Mine was actually put together by Lee from Drum Paradise, one of the drum cartage businesses to die in Los Angeles in recent years.  Drum Paradise was such a cool resource back in the day, but they couldn’t survive with all the studio closings.  One must adapt, that is why online drum tracks and eDrumSessions exist.

I found a review of the Black Dawg from a reviewer that apparently felt similarly about this drum.  Below are some excerpts, and a link to the full article.  Enjoy!

Read review

http://mixguides.com/microphones/reviews/audio_royer_labs_april/

Why do I say for the most part?  Well I hate to knit-pick, but check out this statement: “Using two Royers as drum overheads provided a warmer sound than I am used to but worked fine for the softer ballad I was recording. However, for that popular overbright sound du jour drum overhead sound, I would probably go with my Milabs.”

Mr. Rudolph is right, the Royers do get a very warm sound.  But they will do the trick if you are going for a bright sound as well.  Again, the Royer M121 beautifully captures the full spectrum of sound, so believe that they are capturing the highs of the cymbals.  They just won’t sound nasally like some condensers!  The only problem with the Royer m121 as far as eDrumSessions is concerned is choosing whether they will be overheads or room mics. 

I love the quality of Aquarian, and the amazing variety to their heads.  I’ll get more into it in another post, but I use many of their lines including American Vintage, Modern Vintage, Jack DeJohnette signature, good ol’ Classic Coated, Super Kick, and Hi-Velocity. 

Roy Burns is a huge reason I value my relationship with Aquarian, all gear talk aside.  Aquarian’s attentiveness to my needs (and that of their other endorsers) is spectacular and it starts from the top: Roy Burns!  And my clients benefit from my great relationship with Aquarian, because they get me anything I need quickly if I don’t have it already. 

If I have a very rootsy project coming up in a couple days and I realize I am out of American Vintage (they fit my vintage Ludwigs so well) heads, I just let Roy and his team know and they get them to me the next day.  Thanks to Roy Burns, I always have fresh heads just right for your music.  So read up on Roy below!

 http://www.drummerszone.com/brands/merk.php?merkNR=5

For years professional recordings were made only by those who had a large budget. Artists signed to major labels and those with investors were predominately the privileged ones who got record professionally.

The difference in sound between recordings made in a professional studio and demos made otherwise was always as chasmic as it is now.

However, with the advent of online recording studios has come a real “power to the people” type of situation. Now artists that don’t have huge budgets can get the professional studio recordings they need to make their music really stand out. This goes especially for drum tracks, as recording drums is the most complicated procedure requiring the most expertise.

Now artists don’t have to rent a room to record in, nor do most of the other work that used to be involved in obtaining pro drum tracks. One can now simply pay on online recording studio to track drums or other instruments, with no logistical fuss and huge budgetary requirements. Welcome to the revolution.

In a nutshell, the reason getting drum tracks from an online studio drummer is cheaper is because there are fewer people to pay than when using conventional methods. You know the drill: you have to pay the owner of the studio for the studio time, the producer, engineer(s) on the job, cartage to transport the drums to the studio, and of course the drummer.

When choosing an online studio drummer for getting drum tracks, it is important to consider the level of communication that will be involved. This is especially true if you have specific ideas to convey about what you want in your drum tracks.

Despite all of the benefits of getting drum tracks form an online studio drummer, some are hesitant about doing so because they feel or know they would miss the interaction of being physically in the studio with the studio drummer.

This is indeed a legitimate concern. In fact there are studio drummers who themselves miss the creative interaction of traditional studio work.

Unfortunately, many online studio drummers have policies that hinder communication. Many online studio drummers allow only email communication through their websites. This is a big turnoff for people who would feel more confident about getting the right drum tracks if they could talk directly to the studio drummer.

In fact many online studio drummer sites limit communication about your drum tracks to a form that you fill out at the beginning of the process asking silly, generic questions such as “Should the approach be simple or complex?” Your drum tracks and your music deserve a higher level of interaction with the online studio drummer than that.

Most online studio drummers have a policy of charging extra for additional “takes” beyond the alloted number. This is fair in general, but not so much if the client is not able to discuss the drum tracks with the online studio drummer. Not being able to discuss the drum tracks prior to the studio drummer recording them increases the likelihood that you will have to shell out more money for additional takes because you didn’t get what you wanted in the drum tracks.

The best way to avoid this problem is to use an online studio drummer who offers a way to communicate verbally, whether by phone or by Skype (or a similar internet conference program). If you can discuss your drum tracks with the online studio drummer prior to the drum tracks being recorded the likelihood of getting what you want in your drum tracks is increased.

It is worth mentioning that Skype is a great program. If an online studio drummer uses Skype to communicate with clients, it is certainly the next-best thing to being in the room with them…and is sometimes very much like being in the same room with them, even if they are in Australia!

So, while there are many factors to consider regarding getting drum tracks from an online studio drummer, the level of communication offered is going to be very important.

Good luck on your search for drum tracks using an online studio drummer.

It is a wise pusuit indeed to look in to online drum recording because there are advantages. Or, more accurately, one huge advantage: you can save HUGE amounts of money getting online drum tracks over tradional methods of getting drum tracks.

Online drum recording=more bang for your buck.

Your savings with online drum recording are firstly based on not having to pay a whole bunch of people. To get professional, custom drum tracks you normally would have to pay 1)someone for rental of the studio space/recording equipment, 2)sound engineers, 3)cartage (transportation of the studio drummer’s equipment to and from studio), and of course, 4) the studio drummer.

And of course under traditional methods of getting drum tracks, when paying for rental of the studio you don’t pay a flat fee, you pay by the hour (not the case with online drum recording, in which case you don’t pay for studio rental at all).

That means you are paying while the studio drummer’s gear is set up, and while the mics are set up/patched in. You are paying while the engineer and the studio drummer are dialing in the sounds. You are paying while breaks that are taken during tracking of the drums, and after tracking you are paying while the studio drummer’s gear is taken down. Because unlike online drum recording, you have to pay for every minute of studio usage.

This can add up to some costs that are simply not within most budgets. Often an eight-song album can cost, just for drum tracks, upwards of $5000! Sometimes it can cost double that or more.

Online drum recording is much more affordable.

With online drum recording, you only have to pay one person for your drum tracks, the online session drummer. In most cases the online drum recording websites have a flat, per-track fee.
That means no worries about having to pay by the hour, nervously watching the dollars fly out of your pocket as the minutes tick by.

You also could save a lot of money in transportation costs. With online drum recording you save gas money not having to drive to and from the studio. Considering that many times studio drummers have to be flown to locales for recording, there are possible huge savings there as well. When taking advantage of online drum recording you can choose a studio drummer you dig without worry of location.

You have choices regarding online drum recording. There are numerous sites for getting online drum tracks from an online studio drummer, but you must choose wisely. You need great playing, amazing sound quality, and a high level of communication.

Look for more of my articles on the subject of online drum recording for guidance in finding the right online studio drummer for your project.

Vater Percussion

Aquarian Drumheads

Shure Microphones

Axis Percussion

Daking

Thai Long Ly
myspace page

Monstrous bass player Derek Frank‘s online session website
basstracksonline.com

TAXI’s Music Biz FAQs contain songwriting tips music-business information, and articles on Film & TV Music placement.

“Shay Godwin is amazing drummer with an instinctual approach to music rarely encountered today. Every time I work with him in the studio I’m amazed at how quickly he locks in, and how great his drum sounds are.“ - Ken Andrews: songwriter/producer/mixer; founding member of the groundbreaking group Failure; producing/mixing credits include A Perfect Circle, Tenacious D, Chris Cornell, Nacho Libre Soundtrack, Pete Yorn

“Shay is one of the most talented drummers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. He is a real musician that plays with taste, incredible feeling, and he is amazingly versatile in his styles.”
- Charlotte Martin: founder, Dinosaur Fight Records

“Shay is a true professional – He is solid, has great feel and great tone – One need look no further.” – Ty Stevens: Warner/Chappell staff songwriter; wrote “Rock This World” and was Musical Director for Hillary Duff (Hollywood Records); M.D. for Jennifer Pena, Daniel Rene (Univision); wrote music for Disney, Verve, Universal, artists Mindi Abair; Musical Consultant for Aly & AJ (Hollywood Records); guitarist for Mandy Moore, countless other credits

“Shay Godwin is one of the top session drummers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He’s a one take wonder, which is great in the studio because time is money. Shay was extremely professional, and well prepared. He has killer sounding drums, and was able to give me all kinds of snare tones to choose from. We will be working together for many years.”- Jay Ruston, Producer/Engineer/Mixer, credits include Brian Wilson, The Donnas, Abandoned Pools, Dianna Ross, American Idol, Morrissey, Polyphonic Spree, Meatloaf

“Hey Shay, I wanted to say thanks again + great job in the studio sessions for the BFD XFL. You really did a top job covering the various brush strokes, and a lot of composers have told me they’ve been featured in many TV shows and movies!
All the best!”
Steve Duda: creator of the BFD Premium Drum Module, credits include: Nine Inch Nails – Fragile – Percussion, Violin, Programming, Choir, Chorus; Pitchshifter – Deviant – Programming, Editing; Pitchshifter – Bootlegged Distorted Remixed Uploaded – Producer; Rob Zombie – American Made Music to Strip By – Remix; Methods of Mayhem – Methods of Mayhem – Programming; A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step – Digital Engineer

“Shay and Thai are a great team… Not only is the playing solid the sounds are great! Shay always nails it and gives me a few options to work with. I highly recommend eDrumSessions!”
-Ryan Perez-Daple, Los Angeles: Composer, Producer, multi-instrumentalist. Credits include trailer music for “What Happens in Vegas”(20th Century Fox); “Fired Up” (Sony Pictures); production music for Killer Tracks (Universal-owned music library);

“When we discovered Shay our documentary project had an important deadline and little time left to meet it. Shay created and performed brilliantly, confident in his choices, yet always open to suggestion, Shay was a pleasure to work with. Thai has built a state of the art recording facility and his post work gives the final polish of professionalism. Together they make a creative team I would suggest to anyone.”
-Keith Schwalenberg, Los Angeles
Producer/Director
Back East Productions

“Shay has an attention to detail while working on parts in a song combined with keeping it simple and soulful. His vast knowledge of musical styles and professionalism in getting the job done in a timely manner is why I love to work with him.” – Buck Johnson: co-wrote the single “Just Feel Better” for Carlos Santana‘s album “All That I Am” featuring Steven Tyler of Aerosmith

…Recent email feedback from eDrumSessions clients around the globe:

“Hi Shay, I wanted to let you know that before I decided to use your services I scoured the internet researching all the options available to get drums laid down for my album. I found your website to be the most compelling, from the examples I heard online and the many great testimonials I read. So I took a chance, and I was not disappointed in the least! I knew from the start that I did not only want the best sonic quality possible, but an expert drummer who could craft unique dynamic beats that would bring to life the rest of the arrangements. The album is not finished yet, but as the final pieces are coming together I am constantly being overwhelmed by the impact that your professional contribution is making to the overall artistic work. Thank you for your creativity, persistence, and ability to understand and produce the musical image that I had in my mind. The latter is truly a unique gift and blessing.
Best Regards, Mike Moody

“I tried some other online drummers, you are by far the best.” Luke, Germany

“I was totally blown away by the quality of the recording. By comparison with other drum recordings I have heard (some of them by other online drum recording services), your unprocessed tracks are close to the processed tracks I have heard! Your drumming during the chorus clearly sets it aside in terms of energy from the verse parts, something that I find important. Your playing supports the song and even inspires me with ideas to improve it. Upright Bass, anyone?”
Henrique Pataca, Portugal

“Hey Thai , you and Shay are baddasses, the tracks sound amazing and his playing is unbelievable. I didn’t edit Shay’s takes and nothing was sample replaced or enhanced at all. In this day and age, believe me, that’s a great compliment.”
-Gyom, Alexandria, Va USA

“Nice fills and some cool grooves dude! Exactly what I was looking for!!! All three takes sound great.

I think my favourite is track 2 but I might incorporate some bits of the other takes into it as well.” Ramon McDrury, Sydney, Australia

“Hi Shay, the takes are perfect, exactly what I was after and played with real
passion, thanks so much!” Owen Duff, London, UK

“Your process is great. The three takes is a perfect way to make sure it works. Your tracks sound great. I was very happy with the process. You and Thai Long were awesome. Your professionalism and enthusiasm, not to mention skill at your craft made this perfect.” – Craig Campbell, Detroit, USA

“Shay! You nailed it! Great work. You were right. I have ‘inevitable glee’. You played exactly what I imagined! I’m sure putting together a mix with your drums will be easy, but you make it hard to decide which takes I want to use…”

“Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you both for spending the extra time to nail down these tracks. You really nailed these tracks and inspire me with your playing. I’m really honored to have you guys work on this stuff and grateful.” Timothy Gillespie, New Jersey, USA

DRUMKITS
DW Custom kit
Yamaha Recording Custom kit
1967 Ludwig kit
Cadeson maple kit

SNARE DRUMS
Slingerland Radio King ca. 1935
Slingerland snare drum ca.

1964
Worldmax “Blackdog” (Black Beauty-type brass)
Yamaha Maple Custom
Ludwig mohagany snare
Cadeson maple snare
Pork Pie piccolo and soprano snares

CYMBALS
I usually default to my collection of Soultone brand cymbals, but if
you have a request for a specific cymbal I probably have it.

PLATFORM/SOFTWARE
PRO TOOLS HD3 ACCEL
APPLE MACPRO QUAD 2.66GHZ

ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION
APOGEE AD/DA16X

PREAMPS/MIXER
NEVE 8816
MILLENNIA MEDIA STT-1
DAKING 52270B (4)
DAKING MIC PRE ONE (4)
DAKING MIC PRE IV
DEMETER TUBE MIC PRE
FOCUSRITE ISA428
DeMEDIO 103
BOULDER STEREO PRE

EQ’S
MANLEY MASSIVE PASSIVE EQ
MANLEY MINI MASSIVE EQ
DAKING 52270B (4)

COMPRESSION
MANLEY ELOP
DAKING FET COMPRESSOR II (5)
ALAN SMART C2
TC ELECTRONIC FINALIZER
ART PRO VLAII

MICROPHONES
ROYER LABS R-121 (2)
MICROTECH GEFELL UM92.1S
NEUMANN U47FET
BLUE BABY BOTTLE
AKG 414’S (3)
AKG 451C’S (2)
E.V. RE20
SHURE SM57 (5)
SHURE BETA 56 (4)
SHURE BETA 52
SHURE BETA 91
SHURE KSM 141 (2)
SHURE KSM 44 (2)
SHURE VP88
AUDIX I5

MONITORING
FOCAL SOLO 6BEs (PAIR)
YAMAHA HS50Ms (PAIR)
JBL LSR6328P (PAIR)
JBL LSR6312SP
TANNOY PBM 6.5 (PAIR)
HAFLER DH-200
NEVE 8816

BALANCED AC
TARA LABS AD10B (2)

CABLES/WIRING
TARA LABS and Mogami cables throughout

**Please note: for the price you get three full performances of your song, each with a
different approach. This gives you the option of editing different “takes” together. OR you may produce the session real-time by listening live and offering input as the recording takes place**

Additional performance ………………………………………………………………………….$50 each

****Please note: additional performances must be ordered within 24 hours for purposes
of sound consistency.

(We switch out drum kits regularly!)****

Processed stereo bounce (EQ, compression, gating, etc)……………..starting at $75 per take

Single-hit samples (includes closed mic, overhead mics, room mic)

(3)Bass Drum hits (soft, medium, loud)…………………………………$30

(3)Snare Drum hits (soft, medium, loud)……………………………….$30

(4)Hi-hat hits (tight, medium, wash, open)……………………………$35

(3)Ride Cymbal hits (soft, medium, loud)………………………………$30

(3)Cymbal Bell hits (soft, medium, loud)……………………………….$30

(3)Crash Cymbal hits (soft, medium, loud)…………………………….$30

(3)Small Tom hits (soft, medium, loud)…………………………………$30

(3)Medium Tom hits (soft, medium, loud)……………………………..$30

(3)Low Tom hits (soft, medium, loud)……………………………………$30

*other samples (splash cymbal, cymbal swell, etc.) available upon request*

If I have added MIDI drum tracks to my song, can I have you play the same or similar pattern? Yes, just send two versions of the song: one with the MIDI drum tracks for my reference, AND a file without the MIDI tracks for me to record my drum tracks with.

Why do I have to pay a deposit? This is standard practice and is done to “weed out” less committed clients.

Will my information be shared with anyone? I will NEVER share your information with any third party, that is my policy. This is a secure site.

What is your standard microphone configuration? We have 16 high-quality inputs and generally use 12 of them: BD internal, BD external, snare under, snare over, tom1, tom2, tom3, HH, overhead R, overhead L, room R, room L. We can make any variation on that configuration that you request.

What if I have a large file but a slow internet connection? You can always send me the file through regular mail on a DV-R.

How can we communicate? Emailing me some info about your musical preferences is a good start, but beyond that we could communicate though Skype (a free download) or iChat.

Can I be physically present at the recording session? If you live in LA (or want to travel here) and want to be at the recording sessions, separate rates apply. Contact me at shaydrums@hotmail.com for further info on this.

How do I pay? With Paypal, of course!

Most major credit cards accepted.