I would like to preface this by saying that we live in an amazing age of electronics and audio technology. In and of themselves, these marvels are amazing tools for us to make great music with great ease, and when used as a tool, they are great things. The dark side to this technology is that it can easily overwhelm and take over the art. Technology is not meant to create the human art. It is meant to capture and enhance. I personally love electronic music and the moods it can create, so long as there is a human there, manipulating the technology to get his or her art across. So it’s clear, I love the modern music technology, so long as it is not the source of the music.

That said, I have no real desire to spend any time talking about the people generating prefab or programming “beats” or drum loops to take the easy way out in making music, or using electronic drum sets (which is also kind of cheating, though I understand the reasoning many use them to get their drums tracked. I am instead going to focus on the keys to recording great drums in the traditional sense of recording a drummer playing acoustic drums. With the technology available, I think just about anyone with a computer of some sort, a few mics, and some way to get them into your recording device or software, can easily record themselves playing drums. Here are some keys to get the best our of your recordings whether you are tracking in a major studio, in a smaller project studio, or in your parents garage.

1) TUNE YOUR DRUMS

You might think this is a pretty basic concept but for many drummers, this gets neglected. I can’t tell you how many drummers I have met with DW drums with gold hardware, brand new heads, looking amazing and sounding like absolute garbage. The beauty of drums is that they don’t have to be in perfect pitch to sound good, but tuning is important. Depending on your personal preferences and the song you are recording on, there are a near infinite number of ways that you can tune your drums and have them sound incredible. Head choices play a part (and should be considered for what you are going to record), the drum shells also play a part, and the room you are tracking in plays a part. You should start by getting each drum head tuned pretty close to the same pitch at each lug. I personally feel like you should develop an ear for pitch, but if you use a device or app, more power to you. Again, it doesn’t have to be a perfect pitch, so long as the drum sounds good to the ear when struck. Keep in mind that microphones are going to pick up sounds more accurately then the human ear will. If you faintly hear some oddball sound or buzz on your own, it will certainly be there on playback. The simple way to think about it is Good Input = Good Output. If it sounds good to your ears, it will likely sound good recorded as well (though there are always exceptions to that rule).

2) MUFFLE SLIGHTLY IF NEEDED

Before we dive in here, it is always best to get as much as you can from your drums. You can always do things in post to take away, but it’s very difficult to add anything. If you can, it is best to record your drums without muffling, or if anything, a slight muffling (maybe to control overtones or tame a frequency in a room). I personally play live and record with strips of Electrical Tape on my toms and snare because it really does not change the sound of the drums, save for tamping down stray high end frequencies and focusing the drum ever so slightly. Much more subtle than moon gel, which I find shortens the decay of your drums considerably, or O-rings which essentially turns your drum into a great sounding bucket. Your personal preferences come into play here, and there may be certain songs or situations where you want more muffling to achieve the sound you are after. I don’t want to chastise muffling your drums, but just remember, the more you take away before the microphone captures it, the less you have to work with in your recording. You can always EQ the drums to get the sound you want and less of what you don’t (to a point).

3) MICROPHONES AND PLACEMENT

So, now your drums are all set up in the recording space and sound great to your ears. Now, you need to Mic these bad boys up so you can get in the mix! Thankfully, you don’t have to spend a fortune on drum mics, or even necessarily need a bunch of mics to get a great drum sound. We live in an amazing age of technology for musicians and there are so many choices of microphones of any type and budget that will get the job done! I won’t get into specific mics this time around. Instead, I would prefer to talk about some placement options and what they do for you.

“Letting It Breathe” – You can capture a a nice general drum sound with this technique. Essentially, you mic the kick drum, and put up one or two pencil condenser or large diaphragm mics overhead, and a bit further away than usual to capture the overall sound of your drumkit as a collective. This configuration doesn’t allow for much mixing of individual parts, so it relies heavily on dynamic and musical playing, but for advanced drummers that enjoy a more airy and organic sound, this is still a very popular way to mic drums. This is also a very popular way of recording live drums on a limited number of channels.

“The Core 4” – This is kind of an extension of the “Letting It Breathe” configuration, and adding in a snare mic. The overheads also get back to a more normalized distance. It should be noted that anytime you use more than one overhead, you should make sure the overhead mics have an equal distance from the snare drum to avoid any major phase issues. The core 4 is probably one of the most commonly used micing setups for tracking drums in live situations or where there are a limited number of channels available. It is popular in rock music in particular where the thinking is Kick, Snare, and everything else.

“Live 5/6” – This was pretty popular back in the late 80s, and through the 90s. Most drummers were using 4 and 5 piece kits, so it made sense to try and get some control over the toms individually and really fill out the mix without going too crazy on mics. Typically, they mic’ed Kick, Snare, Rack Tom, Floor Tom, and an overhead (or two for the live 6). If you have three toms, they around stick a mic between two and one on the other drum that was by itself. This two for one mic deal works best with rack toms, as they are higher pitched and often require less EQ. Floor toms are best individually mic’ed to get the most out of them. Overheads can either be used to grab mostly cymbals, or to fill out the sound with the mid range opened up a bit for a “live” sound.

“Studio Direct” – The typical direct micing situation a studio uses is one mic per drum, and two overheads. Sometimes a snare gets an underside mic as well, and other variations, but for the most part, each drum is directly miced and the cymbals get two overheads. Larger kits may often add in a third overhead to make sure the cymbals get a balanced and complete representation. Hi Hats and rides may also get their own mics. For me, I typically record without a hi hat mic or ride mic. I tend to go for a balanced but equal cymbal sound (and my hi hat work cuts quite well on it’s own). Every drum gets an individual mic, as does Kick, and two overheads for cymbals. I find this is the best standard micing situation for most recordings (at least for me).

Now placement is a pretty debated subject, and there is lots of room for you to experiment, and figure out what works best for you. The more recent trend is for direct micing to aim flat at the drum head, about two inches inside the rim. I prefer the old school method of aiming into the center of the drum but that is just me. As mentioned before, make sure you keep your overheads an equal distance from the snare drum to avoid phase issues. If you have lots of toms, or may want to think about using a gate on each one to help separate them (or anything that might bleed over). I think gating your snare is crucial. Speaking of snare, mic placement is wide open here, but if you want a more direct sound, mic about an inch above the rim and aim into the center. If you want a more open sound, move the mic back from the rim about an inch and a half, still aiming at the center of the head. In conjunction with a bottom snare mic, this can really open up the drum and give you more or less articulation. For the kick, closer to the beater inside the drum gives you more attack and direct sound. More towards the port hole (if you have one) gives you more of a round shell sound.

4) DYNAMIC PLAYING

I cannot stress enough to you, that you are the most important part of your drumming. Recording or otherwise. Your passion, playing, feeling, and dynamics create your performance, and that performance is the real art. The gear are the tools you use to create and capture your art, but it is not the art. You are the artist! Just like a paintbrush or canvas board is not the painting, your drums and microphones are not your music! The best or worst gear in the world can do nothing without your performance! Make whatever music you track on come alive with your playing! Your musical voice is the most important part of the whole recording process. Ultimately, that is what will shine through on the track. Not the gear, not the drums themselves, but your voice. If you keep that in mind, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish! I have heard masterpieces played on junky kits and I have heard crap played on insanely expensive kits. Nice gear makes it easier to express yourself, but there is no limit to what an artist can do on whatever gear they use, if it comes from the heart! The music is in you, not your gear!

In summary, these are the most important keys to success in my mind. There is plenty of other stuff that I could vamp on, but at the end of the day, the keys to success in making a good drum recording are the following. Make the most of your gear (IE; Tune your drums, muffle if needed, make good head/cymbal/tuning choices for the music you are tracking for), make the most of the space you are tracking in (tuning for the room, muffling again if needed, microphone setups and placement), play dynamically, and the most important, have fun and remember that you are the artist! Let your musical voice shine and make the music sound it’s best!

– Chris McKinney

I would like to dive right in with a big word. Ambidexterity. This simply means the ability to use both right and left hands equally well. With drummers in particular, this is a very useful skill. Most of us learn to depend more on one hand from our early days and that becomes our dominant hand. A majority of people are right handed. It determines a lot of things, including how we set up our drums and how we move around them. Most of us assign our non-dominant hand to simple duties, such as playing back beats on the snare drum. There is nothing wrong with that, but what if we could open up our playing, or change job duties of different hands at different times? Think of the possibilities.

I am not the first to imagine this. Open handed players are less of an oddity these days, but I think it is still considered a rarity. Some drummers are fully committed to this approach. Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band), Gary Husband (Level 42), and Simon Phillips (Toto) are just a few more famous examples of open handed players. What about those of us who are already locked into that cross hand thing? There is hope. With patience and training you can develop your weak hand to get more out of it. I myself fall into this category, but while I might not be able to sign my name with my left hand, I am able to switch up after years of practice and working on my less dominant hand. With enough time and developments, you can open up some cool things such as left and right call and response, leading with your weak hand, or swapping lead hands.

By far the greatest gift that ambidextrous playing offers is the ability to hold the grove no matter what else you are doing on the kit. Keep the high hat and snare going while in the middle of a long drawn out drum fill. Dual ride/hat patterns are now possible. A more casual benefit that I use often is being able to interplay between the ride and hi hats in both continuous patterns as well as counter rhythms and poly rhythms when I am getting more adventurous. Here is a great example of how a little help from the weak hand can help really make life easier as a drummer! I encourage you to challenge yourself to work up that other hand and open up even more possibilities for yourself!

– Chris McKinney

I would like to talk about that thing that no one likes to talk about or admit that even exists. The elephant in the room for most of us (especially musicians and artists in general). Ego. For most people, when they even hear the word, they run for cover in a defensive dash, in preparation for getting called out or fear of receiving some ill derived toxic criticism. The term itself has taken on a negative status in our modern day of righteous indignation and virtue signaling (and other such deflections and redirections). So what is the deal with that damning term, “Ego?”

The almighty Google defines Ego as; “A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.” In and of itself, that really isn’t a bad thing. The street meaning of Ego takes on a bit more negative view. That version reads more like; “A person’s false sense of self greatness and overly exaggerated self importance, often derived from an abundance of character flaws and negative intent.” I would like to hereby dismiss the widely accepted common version and get back to the real thing. I think it is important to have a good ego. Ego derives from your sense of self but translates into everything you do. I have a friend that put it in a great context for me many years ago, when I had mentioned that I did not want to be seen as egotistical. He said, “You need enough ego go out and put on your A game every time. However, anything more than that is a waste.” That stuck with me and I think it is right on.

It really is okay for you to have a good opinion of yourself. You should strive to be happy in and of yourself. If you aren’t, I encourage you to work on whatever is keeping you feeling that way. That is not to say that you should worship yourself, as that is pretty dangerous, but it’s okay to feel good about yourself. It’s sad that we live in an age where someone would even have to tell you that it’s okay to like yourself. It’s also healthy to always re-evaluate yourself, identify your issues, and work on them, but self loathing is a killer. Strive for the best you, daily, but like what you do good, and like who you are. You were given the unique gift of you, and it’s up to you to be a good steward [to manage and/or look after] of that gift.

More specifically to the musical end, you need a solid ego to play at your best, every time you sing or play your instrument(s). Confidence is a great quality. Cockiness is less admirable. The difference primarily comes from their use of ego. A strong ego used to put on a great performance falls under confidence. A strong ego used to outperform or make others look inferior would fall in the cocky category. At the end of the day, are you more interested in serving the band and music, or yourself? An ego check can help you re-align, and it’s never too late to get right.

So, what if someone plays more than they need to on a song, doesn’t that make them egotistical? Not necessarily. Again, what is their intention and what is their execution? There is nothing wrong with using your talents and abilities. Everyone has their own ideas about what is good and what is too much, but at the end of the day, if it works in the music, then it’s all good. I think some tolerance for personal expression is a good thing. I hear belly-aching from musicians sometimes about bands or other musicians, and it usually leads to an often misunderstood and over used word. “Pretentious.”

Google defines pretentious as; “Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.” This ties in with the ego discussion is it stems from a negative use of ego. We live in a day and age however, where so many seem to get upset when they see anyone else succeeding or even attempting to succeed. This also is detrimental as it has led to so many trying to ruin others they see as making any progress. We as a society should really start taking a look in the mirror. A little more tolerance could do wonders for everyone. And as a musician, I am often inspired by those that have something to offer or that make it. I have a hard time understanding the constant contempt for anyone that would do well.

So, where do we stand after we look at ego, and the negative and positives derived from it? At the end of the day, you should always strive to be the better you, and all that you pursue. There is nothing wrong with confidence and believing in yourself. You should feel good about you. With that, you should try to remain humble and be considerate of others, but know what you offer and know yourself. Represent yourself and never be afraid to better yourself and reach for the stars. Have the security in yourself to appreciate the success of others, even if it’s not your cup of tea, and who knows, maybe you can even learn something from them. If your intentions are good, you can yield good results from them. Don’t be afraid to check yourself and re-evaluate, but remember to like yourself. After all, you know you best, and you can make a great person with the hand you have been dealt, even if you have to work around some things [as we all do]. I believe in you, so there is a start right there. Get your ego right, and show the world who you are!

– Chris McKinney

We all face struggles in our daily lives and in the the pursuit of our goals/dreams/careers. Both as a human being and in our given professional lives as well. For me, this culminates in what I am; a full time drummer. Several years ago, after moonlighting as a part time professional drummer for many years, I took the plunge and took on my dreams full time. It’s been said that most people don’t live out their dreams because they are unwilling to sacrifice enough to achieve them. There have been many things I have had to sacrifice to make it work as well. I gave up living on my own to reduce my financial overhead, among many other reasons. It is a logical step, as the key to building any business is to minimize your overhead to maximize your income after the bills are paid, especially since income will be very small at first. As a very private person that highly values their personal space and freedom to live on one’s own terms, this constantly takes a toll on me, but is something I chose to surrender for the end goal. Others often look down on you as well, like you are being lazy or not responsible enough to live on your own. I will not let pride keep me from living out my dreams, and I choose to take that hit up front and let people think what they will, for the prize I am after later, but don’t think it doesn’t sting.

I also surrendered something most people are completely unwilling to give up. Romantic relationships. No, I am not some new age monk or something like that. Just not getting tangled up in serious relationships where I will be gone all of the time and leaving people feeling neglected or unimportant. There are some silver linings here however that make this much more bearable for me. For one, I was wired to be a lone wolf kind of guy. I am fiercely independent, and as stated above, I value my space and freedom. I am a bit of a free spirit and a rebel, though not without reason or logic. I do not like being overtly controlled or manipulated away from my goals. I view this as a willful attack on me and my future, which makes manipulators an enemy, attempting to sabotage what I am working so hard and giving up so much for. I have seen relationships get in the way of dreams so often that this is most certainly a necessary step. I will revisit serious relationships after I have secured my future…maybe.

The sacrifices alone are not the issue. The struggles are just as daunting. As a drummer in this day and age, it is very difficult to just play drums in one band and make good money. Even before Covid-19 decimated the entertainment world, just playing an instrument in one band would not get you enough to build a future with, at least for those not in a multi-platinum selling national band selling our arenas every week. Here in the real world, you have to work to earn (even lazy jobless musicians). Most bands, even busy ones, don’t play enough to keep their musicians afloat without a job or side job. Even the regional and limited national touring acts. Doubly so if you are a “hired gun.” So I have done what I can to offer as much as I can. Not only do I play drums, but I am a decent backup singer (thanks to Seal, Sting, the radio, and lots of time practicing in the shower and car), a decent soundman (live, learning all the time on the recording end), a writer/contributor, and an amateur Video and Photo guy (videographers and photographers are pros, and that is not me). The more one can offer, the more valuable one becomes, and to that end, I am always working to become more valuable.

So the next logical step is to add more bands, and I have. I am the drummer (ie; permanent drummer, as in, member of the band) for Diamonds & Whiskey (country/rock), Thirsty Horses (cover/rock/pop), and Rosewave (rock/alternative/metal). I am also the primary drummer for the Lake City Church (Mooresville, NC) worship team. Outside of those bands, I am also an independent drummer (or “hired gun” if you will) for live shows, fill-ins, recording sessions, and one time events. I also offer sound services for live shows. Before Covid-19, this was working well and I was on my way to earning a solid living. So much so, that at one point, my music income dwarfed what I made monthly as a Produce Manager by about $600, consistently, and for less hours invested. It was a milestone, and it took a few years to build to that, but still a ways to go to get to my goals.

So, how do you deal with so many bands? Very carefully, and honestly, it is one of the biggest struggles. For one, you have to become your own manager/secretary/liaison, day in and day out, and you cannot become lazy in those roles, ever. The moment you let anything lapse, by accident or otherwise, it becomes a massive train wreck. Then, you have to actively ensure that each band is also constantly aware and up to date not only with their own schedules, but yours as well, and constant reminders about your schedule so they don’t book over you and then say its your fault. This is where tensions from all bands arise, because to each band, they are the most important thing in the world, and to you, they ALL are the most important thing in the world, both individually and collectively at the same time. I sacrifice a lot in this area to keep everyone happy and productive. I can’t tell you how many plans I have broken, the sleep I have lost, or the heated conversations I have had to endure over this. The worst are the last minute changes from venues or organizations, and then the fallout from those changes. And if you can’t work it out, YOU are the enemy and YOU will pay the price. It never matters who’s fault it is, you will pay in the end. And I do. But I love my bands, and I will do all that I can to honor my commitments, at almost any cost. I have always believed that your actions show who you are, and I live by that code.

With all of that said, there are many struggles and issues I have to face. I won’t lie and say that it is easy, or even fun all of the time. It’s the hardest thing I have ever done, and it only gets more challenging as things go on. As Diamonds & Whiskey has grown, even more challenges and obstacles arise. I am working on changing my eating habits and slimming down to fit the confines of today’s industry standards of image and management directives. And the pushes to look this way, play that way, and be anyone but who you are, because only anyone else could be the key to success, not you. Pete Loeffler (Vocalist, guitarist, writer – Chevelle) pretty much laid out what I am feeling these days as D&W makes it’s climb into the national level.

“In the beginning it seems that no one thinks beyond having fun
Which is why you write music in the first place
Always moving, refining, and pushing forward the art that one’s creating
Looking to the right time to share it
And then the headaches of criticism
Senior advisors, unseen people from above
Twisting, distorting that which we love
And never-ending problems with money
Holding you back, preventing progress
I thought you only started ’cause it was fun“

Chevelle – Wonder What’s Next

Fun. I remember it being fun, and it still is. For a while, I was questioning myself, like so many of us do on our journey. I suffer no immunity. Am I really a good enough drummer to play at that level? Do I deserve to be there? Would my band rather have some other drummer? Would they be better served if it were someone else? Does my playing even work for the music? And on and on and on. It’s easy to get lost in that trap. I give the same advise out to friends and acquaintances so often. So here I am, trying to avoid that same advice, and then it hit me recently. These questions have already been answered and the truth of it is undeniable. I was given a gift from birth. It is not of my own design. I recognized it, and worked very hard to cultivate it over the years. Not perfect mind you, not by a long shot, but I was given a gift and charged with using it. I deserve to be here. Not because I would like to or because I said that I should, but the people have spoken. Our fans, our friends, fellow drummers, musicians, engineers, and music lovers. So many kind words, stories, and encouragements from those near and far, known and unknown. At shows, at festivals, heck, even drummers, sound crews, and musicians from national bands at with compliments and kind words (and some laughs). I am where I am meant to be in this moment, and I will continue on the path. At the end of the day, it’s not so much what I think about me and my playing, it’s about all of you! I am humbled, honored, and proud to endure the struggle! It’s worth it, because you are worth it!

– Chris McKinney

Today, I have come full circle in my journey with Mapex. My story begins many years ago. In 2001, I had a Pearl Export drumset that I had expanded and upgraded greatly since getting it as a Christmas present from my father in 1994. I had been gigging and recording with a few bands during that time, and felt like I was ready to upgrade to something a bit more professional. I scoured the internet and stores, looking into and trying everything and then I came across Mapex. I had purchased a Pro Steel Snare to replace my original Pearl Steel Snare and loved it, so Mapex was on my radar. The Pro M set that my local Sam Ash had in the store blew my mind. I had saved my money, and had my first credit card, so I bought my first Mapex Pro M in early 2002. It really sounded amazing and took my playing to another level.

That first Mapex Pro M kit in Transparent Cherry finish was there with me when I joined my first original rock band, was in various studio session, was with me when I really became an in demand gigging musician, and really began honing my chops. I had so many great memories with that kit and during that time in my life. I fell on hard times as we often do in our youth and had to sell it in 2005. I felt like I was selling a part of myself. After I got back on my feet, I tried other kits. I got another Export kit and sold it. Tried a Gretsch Catalina Maple, and it was nice, but still couldn’t match the Pro M for me. Finally, in 2009, after my tax returns, I bought one of the last Pro M kits that Mapex made. This time it was Transparent Green and I named it Jade. Jade was everything I had remembered Mapex to be. The great sound, quality, and the suspended floor toms brought it all back for me. Even better than the original Pro M kit! More recordings and a summer tour were put under Jade’s belt and things were great, until the tour ended with little money to show for it.

I became disillusioned with music by the end of summer in 2009 and sold Jade off to a fellow drummer and moved away from the Carolinas. I moved back about 6 months later and realized that I could not get away from who I was. I bought cheap sets used and slowly built up over time. First a no name kit, then a Custom Classic kit, and then after saving for some time, I finally stepped up and bought an Armory kit, and returned to Mapex once again! The Armory kit has been fantastic, and most of you know my Armory Kit “Ember” very well. Ember has been amazing has served me well since 2015, but somewhere, inside, I still missed my Pro M Kit.

Today, that has changed. Today I have come full circle. After years of searching for a Mapex Pro M kit in a color I like, and in good condition, the day has finally arrived. I have just unboxed and set up “Ruby”, a Transparent Cherry Red Pro M kit, just like my original finish, but all maple with the nicer silver badges of the late model Pro Ms! I cannot explain in words the feelings that are racing through me, but I feel like I have finally returned home! The world is not ready for the next evolution of what is in store, now that I am back to 100%! Welcome home Ruby! We have work to do!

Today I want to address something that I think is at war with us as musicians. I am of course talking about the battle between being a chameleon vs having your own identity. I think you all know how I feel by now about the chops vs groove argument. If not, Groove is king, but Chops are also important. I like the way Jimmy Chamberlin illustrated the point by saying the chops are paintbrushes to paint the painting, but it’s not “The Painting.” Improving ones facility and chops in combination with great grooves and creativity and individuality all come together to help you express your musical voice. There is a real push today however in this musical culture, especially in the production and management elites to pump out commercially viable cut-and-paste, cookie cutter grooves that simply serve the basic groove function and little more.

Technology is partially to blame, as it has become very easy to manipulate everything from the computer, so much so that a great deal of the human element has been removed. Technology in and of itself is not bad, in fact quite liberating, but it has also been a major factor in the drummer being removed from the core of the music making process. Gone are the days of the band sitting around in the band room for hours together, bouncing ideas back and forth to come up with a new tune. Today, the few drummers fortunate enough to get session work, often have complete songs including basic sampled drum tracks sent to them. In the words of the great Freddie Gruber, “If it doesn’t breathe, it’s not alive.”

The other side of this coin is the corporate mindset that has indoctrinated the music industry. I choose my words carefully here, as being a full time professional drummer, I don’t wish to criticize people that make a living with music or their pursuit of making it both profitable and sustainable. There is a dark side to this approach though, as it tends to shun creativity in lieu of the illusion of “the magic formula.” By extension, for drummers, this means your musical identity is in the cross-hairs at all times. Musical chameleons are the only ones really working in studios today, and even they are not guaranteed tomorrow with drum sample libraries and cut and paste loops and fills so readily available.

To dive in, a drumming chameleon is a drummer that sounds like a thousand other pocket studio drummers. They hold no identifiable signature musical trait or tendency. Nothing stands out nor seems out of place. They play as rigidly and perfectly as the cut and paste drum loops, no risks ever taken, no liberties, no accents. They could be any one of a sea of thousands of other drummers following the well laid industry path. I applaud their restraint, selflessness, and maturity. But then I have to ask myself, what does your drum part say? How are you using your gift? How are you contributing to that song? And ultimately, could anyone else have played that part?

To further my feelings on this, Jimmy Chamberlin spoke about a review he read about his M-Audio Drum Loop Library (The Jimmy Chamberlin collection). The reviewer said that the loop library was great. His only issue was that it sounded like Jimmy Chamberlin. That is kind of funny by itself, but really stop and think about that. Drummers like John Bonham, Jimmy Chamberlin, Neil Peart, and Carter Beauford have no place in the incorporated song factory world. But there is a flip side ladies and gentlemen. A great reckoning. And it is called live music.

That’s right sports fans, Live Music! This is where the musical identity tables turn. Suddenly, those chops, soul, and energy really mean something! Where you can connect with everyone on that musical wavelength and with groove and chops used correctly, you can make the Earth itself shake and make the songs live and breathe! Suddenly that studio slick drummer that is just perfectly executing the minimal needs to set the groove for the song kind of falls flat. Live, there has to be something more. I don’t really mean it needs more chops or extra fills. I mean, it needs dynamics, it needs soul, it needs a movement. Your drums need to capture the emotion of the song. Chameleons just don’t cut it here. You can no longer pretend.

The audience and your band need you more than ever! Everything you have! Your passion, your timing, your groove, your soul, your chops, your energy! The audience and your band need a reason to dance! A reason to freak out, cry, scream, sing, hug someone, beat their chest, wave their hands, and everything else. It’s you and them, and in that moment, there is no Record Label CEO or Studio Executive that can sell them an experience. Music is not a song, album, words, background noise, arrangements of notes, or a retail product to be consumed. Music is the human experience in audible form. Shared between you and your audience, bridging your life and experiences to theirs in a single moment, together. You can scoff at my philosophical drivel if your ego can’t concede, but I promise you, that is the real deal. Don’t hide away, don’t hold back, don’t drink the cool-aid, or surrender your identity. Give them both freakin barrels!

Once again, I am not encouraging you to just blow chops all over everything, or not serve the song. I am saying, serve the song completely by not dumbing it down (and actually diminishing the song) to please the executives (or lazy sound engineers – including me sometimes), keeping your ego in check, and finding the sweet spot of compromise between keeping it simple (grooving) and letting your voice be heard! You will know when it’s right when everyone, including your band is locked in that moment and feeling it. I believe that everyone has something unique unto themselves to offer. You have the music in you and the world needs your voice, not just another recording industry approved clone! Always work hard to keep improving, but never be ashamed of who you are!


– Chris McKinney

For many years in my drumming journey, I have often heard drummers new and well seasoned lament their gear. “If only I had more money, I could buy a [x/y/z] snare and then I could really sound good.” While I appreciate and understand wanting nice gear, as we all do, it really is like nails on a chalk board to me. I recently had a discussion with a drummer pal of mine, where I heard words to the same effect. He has a Yamaha Stage Custom Birch 14×5.5 snare that came with him Stage Custom kit. I listened as he went on about how he wanted a Ludwig Black Beauty or a DW Collectors Series or a Tama Bell Bronze Snare.

After a while, I asked him what was wrong with his snare, or at least, what he was hoping to get from it that he couldn’t. He wanted a powerful coliseum rock snare drum that was thick and full bodied like his favorite 80s hair metal bands. We went over tuning on both drum heads, which heads he had on, what snare wires, the tension setting for the wires, what hoops, and on and on. He was reluctant to really answer at first, but then we started getting into the meat of it. He had the stock hoops on which are of course 1.6 mm triple flange steel hoops. Very ringy and light. The drum shell is birch in a standard thickness, and at a depth of 5.5, you won’t be getting a great deal of body from the shell. He still had the stock reso side on the drum, and stock 24 strand steel wires. He had an Evans Genera HD Dry head on the batter side. Reso was tuned low, and batter was tuned high. Wire tension was also very tight to the head. I am sure you are probably thinking about what I was thinking. That probably will not work out for you.

The point of that story is to say this. Money does not make you. It doesn’t magically make you a better player. Quality gear is great because it is better suited to do the job and makes your desired sound easier to achieve and maintain. With some work, a little know how, and a few dollars spent in the right places, you can find good deals on decent snare drums and soup them up, like a car, to be much better than it was designed to be. Upgrading certain parts of your cheaper snare can really open up your options! Another major player in the game is tuning! Quality drum heads and good tuning can solve a great deal of issues right out of the gate. Don’t ignore that resonant head! The reso head is a huge part of your snare sound, and honesty, any 2 headed drum!

I have never been in a position of having great wealth, so I have always had to save, find the right deals, and then upgrade certain things to make it sound great. Today, I have two snare drums, and I paid $100 for each of them, brand new, shipped to my house. My first one, that I have dubbed “Midnight”, is an all maple Mapex MPX 14×8 snare drum. It came with stock 1.6 triple flange hoops, junk drumheads, and a basic snare wire. I ordered 2.4mm Stick Saver style matching black hoops from Drum Factory Direct (just as heavy as die cast hoops, while still being triple flange), and Puresound Custom Steel 24 snare wires, an Evans 300 Hazy Snare Reso head, and an Evans Power Center Reverse Dot batter head. All told, I spent about $200 for the snare and all upgrades. It now sounds like snares 2 to three times what I paid. I also bought an OCDP 13×7 Chestnut Ash/Maple snare drum. The OCDP is a $220 snare drum and comes with Die Cast hoops, a thick maple shell (with an ash veneer on the outside for the finish). I eyeballed this snare for a year and a half and then caught it on sale for $99. I bought new heads for it, and bought puresound custom steel wires for it as well, and it has become a beast, and a favorite among engineers and sound techs across the nation.

Never let anyone make you feel bad for having what you have. If you have an instrument, and you do what you can to fix it up and maintain it, bare your soul for the world to see. It’s nice to have quality gear, and there is nothing wrong with wanting nice stuff, but remember at the end of the day, gear is simply a tool to help you express your musical voice, but the real power comes from you! Even if you are beating on a couch, table, car steering wheel, your legs, a cardboard box, coffee cans, or plastic buckets. You are the artist and the music comes from you! (PS, lug locks are a great investment for those cheap snares as well! Dont get caught tuning after every song!)

– Chris McKinney

On June 10th of 1960, my mother, Mary Margaret McCarn Henry was born. She grew up in a family with a bunch of sisters and one brother. Her mother was not around for her childhood and her father was a drunk, but fortunes shifted when they got adopted by Brenda Inman, and they grew up in a stable home from there on. I was born on May 19, 1982. From the outset, she paid attention to me and who I was as a person, and took the time to help me cultivate my talents and strengths. She knew I was a drummer from the beginning, and always encouraged my musical development. There was always a radio on, even in the kitchen, where she would let me beat on pots and pans, or literally just about anything else.

She always worked hard to make sure we got by. She was tough when she had to be. She often worked multiple jobs to pay the bills and keep food on the table and clothes on our backs, and while we never had an abundance of material things, we were never lacking. I don’t recall missing too many meals in my life (and it shows). As a kid, many of my friends had a room full of toys. In my room, I had some toys (that I cherished) but I also had puzzles, activity books, drawing paper, and things that stimulated my mind and creativity. She taught me a lot about making your dollar count and how to budget to make the most of your money. I learned a great deal about patience, perseverance, and being practical. I learned not to take pride in material things, but rather to do right, work hard, and take pride in your passions and relationships. Another thing is that she has always dealt with life through a lens of humor. She encouraged me to be silly, and even when the chips were down, she had something silly to say or some joke to be made of it.

I had friends of many colors, cultures, countries, and ages. Racism and prejudice were not things I ever learned. I was always taught to judge people by the content of their character and their actions, not by some superficial difference. I was always taught to think for myself and rationalize things. I was also encouraged to express myself and develop my vocabulary so that I could better communicate my thoughts and feelings. Communication and psychology was a big focus in our house. Art and the arts were also encouraged. I was in Martial Arts from the age of 10 until I was an adult. I dabbled in sports too, but my creativity was more my passion.

Beyond all of this though, I have always been able to talk to my Mom, 100% from the heart. No holding back, no secrets. Honesty and Respect were always paramount, and it is why she is one of my best friends to this day. When I was young and I got in trouble, before any punishment, we would sit and talk about what I did, and why I was being punished, so she knew that I completely understood the cause and effect, but also why it was wrong. So important, and so few seemed to have been given that crucial information. Not simply that something was wrong, but why, and the effects those wrongs would or did have on others around me. Not just thinking from my own vantage point, but always an understanding that what we do affects others too.

Now, I know I have talked about myself in this a great deal, but I came into this world an empty vessel (save for my essence of course) and the true test of any parent, their legacy, is how they raised their kids and what they filled those vessels up with. In this regard, I would have to say you did an awesome job Mom! (I know, I am a tad biased) Not only has it helped me and prepared me for my life, but it is a reflection of who you are as both a parent and a person. I love you very much Mom and I wish you the happiest 60th birthday. I truly wish I could be there to help you celebrate, but your boy is working hard for the future, as we often do in our middle ages. I am hoping soon you will get to see the fruits of these labors and then we can truly spend some good times together and see what this was all working towards! I love you very much and you are always in my heart!

– Your Son

Hello everyone! I wanted to take a moment to talk about the question I probably hear the most. “Chris, what is with the tape on your drums?” Drummers routinely get on me and tell me to “Let those toms sing, man!” You would be amazed at how many say that exact line, verbatim. So here is the deal in a nutshell. It serves a few purposes. First and foremost, it slightly dampens the stray oddball frequencies at the very top end (16k-24k). The beauty is that the electrical tape is very thin, flexible, and moves with the head. Most importantly, it doesn’t really affect the overall tone of the drum. Simply reigns in the super high end, giving it a slightly more focused sound. As a soundman myself, I care alot about making it as easy as possible to get a great sound in the mics. While as a drummer, I am somewhat of a purist, and I do love to hear the drums sing, but I have been in the game for a good while now and I know that most pro sound techs are not interested in working super hard to get the perfect drum sound. Especially when they are running sound for a festival or multi band show and you are literally playing for like 30 minutes. In other words, it is best to try and meet them (myself included) halfway. Tune your drums, don’t make ridiculous demands, and use some kind of dampening if they ask. Honestly, they are trying to help you sound good to your audience in a limited time frame.

So, the next question is usually, “Why not Moongel, O-Rings, or Gaffers Tape?” My answer for that is simple. I want subtle dampening. O-Rings completely change the tone of your toms and literally turn them into an impulse with none of the natural attack and literally no sustain. Granted, for electronic music and hip hop, it sounds awesome, and it also helps with drummers that cannot or will not tune (as a quick fix), but O-Rings are a no for me, dawg [insert image of Randy Jackson here]. Gaffers tape works, but again, shuts down the drum and keeps it from really resonating. A small piece is fine in a pinch. Way better than duct tape. At that point, you might as well just put your wallet on the drum, or take off your resonant heads and go full 70’s mode. I have avoided even owning moongel…until recently. I just switched to UV2 Coated heads and really don’t feel the need to dampen them, but the moon gel is there in my hardware bag, just in case an engineer is feeling a bit lazy (or rushed/overworked). For your pleasure, here is a listing of common dampening methods and where they rank on the subtlety scale (from most subtle to dead);

1) No Muffling (Wide open, Bonham style!)
2) Electrical Tape (Very Subtle, reduces stray highs, does not alter tone)
3) Moongel / Gel Dots (Subtle, but dampens head movement, slightly alters tone)
4) Gaffers Tape (Moderate dampening, weighs down head, alters tone)
5) Duct Tape / Remo Muffls / Cloth Strip Under Drumhead (Dead, might as well be a bucket)

Aside from the subtle muffling that the electrical tape provides, I also enjoy taping in geometric patterns as kind of a signature thing. Also, the goal is to kind of make a dampening circle near the outer edge, but using strait lines, you have to segment it, so that is what started that trend, so I ran with it. Another thing to consider, my pack of moongel cost $7, and takes care of 6 drums (ideally, with 1 per drum) at a time. For $1, I can buy a roll of Electrical tape, and take care of as many as 30 drums, and the tape comes off easily if I decide I want less/no dampening. I have a toolbox that I keep all of my spare allan wrenches, drum keys, felts, sleeves, tuning rods, wingnuts, washers, spare parts, etc, and on either side, I have a roll of electrical tape. I carry this with me when I tour so I can always take care or whatever needs done while on the road. I consider it the quintessential dampening material. Guitar player accidentally frayed his instrument cable? Bam! Electrical tape to the rescue! And if you need an emergency stick wrap at the show, it works for that too! Electrical tape is a drummer / sound tech’s best friend!

– Chris

As I am sure you are all aware by this point in time, COVID-19 has had a drastic and terminal effect on the Entertainment and Food industries. I have greatly felt the effects of this myself. As you can see from my calendar, all but my Lake City Church gigs have been stripped from me by the virus concerns and government mandates. I will not bore you with personal opinions on the matter or my misgivings about political weaponizing that I feel is occurring. One thing I can say with certainty is that this has put me in a very bad position. I will be attempting to find ways to continue to accomplish my goals while struggling through this “Social Distancing” that we are all burdened with. I will be taking more time to focus on my social media accounts these days, as well as working to update and kick off my revamped youtube.com channel with fresh content. Please bare with me as I relearn how to operate on minimal means. Thank you all for your patience and support.

Now a bit off topic, as an official endorser for Saluda Cymbals, I will be bringing you loads of content, reviews, demos, and play alongs on my youtube.com channel and social media. Now would be an excellent time to add me on facebook and instagram (see link icons at the top of the page) and subscribe to my youtube.com channel, so you are ready when the new content hits! Also be sure to visit https://www.saludacymbals.com/ and check out their main site, or if you are ready to buy, click on their drumgearonline link to go to the store! Be sure to mention my name so they know who sent you, and get a free gift from me as well, as a thank you! Take care of yourselves, be careful, be kind, and let’s all come out of this together!

– Chris