Mike Kosacek

Session drummer

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46 Reviews (45 Verified)
Mike Kosacek on SoundBetter

I'm a session drummer and recording engineer from Austin, TX. I own my own custom studio that was designed to record great acoustic drum sounds! I can record professional level, custom, acoustic drum tracks for your song through my high quality recording chain (500-series pres, Universal Audio Apollo 16) into Pro Tools.

I have 30+ years of playing experience and have been providing online/remote recording for the past 14+ years. I've worked with clients/musicians all over the world on 100's of recordings. Because I own the studio (www.doubledogrecording.com) I can work anytime and I can make it affordable for just about anyone. My drums are always setup so I can respond quickly and I don't pass on extra fees to you (i.e., cartage, tech, studio rental, etc.). But check out my samples and I hope you will agree that the playing and recording quality is always top-notch.

I love pocket or groove drumming but I can play whatever you want for your songs. I can read charts, play to loops, copy your programmed part, or I will listen to your song and attempt to compose a part that feels right for the song. I'm easy to work with, open to your feedback, and will do my best to find the exact sound and feel you are looking for.

Rates start at $70 per song. And you always get all of the unprocessed individual WAV tracks, plus a stereo drums-only mix (with any processing) that you can use for reference, or drop it right into your mix and go. I default to 24/44.1 but can record at 24/48 or 24/96 (contact for pricing).

Send a drumless MP3 or link to a WAV, with your arrangement. I will send you an MP3 to approve. 24-48hr turnaround (or sometimes even faster).

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Mike Kosacek
  • Tom Guerra
  • Tom Guerra
  • Tom Guerra
  • Tom Guerra
  • Majestic
  • Majestic
  • Majestic
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Paul Haake
Discogs verified credits for Mike Kosacek
  • Paul Haake Band
  • Binary Spirals
  • Paul Haake
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Texaz Tango
  • Paul Haake Band
  • ThemThatKnow
  • ThemThatKnow
  • ThemThatKnow
  • Binary Spirals
  • Paul Haake
  • Brady Harris (2)
  • Cosmic Singularity
  • Texaz Tango
  • Majestic (18)
  • Mike And The Meteors
  • Pan Pan Pan {Avian Distress Call}
  • Jaap Blonk • Sandy Ewen • Damon Smith • Chris Cogburn
  • Majestic (18)
  • Majestic (18)
  • Debra Watson & The Smokin' Aces
  • TexasWeed
  • Paul Haake Band
  • ThemThatKnow
  • ThemThatKnow
  • ThemThatKnow
  • Majestic (18)
  • ThemThatKnow
  • ThemThatKnow
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Various
  • Majestic (18)

46 Reviews - 8 Repeat Clients

Endorse Mike Kosacek
  1. Review by Ella K.
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    I’m so thankful and lucky that I got to work with Mike again thanks for the doing the drums they sound perfect.

  2. Review by User 3.
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    A real pro!

  3. Review by User 3.
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    A true professional. Precise and prompt. So glad I found Mike.

  4. Review by Dusty P.
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    Mike is stellar! Fast turn around. Really delivered for the song. Quality files, great sounding kit. Everything a rocker needs.

  5. Review by User 3.
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    Mike did a great job. He was attentive to the directions I both wrote about in my proposal and expressed in my demo, and quickly turned out a truly excellent drum part for my song. He seems both like a seasoned professional drummer, and an experience contractor, using an effortless file transfer protocol complete with notes and the individual wavs. I couldn't be more happy with how this turned out.

  6. Review by Collin P.
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    Mike was fast, responsive, and patient as he answered all my questions and most importantly the drum track he returned sounds Amazing! It wasn’t a straight-forward song, it had multiple parts that required several different beats and transitions. Mike nailed it!!

  7. Review by Ella K.
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    Great to work with Mike again he got the drums sounding perfect and understood the sound and vibe for the track. I would also recommend other to check him out.

  8. Review by Ben S.
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    by Ben S.
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    It was a pleasure working with Mike. He is easy to communicate with and very responsive. His drum playing is excellent and the resulting drum tracks sound very professional.

  9. Review by Jess H.
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    Mike is fantastic! His drum recordings are top notch, and his playing his terrific. I've tracked more than a dozen songs with him already, and he always gets his drum parts back to you within days, sometimes even the same day.

  10. Review by Jess H.
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    Mike is such a great drummer, and his work is top notch. It sounds cliche, but this guy really brings a pro attitude to this sort of work. He gets tracks done quickly, all of his stems are clearly labeled and neatly organized, the recording quality of the drums is tops, and he's friendly and easy to work with. He takes guidance and direction well and really works hard to deliver exactly what you want. I can't say enough good things about my experiences working with Mike. Just outstanding.

  11. Review by Jess H.
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    Mike's drum parts are awesome, and he works super fast. Great sounding mics and recording gear too. Always happy with th drum parts he records for me.

  12. Review by Ella K.
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    Mike was really great at getting the vision and the vibe for the track from the first take he had sent me. Had excellent communication and was super easy to work with. The drums were perfect! couldn't be more happy.

  13. Review by Jess H.
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    Everything about working with Mike is awesome. The guy works ridiculously fast--always within a day or two at most, but often he gets me drum tracks same day--and his playing is always solid. Also, the quality of the drum recordings are totally pro. Highly recommended.

  14. Review by Joe Fogarty
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    Mike is an incredible drummer who captures the grooves and nuances of your songs.
    He works quickly - which is important for me in capturing the creative process while it is fresh

  15. Review by George M.
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    Another song done with Mike, that would be my 6th!
    Once again he nailed it with the first take.
    I've said it before and I'll say it again, Mike is a GUN!
    If you're looking for a 'Tight As' drummer with Feel and Creativity Mike is the one!

  16. Review by George M.
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    I've been working on a new batch of songs with Mike.
    He's just completed song number 5.
    Another excellent experience with Mike, he is an amazing drummer and communicator. His turn around time with an accurate interpretation of the song is so quick.
    Another Superb Job, Thank you Mike!

  17. Review by Jess H.
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    Mike's drum sounds are spectacular, and he works really fast! He tracks in a professional studio with an excellent array of microphones and a great-sounding kit. The stems he sends are all neatly organized and clearly labeled, so once you get the files you simply drop them into your DAW and you're good to go. I've worked with Mike on a lot of songs now, and I've been really happy with his drum parts.

  18. Review by George M.
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    Mark is a gun drummer!
    So easy to communicate with and always delivers.
    This is the fourth song he played for me and each time he exceeded my expections.

  19. Review by George M.
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    Mike is such a great musician and a drummer who puts his heart and soul into every performance.
    This is the third consecutive song and another satisfying performance.
    I love his work and work ethics!

  20. Review by Jess H.
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    Mike is awesome! Incredible drum sounds and great playing, but he's also incredibly patient and generous with his time. He does not stop until you're happy. Highly recommended!

Interview with Mike Kosacek

  1. Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

  2. A: Many "remote session drummers" are recording in a low-budget home studio (aka bedroom). While my studio is at my home, and it's a semi-private studio, it is not "in my home" and not a bedroom studio. It was constructed as a separate building for the sole purpose of being a recording studio and specifically for getting a great drum sound. I have a top-quality recording chain that is comparable to most commercial recording studios.

  3. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  4. A: what kind of sound are you looking for? Do you want me to follow your programmed tracks/loops closely? Are you going to re-record your scratch tracks, or is what you are sending me the "keeper" (this guides me whether to follow the click, or follow the existing track)?

  5. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  6. A: If you want Steve Gadd, and can afford his daily rate, you should definitely hire him. Seriously. He's awesome and you surely won't be disappointed. If that's not in your budget, I think you will find my rates are more than fair.

  7. Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

  8. A: I had a great time drumming on Tom Guerra's latest release. Fun roots, rock and roll. Go check it out! www.tomguerra.com I also drummed on and engineered some great tunes by ThemThatKnow. www.themthatknowtheband.com

  9. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  10. A: programming and loops have improved but still can't really provide "feel" like a real, human drummer can. I will listen to your song and create a drum track that will make your song even better!

  11. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  12. A: Pro Tools 2023, Apollo 16, API-500 series (A-Designs, Avedis Audio, CAPI, Hairball Audio, and more), and mics from Telefunken, Shure, AKG, Sennheiser, Lauten Audio & more. See my website for a complete description.

  13. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  14. A: I've been playing drums for 30+ years and have been doing remote/online drum recording for 15+ years and I can turn around tracks pretty quickly in most cases.

  15. Q: What's your typical work process?

  16. A: send me an mp3 (or a WAV is fine too) with a click intro of at least 8 clicks - then mute it through the song. This allows me to sync my click and when you get the mix with drums sent back you won't hear the click in it (because that makes it really difficult to listen to the song!). Or if the song changes tempo, then include a separate click track (it can be mp3 or WAV or even MIDI, but make sure it starts from the exact same place as the music mix).

  17. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  18. A: I like lots of different styles of music, but I gravitate toward songs that have great sounding drums!

  19. Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

  20. A: possibly... but I still haven't located a search button here that allows me to search by name.

  21. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  22. A: I enjoy listening to new songs and figuring out interesting drum parts that will hopefully complement the tune and help take it to the next level.

  23. Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

  24. A: What do you need to start? It's pretty easy. Just an MP3 or WAV with 8 counts of click before the song start (to help align my click). Or if the tempo or time signature varies, you can send a separate track of just click (make sure it starts from the same exact point as the music). If you want to send me a guide track with programmed drums or loops, that can also be helpful. Just let me know if you want me to follow it exactly, somewhat, or not at all... Also please let me know what sample/bit rate you use (if you send me a WAV I'll use the same as what you sent).

  25. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  26. A: since that desert island is unlikely to have power, I would bring acoustic drums, cymbals, sticks and probably some earplugs!

  27. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  28. A: I like working on all kinds of music!

  29. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  30. A: it has to feel good!

  31. Q: How would you describe your style?

  32. A: playing for the song. if it's a love ballad, then I won't feel obliged to unleash the chops - unless that's what you are going for. :-) In the end it's your song, and your choice. I'm here to make it sound like you hear in your head!

  33. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  34. A: Acoustic drum tracks - typically replacing programmed tracks, loops, or drum machines

  35. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  36. A: Rock, blues, country, pop and some prog rock

  37. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  38. A: lots of projects!

  39. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  40. A: digital, with a great analog front-end. best of both worlds.

  41. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  42. A: I want to give you a drum track that makes you think "wow, my song sounds even better now!"

  43. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  44. A: I learn the song quickly and I have great intuition for where a song is going - even if it's only a scratch track.

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ThemThatKnow - Old Town

I was the Engineer, Drummer in this production

Terms Of Service

Rates start at $70. Most songs under 5 min are $70 if you accept the initial take or if minimal changes required. If major changes/re-takes are requested, the rate increases slightly. 24-48hr typical

GenresSounds Like
  • Kenny Aronoff
  • Steve Jordan
  • Stan Lynch
Gear Highlights
  • API 500
  • Universal Audio Apollo 16
  • A-Designs
  • Avedis
  • CAPI
  • Neve
  • Audix
  • AKG
  • Sennheiser
  • Mojave
  • Telefunken
  • Hairball Audio
  • Lauten Audio
  • Empirical Labs
  • Lindell
More Photos
More Samples
  • Blues Power!Mar 18, 2023

    here's a sound snippet of some blues tunes I played on recently (and I engineered the session too).  It was a lot of fun!


    https://harrybodinemusic.com/southern-can

  • New Tom Guerra release - Sentimental JunkMar 23, 2022

    That's me on the drums on the new Tom Guerra release, Sentimental Junk!  Check it out!

    https://tomguerra.com/

  • New Cosmic Singularity ReleaseFeb 11, 2021

    here's a new Prog Rock album from Cosmic Singularity.  I played drums, mixed and mastered it, and contributed to some of the writing.  I hope you enjoy it!

    https://cosmicsingularity.bandcamp.com/album/invisible-enemy

  • check out Tom Guerra's new album "Sudden Signs of Grace"Jun 11, 2020

    http://tomguerra.com/

    Mike Kosacek on the drums!

  • Some new tracks and videoJul 26, 2019

    check out www.themthatknowtheband.com because we just posted some new videos, songs, and more!

  • Check out Seed from SeattleFeb 11, 2019

    Seed (from Seattle)

  • Listen to Majestic V.O.Z and Epsilon I & IIJan 30, 2019

    Majestic Songs

  • Ella Reid's "Sweet Angel" benefits Cole's FoundationJan 29, 2019

    Listen to "Sweet Angel" on iTunes

  • See the latest promotional video for Tom Guerra's American GardenJan 29, 2019

    Tom Guerra - American Garden