Instrument
Cymbals
Also called ride, crash.
- Peaks up close
- up to 137 dB SPL
- Sources
- 7 (7 independent)
Mics sources recommend
7 setups from 7 sources, 7 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.
On stage
Spot
- microphone (type not named)2 independent sources
Close
- Shure SM811 independent source
The 3 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Spot microphone (type not named)spot, underneath the cymbal, facing away from snare and toms ('underhead')
microphones can be placed underneath cymbals, positioned facing away from the snare or tom-toms ... underhead placement
1 - Close Shure SM81close under each cymbal and hi-hat instead of overheads (shown in a live example, not recommended outright)
Photo example: engineers chose Shure SM81s under each cymbal and hi-hat, with no overheads (paraphrase)
2 - Spot under-hung cymbal micsspot, under each cymbal facing up (live, when overheads are unavoidable)
put up under-hung mics on each cymbal ... The closer placement, and upward facing positions, will reduce much of the drum and room bleed
3
Studio
Spot
- Neumann KM 841 independent source
- Oktava MK-012 / Neumann KM 1841 independent source
- flying mic (PZM)1 independent source
- small-diaphragm condenser1 independent source
The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Spot Oktava MK-012 / Neumann KM 184spot, ride cymbal mic if the ride doesn't cut through the overheads
cymbals: Octava MK-012/Neumann KM 184; a ride cymbal mic if the ride wasn't cutting through (paraphrase)
4 - Spot Neumann KM 84spot, ride mic moved around the cymbal by ear; closer gives more low overtones and longer decay
Generally the closer you get to the cymbals, the more low overtones and longer ringing decay you capture.
5 - Spot small-diaphragm condenserspot, over the side of the cymbal about 1-2 in above (hi-hat and ride first), pad and high-pass
Place the mic over the side of the cymbal, about an inch or two above, while making sure that it is away from other drum pieces.
6 - Spot flying mic (PZM)spot, mic lowered to about 6 in above the cymbal, 2-3 ft at the strike, as an effect
about six inches from the top of the cymbal ... about two to three feet above it (flying-mic effect)
7
Frequency bands
| ping / low ring | 300 Hz – 600 Hz | ride peaks at 400 and 510 Hz |
|---|---|---|
| wash | 1 kHz – 12 kHz | crash loudest 2.5-4 kHz; ride has peaks near 1.2, 2.6 and 3.4 kHz |
| air | 12 kHz – 20 kHz |
Own analysis: 1/3-octave band levels of the first second after the hit (dB re loudest band), plus a 12 ms attack window and spectral peak picking. A band is listed where the level stays within about 10-15 dB of the loudest band (weaker bands are given with their level). "tone" = clear spectral peaks; "noise" = dense or broadband energy. Measured from: Virtuosity Drums mid_ride_ride_vl2_rr1, mid_crash_crash_vl2_rr1.
Sounds it makes
| Ride | clear stick "ping" over a wash |
|---|---|
| Ride bell | bright, pitched ping |
| Crash | fast, full burst; 400 Hz-8 kHz within 10 dB |
The sound
Thin bronze plates with many closely spaced modes; the stick excites a pitched "ping" at first, and energy spreads to the high modes.
Recording it
Overheads, which are the kit's main picture rather than only cymbal mics, are filed under the drum kit. Close mics under each cymbal are used live.10,2
Frequency areas
- Low end to cut: below 150 Hz (in overheads)
- Harshness: around 4 kHz
- Air: 8–12 kHz11
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Peaks | |
|---|---|
| 125.9 dB(Z) | at the entrance of the drummer's ear canal; 18 in crash cymbal of a DW Performance Series kit struck individually with wooden sticks at moderate force by two drummers, live room of a recording studio (Valderrama et al. 2025, Table 2)8 |
| 122.2 dB(C) | at the entrance of the drummer's ear canal; 18 in crash cymbal, same single-hit test8 |
| 137 dB or more(C) | at the player (exposure context); UK Sound Advice guidance: peak noise from a snare drum or cymbal clash may exceed 137 dB secondary9 |
Sources
- Harrison, J.J. & Hill, A.J. (2013) A scientific approach to microphone placement for cymbals in live sound, Proc. Institute of Acoustics 35(2), University of Derby
- Berklee Online Take Note: Drum Mics, How to Place Microphones Around Your Kit for a Live Concert
- ProSoundWeb: How To Ruin A Mix: Enough Already With The Cymbals (Michael Fay, 2023)
- Recording Magazine: A Beginner's Guide to Miking Drums (Bruce Kaphan)
- Recording Magazine: Drumming and Drummers and Mics - Oh My! (Paul Vnuk Jr. with David Blascoe)
- Signature Sound (San Diego studio): Mic Positioning: Cymbals and Overheads
- Tape Op #10: Recording Recipes #2, Flying Microphones (Larry Crane, 1998)
- International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration: Valderrama, Arenas, Cardenas, Noise Exposure During Regular Practice Sessions of Drummers and Their Risk for Hearing Loss (vol 30 no 4, pp 423-431)
- Representative noise levels table with orchestra noise guidance (UK Sound Advice material)
- Sound On Sound: Recording Drums
- iZotope: EQ Cheat Sheet