09/15/2026
🥁 THE GLYN JOHNS DRUM-MIKING METHOD 🎙️
Glyn Johns is one of the most respected recording engineers and producers in rock history. During his legendary career, he has worked with artists including Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles, Eagles, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and many more.
One of his most famous contributions to recording is the Glyn Johns drum-miking method—a simple setup designed to capture the drum kit as one powerful, natural-sounding instrument.
The original method uses only three microphones:
🎙️ KICK MIC
Positioned in front of the kick drum to capture its punch and low-end power.
🎙️ OVERHEAD MIC
Placed directly above the snare and aimed downward to capture the overall kit.
🎙️ SIDE MIC
Placed near the floor-tom side and aimed across the kit toward the center of the snare.
The most important part is measurement: the overhead and side microphones should be exactly the same distance from the center of the snare. This helps keep the microphones in phase and gives the drums a solid, focused sound instead of a thin or hollow one.
In the mix, the overhead and side microphones can be panned left and right for a wide stereo image, while the kick stays centered. A close snare microphone can also be added when additional attack or control is needed.
The result is a big, open and natural drum sound without covering the kit with microphones. It also proves an important lesson in audio production: more microphones don’t always mean better sound—placement, phase and listening matter most.
— MaxxAttack Productions LLC
Professional Sound • Lighting • Production
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