At Vibrations Studios in Huddersfield, we love a good sonic experiment. Recently, our studio manager and our interns, went deep into a full-day drum recording session - no time limits, no pressure, just exploring sounds. And what came out of it were a few surprising drum mic discoveries that I’ll definitely be using in future tracking sessions.
Tracking drums at Vibrations Studios in West Yorkshire
1. The Secret Wall Cavity Mic
This one was a happy accident. The team dropped a mic into a cavity in the wall of the live room just to see what would happen. What they got was a rich, mid and sub-heavy ambient track - perfect for capturing the weight and depth of the kick and snare in a live, roomy way.
There’s something about the way that cavity interacts with the room’s reflections. It doesn’t just give you “air”; it gives you body. Think of it like a low-end-focused room mic that glues the drum kit together. Try blending it in subtly for that warm, lived-in sound.
2. AKG C414s on Toms (Yes, Really)
I’ve always reached for 414s for overheads or room mics, but this session changed my mind about their use on toms. In cardioid mode, they offer stunning off-axis rejection - which means less bleed, and much more clarity.
The real surprise was the tone. On toms, the C414s gave tight transients, full-bodied resonance, and all the detail you'd expect from high-end condensers - without sounding clinical. If you’re chasing that polished, modern drum tone, it’s worth experimenting with.
3. Drumagog Layering for the Perfect Snare
Lately, I’ve been returning to layering snares with Drumagog, and it’s been a game changer. Here’s my go-to method:
Step 1: Duplicate your snare track twice.
Step 2: Add Drumagog to each of the copies.
Step 3: On one channel, find a snare sample with strong body and character - something that suits the genre and fills out the low-mids.
Step 4: On the second, go for a snare with a great crack - sharp attack and high-end clarity.
Step 5: Mix each element to taste underneath your original snare.
It gives you total control over the snare’s impact and tone, especially if the original recording is solid but missing something in the mix.
4. Snare Reamping (Yes Please)
This is something I wish I had time to do more often - reamping snares through a guitar amp with another snare placed on top.
Start with a clean snare recording.
Send it out through a guitar amp (try turning it upward so the speaker faces the ceiling).
Place a snare drum on top of the amp and a mic above the drum to capture its resonance.
Optional: Use a different snare than the one in the original take. If your recorded snare is medium depth, go for a deep shell here for contrast.
Tweak the amp settings, even dial in a touch of drive or EQ to give it a new flavour.
Blend it in during choruses or bridge sections to add subtle texture and dynamic lift.
You can do this during tracking or reamp it later - reamping gives you more control without locking in a sound too early.
Final Thoughts
Every engineer has their go-to techniques, but these kinds of experiments - some planned, some accidental - are where real breakthroughs happen. Whether it’s a mic in the wall, a reamped snare, or layering sampled elements for extra punch, the trick is to stay curious.
If you’ve got any unusual drum recording tricks, I’d love to hear about them. We’re always looking to push what’s possible inside the live room.
- Piper Dawes
Producer / Engineer at Vibrations Studios
Huddersfield, UK