Kick Drum Tunnel

A makeshift device occasionally used by recording studios to capture a more ambient kick drum sound. It basically involves building a cavern or tunnel that extends from the front of a kick drum several feet out into the room. By placing a mic at the end of this tunnel, in addition to (or instead of) a normal mic inside the kick drum, you can capture a more roomy sounding kick, but without picking up the other drums and sounds in the room too much. Normally when the technique is employed the front head is removed from the drum, but this isn’t necessary. A kick drum tunnel is simple to build. You take a couple of boom mic stands, extend their booms about two or three feet parallel to the ground and a few feet in front of the kick drum (this is your framework). Place your mic about a foot off the floor at the end of this structure and then cover the mic stands with blankets.