Unlock Unique Drum Sounds
Tired of flat, boring drums? Berlin-based engineer and producer Manou Bouillon (Skydojo Studios) shares some of his favorite creative techniques for shaping unique and exciting drum tones. Discover how Moses Schneider, Tchad Blake, Sylvia Massy and Russell Elevado craft characterful drum sounds — through unconventional mic techniques, bold processing, and unexpected combinations. Perfect if you’re after drums with vibe, grit, and personality.
Elysia
Adding grit to drums with the "Wurst" mic
Moses Schneider demonstrates how to add character and texture to drum recordings using a unique approach with the "Wurst" technique. He employs saturation through distortion pedals and strategically places microphones, such as the SM57 and a custom-built Periscope mic with an inbuilt limiter, to capture a larger-than-life drum sound. The key is positioning the mic equidistant from the snare and kick beater for optimal tone. Schneider further enhances the drum sound by gating and over-compressing with an 1176 compressor, creating a dynamic and textured drum mix. The Periscope mic's inherent distortion and side-chained gating to the snare add a distinct character, making the drums stand out in the mix.
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Shaping kicks with parallel distortion
Tchad Blake demonstrates how to shape kick drums using the Avid SansAmp PSA-1 plugin for parallel distortion. By experimenting with the SansAmp, he adds grit and a throatier quality to the kick, enhancing its presence in the mix. He emphasizes the importance of playing with the plugin's settings, flipping phase, and low-pass filtering, to achieve the desired effect without losing the kick's essential character. Blake prefers a kick sound with more mid-range growl rather than a high-end "ticky" sound, showcasing his approach to creating a unique and powerful drum tone.
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More exciting drum recordings with parallel compression
Sylvia Massy demonstrates the use of parallel compression on drum mics using the UREI 1176LN hardware compressor. By blending a compressed signal with the original drum tracks, she aims to create a sound that is more upfront, bigger, and more exciting. Massy highlights the impact of this technique by adjusting the levels of kick, snare, and room mics, showcasing the enhanced energy and presence it brings to the drum mix. This approach allows the drums to maintain their natural dynamics while adding a layer of intensity and excitement to the overall sound, already during recording.
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Add character and depth with tape delay
Russell Elevado shows how tape delay can be used to add character and depth to drum tracks. By applying a subtle quarter note delay, the drums gain a dirty quality and an airy presence, making the delay feel like an integral part of the drum sound rather than an obvious effect. The technique involves dialing in the tape echo to a desired setting and then printing it, which means recording the effect to a track. This approach not only preserves the tape but also ensures consistency throughout the song without continuously running the tape echo. Using tape delays on drums is a great way to enhance the rhythmic texture and atmosphere of a mix.
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Blending drum mics with parallel processing for character
Tchad Blake explores the creative potential of blending traditional drum mics with heavily processed signals using techniques like delay, compression, and distortion. By experimenting with different mic combinations and processing, Blake demonstrates how to quickly achieve a versatile palette of drum sounds that can adapt to various musical contexts. This approach allows for exciting and dynamic drum recordings, ready to fit seamlessly into a mix without extensive setup time. Blake emphasizes the importance of being prepared to record at a moment's notice, even without full knowledge of the session's specifics. He highlights the flexibility of using different equipment with strong sonic character, such as the SansAmp distortion pedal or the Spectra C610 compressor, to achieve unique textures and tones, ensuring that the drum sound can be tailored to the needs of any project.