Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 4: Ambience by Thai Long Ly You’ve now just downloaded your WAV’s from an online recording studio, imported the tracks into your session and pulled up the faders to zero. “Holy chasmic echo, Batman… that’s a lot of room!” Well, yes and no. Yes, that’s a lot of room if you solo the drums by themselves. Now start adding guitars, bass, keys, vocals, etc…
Too much room now? Or do you simply notice that the drums are sitting in a nice “space” in the mix without the need for artificial reverb? I generally like to record my room mics on the hot side, with plenty of level. Maybe more than you’ll actually use in the final mix… but it’s there if you need it. This gives you the most latitude when it comes time to create your atmosphere and space. Trust me, you’ll thank me in the end. So, if you want more of a Beach Boys type thing or a 70’s dry drum sound, then back those faders down. If you want a modern R&B thing where the drum kit sounds more like samples, then simply mute the room mics altogether. Rock? Crank those room mics up from the beginning! How about this for a creative, fun use of room mics: sneak the room mics in during choruses only, or during big drum fills. This will add more presence and excitement without resorting to EQ or level changes. Again, suit to taste and don’t be afraid to experiment with processing. Bear in mind that a healthy use of compression on room mics is pretty much standard practice for most rock productions. The aim is to get the compressor pumping in time with the track so that the drums start to sound exciting – like they’re about to explode out of the speakers. But dig this: once you realize that a good drum track isn’t merely about punch and impact, that it should have depth and a real sense space as well, your productions will take on a whole new life. The quickest, most natural way to a cool sonic landscape is through the creative use of room mics in your mix.
Check out my other articles on drum processing on this site, covering topics such as use of compression and gating. In Part 5 equalization will be the focus. Until then, enjoy the process of applying what you have read. Labels: drum tracks, online drummer, online recording studio
 
Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 6: More Equalization Guidelines by Thai Long Ly This is the sixth installment of my article series on the subject of processing drum tracks. Today’s focus is on equalization of overheads, toms, hi-hats, and rooms. OVERHEADS. Where do I begin? Applying EQ to an overhead track depends entirely upon the artistic approach you’re employing for your song and their respective drum tracks (I suppose this is true for anything, but stay with me here). If you’re simply using the overheads as cymbal mics, then you’ll want to roll out most of the bottom end using a Hi Pass Filter. Simply dump everything below 500Hz or thereabouts and sneak the track up in level so that the cymbals sit in a proper place (with the drum tracks and the song in general) when struck. You may want to boost above 10kHz for some “air” as well. If you’re looking for the overheads to convey location of the individual elements of a kit, as well as to capture the kit overall, then a fairly broad cut centered around 400Hz-500Hz is all that’s needed to pull some honk out of the kit to make room for the rest of the drum tracks and other instruments. Again, some lifting above 10kHz is nice to bring out some presence and sparkle and you may want to dip down towards 7kHz for more snap out of your snare drum track. TOMS. “System of a Down”-type toms? Kill the bloom and resonance (below 250Hz) and accentuate the stick hit and attack (1kHz – 4kHz) of the tom drum tracks. Modern R&B? Bring up the resonance of the shell and let them ring. Find the resonant frequency and boost until they’re howling. Now fit that in with the Overheads and see what happens with the drum tracks in relation to the song. What seems like overkill when soloed now feels right when the rest of the track is playing doesn’t it? Good. That’s what it’s all about to begin with! Always take that into consideration regarding your drum tracks. HI-HATS. Dump below 500Hz unless you want the sound of the session drummer’s foot thumping away. Adding air above 10kHz can work too. Just don’t overdo it and end up with overly sizzly sounding hats. That sounds terrible, and can ruin your drum tracks (and therefore your song). ROOMS. Just mangle the snot out of these. Or don’t. Filter them. Effect them. Or don’t. Make ‘em dull. Or don’t. Make ‘em bright. Or don’t. See where I’m going with this? Good. Use your ears to decide what is best for you drum tracks. CONCLUSION So there you have it. A basic set of concepts to get you up and rolling towards amazing sounding drum tracks. And as if it hasn’t sunk in by now… EXPERIMENT! Find your own voice and signature sound when mixing drum tracks. Copying someone else’s sound is cool for about a minute… but ultimately what will set your project apart from the pack is what you discover on your own. Remember, the drum sounds you create in a mix will dictate the power and presence of your recording. What sets a demo apart from a master? Drum sounds! Good luck processing your drum tracks, and have fun. Labels: drum track, drum tracks, session drummer
Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 5: Equalization Guidelines by Thai Long Ly Writing about equalization of drum tracks (or any tracks) is a tough subject. It’s sort of like smoking about bath water. Generally speaking, subtractive EQ is better than boosting, but really, anything goes. I tend to favor hardware over software, but often times a plug-in allows more surgical moves so I’ll utilize them with drum tracks when necessary. Here are some concepts that I tend to think about when I approach a mix. KICK DRUM and BASS GUITAR. Here you must decide where each element will live. Will the bass carry the low end information while the kick drum track provides the punch or will the deep impact of the kick dominate the lows while the bass sits right on top? There are no rules, but I tend to let the tempo and busy-ness of the bass line dictate who lives where. If you have a down tempo number with a fairly slow bass line, it may be nice to have the bass carry the bottom octaves while the kick drum track smacks you in the chest. Conversely, if you have a busy 16th note bass line on a fusion track, the kick may want to live in the basement while the bass surfs the stairs. This is usually my first critical decision when I start a mix and it will set up the way I address the rest of the tracks beyond the drum tracks. SNARE and VOCAL. How do you get a snare drum track to “crack” with punch and clarity without stepping all over the lead vocal? You either have the snare sit above or below the frequency of the vocal. In a lot of modern R&B tracks, you’ll find that the snare drum track sits above the lead vocal, with a lot of the bottom end pulled out. The snare takes on more of a “snap” than a “whack” type quality. This leaves a lot of room for the dozens and dozens of vocal tracks that are the norm for this style of music while still providing a solid backbeat. A lot of Rock and Pop settings will have the snare EQ’d slightly below the vocal so that the voice is the brightest thing you hear besides cymbals. This allows the snare drum track to really “smack” like it would if you were sitting next to it. In this type of situation, I tend to boost anywhere from 100Hz to 250Hz in subtle amounts to give the snare some “weight” and “slam”. Remember, a properly tuned snare will be quite throaty sounding in a good room. The snare drum track should have some low end. Again, there are no rules, just things to think about as you’re searching for sonic bliss. Often times, a good ol’ fashioned notch around 300Hz – 400Hz will remove the honk and boxiness of a snare (or any drum track, for that matter) so experiment there. Also, boosting in the 3.5kHz – 4.5kHz range can do wonders for finding the right amount of “crack” and presence for your snare drum track. Go ahead and experiment with these concepts, and be sure to read my other articles on this site. Part six will further address equalization of drum tracks and will focus on overheads, toms, hi-hats, and room. Labels: drum tracks, online recording studio, session drummer
Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 3: Parallel Compression by Thai Long Ly This is the third installment in my series of tutorials on processing of drum tracks. We focus here on parallel compression. So… your guitarist has decided that he’d like to triple track all nineteen of his brilliant ideas using his Mind Bleeder distortion pedal and your keyboardist wants to layer every cool Moog and Nord patch he’s ever programmed since the 80’s. Your bassist insists on playing nothing but chords he learned in Bass Frenzy magazine on his custom Booty Humper Low F# seven string. So how do you deal with trying to get your drum tracks to punch through this sonic wall? You may want to experiment with parallel compression of your drum tracks. Simply put, you’re blending a compressed drum track with an unprocessed track for more “oomph”. I don’t generally care for this technique on anything Jazz related but if you’re dealing with a wall of mud and you can’t carve out the proper space any other way (or don’t have the time), this technique is worth exploring. So here’s how…. get your drum tracks sounding amazing utilizing the techniques described above. Done, right? Call your girl and tell her you’re coming home early and that you’re feeling frisky! Kidding. Seriously… once you’ve gotten your drums in a good place, take a few elements of the drum tracks… say your kick, snare, and toms and bus them to the input of a compressor in wait via an aux send. Remember your drums are still being bussed to the master out in addition to the aux send you’ve just created. Now smash the snot out of the compressor in any manner you deem fit and gently blend the output of this mangled signal with your original drum tracks until you start to feel the drums gaining weight. You may find that you won’t need much… just a “hint” is all it may take to cut through that wall of doom. Essentially, you’re increasing the perceived loudness of the drum track without resorting to radical EQ or unjustified levels of gain. Many Mixers have mastered this subtle art and have produced amazing drum sounds that we hear day in and day out on the radio. Play around with it and see if it works for you. Hell, if you’re really feeling frisky (audio – wise) mess around with some slight distortion on the snare and kick drum tracks, too. Have fun experimenting with parallel compression on your drum tracks, and be sure to read part four of this series in which I will discuss ambiance. Labels: drum track, drum tracks, online drum tracks
Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 2: Compression by Thai Long Ly This is the second installment of my series of articles addressing the processing of drum tracks. Our focus here is on compression. I tend to use compression for two distinct reasons – to color a signal or to control its dynamic range. Hardware is preferred, but software can get you there too. I won’t go into great lengths about how to use a compressor but will touch upon some desired approaches regarding drum track compression. Also, there are four different types of compressors: Vari-mu (Delta-Mu), VCA (voltage controlled amplifier), FET (field effect transformer) and Electro-Optical (opto). For drums tracks I’d recommend sticking with FET’s or VCA based designs, although you can get anything to work if you try hard enough. First, let’s talk about color. By altering a compressor’s attack and release controls, one can alter how much sustain, attack and punch a track will exhibit. For example, by compressing a kick (bass drum) track, you can control how much beater “click” you hear versus how much “body” and thump is heard. If you want more “snap” out of a kick, simply slow down your attack to allow more of the initial transient through. Want more “shell” or “bloom” in the kick drum track? Crank up the attack and slow down the release. Now the initial click is caught and tamed while the tone of the shell is brought up. Think of this approach as a way to EQ the signal without resorting to using an EQ. You’re basically manipulating the attack and sustain of the drum tracks to produce more bite and punch or to round off transients for a softer mellower sound. Stylistically speaking, Modern Rock drum tracks seem to beg for massive amounts of compression, whereas Jazz and Folk tracks prefer to be untouched. Ratio and threshold are also definitely important to drum tracks, but to me the key to proper compression is all in the manipulation of attack and release. If you’re using an LA2A, forget what I just wrote and carry on. Okay, so the other reason compression is employed is to simply reduce a signal’s dynamic range. For instance, if you have a snare drum track that has varying intensities in amplitude (meaning the session drummer played some hits harder than others) and you want a more consistent level or placement in the track, you may want to slap a compressor on it to keep the output constant. You could also place a limiter on the snare drum track to keep from spiking into the red (overloading) while still preserving most of the original dynamics. Compressing or limiting overhead mics is a common practice and you may find that just a touch of compression here and there can help reign in unruly hits. If you’re looking to present a more honest and natural drum track, then slight hints of compression at low thresholds and low ratios will be the prescription of choice. Also, if you do decide to strap a compressor across the Drum Bus, I prefer to keep the compressor in Dual Mono, as opposed to linking the compressor in Stereo. Listen for yourself and do what you like, but Dual Mono seems more exciting and natural – allowing the drum tracks to sort of leap out of the speaker during fills and crashes. Remember, experimentation is key with compression of drum tracks. Have fun and be sure to read my other articles in this series which address gating, parallel compression, equalization, and other concepts. This is the second installment of my series of articles addressing the processing of drum tracks. Our focus here is on compression. I tend to use compression for two distinct reasons – to color a signal or to control its dynamic range. Hardware is preferred, but software can get you there too. I won’t go into great lengths about how to use a compressor but will touch upon some desired approaches regarding drum track compression. Also, there are four different types of compressors: Vari-mu (Delta-Mu), VCA (voltage controlled amplifier), FET (field effect transformer) and Electro-Optical (opto). For drums tracks I’d recommend sticking with FET’s or VCA based designs, although you can get anything to work if you try hard enough. First, let’s talk about color. By altering a compressor’s attack and release controls, one can alter how much sustain, attack and punch a track will exhibit. For example, by compressing a kick (bass drum) track, you can control how much beater “click” you hear versus how much “body” and thump is heard. If you want more “snap” out of a kick, simply slow down your attack to allow more of the initial transient through. Want more “shell” or “bloom” in the kick drum track? Crank up the attack and slow down the release. Now the initial click is caught and tamed while the tone of the shell is brought up. Think of this approach as a way to EQ the signal without resorting to using an EQ. You’re basically manipulating the attack and sustain of the drum tracks to produce more bite and punch or to round off transients for a softer mellower sound. Stylistically speaking, Modern Rock drum tracks seem to beg for massive amounts of compression, whereas Jazz and Folk tracks prefer to be untouched. Ratio and threshold are also definitely important to drum tracks, but to me the key to proper compression is all in the manipulation of attack and release. If you’re using an LA2A, forget what I just wrote and carry on. Okay, so the other reason compression is employed is to simply reduce a signal’s dynamic range. For instance, if you have a snare drum track that has varying intensities in amplitude (meaning the session drummer played some hits harder than others) and you want a more consistent level or placement in the track, you may want to slap a compressor on it to keep the output constant. You could also place a limiter on the snare drum track to keep from spiking into the red (overloading) while still preserving most of the original dynamics. Compressing or limiting overhead mics is a common practice and you may find that just a touch of compression here and there can help reign in unruly hits. If you’re looking to present a more honest and natural drum track, then slight hints of compression at low thresholds and low ratios will be the prescription of choice. Also, if you do decide to strap a compressor across the Drum Bus, I prefer to keep the compressor in Dual Mono, as opposed to linking the compressor in Stereo. Listen for yourself and do what you like, but Dual Mono seems more exciting and natural – allowing the drum tracks to sort of leap out of the speaker during fills and crashes. Remember, experimentation is key with compression of drum tracks. Have fun and be sure to read my other articles in this series which address gating, parallel compression, equalization, and other concepts. Labels: drum track, drum track compression, drum tracks
Drum Track Processing Tips, Part 1: Gating -by Thai Long Ly Now that you’ve received your raw drum tracks as WAV files from a session drummer, how should you proceed when it’s time to mix? In this series of tutorials, I will outline several processing concepts. Bear in mind that if you ask 100 Engineers how to mix a drum track, you’ll definitely receive 100 differing opinions on what’s right and what’s wrong. The bottom line is that if it sounds good, it is good. Whatever you have to do to convey the emotion of a performance is the right thing to do. I will also assume most of you will be using a DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, DP, Reaper, etc…) of some sort. With that said, lets get started with some tips on gating drum tracks. Gating is essentially silencing sections of audio that have no pertinent information (aka bleed) so as to present a more cleanly defined track. For example, you may want to gate the tom tracks so that they are heard only when they are hit, as opposed to howling sympathetically whenever the snare is hit. If this annoys you, simply gate the toms. By silencing audio on the track when the toms aren’t being struck, you’ll produce a cleaner and tighter drum track overall. You can do this by using a noise gate as an insert (hardware or software plug-in) or by drawing down the volume via automation in a DAW or even muting whole sections in between actual hits. Each technique produces a different effect on the overall sound, so experiment with your drum tracks and see what works for you. Some guys will gate all drum tracks but the overheads, hi-hats and room mics. This can be great for R&B, Funk and Progressive Rock. Experimentation is key. Conversely, some engineers feel that drums should ring freely and by gating you run the risk of killing the “vibe” of a drum kit being played by a real drummer in a real room. I won’t argue this point as it’s a valid one and the decision to gate drum tracks or not depends entirely on the type of material being performed and what you’re going for aesthetically. With that said, I generally wouldn’t gate anything for a traditional Jazz number or anything requiring a Bonham-esque vibe. Here, the ringing and overtones produced by having all the microphones wide open contribute to the overall presence of the kit and the air that surrounds each element can make for a huge sounding drum track. Although no approach is ideal for all circumstances, this is the certainly the most “natural” sounding approach. Think of gating as tight and dry while not gating as big and airy. Again… experiment and have fun. Look for more of my drum track processing tutorials on this site. These tutorials will help you with compression, parallel compression, ambiance, and equalization. Labels: drum track, drum tracks, online drummer
Congratulations! If you are reading this article then you must be hip to the advantages of online drum recording, that is getting drum tracks from an online session drummer. This is the easiest, most cost-effective way to get custom drum tracks for your music. There are many considerations when choosing an online session drummer, and the drum sounds are as important as any. The actual drum sound quality being achieved on an engineering level is extremely important. All of the online drum recording websites have drum sound samples that can be heard. Some may be examples of a fully produced song with that particular session drummer on it. In most cases you can also hear examples of dry, unprocessed drum sounds by themselves. Be careful to compare the quality of the drum sounds being achieved by each session drummer. While it is obviously essential that the performance (in terms of the session drummer’s playing) on your drum tracks is top-notch, a great performance can certainly be squandered if the drum sounds are not what they should be. The quality of drum sounds are the sum of: 1)how well the drums are tuned, 2)the way the session drummer hits the drums, 3)the sound engineer’s level of expertise, and 4)the recording gear being used. Obviously if the online session drummer is engineering his own sessions, this can translate to lame drum sounds unless the drummer is a trained sound engineer. Great mics won’t even remedy this situation if the online studio drummer is not an expert engineer. So for great drum sounds to be achieved there must be high-level, pro mics and outboard recording gear involved --and a high level of expertise in the use of that gear. On the other side of the coin, if drums are not properly tuned and struck in a way to provide a great tone, all the high-end recording gear and engineering expertise in the world won’t save the drum sounds from lameness. For example, the bass drum sounds must be good. You don’t want to have drum tracks that end up with the bass drum sound being weak in some way. Few things are worse than an overly-clicky bass drum sound, for instance. Some metal-type tracks might call for some extra articulation in the bass drum sound, and thusly perhaps some closer mic placement and/or a hard bass drum beater. But there must be sufficient bottom end to the bass drum sound, without it being too much. Yet many drum tracks suffer from an anemic bass drum sound that has been acoustically sabotaged through the stuffing of pillows and blankets into the bass drum. Another annoying bass drum sound commonly heard is the “boingy” sound. This is when the bass drum has not been properly tuned and sounds like an empty water cooler jug. Another important factor would be the snare drum sounds being achieved by any given online session drummer. Does the snare drum sound have great punch? Does it have enough “crack” without losing “fatness”? Certainly the snare drum sound should not be “papery”. That weakens the overall vibe of the drum tracks. How about the toms? They should be warm and articulate. And the tom sounds should also be consistent. Toms should resonate equally, there shouldn’t be one that blatantly rings way longer than another. Nor should any two toms create a “flutter” sound when ringing together. That can be a real problem with drum tracks. Each drum in general should be tuned well, with no obviously nasty overtones. That doesn’t mean that the drum sounds have to be dead or completely without overtones by any means, but no headache-inducing frequencies ought to be standing out in your drum tracks. Overall the drum sounds have to be easy for you to mix and EQ. And of course any EQing of drum tracks must be for aesthetic, stylistic purposes—NOT as an attempt to cover up bad drum sounds. Plug-ins (which this author is not a fan of) such as Vintage Warmer should be used on drum tracks only creatively, not to “polish a turd”. Good luck on your quest to get drum tracks from a session drummer online. Labels: drum sounds, drum tracks, session drummer
The costs of using a professional recording studio can be extremely high. Many of those reading this article know this first hand. This article is a brief overview of the advantages of using and online recording studio. Traditionally, you have to pay for studio time by the hour. Even if you are well prepared with arrangements, time can fly by quickly in the studio and end up costing you plenty. And in terms of drum tracks, if the studio does not have a kit permanently set up you will be paying for studio time during the drum setup, while getting levels, of course while recording the drum tracks, and while tearing down. All of this is enough to deter many from getting the tracks they need for their music. Some may play their own keyboard tracks or guitar tracks when they really need professionals to play them at the level needed. Some may end up programming backing drum tracks with drum sample software, ending up with uninspired, “canned” sounding drum tracks. There is a solution to the high costs of getting pro tracks whether you need guitar tracks, bass tracks, keyboard tracks, drum tracks, mixing, or any other service. That solution is the use of an online recording studio. This refers to a recording studio that offers its services online. In almost all cases, these services are offered at a significantly discounted rate compared to normal rates. Of course once prices get below a certain point you may be dealing with a less-than-professional organization, but that is for you to research a and determine for yourself. Generally, there are some excellent online recording studios that offer great services at very low prices. For example, many of these online studios offer custom drum tracks for prices ranging from $100 to $300 per drum track. Even the $300 per drum track price could save you money, because you are paying for the drum tracks but NOT the studio time. That means not paying for the setup and teardown time, no paying for cartage (transport of instruments), and you don’t have to watch the clock. No worrying about how much time the drum tracks take to get together because it is a flat fee! This of course applies to guitar tracks, bass tracks, or any other instrument. These online recording studios are also very convenient in that the logistics are easy. You don’t have to go anywhere, except to your computer, and you also are not responsible for getting studio musicians to the online recording studio. This saves you more money, because often session musicians charge for transportation costs, including gas expense, possible plane tickets, and a per diem. Because of the traditionally high costs of getting professionally recorded tracks, only high-budget projects could afford pro recording studio services in the past. Everyone else had to use their own home recording devices (from old four tracks to ADAT machines to Pro Tools). Now those with a fairly modest budget can afford to get drum track and other professional studio services. This great for music and for the ability of more and more people to develop their musical ideas in to something that really sounds the way they envision it, or sometimes way better! It is also worth noting that many of these online recording studios offer mixing and mastering services as well. To be very blunt, too many talented people ruin their music by trying to mix it themselves. It takes a trained ear to get a great mix within a remotely reasonable time frame, and a professional mixing job can make an incredible difference in your music. So do yourself a favor and research the various online recording studios that are out there. You will end up with the pro sound you need and you might not even have to take off your PJs! Labels: drum tracks, online drum tracks, online recording studio
If you are reading this you are probably aware of the benefits of getting drum tracks from an online studio drummer. You are presumably familiar with the fact that your drum tracks will cost you much less from an online studio drummer than from a session drummer in a conventional setting. 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. Labels: drum tracks, online drum recording, session drummer
"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, MeatloafShay Godwin is a versatile professional session drummer who has accompanied many very creative independent and major label artists. He brings both power and subtlety to any music he is involved in. Some of the artists Shay has performed and/or recorded with include Charlotte Martin (RCA), Butterfly Boucher (Interscope/Geffen), Paul Freeman (Arista), Rama Duke (Hollywood), and James Blunt (Atlantic). All of the brush samples on the BFD premium drum module 1st edition expansion kit were performed by Shay. In 2004 Shay was honored to contribute drum tracks to "Eight O'Clock at the Shop", an independent release by singer Caren Manuel on which many great musicians played including Al McKay (guitar - Earth, Wind, & Fire) and Tim Carmon (keyboards - Eric Clapton, Babyface, Marcus Miller). On Sarah MacLachlan's 2004 Afterglow Tour, Shay played with the opening artist Butterfly Boucher, with whom he also performed on AOL Sessions Live. Shay has toured the world several times with legendary Persian singer Siavash Ghomayshi. Shay's drumming has been heard in the the film "The Breakup" (WB) and on television shows "Las Vegas"(NBC), "One Tree Hill"(WB), "Summerland"(WB), "Twilight Zone"(Sci-Fi) and others. Television appearances include the Late Late Show (CBS), The Sharon Osbourne Show, MTV's Advance Warning, "Las Vegas"(NBC), "Miss Match"(NBC), and "Charmed"(WB). Shay proudly endorses Vater Percussion, Aquarian Drumheads, Axis pedals/hardware and Turkish Cymbals. Labels: drum tracks, session drummer, studio drummer
"How to Easily Get Killer, Pro Drum Tracks of the Highest Sound Quality: Risk Free!"Dear friend, Do you need custom drum tracks of the highest sound quality? Are you deterred by the massive costs you have paid for drum tracks in the past, including: studio time by the hour (including setup/teardown time!), staff engineers, and cartage (transportation of drums to and from studio) in addition to paying the drummer? Have you spent hour after frustrating hour with drum sample software such as BFD, painstakingly putting drum samples together in a useless attempt to make them sound like a custom drum track – when you KNOW it will never be the same as a real custom drum track played by a session drummer for your song? Maybe you've considered getting your drum tracks online, straight from an online studio drummer who does it all himself with no sound engineer... ... But you should know that's a mistake, because even though you may save a pile of money compared to renting a studio by the hour and paying multiple people, you're probably going to end up getting tracks that sound like they're made by some kid in his parent's garage, not the pro drum tracks you need. The unfortunate truth is that while they may be great players, many online session drummers are learning sound engineering on the job......And these well-meaning guys are also using a lot of mid-level recording gear and cheaper mics and cables, all resulting in many weak links in the recording chain...
...and here is the secret they don't want you to know:Sound engineering is a serious skill that takes experience.Novice sound engineering and a weak signal chain will get you “demo level” results, not the professional, major label quality sound you need and deserve in your drum tracks. And don't listen to that devil on your shoulder saying "Its okay, we can run the drum tracks through plug-ins until they sound right"… Because every one knows: You can't polish a turd!
But I've got good news for you... YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHOICE!Just imagine how STOKED you will be when you discover you can get major label-quality custom drum tracks for your music, completely *** RISK-FREE!!*** You can FINALLY...
- Stop bleeding away your precious time slaving to put tracks together with a drum sample software package such as BFD...
- Stop spending top dollar to rent studio time...
- Stop getting poor sound quality drum tracks from a drummer who is a novice sound engineer because you want to save money -- ending up unsatisfied with the results
Hi, my name is Shay Godwin and I am a Los Angeles studio drummer. I have recorded and performed with many independent and label artists (RCA, Interscope, Arista, Hollywood, and others) covering a multitude of styles. I believe my calling in life is to provide musical support for artists of all flavors and styles, and nothing gives me greater satisfaction as a studio drummer than playing exactly what a song needs. Thats what custom drum tracks are all about! "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
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As a professional who has recorded in expensive rooms (such as Capital Studio A) and has contributed to drum sample software (I did all of the brush samples on the BFD XFL premium drum module), I have a unique insight into the previously mentioned problems you can have trying to get professional quality, custom drum tracks. I can see that drum sample software, no matter how impressive, will never make music as exciting as real drum tracks. But I can also see that that getting real, custom drum tracks for your music can be financially out of reach due to high studio costs. I decided to come up with a solution to these problems. So I began talking with a great sound engineer friend of mine, Thai Long Ly of TL2 Productions, who gets better drum sounds than anyone I have ever worked with. We decided to team up to give you...
all the benefits of hiring a session drummer AND a pro sound engineer, but for less than the traditional costs of hiring a pro session drummer alone--all without paying a dime in studio time! Here's how it works:You send me your songs in whatever format you wish. Appropriate selections are made from a variety of great sounding, well-tuned drums to fit the style of the song. Then, state-of-the-art analog and digital gear and high-end microphones capture solidly grooving, musical, spirited drum tracks performed with both power and subtlety. ...and you get THREE TAKES of each song you send!That's right, ***THREE TAKES!***Each take will have subtle to drastic differences. That leaves you a lot of room for editing as you wish. As client Craig Campbell of Detroit puts it, "Your process is great. The three takes is a perfect way to make sure it works." Now, you may wish to speak with me to communicate a general direction you want on a track; I'm all ears.
OR...
Maybe you will leave things to my judgment; you'll be happy with the results.
OR...
Perhaps you have a programmed drum pattern you would like duplicated; I'll nail it. OR...
Some may wish to send me charts; I'll be able to read anything you send me. However you choose to do things, you will get drum tracks of a quality you will not be able to get elsewhere... especially at an extremely LOW price... ...WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RISK TO YOU BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T WANT THE DRUM TRACKS YOU JUST WALK! Your deposit (which is made upon sending us your material) will be immediately refunded and you have no obligation whatsoever!
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How can I offer such a guarantee? Because I have that much confidence in my product, plain and simple.
NOT ONE CLIENT HAS OPTED OUT OF THEIR DRUM TRACKS. Our clients have been 100% ELATED, not just "satisfied".
You are going to love your custom drum tracks, and let me remind you that you will have three takes to work with and edit as you wish!Other drum tracks sites with comparable prices will definitely not be using the same HIGH END RECORDING GEAR used here!We're talking full-on professional studio stuff here, from a Neve 8816 board, to Royer and Audix mics, to Tara Labs cables (these are audiophile-quality cables, which makes a big difference in signal integrity) to Daking preamps. Check the gear link and see for yourself!BUT DON'T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, USE YOUR EARS! GO AHEAD, COMPARE OUR AUDIO SAMPLES TO THOSE OTHER DRUM TRACKS WEBSITES--THE DIFFERENCE IN SOUND QUALITY OBVIOUS! (see link at top to "Listen to Sample Drum Tracks" page) AT EDRUMSESSIONS YOU GET:- major label quality sound
- custom drum tracks that are passionately played for YOUR song
- to save huge amounts of time over putting together drum tracks from drum sample software such as BFD (that end up sounding sterile anyway)
- big savings over paying to rent a studio, paying for engineers, drummer, etc.
- a satisfying, interactive artistic experience in which you can communicate your needs to me through email or in real time (via phone or using Skype, free download)
- to stay in your PJs while I track killer drums for you!
"Hi Shay, the takes are perfect, exactly what I was after and played with real
passion, thanks so much!" Owen Duff, London, UKUnder conventional circumstances, to get pro drum tracks you would have to shell out a minimum of $350 per track, plus paying for studio time and engineers, etc... ...but I AM PROUD TO BRING YOU MAJOR-LABEL QUALITY DRUM TRACKS AT THE INCREDIBLE PRICE OF JUST $200 PER TRACK if you act right now!(A 50% per track *REFUNDABLE* deposit will be required - standard procedure). You won't find drum tracks with a comparable level of playing and sound quality at this price anywhere else.So if you are truly committed to getting the highest quality online drum tracks for your music and saving big money risk-free then contact me right away at Shay@eDrumSessions.com. Are you still thinking about it???This is your **** RISK FREE*** opportunity to get the killer drum tracks that you've been dreaming about. Take it from client Timothy Gillespie of New Jersey: "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..."YOU CAN'T LOSE.So go ahead and click the button below to make your deposit, and get the communication going right away at Shay@eDrumSessions.com! REMEMBER, getting your drum tracks here will save you lots of money over going into a studio (while reaping all the benefits of that situation) and lots of time over using drum samples (with much more musicality), and you will be STOKED with the drum sounds!
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THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY YOUR BEST BET FOR GETTING DRUM TRACKS ONLINE, so take advantage!
IF you are serious about getting the highest quality custom drum tracks and saving then get the ball rolling by contacting me right away!Shay@eDrumSessions.comI look forward to working with you and giving you the master-quality, custom drum tracks your music deserves. Labels: custom drum tracks, drum tracks, online drum tracks
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