May 03, 2023

#168: Producer/Drummer Lucas McKinnon On Remote Session Drumming, Drum Production, Creative Collaboration And Getting The Perfect Foundation For Your Song

54 minutes

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Episode show notes:

Lucas McKinnon is an artist, multi-instrumentalist, session drummer, record producer, owner of Silverside Sound (a beautiful recording studio) and inviting him to the podcast was long overdue!

So let's talk session drums (and all things drum production, actually)!

If you got our Mixes Unpacked - Vol. 2 course, you've seen Malcom dissect his mix of "Dark Ice" by Skov.

The drums on that song, which many of you loved, have been played and recorded by Lucas McKinnon.

So we wanted to talk to Lucas about what goes into recording drums remotely for other artists.

What are the challenges, how do you collaborate effectively, how do you make sure to get the vibe right and understand the artist's vision? Those were some of the questions on our minds.

Also things like setting up, choosing the right setup and keeping the drums in good shape for every session.

Because, let's be honest, your typical remote drummer that you hire online is likely to leave the same drum skins on the kit forever, always use the same setup and not really put serious effort into creating and capturing the perfect tones for your song. From scratch. Every single time. Which is exactly what Lucas does. And how it should be done.

And his job doesn't end there. Sure, you can just get the raw multitracks and drag them into your session. But depending on what the project needs, people like Lucas can edit or even mix the drums in the context of the song, so you can get a finished product, even if you're not an engineer but a writer and musician.

Specialized, professional drummers and engineers like Lucas McKinnon or our very own "Dr. Drums" Thomas Krottenthaler bring a level of expertise to every project that is truly invaluable.

They solve the biggest problems DIY-producers and musicians have: Drum production and getting the groove right. This is by far the hardest thing to do on your own, especially if you're not experienced and don't have a great room to do it.

Malcom and Lucas have collaborated on many records over the years and have a professional relationship and friendship that is the perfect foundation for an inspiring and insightful conversation like this.

Let's go!

-Benedikt

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For full show notes go to: https://theselfrecordingband.com/168

If you have any questions, feedback, topic ideas or want to suggest a guest, email us at: [email protected]

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By Benedikt Hain / Manel Espinosa Berenguer

1212 ratings