While the first SDX had a more general approach, the “Origin” volume looks to the past. What is your connection to the hard rock and heavy metal bands of the late 1960s through to the 1980s?
Like so many others, I was also fed with Beatles, Sabbath and Purple at young age, which lead me to Kiss, Maiden, Mötley and so on.

Aside from recording these SDXs, you have completed tons of album sessions in the 33 studio. To you, what makes the room so stand-out for drums?
It includes pretty much all you need – a quick response at the same time at its big and has balanced frequencies. You can really get a lot out of this live room, all different kind of flavors. That is partly why we included so many options in terms of room mics in both SDX projects.

Before making this library, you spent a ton of time researching and picking apart old records for traces of how they recorded back in the day. What did you learn in the process?
I’ve learned a lot while making both of the libraries, but especially during the latest one. Instead of just listing to these old records I’d head a thousand times, I focused completely on technical aspects – how the records were recorded, mixed, saturated, etc. One of the key things I found out is the high midrange and where the low end is cut – and cymbals are there for a reason! Back then, drums were presented as one instrument, not 25 separate pieces eq:ed to something beyond their original tone. Seeing as we recorded a gazillion channels, I know I might sound like a hypocrite – but having all of these options don’t mean you have to use them all at once. They are there to give you creative freedom.

You truly did an amazing library of presets covering a staggering wealth of different drum mixes. What was your thought going in?
The whole idea was to make users’ lives easier (including my own). It’s pretty amazing to just hit a button and you have the sound of one of your favorite albums, right? I mean it doesn’t stop there – imagine starting with the sound of an older AC/DC album and modernize that one with a hair more low end and compression and it’ll fit any modern metal if that’s what you’re into. This library is so versatile, you could truly dig into ANY style of music with this SDX.

Looking back on both of these SDX projects, which kit out of the bunch is your favorite and why?
Such a boring answer, but I love them all! If I really have to pick one, I’d say the Vintage Vantage Kit because it has such a broad range.