the chain sounds bad.

Troubleshooting quick fixes

• Kick too boomy: add a bit more internal damping, move mic slightly off-center, or high-pass other mics so lows aren’t stacking.
• Snare ringy in overheads but not solo’d: nudge overhead position, aim away from snare center, or add subtle damping to snare.
• Cymbals too harsh: raise overheads, switch to a slightly darker pair, or try gentle shelf around 10–12 kHz instead of hard cuts.
• No punch: reduce bus compression, let transients through (slower attack), and check polarity between kick/overheads.

Practice-to-publish workflow

• Warmup takes (don’t delete): they help you hear room/kit problems to fix before the “real” take.
• Pick best take, then do one focused comp pass if needed (keep edits on transients).
• Export mix and a “performance only” stem you can reuse for future collabs or lessons.

External Resources for Recording Drummers

Hand-picked articles and guides to go deeper.