Snare Drum Mic Placement

The snare drum sits at the center of most drum recordings, providing the backbeat that drives the rhythm. Microphone placement determines whether the captured sound emphasizes crack, body, snare wire rattle, or balanced combinations of these characteristics.

Top Microphone Positioning

The primary snare microphone typically mounts above the drum, pointing at the batter head. Standard positioning places the capsule one to three inches above the rim, angled toward the center of the head. This captures a balance of attack from stick impact and tone from the head.

Positioning closer to the center of the head emphasizes fundamental tone and body while reducing rim shot crack. Edge positioning near the rim captures more attack and high-frequency content. Most engineers find optimal results somewhere between these extremes.

Distance from the head affects the ratio of direct sound to ambient bleed. Closer placement increases isolation from hi-hat and other kit elements but may miss the full development of the snare sound. Greater distance captures more natural tone but introduces more bleed.

Angle and Orientation

The angle of the microphone relative to the head surface affects tone significantly. Steeper angles pointing more directly down capture brighter, more aggressive sounds. Shallower angles produce warmer results with less high-frequency emphasis.

Positioning the microphone on the hi-hat side versus the floor tom side changes the bleed characteristics. Hi-hat side positioning points the microphone’s rejection toward the floor tom but accepts more hi-hat bleed. The opposite approach reduces hi-hat bleed while increasing tom pickup.

Microphone orientation with the body over the drum versus extending outward affects physical interference with the drummer’s playing. Compact positioning reduces the risk of accidental stick contact while potentially increasing hi-hat bleed.

Bottom Snare Miking

Adding a microphone beneath the snare captures the distinctive sound of the snare wires. This buzzing, rattling character adds sizzle and presence that complements the top microphone’s attack and body.

Bottom microphones typically position one to four inches from the snare wires, pointing directly at them. Closer placement captures more direct wire sound with less shell resonance. Greater distance incorporates more of the drum’s overall tone.

Phase relationship between top and bottom microphones requires attention. Since the bottom head moves in the opposite direction from the top head, the bottom microphone signal arrives out of phase. Flipping the phase on the bottom microphone channel typically improves the combined sound.

Microphone Selection

The Shure SM57 remains the standard snare microphone, offering reliable results across genres and playing styles. Its presence peak around 5-6 kHz adds crack and attack that cuts through dense mixes.

Alternative dynamic microphones provide different tonal options. The Audix i5 offers similar performance with slightly different frequency response. The Sennheiser MD 421 provides a broader frequency range with more low-end body.

Condenser microphones capture additional detail and transient accuracy but require careful positioning to avoid overload from high SPL. Small-diaphragm condensers like the AKG C451 or Neumann KM184 excel on snare when positioned appropriately.

Balancing Top and Bottom

Mixing the top and bottom microphones involves finding the right blend of attack, body, and wire sizzle. Starting with the top microphone and gradually adding the bottom allows careful assessment of the wire contribution.

Excessive bottom microphone level can make the snare sound thin or overly sizzly. Conservative blend ratios, with the bottom microphone noticeably lower than the top, typically produce more natural results.

Processing each microphone separately allows independent treatment. High-pass filtering the bottom microphone removes low-frequency rumble while preserving the wire sound. Compression on the top microphone can enhance punch without affecting the bottom’s character.

Common Problem Solutions

Hi-hat bleed in the snare microphone poses a frequent challenge. Angling the microphone to point the rejection pattern toward the hi-hat helps. Moving the hi-hat further from the snare, if possible, reduces the problem at the source.

Excessive ring or overtones respond to drum tuning and dampening more than microphone technique. However, microphone positioning closer to the edge sometimes reduces sustained ring while maintaining attack.

Inconsistent snare response across different playing dynamics often indicates positioning issues. Finding the sweet spot where both soft ghost notes and hard backbeats capture clearly requires experimentation with position and distance.