Popular Drum Kit in Major Recording Studios

[brad.bjmmusic]

Hello! I'm looking to purchase a drum kit soon for my studio and I want to get a really good shell pack. I'm considering an EPEK so far. Does anyone know what a common studio drum kit is that records well?

[sofa]

my Yamaha recording sounds great any day!

It's a very versitile instrument.From JAzz to rock.

[fuddfar]

Originally Posted by brad.bjmmusic

Hello! I'm looking to purchase a drum kit soon for my studio and I want to get a really good shell pack. I'm considering an EPEK so far. Does anyone know what a common studio drum kit is that records well?

I think you should check out Tribes Drums. They are made in Boulder, CO and sound amazing.

[Grumblefoot]

Yamaha Recording Customs, Pearl MPB's(Masters Premium Birch), really any high end kit can get the job done. It all depends on what sound you want.

[sethmeister]

Yamaha. Love my Birch Custom Absolute. Great for a more modern sound.

Or you could pick up a 60s or 70s Gretsch, Rogers, or Ludwig for a classic sound.

[casey_outlaw]

Ayotte makes some nice kits as well.

[SighBorg]

See if you can get your hands on an Ayotte Keplinger snare as an alt for whatever kit you end up with. Crack.

[seaneldon]

For a studio kit...try landing yourself whatever good-to-great maple drums (for the "best" overall balance in tone) you can find with LOTS of drums. 6 toms of assorted sizes, maybe two different size kick drums, etc. Rather than trying to get an enormous tuning range out of 4 drums...just have 10 drums that you can move into and out of the kit as needed.

I also agree with having an assortment of VERY different sounding snare drums. Maybe a maple piccolo, a VERY deep birch drum, an aluminum Ludwig...

Don't forget cymbals. Some thick, some thin, most every size.

This route is often less expensive than buying two kits.

[T_R_S]

Natural unfinished drums record the best
Yamaha, Ayotte, Gretsch, and DW.
I have recorded EPEK before but they would not be my first choice.

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

Natural unfinished drums record the best

[bigbone]

DW are popular in the studio these day, and they sound awsome......

[thenoiseflower]

wraped drums sound ass-ish. I like a finely tuned ringing kit and I mean I'll prep a kit, put pillowcases over the heads as dampeners, tape here and there, Moon gel, but if the drum has that damn resonance restricting wrap over the shell, its gonna sound like a box, and not an instrument.

I have a Premier Singia thats amazing, but IMO the best drums in the world TODAY are made by yamaha.

Over engineered and are set within MUCH tigher tollerences than any other drum company.
Amazing hardware nothing fvckin breaks or rattles loose.

OBV multiple snares, and multiple kicks ect. But definetly don't NOT try a nice Yamaha. it'd be silly not to.

My favorite currently is the oak custom. I need to buy one, but there are so many other things right now

[KurtR]

Yamaha and DW seem to be common for a shell pack. But look into snares like brady, dunnett, ect...

If you want to be cool with the kids get an ocdp snare with the holes.

[thenoiseflower]

Originally Posted by KurtR

If you want to be cool with the kids get an ocdp snare with the holes.

I had one a few years back 6 1/2 deep inch 2 inch holes, purple and blue sparkle, and it was just too loud. But sounded sooo good.

[Ari-M.]

don't get boutique drums.....they will not satisfy every need...the Yamaha Birch custom is THE industry standard....DW is not to my liking...I play and use Sonors in my studio, but they are quadruple the $$$....and maybe less versatile than a Yamaha Birch shell pack...either way I think it's less about the kit and more about how you tune and set it up.....case in point...I have gotten a set of pearl exports to sound FANTASTIC in the studio

[edcampos]

There have been some great suggestions. You really can't cover all grounds with one kit. Get two maybe. One more classic sounding, one more modern sounding. I've got a 60's Ludwig that does the classic thing wonderfully. For a more modern sound I would check out Yamaha (the high end lines). Whatever you do, stay away from custom drums. Some are great, but you want stuff that players will potentially be familiar with and preferably have played before, so bigger manufacturers might be a better bet. I would start with the more modern sounding kit as it will probably cover more bases, unless you do a lot of retro sounding records. You know your clientele the best. Make sure to have a few snares. Ludwig SupraPhonic is a great snare, IMO. A nice maple one and maybe a brass one would also have you covered in mots cases. Good luck!

Ed

[desol]

Premier Signia is a great kit...6 1/2 snare.

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by thenoiseflower

wraped drums sound ass-ish. I like a finely tuned ringing kit and I mean I'll prep a kit, put pillowcases over the heads as dampeners, tape here and there, Moon gel, but if the drum has that damn resonance restricting wrap over the shell, its gonna sound like a box, and not an instrument.

I completely disagree.some of the best recording drums i've used have had wraps.
I have an old maple/mahogany white marine pearl 24 Leedy inch bass drum from the 40's that just demolishes most modern drums.just sounds amazing.
huge and punchy.
Same thing w/ my 1950's Radio kings and early 70's ludwigs.
What about Bonham?the majority of his classic[Levee,etc] stuff was done on a green sparkle wrap kit.

I also have about 9 vintage kits.some w/ wraps,some without..[Ludwig,Gretsch,Radio king,etc,some have original edges some,re-edged]that are all amazing recording kits.
I agree some drums don't respond well to being wrapped[like a natural maple DW kit I wrapped in the 80's] but generalizing they will all sound boxy and ass-ish?

..

[chrisso]

+100

I was too astounded to comment earlier.

[anne_paranoid]

I have a Pork Pie. One of my best investments in gear with no doubt.

[Podgorny]

Originally Posted by Ari-M.

the Yamaha Birch custom is THE industry standard....

Which industry?


I see a lot of DWs, Pearls, Pork Pies, Mapex, GMS, Ludwigs, and yes Yamahas.
And while Yamaha makes fine drums, I'm not sure I'd call them "industry standard".



Brad, as far as what kit you should get, you didn't give a budget or what styles you record and/or like.

Personally, if I was going to pick ONE drum kit to cover any style, it would be a Pork Pie. Sound-wise, they tend to sit somewhere betwen the modern-sounding DWs or the Mapex Saturn kits and the vintage Ludwigs or Slingerlands. Pretty versatile, IMHO.

Whatever you end up with, make sure your toms have some sort of suspension mounting system (RIMS, etc.), and that they're not sitting on the bass drum. This will make your kit more configurable, and it will sound WAY better.

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by Ari-M.

don't get boutique drums.....they will not satisfy every need...the Yamaha Birch custom is THE industry standard...

First if you wana talk about the ''industry '' of recording, the major cartage company
( SIR, drums doctor , Drums paradise etc etc, ) they all got vintage drums , ludwig,
slingerland leedy Gretsch........and lots of DW...... and 90 % of the studio in the major
record city. L.A. NYC and Nashville in the USA, london in the UK. they all got a DW kit around.......yamaha is far behind...it is one of the most recorded drums in the USA, in the 80, because of Steve Gadd, who is one of the best studio musician in the recording industry ( the best for me ) and he was using the yamaha..........

[brad.bjmmusic]

Thank you all for your helpful advice. I definitly have an idea of where to start looking. Thanks.

[IGNIS]

Originally Posted by brad.bjmmusic

Thank you all for your helpful advice. I definitly have an idea of where to start looking. Thanks.

Hi,I'm Ogi...for my experience with long studio-recording I could give some addvice if you please me!Because you are such as me,at the time when I've been looking for the same as you now!First of all you have to clear some things....Who or what kind of people/music you expect to come in your studio for recording drums???You have to keep in your mind that...every drummer wants to hear His Own Drums on the records (same as guitar players)!!!He probably has pay a lot of money for them,he play with them,he knows well how they sound,on the reherses,on the stage or so...If you buy some model that noone likes-then your money goes on the wind.If you buy a some compromise drums-the recording will be compromized.I've purchased Yamaha Recording Drums - with 4 different snares,wood shell,brass,birch,maple...with different sizes 12",13",14"....they sounded on the records amazing but for three years...only two bans used them!The other always bring theyr drums...and I've to sold mine toghether with all New Paiste Cymbals!!Be aware of that!Clean your mind exactly what you'll need for your job!
Regards!
Ogi

[Angus202]

I keep a 60's ludwig in the studio, not in fantastic shape, and the lugs slip enough it needs to have the tuning checked between takes. Any DW, yamaha, pearl, tama, etc, that drummers have brought in over the years, the ludwig has won out by a huge margin. The only kits that come close to such a great rock sound are C&C's, not to mention the build quality is far beyond the usual suspects. Almost forgot, found it shoved in a corner at guitar center for $600.
-Ryan

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by bigbone

and 90 % of the studio in the major
record city. L.A. NYC and Nashville in the USA, london in the UK. they all got a DW kit around.......yamaha is far behind...it is one of the most recorded drums in the USA, in the 80, because of Steve Gadd, who is one of the best studio musician in the recording industry ( the best for me ) and he was using the yamaha..........

Firstly, no major recording studio I've worked in (USA and UK) has had a house kit.
People bring their own gear or rent something in.
Secondly, Yamaha Recording Customs were widely used in the 80's, not just by Steve Gadd.
The true answer to this question is that no one kit should be recommended as the one. As others have said, it comes down to personal taste, the sound of your studio, the genres you generally record.
I'm a professional studio drummer and own kits in several different brands.
It's true that vintage drums are reasonably priced and often sound nicer than contemporary kits. Gretsch, Ludwig, Camco. I've had consistently good results with Ludwig.
I've always heard great things about Pork Pie too.
I'm a Noble & Cooley endorser.
Most contemporary, high-end kits will record very well (Pearl, Tama, Yamaha, Sonor etc).
Of course snare drums and cymbals are often more critical than the bass and toms.
You'll need at least a couple of good sounding snare drums (wood and metal).

[Ari-M.]

Originally Posted by bigbone

First if you wana talk about the ''industry '' of recording, the major cartage company
( SIR, drums doctor , Drums paradise etc etc, ) they all got vintage drums , ludwig,
slingerland leedy Gretsch........and lots of DW...... and 90 % of the studio in the major
record city. L.A. NYC and Nashville in the USA, london in the UK. they all got a DW kit around.......yamaha is far behind...it is one of the most recorded drums in the USA, in the 80, because of Steve Gadd, who is one of the best studio musician in the recording industry ( the best for me ) and he was using the yamaha..........

You know what the very first time I called Ross Garfiled (Drum Doctor) and asked him to bring a kit out to a studio I said these words specifically "bring me the most standardized run of the mill, decent sounding kit you have"....I arrived at the studio and Yamaha birch customs were set-up...they sounded fantastic...to be fair I don't play yamaha birch customs because I don't like the "standard" anymore....I dig sonors at the moment...but buying a yamaha birch kit will probably satisfy 90% of the people who record on it......the other 10% will bring their own kit....

[puuluu]

Have a look at these custom handmade kits by Kumu http://www.kumu.fi/english/Drumsets/sets_138.html
Also here: http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=27523

[Ari-M.]

Originally Posted by chrisso

Of course snare drums and cymbals are often more critical than the bass and toms.
You'll need at least a couple of good sounding snare drums (wood and metal).

AMEN!!! and on that note...

[stagefright13]

Well I have a low priced house kit. (Mapex) But the heads are all good ones and kept well tuned. And it stays in tune because it's not beat. But I have good hardware and cymbals to go with it. And I know how to record it well cause it lives here. (Altho I wish I could play it well!)

Some bands have real crap and use mine and love it. Others swap all or part of it out. It's good to have a house kit. I figure a band should be able to walk in with picks and sticks and record. If they want to.

But I still might buy my friends Sonor kit.