There are so many mic options on the market. Here are a few drum mic kits that'll provide you all of the mics you need to record your drums, that won't break the bank.

CAD Audio Stage 7

These are the first set of microphones I picked up to start recording my own drums. This mic kit includes a kick drum mic, snare mic, 3 tom mics and a pair of overhead microphones. The kit also includes all of the clips that you'll need to attach them to a mic stand or the rim of your drum.

Lewitt DTP Beat Kit Pro 7

Microphones Included:

1x DTP 640 REX for a massive kick drum sound 1x MTP 440 DM for a lively snare sound

3x DTP 340 TT for toms and percussion

2x LCT 340 for overheads, cardioid and omni capsules

These microphones are a little more expensive, but you're getting what you pay for. You'll notice a great deal of improvement in sound if you use these for your drum recording.

Shure PGADRUMKIT7

Microphones included:

1 x PGA52 Kick Drum Mic 3 x PGA56 Tom Mics

1 x PGA57 Snare Mic

2 x PGA81 Overhead Mics

This is a great middle of the ground option. It also includes XLR cables and clips so you won't have that to worry about when you're building your recording setup!

 If you've already purchased microphones for your drums, you're going to need cables and stands. Most of these mic kits come with clips for your mics, but they don't include stands or cables. There is a very cool deal on this Audix mic kit that comes with everything you need... other than an interface, computer and DAW of course. You can find this exact setup on the Sweetwater website.

Just look for : Audix DP7 Drum Package with Stands and Cables!

When we're playing drums, we need to protect our hearing. Not only do we need to protect our hearing, but we also need to be able to hear what we're playing, especially if we're recording drums. Here are a couple budget friendly options for you to check out, including what I currently use and have been using for a few years!

Vic Firth Iso Headphones

You've probably heard of these before! You may even already have a set of your own. These are great because they're specifically designed for drummers like us, and they're not going to hurt your wallet.

Shure se215

These headphones are altogether a different style as they fit snugly into your ear. These are what I have been using for a few years, and they haven't broken yet! (Knock on wood).

They come with interchangeable ear pieces depending on your needs.

Pro tip:

I usually take one of the ear buds out of my ear every so slightly because, I find that I can get a better performance if I can hear myself a little more clearly.

When it comes to recording audio, we need some sort of software on our computer to be able to manipulate audio waves. There are some free options, but if you're really looking to improve the quality of your drum recordings, then i'd suggest investing in the following options.

Reaper

You may or may not have heard of this DAW. You can pick it up for free on their website, and if you choose to pick up a licence (which I totally recommend) then that will only be a 1 time fee of a whopping $60!

Logic

Logic Pro X is an Apple product, and it's also a very popular DAW. Personally I don't have much experience with it, however there's a lot of great feedback about using this as your DAW. The cost for Logic X is $199, and while it is not very budget friendly, there is a lot you can do with this program.

Pro Tools

You've probably seen or heard of someone talking about Pro Tools before. This DAW is infamously known in all levels of recording situations. From commercial to personal use. I wouldn't necessarily say that this DAW is for beginners. There's quite a bit of a learning curve when it comes to learning this DAW. Not forgetting to mention that it is also expensive, and has quite a few bugs.

If you're not familiar with the term,"Interface" then let me explain. An interface takes the analogue signal from your microphone, and make it into a language that our computers can understand (binary). There are many options when it comes to choosing the proper Interface. They are a crucial piece of gear for anyone looking to record drums and music. Let's dive into a few options when it comes to shopping for an interface.

Behringer ADA8200

If you're looking for an interface and need 8 inputs, then look no further. This Behringer unit is probably one of the most inexpensive interfaces on the market. Not only does it have 8 inputs, but it can also be expanded to another interface via ADAT connection.

This interface also has the ability to supply your inputs with phantom power. The only downfall being that you cannot control which input gets it.

I currently have one of these interfaces as a slave to my Focusrite 18i20.

Focusrite 18i20

If you're looking for a little bit more out of an 8 channel interface, then you can always check out what Focusrite has to offer. You'll still get 8 inputs, but you'll also be able to setup a pair of monitors and have control of 2 seperate headphone outputs. So if you wanted to listen back to a click track or anything else from your DAW, you can do that with this interface.

Pro Tip

Link another interface, like the Behringer with an ADAT cable to give you 16 inputs.

You might call them speakers, but they can also be referred to as monitors. There are a lot of options out there on the market, but we're looking for something simple that will give us what we need. We don't need to spend thousands of dollars on monitors if our room isn't even acoustically treated. Let's take a look at a couple of monitor options that I would recommend you look into!

KRK Rokit 5

At $400 for the pair, these have to be one of the most affordable and quality sounding set of monitors in their class. These are the speakers that I have been using for the past few years, and i've had no complaints with this set of speakers.

Pro Tip

If you have a small room for mixing, I would highly suggest buying a 5" monitor. Anything bigger will be too much sound for a small room.

Kali LP 6

These monitors are another affordable option when it comes to building your drum recording setup. The Kali LP 6's won't break the bank, and they have slightly more options than the KRK option. If you're looking for clear sounding monitors, then look no further than the Kali LP 6.

Remember that this is only a guide to help you figure out what is needed to record your drums. There are a lot of different options on the market, and I implore you to do some research of your own. Hopefully this guide helps you understand a little better what is required to properly record your drums.

If you ever have any questions about drum recording, send me a message through my website or socials.

Website: www.cameronfleury.com Instagram: @cameron.fleury Facebook: /camondrums