Drums lab

Recording drums

​More and more artists are recording their own material nowadays with ever evolving technology accessible to them.

A basic knowledge of sound engineering will enable you to record your work, analyse your playing and help you understand what is happening to your track in a recording studio.

Stereo overheads, close mics on each drum, as well as room mics seems to be the standard for recording drums. However today I'd like you to read about a simple technique I use for getting great drum sounds with 4 microphones only, the Glyn Johns method. It is what I use at livestudios.

From Wikipedia: "Johns developed a unique approach to the recording of drums, sometimes referred to as the "Glyn Johns Method", that rarely employs more than two or three microphones, and which usually keeps one mike hoisted several feet overhead to achieve natural perspective of the whole kit, as well as one off to the side (not far from the floor tom tom), and one near to the bass drum. The key to the method is to keep both the overhead mike and the side-mike equidistant from (and pointed at) the centre of the snare, aimed in such a way of forming a triangular pattern (with the three corners being the snare, the side-mike, and the overhead mic).Johns prefers not to close-mike the individual drums, except occasionally the snare drum". See original article here, or read below for the the detailed method.

Glyn Johns Method