Miking a drum kit is not a matter of slapping up a couple of mics and hitting record. It is a game of control, space, bleed, and tone, and one misplaced mic can kill an otherwise killer take. It is not always the gear that makes the difference between amateur and professional sound, but the technique, whether you dial in your live rig or track in a home studio.
This guide walks through how to mic each part of your drum kit, explains common pitfalls, and compares two solid mic kits that offer serious value: one from 5 Core and one from Behringer. Let’s break it down piece by piece.
1. Kick Drum: Focus on Power, Not Boom
The kick is your low-end anchor. It needs punch and clarity, not mud. Start by placing a dynamic mic just inside the sound hole, angled slightly toward where the beater hits the head. You want that attack to cut, not just a low-frequency thump.
The 5 Core DM-7RND-BLK includes a dedicated kick mic built for this exact role. It captures the low end without drowning in sub-bass, making it easier to mix—especially in small rooms or live setups where boomy kicks are a common problem.
2. Snare Drum: Capture Snap Without Overkill
Snare is where most recordings fall apart. Mic placement here is everything. Start with a cardioid dynamic mic about 1–2 inches above the rim, pointing across the head toward the center. Keep it angled to reduce hi-hat bleed.
The 5 Core kit’s snare mic does a solid job here—it isolates the crack of the top head without overselling the ring. It’s not as hyped in the mids as some expensive models, which actually gives you more flexibility in post.
The Behringer BC1200 also includes a dynamic snare mic that holds up surprisingly well for its price. It’s a little brighter, which might help snares pop in dense mixes, but can be harsh if you’re already using a bright snare or metal sticks.
3. Toms: Round Tone, No Rumble
Tom mics should bring out the body of the drum without sounding like a cannon. Mount your dynamic tom mics about 1–2 inches above the head, angled toward the center, but avoid pointing them straight down. You’re after tone, not just thud.
The DM-7RND-BLK provides three tom mics that are shock-mounted and easy to clip on. They handle both rack and floor toms without ringing out or distorting, even under heavy hitters. They lack the overhyped EQ curve of some more expensive models, but that flatness makes them useful in live as well as studio applications.
The Behringer kit has tom mics that have a little extra upper midrange, so they can cut through a busy mix, but may need more EQ to sound warmer and more natural.
4. Overheads: Where Everything Comes Together
If you only had two mics to record a drum kit, they’d be overheads. These capture cymbals, spatial image, and the overall kit tone. Placement depends on what you’re after: an XY pair above the snare gives focus and stereo control, while a spaced pair over the left and right side of the kit offers a wider image—though with more phase risk.
The Behringer BC1200 includes a pair of small-diaphragm condenser overheads that deliver a clean, usable stereo image. They’re not boutique-level bright, which is good if your cymbals already sizzle. Set them around 3–4 feet above the kit and match their distance from the snare to keep the center solid.
The 5 Core DM-7RND-BLK doesn’t include condensers, sticking to an all-dynamic layout. That may sound like a disadvantage, but dynamic overheads can actually work well in tight spaces or for drummers who want more control over cymbal bleed in dense mixes or live use.
5. Hi-Hat and Room: Optional, But Useful
Hi-hat mics are often overused. Unless your hat plays a major rhythmic role, skip it—your overheads already pick it up. But if you do mic it, aim a small-diaphragm condenser at the edge of the top cymbal, about 4–6 inches away, angled to minimize snare bleed.
Room mics, on the other hand, are studio gold. Even a single room mic placed 6–10 feet away can add depth and glue. Neither the 5 Core nor Behringer kits include a dedicated room mic, but either overhead can be repurposed in a pinch if you’re working hybrid setups.
Conclusion
The ideal drum microphone set up is not necessarily the most expensive set up but rather the knowledge of where to put them, how to control bleed and how to sculpt the sound with what you have.
To budget cover a full kit, the 5 Core DM-7RND-BLK has reliable, durable dynamic mics that you can use live or in project studios. Behringer BC1200 comes with condenser overheads and a bit brighter voicing which makes it a good option to home studios pursuing a more open sound.
Bottom line? Be knowledgeable of your space. Be familiar with your drum tone. And when you have mic placement right, you won t have to spend as much time cleaning up, and more time recording great performances.