Part 5/10:
- Tuning drums meticulously and using particular mic techniques (more on this later)
His choice of gear is consistent—favoring classic compressors and microphones that shape a warm, immersive drum sound.
Mic Techniques & Out-of-Phase Tom Miking
A signature mic setup involves dual miking the toms:
Y-cabling the top and bottom mics (typically a Sennheiser 421 on the top and an SM57 on the bottom, out of phase)
Combining these signals to achieve a full, self-EQ’ing tom sound with minimal processing
This phase trick enhances the depth and punch of the toms while reducing the need for heavy EQ adjustments. Similarly, for kick drums, Brendan often blends a kick out microphone with a kick in mic to create a fat, roomy kick sound.