Miking my drums to home stereo to play along with my favorite music.

Plumdog66

New Member
Can someone please share with me the minimum basic equipment that I need to mic my drums using my home stereo system. I’m on a budget. I have never played in a band. I simply want to play along with all my favorite band/music. I’ve tried Vic Firth headphones without mics.. While it does work okay, I want a better experience. I have a decent home system with a Denon AVR 7.2 receiver and badass surround speaker system. I don’t need to record if that is a separate component. I just want the minimum needed. Someone please help me. I’ve lost all patience with searching for the answer. I will post a pic of my set.

thank you for any and all help. -Jason.
 

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1. Nice set
2. Welcome to Drummerworld
3. What Bo said. I would opt for a mixer and run your audio source into that as well. That way you’ll be able to get everything at the perfect level/balance for your needs.
 
Right on. Thank you, Thank you, and Thanks for your help. So what you’re saying is that I can plug my home system (that’s playing pre-recorded music) directly in to a mixer with drum mics etc.. and by doing that, I will be able to hear my drums while (trying) to play along with whichever band..without using headphones and my set drown out everything? This is just a fun hobby/stress reliever for me. Wearing headphones sucks. And for me, I seem to always gravitate to playing the same old shit. Don’t get me wrong, I do practice rudiments on snare and implementing them to the set.. I also try to play different styles like, Latin, Rock, Jazz.. But playing by myself just hearing drums has become boring and unsatisfying.. And I can’t get the band back together, because, I’ve never been in a band! LOL. I’m 47. Not sure if I’ll be able to start a band at this point. 🤪😂

Anyway, thank you again.
 
Right on. Thank you, Thank you, and Thanks for your help. So what you’re saying is that I can plug my home system (that’s playing pre-recorded music) directly in to a mixer with drum mics etc.. and by doing that, I will be able to hear my drums while (trying) to play along with whichever band..without using headphones and my set drown out everything? This is just a fun hobby/stress reliever for me. Wearing headphones sucks. And for me, I seem to always gravitate to playing the same old shit. Don’t get me wrong, I do practice rudiments on snare and implementing them to the set.. I also try to play different styles like, Latin, Rock, Jazz.. But playing by myself just hearing drums has become boring and unsatisfying.. And I can’t get the band back together, because, I’ve never been in a band! LOL. I’m 47. Not sure if I’ll be able to start a band at this point. 🤪😂

Anyway, thank you again.
Lol, i feel you. I like using a similar set up as a hobbyist myself.

Headphones with our suggested set up would be a must. And whatever you’re sourcing your music from (laptop, phone, mp3, etc.) would be plugged into the mixer. The speakers would be out of the equation.

Wearing headphones can take some getting used to but it will help with having your music being drowned out by the drums. Making sure the cups are tight enough around your ears is important too. Do you think you’d be able to give headphones an extended try?
 
I just play along with my speakers and try to keep the vol. at a reasonable level. No mics or mixer just a stereo and drums. If I need to crank it so I get the full work out of how it will be playing live, I'll use ear plugs.
 
You need a small mixing board and a couple of mics. Your music source will also plug into the small mixing board. In fact, you won’t be using your Denon at all. Plug your headphones into the small mixer, then you can balance the drums to your music track and you’ll hear everything.
Thanks, Bo. I replied to the second post. Feel free to throw any more thoughts into it. 🙏
Lol, i feel you. I like using a similar set up as a hobbyist myself.

Headphones with our suggested set up would be a must. And whatever you’re sourcing your music from (laptop, phone, mp3, etc.) would be plugged into the mixer. The speakers would be out of the equation.

Wearing headphones can take some getting used to but it will help with having your music being drowned out by the drums. Making sure the cups are tight enough around your ears is important too. Do you think you’d be able to give headphones an extended try?
I suppose I haven’t given it ample time. I do have a nice pair of Vic Firth headphones. They block out the external speakers enough that I can hear my drums better. I just want to feel more inside the music.. was thinking/hoping that by adding mics and running my drums and the songs I’m playing through my stereo together wouldn’t drown out the music.. thanks for the advice and input. 🙏
 
I just play along with my speakers and try to keep the vol. at a reasonable level. No mics or mixer just a stereo and drums. If I need to crank it so I get the full work out of how it will be playing live, I'll use ear plugs.
That’s worth trying. Thank you for the idea. 🙏
 
Thanks, Bo. I replied to the second post. Feel free to throw any more thoughts into it. 🙏

I suppose I haven’t given it ample time. I do have a nice pair of Vic Firth headphones. They block out the external speakers enough that I can hear my drums better. I just want to feel more inside the music.. was thinking/hoping that by adding mics and running my drums and the songs I’m playing through my stereo together wouldn’t drown out the music.. thanks for the advice and input. 🙏
Once you get used to micing your kit and wearing headphones (or in-ear monitors), it’s literally like playing on a record. It will change the game. It did for me!
 
If you decide to go with this I would suggest the Mackie mix 12fx. Its fairly cheap and very reliable. You can mic the snare, bass with 2 overheads
Right on. I appreciate the gear advice. I have never experienced my drums miked up. Thanks. 🙏
 
Ohhhh I get it. I assumed you were talking about like noise canceling headphones that have speakers.. awesome. Thanks Bo! I 🙏🙏 want to feel like I am the drummer and whatever music I’m listening to.🤘🤘lol
 
Right on. Thank you, Thank you, and Thanks for your help. So what you’re saying is that I can plug my home system (that’s playing pre-recorded music) directly in to a mixer with drum mics etc.. and by doing that, I will be able to hear my drums while (trying) to play along with whichever band..without using headphones and my set drown out everything? This is just a fun hobby/stress reliever for me. Wearing headphones sucks. And for me, I seem to always gravitate to playing the same old shit. Don’t get me wrong, I do practice rudiments on snare and implementing them to the set.. I also try to play different styles like, Latin, Rock, Jazz.. But playing by myself just hearing drums has become boring and unsatisfying.. And I can’t get the band back together, because, I’ve never been in a band! LOL. I’m 47. Not sure if I’ll be able to start a band at this point. 🤪😂

Anyway, thank you again.
Well, if you don’t like wearing headphones, is it important to mix up the kit? Just turn up your stereo real loud and play along.
The problem with trying to run everything through your stereo is that it’s just not going to be enough to handle mic’d drums. The circuitry just isnt built to handle the spikes in the signal. So you either don’t use your stereo, or use your stereo but don’t mic the drums.
 
I do have a nice pair of Vic Firth headphones. They block out the external speakers enough that I can hear my drums better.
Use the headphones plugged into your stereo. So headphones = music.
Adjust the music so you can hear your acoustic drums through the headphones. Don't mic or amplify the drums. I've been doing this since I was 13. I'm still doing it now (this week actually), 45 years later.
 
Well, if you don’t like wearing headphones, is it important to mix up the kit? Just turn up your stereo real loud and play along.
The problem with trying to run everything through your stereo is that it’s just not going to be enough to handle mic’d drums. The circuitry just isnt built to handle the spikes in the signal. So you either don’t use your stereo, or use your stereo but don’t mic the drums.
Gotcha. Thank you for the input.
 
Use the headphones plugged into your stereo. So headphones = music.
Adjust the music so you can hear your acoustic drums through the headphones. Don't mic or amplify the drums. I've been doing this since I was 13. I'm still doing it now (this week actually), 45 years later.
That sounds like the way it’ll have to be. Thanks for the input.
 
The simplest solution is to buy a Zoom handheld recorder (get one with built-in condenser mic's like the H4n), a tall mic' boom stand, a small mixer and a good set of in-ear headphones (like the Mee M6 Pro). Use the mic stand to position the Zoom high above your kit with the built-in mics pointing down, and send the Zoom output to the mixer. You'll also want to send the music signal you're playing along with to the mixer, whether it's from your stereo, iPhone, etc. Then mix those two channels to a pleasing mix and send that to your in-ear headphones.

Problem solved.

A bonus about the Zoom H4n is that it has two XLR inputs that allow you to connect external mics. So you could mic your kick and snare and send those straight into the Zoom. Or conversely, you could send those straight to the mixer if you have enough inputs.
 
I think the first thing you should try is putting the music on through headphones and playing like that. That should take care of the ‘music being drowned out’ problem. Before you buy a whole set up.
 
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