Ross Hodgkinson on SoundBetter

I'm a drummer, percussionist & drum programmer with over 14 years of professional performance/recording experience. Exposed to a multitude of music throughout my career, I'm ready to tackle any sized project with the best feel & sound, focused on serving your song & fulfilling your vision.

Hello - my name is Ross Hodgkinson! I have drummed for artists including Del Water Gap, UPSAHL, Ethan Bortnick, Jessie James Decker, Laura Marano, Skylar Grey, Brooke Alexx & many more.

I've been doing online and in-person sessions for over 10 years for countless artists. My roots are in rock, pop, country, folk, indie, americana, and singer-songwriter, and I've done drum tracks in just about every genre imaginable over my years of remote recording.

I record at my studio in a room that is tuned and treated, featuring API/Neve style preamps and great mics. I record 8 channels of drums with sounds ranging from dirty and greasy to clean and polished; from tight and crisp to big and bombastic.

Feel free to reach out with any questions- I'd love to work on your project!

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

4 Reviews

Endorse Ross Hodgkinson

by John Steinmiller
Working with Ross was incredible! Great drumming and great sound. Communication was clear and timely. Would highly recommend!
by JacobDoesDrums
Ross has possibly the tightest pocket in all of the Los Angeles area. Perfect sounds for your song and has a great attitude, 10/10 would and WILL use again.
by Sandra Smith
Ross went above and beyond when adding drums & percussion to my song. Will definitely be calling him again!
by Jacob McCaslin
Best session drummer you can find in LA. Highly recommend!

Interview with Ross Hodgkinson

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a modern digital recording studio with a Universal Audio Apollo as the hub. I treat my UA plugins as outboard gear, tracking through them using the Apollo software and printing straight into Pro Tools. Their plugins sound identical to the actual pieces of hardware that they emulate resulting in drum tracks that are mix-ready from the moment you fly the stems into your session. I have a great microphone and drum/cymbal collection, meaning everything beginning from the initial instrument source is top quality. I have drums and cymbals that can cover all spectrums of sounds, meaning we can get big and bashy or small and tight drum sounds for your record very easily. I will always change my set up to tailor the drum sound to the specific track, making sure we have the best possible options for the track I'm working on. As well as the drums themselves, I have various drum accessories such as tea towels, mutes, muffling rings, tambourines, rivets, percussion, dowel brushes, etc to help me achieve the right vibe.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Step one is always getting on the same page as the writer & producer, in regards to both the sounds/vibe of the tracks we're recording and the parts that I'll be playing. Reference tracks and mock ups are always useful in regards to getting a taste of what you're after sonically and stylistically, however I'm equally as happy going in for a take without any instructions and working with you to get tracks that are perfect for your song from there!
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love getting to create music with clients from around the world!
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: The most common question I get asked is - what do you need to get started? All I need is a WAV file of the track with and without any programmed/placeholder drums and tempo of the track.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I've done tracks in most genres imaginable such as rock, pop, indie, country, singer-songwriter, alt rock, EDM, latin, jazz, musical theatre, k-pop, movie soundtracks & more!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: A hybrid of the two!
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: There are so many! I grew up on a balanced diet of rock, pop and jazz, loving players like Ringo Starr, Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, Philly Joe Jones, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, Josh Freese, James Gadson, Matt Chamberlain, Aaron Sterling, Levon Helm, Hal Blaine, Brian Blade, John Bonham & Dave Grohl.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Tracking live drums and percussion remotely from my studio!