Rock & Hip Hop Session Drummer

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What sort of sound and vibe are you looking to create with the production? What reference tracks can be used as a guide, if any?

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

A: My professional career started as a teenager playing in a Big Band for the national broadcaster in South Africa. Since then, I have recorded and/or performed live with a wide variety of artists or bands playing African music,, blues, rock, cabaret, modern jazz, reggae, pop, thrash metal and others. I have been doing this for over 30 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Eclectic and authentic.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Playing an acoustic instrument, the most important thing for me is to ensure that the sound of the instrument (tuning, room, damping) is right for the song before recording. This coupled with correct mic placement is the most important part of delivering a good sound - apart from the performance, that is!

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

A: I really love working on rock and hip-hop music. However, I'm equally at home working on music with a strong and steady groove as I am working on complex prog rock tracks.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Apart from my studio performance, my strength is the close collaboration with the client. From many years of live and studio experience, it is always a joy to work with other musicians and producers. Being a remote studio musician can be lonely and getting the client really involved makes it a lot more fun and productive.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I always try and play for the song. If it's a folk song, the sound and references will indicate a specific sound and feel. Similarly for a hip-hop track, prog rock or any other style of music - the client normally has a vision for what they are looking for and only really know it when they hear it!

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I normally receive a demo from the client which may or may not have a rough/programmed drum part. We discuss reference tracks that the client might suggest to guide the feel and sound of the drum tracks. Once a direction is agreed I will create rough drum takes of 2 different approaches to the track for review by the client. The feedback from this - sound, feel, rhythm - normally allows me to begin tracking the song towards final delivery. I have a very collaborative approach, communicate frequently and aim to develop tracks that match the client's vision for the song. If a song has vocal track, I will always recommend tracking drums with at least a guide vocal - the interaction between the drums and main vocal is really important to me.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is built around Focusrite audio interfaces which offer great sounding pre-amps. I can record at 44, 48 or 96 kHz depending on the requirement of the client. I use a range of microphones from Shure, AKG, Rode and SE Electronics - the exact combination and placement depends on the sound required for the recording. All recording and production is done using Logic Pro X which will interoperate with most DAWs and final production stems can be delivered in most common formats. I have a variety of drum kits, cymbals and snare drums to suit most projects - including a classic Tama Bell Brass snare drum. Finally, the room acoustics have been professionally designed and supports the variety of projects that I get involved in.

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

A: I have an eclectic taste in music and get inspiration from many different musicians. The common thread, though, is musicality - the performance and/or production must fit the track. I love the way different musicians alter the feel of the song with the placement of the notes - that's a drummer's dream. Some artists that inspire me are Jeff Beck, Bugsy Malone and Chick Corea.

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

A: A typical project is developing the right groove or drum part for a song, agreeing the reference sound with the client and recording live drums. Occasionally I add electronic drum or percussion parts if required by the song. I normally deliver dry stems from the 14 microphones around the kit for mixing by the client. Sometimes I'm also asked to deliver a stereo mix.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I love the clarity of digital - it's also much more accessible as a remote session musician.

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

A: To encapsulate the pleasure I have creating and recording drums in your music.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creative process and delighted customers!