Advanced Micing Techniques Capstone Part 1: Introduction and Drums

Attempting to create a definitive method of recording musicians is like telling someone the only way to write a poem is in iambic pentameter.  Although that poem may have its own musicality and possibly witty rhyme scheme, poetry would quickly become stale and lifeless, which is why we see different generations of writing develop like Naturalism, Modernism, and Post-Modernism.  Audio recording requires the same ingenuity to stay fresh and vibrant.  Additionally, audio engineers are constantly experimenting with microphone placement, creative signal routing, digital processing, unorthodox spaces, etcetera.  Less apparent than poetic movements, the field of audio recording has gone though many eras; from the early mono recording of the Beatles, Glynn Johns micing techniques, and basic stereo recordings to more modern and experimental techniques like binaural recording, X/Y, ORTF, Blumlein, and mid-side. Rather than simply add another type of microphone placement to this list with its own definition of how to execute it and what instruments it works on best, it is more prudent to offer a new approach to how one utilizes the tools to captures audio.  Somewhere between artist perspective, binaural capturing, and a subjective approach resides a new technique, the Fathead recording technique.  In the coming pages, I will define the technique and present examples of it’s practical use through recordings I’ve captured over the semester of piano, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, voice, violin, cello, drums, trombone, alto and tenor saxophone, and vibraphone.

One may ask why the name Fathead? Fathead recording embodies the idea of capturing audio from a very natural perspective typically with two microphones placed in a spaced pair like two ears on a fat head, but in locations that may be untraditional or possibly out of phase to some degree.  Imagine a large floating head that isn’t limited by a binaural replication device or conventional spaced pair techniques.  Listen first with your “fathead” ears and try to place the microphones in such a way that captures what you like in what you are hearing and tries to minimize the parts of the sound you don’t like.  For example, two microphones that are out of phase slightly might cause phase cancelation in boomy or muddy frequencies between 200 and 600 hertz; thus, the musicality of mid frequencies are aloud to shine better than if the mics were perfectly aligned.  Such phase issues can make for a natural form of equalization, which can be applied in stereo or even mono recording, depending on how the signals are mixed. Therefore, the first principle of Fathead recording is to hone in on exactly what frequencies of the sound one wants to capture.

There are somewhat ubiquitous traditional ways to record instruments and musicians like a Shure SM57 for close micing a snare or a guitar cabinet or a spaced pair of small diaphragm condensers for drum overheads.  These methods are tried and true, and in most cases, they will produce an excellent recording. However, rarely does a band want to sound simply homogeneous with their peers.  Therefore, it is the job of the recording engineer, the band, and their producer to create new tones and creative ways to express the music.  Most of the time with bands that have been playing together for a long time, the musicians already have an excellent idea of how they want their instruments to sound.  However, when a recording engineer simply sets a microphone in a standard position, it may not capture what a guitarist is hearing for example.  Therefore, the second rule of Fathead recording is listen like the musician. 

To demonstrate the difference this technique can make, I started with a modified minimalist recording of a drum set.  However, instead of placing the overhead microphones directly above the kit, facing down, I moved them behind the drummer about a foot, widened their distance apart, and pointed them both toward the center of the kit.  In this configuration, my goal was to capture more of what a drummer hears, accentuating the toms and snare, but minimizing the the harshness of the cymbals.  I used 2 Neumann KM84 microphones, and to be fair, I did not include the Shure Beta 52 in the mixes.

In contrast, I also recorded drums, using two Neumann TLM-49 as a spaced pair in front of the kit and at tom height.

They were placed fairly close to the kit, so they didn’t just end up sounding like room mics.

I’m also including an example of a standard overhead miced recording for comparison:

After reviewing the recording, it is clear the Fathead approach sounds far better balanced than the other two.  Part of the reason why it sounds so balanced is because the cymbals are all slightly off axis to the mics (softening their high frequencies), but the toms and snare are on axis (making them the focus of the recording). Rarely, if ever, does a drummer perform a cymbal solo, and if he or she does, it’s doubtful the listener will beg for more ping or sizzle!  Additionally, the most natural part of the tom and snare sound radiates perpendicular to the heads, so instead of capturing a narrow angle of off axis toms with Sennheiser MD 421 microphones, the KM 84 condensers hear all the characteristics of heads with a wider angle and on axis position.  However, if one was using more close mics to blend in with the other two recordings, those recordings would probably sound fantastic too in their own ways.  Therefore, if one is limited due to budget, because it is a live recording with limited input, or they just like the way it sounds, the fathead technique is an excellent choice on drums.