chad smith

Behind the Scenes with Chad Smith

Behind the Scenes with Chad Smith

Yesterday we posted video of Chad & Kevin tracking “Eagle Eye”. Today we bring behind the scenes footage from the session.

As far as sessions go it went pretty smooth. Working with professional musicians like Chad & Kevin make my job as an engineer pretty easy. Kevin and I had talked quite a bit in the weeks leading up to the session so I had a pretty good idea on what type of tones they wanted.

We decided to use a vintage Rogers Holiday kit restored by a good friend of mine Kurt Berger and drum whisperer Chris Heuer. It is a truly amazing drum set. I love all of my kits but that kit just has the “it” factor. It really is amazing.

Kevin brought his Mark Bass rig which is a piece of cake to record. Although Kevin could make any bass rig sound good the Mark Bass is bad ass.

All in all this was a really fun day in the studio. Tarja joined us via Skype from Buenos Aires and stayed on for the entire session. Once we’d get a track we would also send them an MP3 to listen to. This is one of the great ways that technology has made our lives better. It was an international session!

Tarja is a wonderful person and an amazing artist. Check the new album out at www.tarja-theshadowself.com. Links to purchase the album are below.

Anyway let’s get to the video! I’ll post a full list of the mics used and a few photos below too.

Enjoy!
Charlie

 

 

The Brightest Void
Tarja CD DigipakTarja 1LP+DownloadTarja iTunes

 

Microphone List

  • Kick In: MXL A55 kicker
  • Kick Out: Studio Projects CS5
  • Snare Top: SM57
  • Snare Bottom: SM57
  • Snare Side: Cascade Fathead II
  • Hats: Audio-Technica ATM450
  • Rack Toms: Heil PR30
  • Floor Toms: Audio-Technica AT4047
  • Ride: Audio-Technica ATM450
  • Overheads: Audio-Technica AT4060 Tube Mics
  • Mono Room: Cascade Knucklehead Ribbon Mic
  • Stereo Rooms: Audio-Technica AT4080 Ribbon Mics
  • Stereo Wide Rooms: Audio-Technica AE3000
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    Posted by Charlie in News, Recording Tips, Tracking, Video Posts, 0 comments
    In Session w/Chad Smith!

    In Session w/Chad Smith!

    Some sessions are fun…and then some sessions are FUN!

    Few drummers can lay down a groove like Chad Smith. Few bass players can lay down a groove like Kevin Chown. Together, they form an unstoppable rhythm section. For most musicians watching them work together would be the ultimate educational experience.

    They are not only masters at their crafts but they understand that music is made by collaboration. By working together, they create parts they lay the foundation for great music.

    Now mix that formidable rhythm section with rock superstar, Tarja Turunen, and you’ve got yourself one hell of an album!

    Eagle Eye“, from Tarja’s new album “The Brightest Void“, is a track that features Chad Smith on drums. We filmed the entire session (almost 10 hours!) and have put together an awesome, in-studio, music video feature Chad & Kevin with the final audio from the album!

    Tomorrow we’ll roll out some behind the scenes footage from the session so stay tuned!

     

    The Brightest Void
    Tarja CD DigipakTarja 1LP+DownloadTarja iTunes

     

    Tarja Turunen
    “Eagle Eye”

     

    Posted by Charlie in News, Tracking, Video Posts, 0 comments
    Recording with Chad Smith (w/Video)

    Recording with Chad Smith (w/Video)

    Ultimate Studios, Inc. was recently invaded by Chad Smith and Kevin Chown who were recording for international superstar Tarja Turunen.

    Tarja’s music is extremely dynamic with very orchestral arrangements. To match the demands of the music we set Chad up with a late 60’s Rogers Holiday kit with 10″, 12″, 13″ rack toms, 14″ & 16″ floor toms and a 24″ kick. This kit was massive and sounded even more massive!

    Working together in Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats, Chad and Kevin have formed one of the most formidable rhythm sections in music. To make this session even better we tracked them together! The way a great rhythm section should be tracked!

    “When you have a rhythm section as good as Chad and Kevin they absolutely have to play together. There is simply no other way to do it. Watching them interact with each other in the room and hearing the energy and groove they were creating was simply fantastic. This is exactly why I built Ultimate Studios, Inc!” says engineer Charlie Waymire.

    Check out Tarja at: www.tarjaturunen.com and the Bombastic Meatbats at: www.facebook.com/bombasticmeatbats

    Check out a short video clip from the session.

    Awesome day tracking drums and bass with Chad Smith and Kevin Chown yesterday. Awesome rhythm section!

    A video posted by @ultimatestudiosinc on

     

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    Posted by Charlie in News, Tracking, Video Posts, 0 comments