Guide to Drum Tracking

Drum tracking is an art. For the uninitiated, tracking is when you record instruments. Making good drum tracks is a long, arduous process that's usually full of many things that will need to be tweaked over time. Later on down the line, I'll make an article about the post production process for drums. For now though, let's focus on how to track drums correctly. It all starts here, if you manage to do a good job when you record the drums your life will be much easier down the line. Let's get cracking.

First, let's start with the microphones. Drum mic kits are a boon, and very convenient. I highly recommend them. You don't need an ultra high quality one, but don't skimp either. A few hundred dollars will be fine. It may seem like too much, but this is a lifetime investment. You will be glad you shelled the extra bit of cash later. Another very worthwhile investment is an omnidirectional large diaphragm condenser mic. Highly recommended. Once again, you can get a solid one for one hundred to two hundred dollars. If you take good care of your gear, it's a lifetime investment.

Second, put fresh drum heads all over your kit. The resonant heads aren't as important, but they do make a difference. The snare will especially need a high quality skin, definitely do not skimp on the snare batter head. I recommend Attack or Evans skins for all your purposes, but if you have one that you prefer that's fine too.

Third, you absolutely must record in a decent room. For the apartment musicians, this will probably be impossible. For those who can record in a home, your options increase a bit more. Record the drums in an decent acoustically treated room and you'll have close to professional quality drum tracks.

Fourth, and one you probably weren't expecting, is the performance. This seems like a no brainer but you'd be shocked at how badly drummers will play expecting their mistakes to be corrected later via editing. A good performance is key. If you don't show up to play, your band, engineer, or session worker will probably fire you. Save yourself the embarrassment and practice. Prepare as best as you can and be ready to nail the songs you're tracking in a single take. This kind of preparation will not only make you a better player, but will give you a good reputation amongst your peers. Good luck!