Toms like Gadd or Porcaro?

[Eilert Ottem Ottem]

Hi, new to the forum, but have been using Toontrack plugins since 2008. I just got on board with SD 3.0, and It’s a good tool. However, I can’t seem to get the toms approximate the sound ideal of, say, Steve Gadd or Jeff Porcaro. Now, those two had/have a unique touch that obviously can’t be replicated, but I like to try and get as close as I can to these two and others of my favourite drummers.

I currently have only the «basic» SD 3.0 sounds, are there any sound sets that could get me in the ballpark, as it were? Any other tips that could be useful, maybe something to do with tuning and suchlike?

Operating system: macOS Sonoma (14)

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[drumjack52]

Now I don’t know about Jeff Porcaro but I can impart a bit of knowledge on Mr. Gadd. First off he uses Yamaha drums. Second he uses brushes more than you think he would – not just on snare work but everywheres else on the kit. He gets hits that you’d swear were sticks but are brushes. And sometime he uses 2 brushes in each hand. Catch a look at the stuff he does with Eric Clapton and you’ll see good examples of what I’m talking about. This is one thing that the stock core library that comes with SD3 lacks – brush hits and snare drum swirls. Oh and don’t forget he plays traditional grip and gets some serious powerful hits with his left hand.

Brushes – not just for snare drums anymore 🙂

Jack
aka musicman691 on other forums
Superior Drummer 3.3.7
Death and Darkness 1.0.1
PT 2021.6
OSX 10.13.6
3.46 GHz hex core 2012 MacPro 48 gig ram

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[Ryanrrr]

Toto preset download here:

• This post was modified 2 months, 3 weeks ago by Ryanrrr.

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[Ryanrrr]

Or:

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[Eilert Ottem Ottem]

BEST ANSWER

Thanks! I know, he DOES use brushes quite a lot, but I’m more interested in how to get close to that marvellous thump he gets from his toms on, say, Aja. That’s the thing that both Gadd and Porcaro excel at, that deep thump that doesn’t slam too much. Sorry, English is not my first language, I may be explaining it poorly.

[Bear-Faced Cow]

As far as that sound, much of that has more to do with the producers and engineers. Seeing as you mentioned Aja, you would probably want to look at an SDX like State of the Art since Elliot Scheiner was The engineer behind groups like Steely Dan.

It’s also worth noting that even if you match the kit pieces, if you’re not using grooves in the  styles of Gadd and Porcaro, it won’t sound like them.

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

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[Eilert Ottem Ottem]

Thanks Jord. I will have a look at that Elliot Scheiner one you mention, as he’s engineered so many great albums. And you’re right, you really can’t recreate what those guys, as well as any other great one might care to mention, I can only use it as a starting point.

[Mark King]

Gadd would detune one tensioner on the toms to get a bend on the note. That’s a tough one to achieve in sd3!

SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors

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[Bear-Faced Cow]

Bends can be emulated in some ways using the pitch envelope property.

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

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[Korken]

[postquote quote=3363676]

wow, I need to explore that. I didn’t know there was this possibility.

[Mark King]

Needs to be very subtle though (for Gadd) as it’s not an even bend with the nature of the tuning he does.

SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors

[Bear-Faced Cow]

Totally agree! The secret to that effect is subtlety.

Of course you can go extreme on things like timpani for that cartoonish type of sound. 😀

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

[thedrumdoctor]

The beauty of even the stock kits in SD3, is the ability to process the sounds. You can have maximum resonance or choke the drums so they sound like a 1970 close-miked ‘dead’ sounding kit. Experiment with the pitch and tuning settings on different drums. I have a kit from the basic sound library made up of different kit components. I managed to retune a Gretsch floor tom to sit in pitch and resonance with a 13in Premier rack tom. In fact, I tuned the Premier tom to sound like a typical 12 x 8 tom. It’s all there, you just need to devote the time into studying the manual and experimenting.

Beware of simply lunging at buying another SDX in the hope it will deliver instant results. You are better studying and learning the stock SDX before looking for other SDX packs – unless of course you need a particular sample of a cymbal, percussion item or drum. I was surprised at the results I could get by just experimenting with the standard SDX.

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.7
Operating system: macOS Monterey (12)

thedrumdoctor

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[Bear-Faced Cow]

Considering the specifics that the OP mentioned, I think we’re safe with the SDX that was recommended. in many cases when recommending an SDX, it is far more than the drums themselves. You will also have the producer’s recording techniques and their particularly recording chain as well as the studio room itself, since this is what the end user is often hearing.

jord

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Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

[Eilert Ottem Ottem]

One of my drummer friends and occasional bandmate, Steinar Krokstad, does the same thing sometimes, detunes one or two of the crews on the toms. Good tip, thanks!

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