Studio Miking 101

Good mic placement is essential to successful recording. While there are many different approaches to each miking situation, most revolve around some well-established concepts that have been proven to work in thousands of sessions. We’ve enlisted the engineers at Sweetwater Productions to explain the basics of miking vocals, acoustic and electric instruments, and drums.

The following videos require Quicktime and are recommended for users with a broadband connection. If you do not have the Quicktime player, you can download it here.

While no two voices are alike, Chet shows you the basics of mic placement to ensure accurate response and pop-free pickup.

Whether it’s a guitar, a flute, or other instrument, your goal is to capture both the body of the tone as well as the “sparkle” of its attack transients. Chris demonstrates how to do that with either one or two mics.

Chet describes popular miking techniques for pop and classical-style piano recording using our Yamaha grand piano. Don’t have a grand? We explain how to get good results from a spinet or upright.

Close-miking a guitar amp requires the right mic and the right placement in front of the speakers. Chris demonstrates two approaches that capture different characteristics of the amp’s output.

Although several mics are usually in service to handle a drum kit, miking drums doesn’t have to be complicated. Justin shows you proven methods to handle kick, snare, toms, and cymbals.