Session Drummer

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

A: Walboom's first EP came out in 2022 I wrote, tracked, and mixed some of the songs in collaboration with Andrew. It was a great learning experience putting an E.P. together remotely and I'm really proud of how it ended up.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on a few projects and preparing for some sessions happening at the studio later in the month. I'm excited about finishing my own E.P. (it's so close!) and performing that live.

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

A: Andrew Shier. He's a Canadian singer/songwriter musician extraordinaire. I've played and recorded a lot with Andrew and he always lifts a song and is so fun and easy to work with. He can hear the perfect melody every time and his voice is amazing.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: It's a mix. Analog sounds great, digital is also so close and very convenient at times.

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

A: I promise to get the track to how you imagined it in your head and serve the song not my ego.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love recording and giving the client what they wanted and more. I love the discussion and back-and-forth about what will serve the song the most.

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

A: What do you charge? How long will this take? Do you have any ideas of what would work here? I've written the drum parts already, can you please play this part exactly?

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

A: That it's set up the mics and GO! It takes time to get the drums sounding right and and get the perfect take/part for the song. A lot of work goes in before I hit 'record'.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are some influences behind this song? Do you have any sounds/references you have in mind? What's the deadline for this? What can I do to help you get what you want?

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

A: Don't be afraid to be clear about what you want, or ask the artist to do it again if it's not quite right for you. You're paying for a service and deserve to get a product you're happy with.

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

A: 1. OP- 1 2. kick and snare 3. SM57 4. Tape Echo 5. Juno

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

A: I have been doing this for about 15 years. I went to Jazz school and studied performance on the drums, played and practiced a lot. Then I ended up in Canada for a bit and got right into recording and Ableton. Since returning to Aus I've been able to buy some gear and set up a studio which I love doing

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: In the pocket but with a bit of salt and pepper for seasoning if needed.

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

A: Mac Demarco seems like a great guy, obsessed with recording, and writes awesome songs. I love the punch and simplicity of his drum parts but his songs are awesome too.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Get the sound right at the source. Especially with drums, make sure it sounds great coming in clean through the mics and into the DAW. That means getting the drums in the right spot in the room, mic placement and having your drums tuned and sounding the way you want them before you mix.

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

A: Usually, it's pop, folk, country, or rock. I do some experimental stuff as well but not as often.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Strongest skill would be staying out of my own way and just doing what the song and artist need. No ego and understanding the most important thing is to serve the song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I like to think that I bring what the song needs from the drums. Sometimes that's laying down a really simple groove in the pocket and others it's more creative and colorful. Again it depends on what the client is after and I deliver what they ask for. I also love giving ideas if they are wanted/needed and creating a back-and-forth until we get the right part for the song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typical process is have a conversation with the client and understand what they are after. I'll then track some different ideas or takes and get some more feedback. After this I'll send through the final take(s) and make sure the client is happy, I am always happy to do edits or re-track everything until the client is happy. I usually find that the chat at the beginning of the process helps with creating less confusion.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is set up around the drums which sit in the center of the room where they sound the best in that space. I have lots of mics and vary the position around the drums depending on the sound. Everything runs through my Audient ASP880 and id 44. I also have a bunch of synths and guitars at the ready, I like everything within reach and ready to go so that I can track easily all the time without having to run around shifting cables and crawling under the desk!

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

A: Aaron Sterling (John Mayer, Lana Del Ray, 100's of others) is a really creative drummer but also an amazing producer and engineer who gets some fantastic sounds out of his drums and the studio. Bands like Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Tame Impala, Youseff Dayes, Matt Corby all create unique sounds on their records which I love.

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

A: Drum recording sessions, either remote or in person at my home studio, or tracking somewhere at a client's request. The length and work vary from artist to artist, some want just a single song or it could be a full album or E.P. A lot of the remote work involves sending through ideas, discussing them, and then tracking the drums, usually with a few alternate takes for the client to have as well.