Although drums are loud, they often need to be amplified when playing live gigs. Drum mics will give the crowd a clear sound of the drums and make them feel the rhythms instead of just seeing them being played. In saying that, drum mics can be a complicated topic. There are so many pieces of a drum kit and sometimes each piece needs an individual microphone.
These Earthworks microphones are some of the highest-quality drum mics available. If you want to truly have the best live sound possible, getting this bundle will make it easy to get there.
Every microphone in this pack is just amazing in its quality, and they’re all so easy to work with. The best thing about them is that they very accurately pick up the sounds of the room you’re in.
With a flat response from each mic, you’ll have the best time mixing and EQing with them.
The downside is that these are some of the most expensive drum microphones on the market. However, you won’t need to buy any more drum microphones after getting these.
So, if you want to make an investment for life, you can’t go wrong with this Earthworks DK7 Drum Kit package.
This is one of the best high-quality affordable microphone bundles on the market. There is so much value packed into this bundle, and it’s the perfect option for drummers needing a full set of mics with all the stands and cables to go with them.
The sE Electronics drum mics do a great job of bringing your drum kit to life, and they’re all easy to work with in the mixing process.
The V Kick and sE8 overheads are particular standouts, but all the mics work well together to give you a full drum kit sound.
While this package is fairly pricey, we think it’s an amazing deal for drummers needing professional quality from their mics. There are so many other options out there that are much more expensive, so you’re getting a fantastic deal here.
The Audix DP7 drum mic pack provides you with absolutely everything you need to get a full and complete drum sound. Every mic in this pack will pick up subtle nuances from your drums and give you an overall sound that is perfect for any live stage whether it be a club or stadium.
Included in the pack are a pair of ADX51s for overheads, a D6 kick mic, an i5 snare mic, a pair of D2s for the rack toms, and a D4 for the floor tom.
The D6 kick mic is one of Audix’s widely popular products and for good reason. It has a cardioid pickup pattern and produces an incredible sound from any kick drum. It isn’t dependent on finding a sweet spot to get a great tone, something that a lot of kick mics require.
The i5 is often compared with the Shure SM57. It’s a workhorse dynamic microphone that is going to pick up every little detail of your snare drum. It has a high sound pressure level, meaning no rimshot will be too hard for it to handle.
The D2 mics for the rack toms bring out punchiness and cut out any unnecessary boom and super low frequencies. They emphasize attack, providing you with a great tool for reflecting the effectiveness of drum fills.
The D4 brings out more low end which is perfect for floor toms. It has a flat linear responsive that will cause an effective “oomph” sound.
The ADX51 overhead mics will easily pick up the overall tone of your kit. They have a smooth response and typically work well in all situations.
Overall, this mic kit has everything you need for live gigging. It just costs a fair bit, so start saving.
For more about the Audit Drum Mic Package, check this buying guide.
This is a great mic bundle for drummers with tight budgets. It’s Shure’s most affordable package for drummers, and it provides a fantastic starting point for people just starting out with drum mics and audio production.
While the mics aren’t as high-quality as Shure’s popular options, they still provide excellent sound quality. They also give you plenty of control when you’re mixing.
The tom mics are our favorite part, and you could keep using those while eventually upgrading the snare, kick drum, and overhead mics.
These mics are also a great starting point due to how they react to your drums. They’re not as easy to mix with as some other microphones, meaning you’ll need to do more work in post production.
Going through that process will train your ears, and your skills will be improved by needing to do more work.
Another fantastic microphone bundle for drummers on a budget. These mics are slightly better than the previous Shure ones that we mentioned, so they’re great for drummers who are okay with spending a few hundred more.
These PreSonus microphones tend to bring a very fat sound out of your kick drums and toms. The snare mic does an excellent job of highlighting the crack of your snare drum.
We also love all the stands that come with this set, as they’re all incredibly heavy-duty and durable.
You also get two different lengths of cables that are color-coordinated. Using those can be very useful in a busy studio where things can start to look confusing within your drum setup.
Most live gigs will have a sound engineer that runs the show from a mixing desk. To mic a drum kit for live performances, you’ll set up some drum mics and then run them through to the mixing desk. The sound engineer will then mix and EQ the sound to get a great overall drum sound for the venue.
Typically, only 2 mics are needed. The most important mic would be the kick mic. It’s important for a crowd to feel the drums and this comes from your kick drum. The second mic would be an overhead to get a complete sound from the drums.
However, multiple mics are needed if you want to get a great clear sound from every drum. If you have a standard 5-piece setup, then 7 mics would be needed including the overheads.
Dynamic mics are used for close placement on drums and condenser mics are used for overheads. Dynamic mics are used for individual drums because they have high sound pressure levels. Condenser mics are used for overheads because they do better in picking up sound from larger spaces.
This depends on the personal preference of drummers. Some drummers will like a Shure SM57 on the snare while others will prefer an Audix i5. They both do the same job and produce similar sounds.
Microphones that cost more tend to sound better. So, an Earthworks SR25 will sound miles better than a Samson C02. They have a great drum mic kit and here’s our review.
It’s important to remember that your choice of microphones won’t make you magically sound better as a drummer. The most important sound factor is your technique. The way you hit the drums is going to affect how they sound. The microphones are just tools to amplify that sound.
With that being said, it’s important to have good tools for live gigging.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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