Jeff Hooker

Live & Programmed Drum Tracks

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15 Reviews (1 Verified)
Jeff Hooker on SoundBetter

Session musician with a producer's perspective; tons of groove, energy, and tone to serve your next project. My tracks focus on helping your song become the best version of itself. Here for the flashy stuff, but also love the chill grooves.

Hi! My name is Jeff Hooker. I have drummed live /or in the studio for Disney, Sony, the United States Marine Corps, Matt Sallee, Don Most, Dara Maclean, Israel Houghton, and many others.

I've only been doing remote sessions for a few years but I've quickly fallen in love with it and gotten into a flow that really works for me. As you can hear in my reel, my roots are wide and I love all styles of music!

I record tracks in my custom room that's tuned up and sounding great. Currently I'm recording with 16 channels through Neve, API, and Thermionic Culture preamps, and I have lots of great mic options too. I'm very comfortable with tight sounds. Or let's make it roomy! Maybe something in-between? I have many drum, cymbal, and snare options and love getting creative. Feel free to reach out with any questions, I'd love to work on your next project!

Click the contact button above to reach me :)

Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.

15 Reviews

Endorse Jeff Hooker
  1. Review by Chad O.
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    Jeff didd an amazing job adding drums to a song I was working on. He matched the style and tone perfectly!!!

  2. Review by Jaime Mendoza
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    by Jaime Mendoza

    Have you ever had a projected so challenging that it seemed impossible. Last year I began such a project to restore a symphonic poem written by my father in 1952. Fortunately, I met Jeff who produced a wonderful recording of the work, entitled “Antawara.” I’m delighted to recommend Jeff, a consummate professional, whose musical acumen, experience, collaborative spirit, and attention to detail allowed this work to be heard again after 70 years.

  3. Review by Rich Kirkpatrick
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    by Rich Kirkpatrick

    Jeff offers musical precision while making me feel supported and comfortable as an artist. He gets me and what feel I’m looking for with ease. I highly recommend Jeff for both his musical chops and his desire for excellence. Plus, he’s fun!

  4. Review by Sarah
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    by Sarah

    I cannot say enough about Jeff! I came to him with a simple project idea and he turned my half-thought into a full-fledged arrangement and song. He met me (more than halfway) at each of my limitations and worked tirelessly to hit a very tight deadline. Needless to say, my solo project came out great and is something I will always treasure! 6/5 stars.

  5. Review by Baltazar Montoya
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    by Baltazar Montoya

    Jeff is an incomparable master drummer, engineer, and arranger. He is the type of creative who will always care more about your project than you do and strive to make it perfect every time. You cannot go wrong with his work! Every time I have worked with or hired him I have left extremely impressed, more intelligent, and confident that I have invested my time and money in the right place.

  6. Review by Kris Ornelas
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    by Kris Ornelas

    Jeff Hooker is the real deal. I've worked with him on several solo projects over the years and every experience has been wonderful. He is so professional and easy to work with. He also has an incredibly refined ear and is an exceptional musician himself (a GREAT drummer). He discerns the voices and instruments in a mix much like professional conductors discern the instruments in an orchestra. He hears it all! Jeff's studio equipment and production quality are also top-tier. He is a great guy and a joy to work with in every way. I plan on collaborating with him for years to come!

  7. Review by TJ Skiles
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    by TJ Skiles

    Jeff is a master at his craft. His attention to detail is second to none. For almost a decade he has made multiple tracks and samples for various projects for me. His work is excellent and professional in nature. I highly recommend him, you won’t be disapointed!

  8. Review by Alec
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    by Alec

    I have played music with Jeff and he has also done some recordings for me. He is a master of his craft! He always goes the extra mile and stresses over the little details not many other people would even notice. You will not be disappointed with his work!!

  9. Review by Michael Carapella
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    by Michael Carapella

    I've worked with Jeff for many years and, from my perspective, he checks all the boxes--and makes sure he checks all the boxes. Jeff is a serious, dedicated and accomplished drummer and he habitually listens to everything happening around him to ensure that everything sounds good--not just what he's playing. He brings this skill and dedication to the studio and has the ability to translate what you would like to hear to a finished product, whether it's something that you can describe in detail, or you simply want it to sound "better."

  10. Review by Kira Morrison
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    by Kira Morrison

    Jeff is one of the most professional and multi-talented drummers I've worked with. As a singer and bandleader I have worked with him in various settings and capacities, live and in the studio. Jeff is not only a great musician with such proficiency and mindfulness for any ensemble or any style of music, but he is also a great engineer and can really help move a project smoothly from start to finish. Great communication, always on time, and always a joy to work with!

  11. Review by Amanda
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    by Amanda

    I have been working with Jeff for many years on a variety of projects. I keep coming back to work with Jeff because the communication is so solid and the turnaround time is excellent. I have given him some pretty messy tracks to work with and somehow he works his magic and makes them sound super pro. He understands balance and can find ways to make any track sound great. He is a top-notch musician who cares about creating something beautiful and clean. Working with Jeff makes every project better.

  12. Review by Jeremy
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    by Jeremy

    Killer drum player! I have had the great pleasure of having Jeff play on several of my projects and he has nailed it every time. Has a great attitude that makes him so easy to work with.

  13. Review by Vic
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    by Vic

    Jeff is world-class artist with an ear, groove and attention to detail second to none. He is a true professional who’s character and integrity make him a joy to work with. I’ve been thrilled with the results of every project I’ve done with Jeff and look forward to many more. You will not be disappointed with the results of any level of project you utilize Jeff on.

  14. Review by Kristen
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    by Kristen

    I have had the privilege of playing live music with Jeff and having him produce and mix a track for me. Jeff is not only an incredible musician, but just a joy to work with. He’s honest, straightforward and also very encouraging which is a great combination when working on a personal project. I had some drums/percussion already in the track I sent over, but it sounded 100x better after Jeff worked on it. I’ve gotten compliments particularly on the drums of my song. He is very detailed and doesn’t overlook the power of nuance in a drum track. He is great at working within your genre!

  15. Review by Dan
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    by Dan

    Jeff is a joy to work with! Amazing feel and a versatile player. He's quick to make adjustments as requested and very communicative. Highly recommend!

Interview with Jeff Hooker

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

  2. A: The project I’m most familiar with is myself. I can’t say I’m 100% proud of me but every day I keep working on it.

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

  4. A: Always working on my craft and getting better every day.

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

  6. A: I haven’t done much work here yet.

  7. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  8. A: Both. We live in a world where you can use both easily, so we should take advantage.

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

  10. A: That we will work together to find the sound they’re looking for.

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

  12. A: I love making music.

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

  14. A: They want me to drum for them. And the answer is YESSSS

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

  16. A: I’m not really sure.

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

  18. A: I ask for some adjectives about the drum sound they’re looking for as well as a couple references to make sure I’d be a good fit for their music.

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

  20. A: The more clear you can be with your provider about what you want, the more they can deliver. References are extremely helpful!

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

  22. A: Kick, snare, hihats, piano, guitar

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

  24. A: I’m from a small not particularly musical town. I joined the military to get out, then ended up in San Diego. I learned a lot there, then went to college afterwards in Pasadena. In college I learned about recording and have been doing it ever since. I’ve had my own studio since 2021 and every day it gets better.

  25. Q: How would you describe your style?

  26. A: Malleable

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

  28. A: I like working with an artist that cares about their music because if you don’t care how can you expect anyone else to.

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

  30. A: Put the music before your ego.

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

  32. A: I truly do stay diverse, but typically it is commercial music. Genre-wise I do a lot of pop, rock, CCM, americana, jazz, and big band.

  33. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  34. A: My strongest skills are probably my ability to quickly learn a song and hear what it needs, and to quickly boil down what is making a certain reference special, then to bring those elements into my performance.

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

  36. A: I strive to make every song I play on the best version of that song it can be. I use my diverse background to listen to the song and hear what it needs. The one thing I don't bring into a song is preconceived or canned grooves.

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

  38. A: My typical work process is that I first receive tracks from clients, always at different levels of done-ness. Sometimes its a full productions with live drums added at the end, sometimes its just a click and a big band chart. It's always different and I'm comfortable with being anywhere in my clients timeline. - I add drums - Depending on their DAW and workflow I either send them a protools session, or I send them drums stems to drop into their session for processing.

  39. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  40. A: I record tracks in my custom room that's tuned up and sounding great. Currently I'm recording with 16 channels through Neve, API, Vintech, and Universal Audio preamps. I have lots of great mic options.. Vintage Neumann U47 FET, Coles 4038, AKG 451, EV 635a, plenty of Sennheiser 421s, a Sennheiser 441, Avantone CV-12, and many more. I'm very comfortable with tight sounds. Or let's make it roomy! Maybe something in-between? I have many drum, cymbal, and snare options and love getting creative.

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

  42. A: So many! Brian Blade, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Aaron Sterling, Jake Reed, and the list goes on.

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

  44. A: The most common work I do for clients is tracking drums and percussion.

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

  46. A: So many! Brian Blade, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Aaron Sterling, Jake Reed, and the list goes on.

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

  48. A: The most common work I do for clients is tracking drums and percussion.

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Jeff Hooker Drum Reel

I was the Drums and Percussion layers in this production

Terms Of Service

Turnaround time: 3-5 business days after receiving materials, rush orders available upon request. 2 rounds of revisions included, additional revisions available (pricing determined by project's needs)

GenresSounds Like
  • The 1975
  • Bethel Music
  • John Mayer
Gear Highlights
  • Neve 1073's
  • API 312's
  • vintage Neumann U47 fet
  • Sakae Celestial drum set
  • Craviotto drum set
  • Black Beauty
  • Acrolite
  • Supraphonic
  • vintage snare options
  • Istanbul Agop options
  • Zildjian options
  • AKG 451
  • Sennheiser 421's and 441
  • etc.
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