If you are looking for the best percussion microphones, then you are in the right place.
In my humble opinion, the best microphone I will choose for recording percussion instrument, is the Neumann KM 184 MT Microphone
This is because this mic has crisp clear audio when using and has the insane ability to eliminate background noise
It is also very durable, lightweight and portable
You honestly will not get a better microphone for percussion instrument than this
Well we are humans and I know you also might be looking for options
Which is why in this article I will be reviewing the
- Top 5 best percussion microphones after careful research and review
- Pros and cons I detected of each microphone while reviewing them
- Tips and tricks that you need to consider before you make any purchase
- Frequently asked questions and their answers from past users of these microphones
- And so much more
Related: Check out this article I wrote showing you the best lapel mic for preaching
Also you might want to have a look at this detailed table I have below showing you the 5 microphones I reviewed with their features and specifications
I also show you my #1 rated microphone of the five of them
- Omni Directional
- Based on the famed KM series
- Versatile applications
- The Package Dimensions of the Product is 6.3H x 9.84L x 2.6W
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Top 5 Best Percussion Microphone
I know you might also be interested in seeing all the microphones in an ordered list.
So here they are arranged just for you
- Neumann KM 184 MT Microphone
- Shure SM 57 LC Cardioid Microphone
- Sennheiser E604 Dynamic Microphone
- Beyerdynamic TG D58 Condenser Microphone
- Miktek PM10 Dynamic Microphone
How do you mic in percussion?
Placing you microphone in the right position to properly catch the sounds from your percussion instrument is an art that if not done properly might cause audio issues
Which is why, here is a YouTube video showing you how to do this properly
What are the four types of microphones?
To properly choose the type of microphone that is ideal for percussion instrument, you need to have an idea about the types of microphones we have
- Dynamic Microphones – these are the most common type of microphones out there. They are cheap, durable and they sound very good on some of the most common sources in recording.
- Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphones – These are the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of home studio microphones. Their sensitivity makes them ideal for quiet or dynamic sources such as vocals
- Small Diaphragm Condenser Microphones – These are the smaller, less flashy siblings of the large diaphragm microphones. They are mainly used for recording drums, instruments and guitars
- Ribbon Microphones – These particular set of microphones are ideal when you need to tame the harsh or excessive high end of an audio source. They produce a perfect 8 figure polar pattern and respond very well to EQs.
Why is my microphone picking up background noise?
If you are recording percussion instruments, then the one thing you need to deal with is background and unwanted noise
Most microphones pick up background noise when the mic capsule is not well placed in front of the audio source.
Doing this will cause the microphone to pick up all other background noises and mess up your recordings.
Which is why when it comes to recording percussion instruments, I usually advise that you place your mic properly.
If not done properly then you will have lots of background noise.
My Review of the 5 Best Percussion Microphones
1. Neumann KM 184 MT Microphone
- Omni Directional
- Based on the famed KM series
- Versatile applications
- The Package Dimensions of the Product is 6.3H x 9.84L x 2.6W
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
If you are looking for a brand that makes good percussion instruments, then look no further than Neumann.
Even though they might be on the pricey side, they deliver awesome audio quality when used and they also come with suitable accessories and high quality recording properties.
It can be used as a spot or overhead microphone and these mics genuinely record clear audio signals.
One thing you can count on with this mic is that you won’t get any distortions, crackles or rustles no matter what you play or how high you increase the volume.
It is very sensitive which ensures that you capture just the needed audio without any background noise.
This particular microphone is sought out by professionals and audio engineers who want to get the best audio quality from their recordings.
It has a sleek design, very reliable and it is my ideal choice when looking for something to record drums and other percussion instruments.
2. Shure SM 57 LC Cardioid Microphone
- Contoured frequency response is clean, instrumental reproduction and rich vocal pickup
- Professional-quality reproduction for drum, precussion, and instrument amplifier miking
- Uniform cardioid pickup pattern isolates the main source while reducing background noise
- Extremely durable under heaviest use
- Frequency response 40 to 15,000 Hz
- Connectivity: Wired
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Made by the tested and trusted brand name,Shure, the SM57 microphone is an awesome percussion microphone that delivers quality vocals when used.
It is made from solid materials which makes it durable and long lasting
It has a contoured frequency response which is clean, clear instrumental reproduction and can even be used for vocal pickup.
If you have an amp and you need a microphone that works very well with it then look no further.
One thing you can be sure about is that high volume sounds will definitely not be affected by this microphone.
The major thing I liked about this microphone is its versatility and the fact that it can be used for a wide purpose and still deliver crisp clear audio signals
The SM57 microphone will definitely prove to be a worthy investment for anyone that wants to record percussion and get quality signals.
3. Sennheiser E604 Dynamic Microphone
- Sennheiser e 604 Microphone Dynamic Instrument Microphone (3-Pack)
- 3 drum rim clips
- Mic pouches
- 3 20ft xlr mic cables
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This is a low distortion microphone that handles greater than 150 DB SPL.
This means that if you use this microphone to record your percussion instruments, you can be sure of not getting any distortions or cracks with your recordings.
It comes with a compact design that is comfortable and can be placed wherever you have a solid surface and start recording
It also handles high pitch recordings and sounds without any distortion troubles.
The E604 is a reliable piece of gear that will cancel out any high feedback rejection.
It’s easy to use and set up and will capture even the smallest sounds you will make to then provide you with clear and crisp audio of your drumming session.
It’s a highly portable device and there isn’t a rim that this compact drum mic won’t clip to!
This is a lightweight microphone that will deliver awesome sound quality when used and can be placed on different percussion instruments.
4. Beyerdynamic TG D58 Condenser Microphone
- Clip-on condenser microphone featuring short, flexible gooseneck with horizontal swivel joint
- Rugged construction with rubber shock-mounted microphone capsule
- Patented microphone clamp with integrated pre-amp and XLR connection
- Cardioid polar pattern for high-gain-before feedback
- Wide transmission range; 11-52 V phantom powering
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This is a clip on a condenser microphone that comes with a short, flexible gooseneck swivel joint.
This ensures that the microphone can be mounted on any stand and start using the microphone easily
It comes equipped with a rugged construction with rubber shock mounted microphone capsule that ensures you get crisp clear audio signals everytime.
It has a Patented microphone clamp with integrated pre-amp and XLR connection
It has a Cardioid polar pattern for high-gain-before feedback that ensures that you do not have any messy audio signals when used.
It’s a very small drum mic that does a fantastic job and works like a charm.
One of its new features is the expanded frequency range that allows it to capture more sounds than Beyerdynamic’s previous mics.
You can clip this little portable to any drum rim you desire and get quality results with just one product.
5. Miktek PM10 Dynamic Microphone
- Dynamic Snare / Tom microphone Neodymium Element Super Cardioid Pick Up Pattern Custom AMI Transformer Lever lock Rim Mount Clip Packaged with Protective Case and standard Mic Clip
- Miktek Performance Series drum microphones offer top sound and build quality that will impress the most discriminating engineers and drummers alike
- The PM10’s frequency response is full and robust and has been contoured to snare and tom-toms
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Miktek’s mics are very solid and dependable and will give you only quality sounds.
They are a bit more expensive than our previously reviewed mics, ranging from 200-300$ depending on the offer you catch.
If you are looking for a drum mic that can represent all the sweat and tears you put into your drum practice sessions, you can be sure that Miktek will do that faithfully.
The Miktek drum mic offers you a capsule design that will give you the opportunity to reproduce your drum kit sounds with the best accuracy.
It’s a dynamic mic that is usually used with tom-toms and snares.
You can rest assured that you will experience only full and robust sounds from Miktek’s high-quality product.
You don’t have to be worried about the mic being damaged during delivery either, it’s carefully packaged and comes in a protective case and a commonly used drum mics clip.
It’s the best piece of equipment whether you’re at home, in the studio or on the road waiting for your next gig.
It’s a fantastic mic that can be used for general recordings too, even though it is optimized for tom-toms and snares.
Even if you end up accidentally hitting the drum microphone with your drumsticks it won’t make any difference to the quality of the recording.
You can move the mic around however you want and put it wherever you find it suitable and it will still put up the best performance!
Related: Check out my comprehensive guide on the best microphone
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