Drums On Demand Technical Notes
Volumes 1, 2, 4, 5 & 8 (Basics Series volumes and samples)
Pro Tools TDM Mix-3 with Apogee Converters and Lucid Master Clock. Various combinations of the following were used during the session recordings. Drums: Tama 5-piece with Zildjian and Paiste hats, Sabian and Paiste rides, Zildjian and Sabian crashes. Snares included Premiere 6" Maple, Arbiter 7" Maple, Ludwig 7" Bronze, Remo Piccolo, Custom 6" Maple, Ludwig 6" Chrome -- and others on Vol. 3. Microphones Kick: AKG D112, Sennheiser E602, Sound Deluxe U195.Snare Top: Shure SM57, Microtech Gefell UM72. Snare Bottom: Shure SM57, Shure SM81. Hats: Audio Technica AT4031, AKG C451B. Toms: EV PL76s.Cymbals/Overhead Pairs: Coles 4038, AKG C414EB, A-T 4050. Stereo Room: Crown Stereo Ambient Sampling System, Neumann TLM103s. Analog Console: Large format Neotek Series III C. Outboard preamps/equalizers: Universal Audio 2-610, Universal Audio 2108, Vintech Audio 473, Millennia Media HV3, D.W. Fearn VT2, Demeter VTMP 2B, Sytek MPX4A, NightPro PRE-Q, NightPro 3D. Compressors: TubeTech LCA2B, Urei 1176LN, Urei LA2A, Empirical Labs EL7, Manley Variable-Mu. Hardware Reverb: Lexicon 480L. Major TDM Plug-Ins: McDSP FilterBank and compression, Focusrite Red Series, WAVs Rennasance EQ and compression and many more.
Upbeat and Agressive
KICK (Mono): This is usually an AKG D112 and/or a Sennheiser E602 through the Neotek. Mike choice and combination determined by the individual Song Set. SNARE (Mono): A Shure SM57, usually combined with a Gefell large diaphragm condenser. Also combined with another 57 under the snare, out of phase. Sometimes I play with the phase of the two top mics, if I want a really scooped-out snare sound, but mostly it's the 57 with the Gefell for fattening. All of the above through the Neotek. HATS (Mono) :Audio Technica 4031 through the Vintech 473. (Pan this to the left.) TOMS: Stereo mix of the three toms through the Neotek. Highest tom on the left. Mics are Sennheiser e604s. OVERHEADS: Stereo overheads, hats on the left, Coles ribbons through a Universal Audio 2108 pre. ROOM: Crown SASS through a Sytek pre/tube tech compressor, looking from the other side of the room, facing the kit, and panned so the stereo spread follows the overs and toms. XTREME KIT (Mono): This is a crunched mono kit. A pzm on the floor, usually in front of the kit, through the Vintech 473 and Distressor. XTREME HALLWAY (Mono): This is another crunched perspective from down a studio hallway. Tile floor and hard walls add to the ambience. Soundelux U195 through the Vintech 473/Universal Audio LA2A/ SPL Transient Designer.
Jazz-Latin Collection and Samples
Drums: The vintage 4-piece '60s Gretsch kit is a popular choice among the best players in jazz. It's rounded out with a limited edition, 75th anniversary Noble & Cooley snare (only 100 made). Toms are 8 x 12 and 14 x 14; kick is 14 x 20. Miking: Kick Drum (front): Sennheiser e602 barely inside the shell through analog Neotek console. Kick Drum (by beater): AKG d112 through the Neotek console. Kick Drums (lows): Yamaha subkick through a Universal Audio 2108 preamp. Snare (top): SM57 and Geffel UM70 through the Neotek console. Snare (bottom): SM57 through Vintech Audio 473. Hats: AKG C460 through a Vintech Audio 473. Kit Overheads: AKG C451B pair through a Vintech Audio 473. Close Cymbals: AT 4050 pair through a Nightpro PreQ2. Room Mike: Crown stereo PZM through Sytek preamp.
Tight & Dry
Yamaha Absolute Maple Nouveau 10, 13, and 16” toms and a 22” kick drum. Snare drums used were: 13” Pearl Brass Piccolo snare, a 14” Kansas City Drumworks custom Maple; Remo fiberglass piccolo snare. Rounding out the set were 14” Zildjian Master sound hats, Sabian evolution crashes and 21”sabian dry ride. Kick: AKG D112, Sennheiser E602, Yamaha Subkik. Snare (Top): Shure SM57, Microtech Gefell UM72. Snare (Bottom): Shure SM57, Shure SM81. Hats: AKG C460 Toms: Sennheiser E604 Cymbals/Overhead Pair: AKG CK451B Stereo Room: Crown Stereo Ambient Sampling System, Additional room mics. AKG C414s Analog Console: Neotek Series III C. Outboard preamps/equalizers: Universal Audio 2108, Vintech Audio 473, Millennia Media HV3,, Sytek MPX4A, NightPro PRE-Q Compressors: TubeTech LCA2B, Urei 1176LN
Blues and Boogie
Kit: a real deep, robust and dryer sound; a deep snare dampened a fare amount; bigger, lower toms with dampenening as well; larger cymbals in general too. A bigger, fatter, meatier sound works well with slower tunes and more organic types of music. DW maple kit. 12, 14, 16" toms 22" kick drum. 6-1/2x14" Yamaha oak snare. 15" K Zildjian Hats. 22" K Zildjian HIgh definition ride. 19",18",17" Sabian evolution crashes, 20" Wunhan China Cymbal. Miking: Kick: AKG D112, Sennheiser E602, Yamaha Subkik Snare (Top): Shure SM57, Microtech Gefell UM72. Snare (Bottom): Shure SM57, Shure SM81. Hats: AKG C451B Toms: Sennheiser E604 Cymbals/Overhead: AT 4040 Stereo Room: Crown Stereo PZM Additional Xtreme Room Mics: Soundelux U195, AKG C414 Analog Console: Neotek Series III C (Snare, Toms & XTreme Mics) Outboard preamps/equalizers: Universal Audio 2108, Vintech Audio 473 (Kick & Hats), Sytek MPX4A (Rooms) Compressors: TubeTech LCA2B, Urei 1176LN, Universal Audio LA2A
Volume 10 - Solid Rock Drum Loops and Samples
Kit: Yamaha Absolute Maple Nouveau 10, 13, and 16” toms and a 22” kick drum. Snare: 14” Kansas City Drumworks custom Maple. Rounding out the set were 14” Zildjian Master sound hats, Sabian evolution crashes and 21”sabian dry ride. Mics, etc. Snare main: Shure SM57 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Snare bottom: Shure SM57 through Vintech 473 preamp/eq Snare color: Microtech Gefell UM72 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Toms (3): Sennheiser E604 through Vintech X73i preamp/eq Kick close : AKG D112 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Kick color: Sennheiser E602 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Hats: AKG C451B through Vintech 473 preamp/eq Cymbals- Coles ribbon mics through Old School Audio model L preamp pair Stereo Room: Crown Stereo Ambient Sampling System through Old School Audio model A pair then to Tube Tech LCA2B Extreme ambient mics: Soundelux U195 and AKG 414 through Old School Audio model L3 pair, then to Empirical Labs Distressor/ Universal Audio LA2A Leveling Amplifier.
Warm and Natural
Snare main: Shure SM57 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Snare bottom: Shure SM57 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Snare color: Microtech Gefell UM70 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Toms (3): Sennheiser E604 through Vintech X73i preamp/eq Kick close: AKG D112 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Kick color 1: Sennheiser E602 through Neotek IIIC preamp/eq Hats: Oktava MC012 through Vintech 473 preamp/eq Cymbals overhead: AKG C451B pair through Old School Audio model L preamp pair Stereo Room: Fathead ribbon pair through Millennia Media HV3 preamp then to Tube Tech LCA2B compressor Xtreme ambient mics: Crown SASS through Universal Audio 2108 preamp and UA 1176 compressors. Mixed through Vintech Audio X73i and Empirical Labs EL7
Funk & Soul Drums Loops and Samples
Kit: Yamaha birch custom, 22" kick, 10- 12- 14- 16" toms, 15" a custom hats, 17" and 18" K custom crashes, 22" K custom ride, 18" inch efx crash. Snares include: vintage Lugwig Acrolite, Remo piccolo, 5 1/2 inchLudwig hand hammered brass, 13 inch Pearl Piccolo. Mic and preamps: Kick-- Shure Beta 52 to API 3124 preamp and 570 eq; Kick color--custom subkik to API 3124 preamp and 570 eq; Snare--Shure SM57 to API 3124 preamp and 570 eq; Snare color- AKG CK451B to API 3124 preamp and 570 eq; Snare under--Shure SM57 to API 3124; Hats--AKG CK451B to API 3124; Toms 1-4 --Audio Technica ATM 25 to Vintech 473; Overheads stereo - Neumann KM84 to A Designs P1 and EMP EQ; Room stereo - Coles 4038 ribbons to DW Fearn VT 2 and Tube Tech LCA2B
Manic Metal 1 & 2 and Metal Drum Samples
Kick 2 - Sennheiser E602 to Neotek series IIIc;
Kick color - Yamaha subkik to Neotek series IIIc;
Toms - Sennheiser E604 to Vintech X73i;
Overs - Shure SM81 pair to API 3124;
Hats (2) - AKG C460 to Neotek IIIc;
Rooms - Crown stereo PZM to Sytek pre to Tube Tech LCA2B;
Center ambience - Soundeluxe U95 to Old School Audio L3 to EL Fatso;
Extreme Ambience - AKG 414
Essential Acoustic Percussion Loops
Essential Acoustic Percussion was recorded with a pair of AKG C460 small diaphragm condenser microphones through a Vintech 473 preamp. Congas and bongos are spread with a drum on each side; two-handed shaker combinations are stereo with a shaker on each side, while single shakers and similar items are pretty much equal in both sides. You can spread wide or make mono either by panning to one side or the other, or by using only one side or the other of the stereo track. Ethnic drums are stereo with the top of the drum on one side and the bottom on the other, so the tonality of the drum can be effected by changing the balance from one side towards the other. The tambourines and cowbell have the left side closer and the right side a bit roomier, so the perception of distance can be manipulated by changing the balance of the left and right side. Two different perspectives of the same source allow you to place a sound source deep into one side of the mix, or stretch it across both speakers.