How to Record Percussion and Hand Drums with Your Phone
This is YOU?
Can't capture the texture and nuance of hand drums.
Mono recordings lose all the spatial character.
Trying to record percussion with voice memos makes it sound like noise.
Professional percussion recording requires expensive microphones.
Pro Tip: TIP: SONGTAKE captures percussion and hand drums in true stereo with iPhone mics, preserving the texture, nuance, and spatial character of your instruments—professional percussion recording on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get good percussion recordings on my phone?
Position your phone 6-12 inches away from your percussion instrument, slightly above it. SONGTAKE's stereo mics capture the natural texture and spatial depth. Experiment with positioning to find the sweet spot that captures your percussion's best sound.
Will phone recording capture the texture of hand drums?
Yes! iPhone stereo mics capture spatial depth and natural texture that mono recordings miss. Your hand drums sound rich, nuanced, and three-dimensional—many professional musicians use SONGTAKE for their entire percussion recording workflow.
Can I layer multiple percussion parts?
Absolutely! Record shaker first, then add hand drums, tambourine, or other percussion while watching yourself play on video. Layer unlimited percussion parts to build complete rhythm sections—all on your phone.
How do I reduce background noise when recording percussion?
Record in a quiet space with minimal echo. Position your phone close to the percussion (6-12 inches) to capture the instrument clearly while minimizing room noise. For best results, record in a room with soft surfaces to reduce echo.
Can I export percussion tracks separately for mixing?
Yes! Export individual percussion stems for each part you recorded. Send clean percussion tracks to mixing engineers—shaker on track 1, hand drums on track 2, etc. Professional studio workflow without complex file management.
What makes SONGTAKE different from voice memos?
SONGTAKE records in true stereo with automatic cloud backup, project organization, and multi-track capabilities. Unlike voice memos that create a graveyard of unnamed files, SONGTAKE keeps everything organized, synced across devices, and ready to develop into full productions.
Can I use SONGTAKE with just one phone?
Absolutely! SONGTAKE works perfectly with a single phone for recording arrangements, backing vocals, and layered instruments. While multiple phones give you multi-angle coverage and better isolation, one phone is all you need to create professional multi-track recordings with video overdubbing.
Can I use SONGTAKE for professional music recording?
Yes! SONGTAKE seamlessly transitions from mobile recording to professional desktop production. Start with iPhone for song ideas, then open the same project on Mac with a professional 64-channel interface for mixing and mastering. It's the bridge between inspiration and production.
How does multi-phone recording work?
Place phones near each instrument for dedicated microphones. One tap starts all phones simultaneously, and they automatically sync after recording. No manual alignment needed—just position phones, hit record, and get professional multi-track isolation from devices you already own.
Ready to Get Started?
Download SONGTAKE and start recording professional-quality music today. No credit card required.
Built by musicians who were sick of voice-memo graveyards.