Earthworks DK50 series User Manual - Important Please Read

Miking the Kick Drum and using the KickPad

®

A good kick drum microphone must be designed and optimized for that specific 

purpose. This means the microphone is great for kick drum and nothing else.  

Therefore we designed our kick drum optimization in an external XLR pack-

age - the KickPad

®

.  Just plug the KickPad

®

 into the mic line going to the SR30 

kick drum mic for magnificent results.  With the KickPad

®

 removed, you can use 

the same SR30 microphone for recording most anything.  All three high quality 

Earthworks microphones in the DrumKit

TM

 System can be used for other instru-

ments and vocals. As an added bonus, the KickPad

®

 will improve the sound of other 

popular microphones used for kick drum. By listening to tracks 4 through 9 on 

the enclosed DK25 DrumKit

TM

 System Demo CD, you can hear the results of the 

KickPad

®

 used on our SR25 cardioid microphone and also on an AKG D112 car-

dioid microphone.  The KickPad

®

 will provide outstanding results on other popular 

kick drum microphones such as the E-V RE20, Audix D-6, Shure 57 and others. 

Simply plug the KickPad

®

 into the mic line feeding the kick drum mic and you 

will be astonished with the sound.

Important Please Read

The Earthworks SR30 supplied for miking kick drum is a precision condenser 

microphone and is sensitive to large bursts of air. However, this microphone, used 

properly, will produce an incredible kick drum sound. For optimum results it is 

crucial to place the SR30 at a 45 degree angle to the head (which reduces the air 

burst at the front of the microphone). Whether your kick drum has a front head or 

not, place the SR30 at a 45 degree angle to the front of the drum as indicated in 

Figure 5. If there is a hole in the front head of the kick drum, do not place the mic 

in front of the hole as there will be a large burst of air hitting the microphone. In 

our field tests, we achieved the best results and the best sound by miking the drum 

just off of the rim as shown in Figure 5. Whatever your approach, if you get any 

popping from the air bursts,  place the enclosed windscreen on the kick drum mic, 

and place the mic at a 45º angle to the drum head.   

We hope the suggestions in the manual have been beneficial for you. Don’t be afraid 

to experiment with mic placement.  You can be as creative with your mic placement as 

you are with your music.  You are the judge of what works best and sounds best.

6