How to minimally mic drums live?
I'm at an awkward place in my drumming. I'm playing at venues big enough that having the kit mic'd would be good. But these venues are also small enough that they're not set up for drum mics and their mixers have limited channels. Typically I get a kick mic or nothing.
I've seen the videos of the Yamaha EAD10. It seems pretty good. But, it also seems like it costs a lot for those who don't need all of the effects. I'm really just trying to mic up my kit with minimal mics on a budget.
Would putting gaff tape around the base of an SM57 head and positioning it over my bass drum pointed toward my snare work? I don't have an SM57. But, I'm thinking about it as an option given their low price point and the fact that most other omnidirectional mics require phantom power. The big risk here would be that omnidirectional mics are prone to feedback and I don't want to pick up too much from amps or background noise.
What are your simplest budget options for at least micing the snare and kick for live performance? I'd really like to do something with just one mic if possible. I'm not at a level that requires perfect tones or anything. I just notice that when the room fills up, I'm hitting the drums a little harder for volume purposes, which causes me to use worse technique and cramp up.
Posted Apr 24, 2026, 8:30 PM UTC