We use a variety of mics when recording drums in our studio. There are plenty of different styles and brands used to capture the sounds of each individual piece of a kit. Here are the most commonly used mics for drums within the industry. Typically for a snare you will find studios using the SM57 on the top. For toms, the Sennheiser 421 is the staple. The kick drum can be captured using a AKG D112, Shure Beta 52, Audix D6, Shure Beta 91, Electro Voice RE20, and the Yamaha SubKick. A common choice is to use a pair of AKG 414’S, Neuman KM184’s, or Shure Sm 81’s for micing the overheads. Whenever possible, 2 large diaphragm condenser stereo mics should be used at room mics for drums.