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Drum Workshops: Learn from the Pro!
Throughout the competition Shure will provide you with a series of Workshops from our drum professional Darren Ashford to help you gain additional knowledge. Keep revisiting this page for the latest tips/tricks & workshops.
Technical Drum Glossary
Here we've provided you with a summary of all of the terms used througout this site and in the videos
| 3-to-1 Rule | When using multiple microphones, the distance between microphones should be at least 3 times the distance from each microphone to its intended sound source. | |
| Ambience | Room acoustics or natural reverberation. | |
| Attack | The response rate of the cymbal or drum. Some models are faster (more attack) than others. how fast an instrument reaches its peak volume after it is struck. | |
| Bi-Directional | Also known as a "Figure 8", this refers to a microphone which receive sound equally from both the front and back. | |
| Cardioid | Picks up most sound in front of the microphone and some from the sides. It is less susceptible to feedback in high volume environments. | |
| Condenser | Microphones which are more sensitive, give a smooth, natural sound and need to be powered (by Phantom Power). | |
| Dynamic | Dynamic mics have a simple, rugged construction and can handle very high sound pressure levels. | |
| Frequency Response | A graph showing how a microphone responds to various sound frequencies. It is a plot of electrical output (in decibels) vs. frequency (in Hertz). | |
| Interference | Destructive combining of sound waves or electrical signals due to sound waves or electrical signals due to phase differences. | |
| Inverse Square Law | States that direct sound levels increase (or decrease) by an amount proportional to the square of the change in distance. | |
| Isolation | Freedom from leakage; ability to reject unwanted sounds. | |
| Omnidirectional | Put simply, means the microphone picks up sound from all directions | |
| Phantom Power | Used to describe the method for transmitting DC electric power through microphone cables to operate microphones that contain active electronic circuitry (i.e condenser microphones) | |
| Phase Cancellation | Phase cancellation occurs when multiple microphones are used to pick up the same sound. For example, you may use two microphones to pick up the sound of a kick drum - one inside and one outside. As the microphones are in different places the sound will reach them at different times - which means that they may be 'out of phase' when the sound is played back | |
| Polar Pattern (Directional Pattern, Polar Response) | A graph showing how the sensitivity of a microphone varies with the angle of the sound source, at a particular frequency. | |
| Proximity effect | The proximity effect in audio is an increase in bass or low frequency response when a sound source is close to a microphone | |
| Rolloff | A gradual decrease in response below or above a specified frequency | |
| SPL | Sound pressure level (measured in decibels/dB) | |
| Super Cardioid | Picks up most sound in front of the microphone and very little from the sides, making it more directional than a cardioid mic. | |
| Sustain | The duration of the sound before it decays. | |
| Transient response | The response of a microphone to a change from equilibrium, or put simply how quickly the microphone can react to high frequencies in particular. | |
| X/Y Configuration | Involves utilizing two microphones on overheads - typically one would place the two mics close together and angled at about 75-90 degrees | |
Workshop No. 7: Drumset Ergonomics
Drumset Ergonomics
Correct seat height adjustment can influence the efficiency of your hand and foot techniques. In this video I'll show you how to find what I call a 'Neutral' position and help you improve your playing from the ground up.
Workshop No. 6: Snare Drum Tonalities
Snare Drum Tonalities
In this video I clear up some of the confusion with the names of the three different snare drum tonalities: Rimshot, Cross Stick & Rim Click.
Workshop No. 5: Lick for stops and set ups
Lick for stops and set ups
I first heard Buddy Rich play this lick on a Lionel Hampton album. He used it as a final fill at the end of a song. In this video I show you how to use it as a set up or a stop.
Workshop No. 4: Foot Technique – Heel up and heel down
Foot Technique: Heel up and heel down
This lesson will clarify a few misconceptions about the two common foot position used in drum set foot technique.
Workshop No. 3: Kit speed and Fluency
Kit speed and Fluency
This lesson will help you to improve your flexibility with different feels inside an 8th note groove structure.
Workshop No. 2: Drum Miking
Drum Miking
What would you need to consider when miking a Bass/Kick Drum? Why might someone use 2 mics on a Snare?
This Workshop will help you to mic all the different parts of a drum kit and provide you with a huge range of professional tips on mic placement, stereo micing and more.
Special: Drum Mic Comparison
Drum Mic Comparison
Here we give you a demonstration of how a range of popular Shure microphones sound.
We show a number of Shure microphones in action on the Kick Drum, Snare, Hi-Hats and on Overheads. We advise you use some good speakers or headphones to ensure you hear the differences.
Workshop No. 1: 3D Grooves
3D Grooves
This lesson will help you to improve your flexibility with different feels inside an 8th note groove structure.
Download the paper for this lesson
