THREE QUESTIONS TO…

Norman Garschke, the drummer behind the core MIDI library in Supeiror Drummer 3.

You didn’t only perform the MIDI for Superior Drummer 3, you also sampled the entire core library. How was it sitting through sampling six kits (some several times with different tools), 35 configurations of snares, 27 configurations of bass drums – and on top of that countless cymbals?
It was such a great and unique experience! To capture the different tones and sonic flavors of these fantastic instruments in this extreme detail felt like being in drummer’s paradise. The process required a lot of concentration and focus, though. When sampling in a room this perfectly balanced and with this array of microphones, you actually have to concentrate to a level where your breathing is involved. It’s tedious work to “almost” breathe and still be 100% focused on your task for up to 12 hours straight, but I actually enjoyed every last second of it.

How long did it actually take and do you have any idea of how many hits you stroke?
The process of recording a snare with all velocities and different articulations usually takes a few hours, so you can imagine how much longer it took to record a complete kit with lots of toms, different bass drums, different heads, tunings and cymbals! Oh no, I have really no clue on how many hits I actually played, haha!

How was it to hook up these sounds to your e-kit and playing them for the first time?
It felt totally unreal, I can tell you that! I have played a lot of acoustic drums in my life. These samples felt just as real as sitting behind an actual acoustic kit. I was completely blown away. I was literally back in the room and could hear and feel every little detail of the drums. The response is the best I have ever experienced. For me personally it also had the strange effect of hearing my own recorded strokes while I was playing them. It was magical, like calling yourself on the phone!