Brendan Lyons on SoundBetter

Ever hired a drummer on SoundBetter and not received what you want the first time? That will NEVER happen when you hire me to work with you. I utilize software called Sessionwire in order to tie you in directly to my studio so that you can produce my playing in real-time, ensuring that you get exactly what you're looking for - no revisions needed.

My name is Brendan Lyons and I want YOU to produce my playing in real-time while we work together to make sure my drum parts serve your song.

If you book me through SoundBetter, we will arrange a time where we can meet online in Sessionwire, a platform that allows you to connect directly with me via video and high quality audio - and you'll be able to hear EXACTLY what my drums sound like in my studio as if you were in the control room of a real studio.

This connection is extremely important to me - I want you to be able to produce me while I'm tracking the drums and percussion for your song so that you get exactly what you want as quickly as possible. No sitting around waiting for DropBox folders of revisions days later, no emails back and forth with revision notes - it all happens in the moment - like a real studio session.

I've spent the last few years freelancing with some of Canada's top acts and am currently the touring drummer for 26x CCMA award winning country artist Gord Bamford.

Microphone set up:
Kik In - M88
Kik Out - UT47FET
Snr Top - M201
Snr Bot - 441
Snr Dist - Verge
Hats - SM57
T1 - LS-308
T2 - LS-308
(T3 if used)
(T4 if used)
OH L - twin87
OH R - twin87
Room L - X-15
Room R - X-15
Mono Room
Wurst
Phone
Shoulder mic

Send me a note through the contact button above.

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Interview with Brendan Lyons

Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I recently started an online series called Musicians In Basements Drinking Coffee with a few of my friends. It revolves around our lives as professional freelance musicians as well as music that we write with our friends who are also in the music industry full time. We attempt to write a piece of music in under 30 minutes - from the genesis of the idea to final recording/filming. Check it out on YouTube and Facebook! I'm also the full time touring drummer for 26 time Canadian Country Music Award winning country artist Gord Bamford - so that takes up a lot of time as well!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I typically work in country music but have experience with all kinds of genres. Musical theatre is a passion of mine (through my fiancé) and I thoroughly enjoy playing in the pit for productions around the city.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I find I bring a different energy to songs than some of my peers. Though I consider myself very clinical in my approach to recording music, I have no problem playing looser or more bombastic if the occasion calls for it. I also consider myself a very positive person and am willing to do whatever it takes to make the client feel comfortable and happy with the final product.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Typically after receiving the project from the client, I will record a rough pass of what I’m hearing for the song and send that back to the client to see if I’m on the right track. After approval, I track three passes of the song and edit them if need be - strip silence, time alignment, etc. Then I either package up the stems only, or I send the entire ProTools/Logic/Live/etc session to the client.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My setup is simple. A purpose built soundproof room in the basement of my home. I use ProTools primarily but I’m comfortable using a number of DAWs - Logic, Live, Mixbus. I use a Focusrite Safire Pro40 and an Octopre MKIII as my AD and have a wide selection of microphones appropriate for recording drums. Audix D series mics, Shure beta52 and SM57, Sennheiser 441, and many others to choose from. I’ve treated the room appropriately and it sounds amazing for what it is!
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I’m inspired greatly by a number of master studio drummers - Jeff Porcaro, Chris McHugh, Nir Z, Vinne Colaiuta, Carlos Vega and Todd Sucherman to name a few. I am also deeply inspired by certain recording engineers and producers - George Massenburg being first and foremost, Dann Huff, Brendan O’Brien to name a couple more. Also, drummers and engineer themselves out of their home studios and appear on award winning albums - Aaron Sterling, Ash Socan, etc.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most commonly I am approached to record and/or program drums and percussion remotely for producers and singer songwriters. This also involves editing the final drum part if need be. (Strip silencing, time alignment, etc) I take extreme care in the way I engineer each session as not only are the drums tones themselves often unique to a song, the engineering is as well. Mic placement, gain structure and often times processing in the box are all things I have been asked to do before delivering the final product.