some random drum out  takes from a session i did a while back, lots of tom toms on this beautiful sounding highwood drum kit. this is the actual kit used in the picture, albeit with a few less toms on that occasion.

drum out takes

Here’s an example of what recording studio effects like EQ, compression and noise gating can do to a drum track.
The first clip you hear is just the raw drum track free from any studio processing.
The second clip you hear is the same drum take with the EQ and compression turned on.
The third clip has all the same EQ and compression settings as the previous clip but adds a noise gate to one of the room mics, which is also fed pre fade to an auxiliary channel with a short delay and a compressor. Which gives it that Phil Collins “in the air tonight” sound.
No reverb, drum machines or drum replacement was used on this track, just the natural room ambience and some noise gates :)   

Evolution of a drum track

it's so easy, a cover of a guns and roses classic recorded live in my bedroom with a bunch of mates when i was a music student at uni some time in 2001 on an 8 track adat. My neighbours were not impressed with the noise! ;)

uzi suicide

Another blast from the past! This is a cover of the David Bowie/Mick Jagger version of dancing in the street. Recorded in the spring of 2003 as part of my final years course work at uni. As far as i remember i think i really wanted to push the boat out on a project and get as many of my music friends involved as i could, knowing that soon our degrees would be ending, uni life would be over and i would probably never see some of them ever again. And this was in the days before facebook, mobile phones or the internet had such an impact on our methods of communication.
I remember when the bass player didn't turn up to the studio to do his parts i had to go round his house and get him out of bed and drag him into the studio as he didn't have mobile phone, or a house phone i could ring/send abusive txts to. Ahh the good old days :D 

dancing in't street

This cover of teenage kicks was recorded in 2014 as part of a collaborative project.
The song was going to be used on an app that allowed the user to isolate the  different instruments you hear on the track and even perform their own mix. 
I recorded and mixed the bulk of the audio with a little help from some friends. 
I also played drums and guitar on the track. 

teenage kicks

A failed attempt to record a gospel choir, hardly any of the musicians i asked to come and play on this recording turned up.
But the ones that did were ace! 
Piano, lead vocals and guitar were all recorded live in a big room and the bass and backing vocals were over dubbed.
Full credit to the musicians for the arrangement, i just left them to it whilst they jammed it out in one take, because thats all we had time for.
"blind" Ben Williams on piano, "lesbian" Chrissy on guitar & bass and Irish Gill on vocals.

Simply Beautiful

Back in my uni days my two irish buddies wanted to record a rendition of "kiss me" by a an inde band called sixpence non the richer, it had been a hit single around that time. 
They did the arrangement themselves i just pushed the buttons and left them to get on with it. 
Irish Gill on lead vocals, Irish Phil on guitar and backing vocals, Russell Murphy on Bass.

Kiss Me

A re worked version of barnsley rockers seventh son's rebel angel, i think this song is possibly older than me they've been going that long. 
i decided to put a new spin on it and give the track what i felt was missing from the original recording and also just to see what new life would spring from the process of re recording bits of a bands back catalogue ofter they've been playing them in pubs and clubs for over 30 years.

Rebel Angel

Barnsley's finest Seventh Son with one of their oldest songs re imaged and re recorded with modern production techniques.

The Imortal Hours

Some previously un released recordings i did with Barnsley rockers Seventh Son.
Seventh Son are legends in their home town of barnsley, playing their own brand of classic british heavy metal, they've been going for over 30 years now.
I was always impressed with their songs and live performances but never thought the original 80's recordings showed the songs true potential.
So one day i managed to convince them to re-record some of their back catalogue, just to see what kind of life they'd take on given a fresh perspective and fresh blood in the band after 30 years of playing pubs and clubs.
http://www.seventh-son.co.uk/

Sound And Fury

Hi i'm Mike and i'm a musician and studio engineer based in south yorkshire. I've had many years of experience on both sides of the mixing desk playing drums, guitar and backing vocals. I'm currently studying for a masters degree in music production at Leeds Metropolitan university which i'll be completing in the spring of 2015 if anybody wants to give me a job! I'll be using soundcloud to showcase some of the work i've produced both commercially, academically and just for fun. Enjoy! 

Dog Day Music

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