Chris Stromquist on SoundBetter

New York City based session drummer and percussionist with 20+ years of experience playing worldwide. I have played and recorded every style of music under the sun and will add groove, energy and soul to your songs! Making music is an absolute joy for me and I will bring that passion to your songs to make them the best they can possibly be!

I have a great selections of drums, mics, preamps plus a great sounding room and I am ready to make your songs take off! I love collaboration and am more than happy to discuss options for sounds, parts, orchestrations, etc. Please get in touch and let me know how I can help!

Spotify playlist of a rather incomplete discography but you will get an idea: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3HlU4p3fOnas6Ls1Oxx9Bf?si=NzyX7e1xQfascqIIGZ82Ug

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Chris Stromquist

Justin Paul
Sam Smith
Benj Pasek
Ben Platt
SZA
Slavic Soul Party!
Slavic Soul Party!
Michael Hearst
Slavic Soul Party!
Slavic Soul Party!
Slavic Soul Party!
Hans York
Hans York
Hans York
Bruce Elzinga
Pacific Northwest Chamber Chorus
Richard Cole
Richard Cole
Richard Cole
Richard Cole
Forgotten Sol
Forgotten Sol
Forgotten Sol
Jennifer Leonhardt
Eric Anders
Eric Anders
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Sonando
Kultur Shock
Kultur Shock
Kultur Shock

8 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client

Endorse Chris Stromquist

by Saniyah X
Verified (Client)
Love working with Chris! Very precise on his vocal needs and top notch communication.
by Oliver
Verified
On Chris' profile under "Sounds Like" he puts himself and it turns out to be very true. He recorded a great drum track and importantly it also sounds unique. He offered a variety of initial takes and was quick to provide further iterations and compile a finished version. The sound quality of the recorded kit was great.
by Saniyah X
Verified (Client)
Chris was awesome! He knew exactly what he wanted and the sound he was going for. Communication was great and we turned this job around really quickly. I look forward to working with him in the future and I wish him and his wife the best on their business venture!
by Leonard R.
Verified
Second time coming to Chris. He did such an outstanding job on his initial track, that we wanted to include him in a video. He was happy to help out. He is a great find!
by Karen H.
Verified
Chris was a delight to work with. Wonderful communication and excellent drums! I'll certainly be hitting him up again.
by Ryan Shea Smith
Chris Stromquist is a World Class Drummer. Whether its metal, punk, jazz, folk or R&B, Chris understands the nuances of the genre and is amazing at every style of music. Chris is a humble person who cares about others and is always open to learning and sharing his knowledge. I have witnessed his genius in the studio & Chris' pocket, touch and tone makes records sound world class.
by Leo Sidran
Chris is that rare breed of drummer who's as comfortable with nuanced, subtle details as he is rocking out. His eclectic experience and set of influences have opened him up to a seemingly limitless set of musical ideas. He’s a song drummer – he really takes into consideration the needs of the song, the artist, and above all, the groove. But he has a bunch a of tricks up sleeve if he needs them.
by Amy Denio
I have collaborated with Chris on a variety of projects over the last 20 years. He's my favorite drummer and percussionist. Chris is able to play any style of music (or any meter) that you can imagine, and is easy to communicate with. He has excellent gear, and you'll be delighted with his rock solid sound, as well as his creative ideas. Let your songs shine with Chris Stromquist on drums!

Interview with Chris Stromquist

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Tracks for various Soundbetter clients as well as various friends in New York City and around the world!
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Amy Denio!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: (While listening to the demo) 1. Is this a demo or final tracks? 2. Was this recorded to a click? 3. Three adjectives to describe how you hear the finished song in your head? 4. Three adjectives to describe how you hear the finished drum performance? (i.e. Groovy, Aggressive, Mellow, Busy, Laid-Back, Relaxed, Happy)
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Write/record/create music because it makes you happy, not because you want to be rich and famous. If being creative makes you feel ALIVE then please never stop!!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Drums, sm57 (to hammer in the tent stakes), mic cable, interface, computer!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Communication is awesome!!!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Everything!!
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My time feel, my ears, the sound of my drums, recording gear and room. My ability to work with, understand and realize the creative vision of a wide variety of artists.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Pocket, Groove, Feel, Originality, High Quality Sound, Creative Ideas, Professionalism, Quick turn around
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: 1. Discuss the demo with the artist 2. Listen to reference tracks if provided 3. Start recording, quickly bounce a few mp3s for the artist 4. Discuss sounds, feel, creative direction with the artist 5. Record takes 6. Provide takes via mp3 to artist for approval 7. Revise/re-record/comp as needed 8. Provide drum stems to the artist via Dropbox
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Drums: Vintage 1970s kits by Ludwig, Slingerland, modern 2000s kits by Yamaha, Sonor. Cymbals by Bosphorus, Istanbul Agop, Meinl, Zildjian and Sabian. Metric Halo 2882 converters. Capi VP26, Capi VP28, Purple Audio Microphone Preamps. Capi 553f & LC40 EQs. Microphones: Shure ksm32, sm57, beta58a, beta27, beta52, Sennheiser 421, Neumann u87 clones, Neumann km84 clones, FatHead II Ribbon Mics (Lundahl transformers), Audio-Tecnica 4033, 4050, CAD 300. Logic Pro X DAW.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Drum multi-tracks in a wide variety of genres