I’ve recorded drums on over 2500 songs across multiple genres - including Grammy-nominated projects and film soundtracks - creating custom, mix-ready drum tracks with a fast turnaround.
With 15+ years experience in live and studio settings, I've recorded thousands of songs, toured globally, and played in multiple bands such as Crazy Town.
🎧 Styles I Cover
Rock • Pop • Indie • Alternative • Metal • Country + More
🥁 What You Get
✅ 3 full takes per song
✅ 14 Multi-track stems for each take
✅ 3 revisions included
✅ Fast turnaround (24-48 hours)
✅ Recorded in an acoustically treated pro studio
DRUM KITS:
• Ludwig 1970s Vintage Maple Kit
• DW Collectors Series Cherry/Spruce Kit
• North Custom Mahogany Kit
• Ludwig Black Beauty, Supraphonic Snare
• DW Collectors Brass Snare
• North Custom Maple Snare
• Pearl Steel Snare
MICROPHONES & PREAMPS
• KICK IN D6/BETA 52A/D112
• KICK OUT FET47
• SNARE TOP SM57/C451
• SNARE BOTTOM SM57
• OVERHEADS COLES 4038
• HI HAT & RIDE C451
• TOMS E604/C414/D112
• AMBIENT MIC C414
• STERO ROOM SPHERE DLX
• UAD Apollo x8p
• Audient ASP880
Send me your track, and we can chat about your song and what it needs.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Endorse Chris Barber Drums58 Reviews - 13 Repeat Clients
check_circleVerifiedThis was my second project with Chris offering his drum expertise to add more polish and structure to my songs - which vary drastically in styles & might stand outside of the margin that Chris normally works. Nevertheless, he was able to provide a drum pattern that sat perfectly in the groove and supported the arrangement without adding any clutter. I look forward to working with Chris again on future projects and know that you will not be disappointed if you chose him for yours.
check_circleVerifiedAnother song in the can and another A+++++ killer effort!!! Ladies and gents, book Chris and he will elevate your song(s), record to main event status!! Doooooooo ittttttt!!! Not only is he a nasty drummer but he has the engineer chops to bring you pristine and pro level recordings of his drums and in a very timely manner!! Book Chris, you wont be disappointed!!
check_circleVerifiedChris was amazing to work with - incredibly professional, lightening fast and accurate. He will certainly bring out the best of your track, as he did with mine! Highly recommend.
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Chris always delivers. Highly recommend.
check_circleVerifiedChris is just phenomenal, took some electronic drums I had with a very convoluted set of instructions and references and just absolutely aced it, completely took it from a bouncy dark electronic track into something with teeth and absolute menace. He was also very kind and patient, especially with revisions, and was overall a blast to work with. Can't wait to work with him again going forward, highly recommend!
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Top notch pro with top notch gear. Highly recommend.
check_circleVerifiedChris is a Monster man, i had a Reference that was pretty much as crazy as it gets and he not only nailed the Groove but was also able to bring perfect Ideas to the table that improved the Song. If you dont book him you failed yourself.
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Chris is a top notch drummer. Awesome drum tones in his studio. Highly recommend.
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Chris has replaced drum loops on three songs for us now, and has brought to each song new energy and life. There will definitely be more songs. We only wish he was closer so we could buy him a drink.
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Chris did a fantastic job of replacing loops in one of our songs with real drums. He has a great sense of feel, knows when to play out and when to back off. His kit sounds amazing, and the process couldn't have gone more smoothly. I'm sure this is the first of many tracks we'll be using Chris on!
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This is the 4th song Chris has played on for my band and WOW, he does not disappoint!!! I can't stress this enough, hire Chris for your drum tracks b/c you will get top tier playing and recording! Best part is, his drums are all acoustic! Do yourself a favor, ditch the drum plugin software and go Chris!!!
check_circleVerifiedHe's a fantastic drummer.
He responded quickly to my requests. And powerful and sensitive, and I'm very satisfied.
I would definitely recommend him!!!!- check_circleVerified
This is my 3rd song with Chris and WOW, Chris does not disappoint. I can't stress enough that you need to hire Chris for your project. Your will songs will come to life and be taken the next level! His turn around time is unmatched and he is super easy to work with! Go with Chris, you won't regret it!
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Chris and have done several projects together. He absolutely killed this indie rock track! Friendly and fun to work with.
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Chris is awesome to work with. He goes the extra mile for me to make sure everything is perfect. Amazing drummer and great sounding kit!
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Another outstanding job from Chris!! He is a true professional and he has incredibly quick turn around time!! He gives it his all in his performances and it 100% shows in his drumming and energy. He is also very easy to work with and will listen to your input with zero ego, so use Chris for your project, trust me, you will NOT be disappointed!!
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Chris' drumming is unbelievable!!! Could not be happier with his performance!!! Chris 100% took my music to the top tier professional realm!! If you're relying on or using plug in drums, do yourself a favor and hire Chris, he records his own drums which are pro level quality and what you get are real acoustic drums with an intensely incredible performance, he is that damn good!!! Very professional, extremely quick turn around time and very communicative. A++++ all around and will continue to use
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Fantastic job. Just what my psych rock track needed!
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Fantastic! Worked with me on a psychedelic rock tune. Professional service and great sounding drums. Easy to work with. Starting another project with Chris today.
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Chris was very easy to work with. Fast turnaround, great drum tracks, couldn't have asked for more. Thanks Chris!
Interview with Chris Barber Drums
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I turn programmed drums into real, powerful performances that make your track sound like a finished record.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I record custom drum tracks for producers, bands and songwriters worldwide. I’ve played on over 2500 songs with 15+ years of experience.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I was the drummer for the LA-band Crazy Town. I toured the world with them for a year and made plenty of new friends and experiences.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Doing what I love for a living and being able to work when I want!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Do you have any demo drum parts to listen to? Can you provide the BPM for your song? What kind of sound are you after?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be sure to select a drummer that is suited to your style of music. For example, you can check out my Youtube or Instagram videos to get an idea of the sound I get from my playing and studio - watch these first and if you like what you see we're good to go!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Chris is a top UK session drummer with years of experience touring the world and recording with many different bands & artists including the LA-based rap/rock band Crazy Town, Manchester-based metal band Empires Fade & many more. Currently playing for Nottingham-based rock band Fast Car To Florence, Chris also runs an online drum recording service from his recording studio in the north of England, providing acoustic drum tracks remotely to bands, songwriters & producers worldwide.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Versatile, lots of energy and power when needed.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Angels & Airwaves because I love playing to their songs and my style is perfect for their sound!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: When recording drums be sure to check the phase of EVERY microphone with the others by flipping the phase and listening out for any bass that's missing.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, Pop, Indie, Metal, Alternative, Gospel.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Rock drumming is my strongest skill aside from drum recording, I'm also a very confident audio engineer, experienced in mixing drums especially.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I specialise in rock drumming, but I'm also confident playing metal and pop music. My sound is very versatile and I own custom drum gear which means the kit I'm using is totally unique. I'm an experienced session drummer with years of experience playing live and recording with several different artists.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: The usual process begins with you getting in touch with me online to discuss your music and the kind of service you're wanting. You can send your songs in whatever format works for you (mp3, WAV, MIDI) and include any demo drum parts that exist on your track, if you like. We can then go over the project together and negotiate a price that suits your budget, making sure that we are both happy before continuing. Next, I'll start working on the drum parts for your songs in the studio and have a few takes sent back within a couple of days. It's up to you whether you want me to follow a demo drum track you already have or create something completely fresh. Three revisions will be inclusive for each track which is easily enough 99% of the time, so don't be afraid to ask for things to be changed! When you're satisfied with the drums, I'll export each track individually in WAV format and send them to you via an email link. If you are using Logic and would prefer to receive the Logic session instead I can do that too. Finally, download your tracks online and drag the files straight into your DAW.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a dedicated recording studio that is built specifically for drum recording. It has been acoustically treated and optimised to achieve an amazing drum sound. Featuring a selection of drum kits and microphones, with industry-standard AD converters and digital processing.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Drummers such as Taylor Hawkins, Atom Willard and Eric Moore inspire me to be a better drummer. Music production-wise, I'd say Ash Soan inspires me to improve my drum production.
I was the Drummer in this production
- Live drum trackAverage price - $170 per song
- PercussionAverage price - $125 per song
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $150 per song
- EditingAverage price - $75 per track
- Time alignment - QuantizingAverage price - $75 per track
- YouTube Cover RecordingAverage price - $500 per song
- Programmed drumAverage price - $150 per song
Multiple drum takes with multiple revisions. Up to 30 multi-track stems at sample rates of up to 96kHZ. Additional services include editing and mixing, filming of the session and more.
- Foo Fighters
- Taylor Hawkins
- Travis Barker
- Vintage Ludwig Kit
- Ludwig Snare Drums
- DW Collectors Series Cherry/Spruce Kit
- UA Apollo X8P
- Coles 4038 Ribbons
- North Custom Drums
- Sabian Cymbals
- Remo Drum Heads
- DW Drums
- Shure Microphones
- AKG Microphones
- Audient Pre Amps
- Logic Pro X
- 70s Ludwig Maple KitDec 02, 2024
I have just purchased a 1970s Ludwig classic maple kit, which sounds glorious!
- New Room Mic!Jun 02, 2023
I’ve recently added a pair of Coles 4038 ribbon mics to my collection, starting by using these as stereo room mics!
- Spotify PortfolioApr 21, 2023
I've made a Spotify playlist featuring some of the songs I've recorded drums for at my studio. Check it out here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Ekk6goCC91wKK73qNUIZI?si=f77f107a657e4555
- On Tour until mid FebruaryJan 27, 2023
Currently on tour in Europe until the middle of February, so I won’t be back in the studio until then. Feel free to send submissions before then though!
- New DW Collectors series kitJan 06, 2023
I’m so excited to have my brand new DW collectors series kit in the studio! It’s a 4 piece Cherry/Spruce shell set which sounds incredible, especially for recording.
The sizes are: 22x16 kick 10x8 rack Tom 12x9 rack Tom 16x16 Floor Tom
Head over to my Instagram or YouTube channel to see videos!
- Coronavirus UpdateAug 19, 2020
Since the start of Covid-19 I realised remote recording would become my main source of income for the foreseeable future, so I have embraced it and I'm loving it!
