Organic drums for hyper-modern productions from one of the
world’s premier human beat machines: Ash Soan.
Organic drums for hyper-modern productions from one of the
world’s premier human beat machines: Ash Soan.
When the likes of Dua Lipa, Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift need organic-sounding but hyper-fresh beats for their songs, they call Ash Soan. But they don’t send him off to any fancy metropolitan studio to lay down his tracks, they have him record a stone’s throw from his front door. Welcome to The Windmill, 18th century mill-turned-drum room and arguably the smallest studio that has made the biggest dent in modern music history.
The In the Pocket EZX taps in on the trinity that has made the beats recorded at the The Windmill the keystone of countless hits: the inherent magic swirling in the cylinder-shaped structure of its one-of-a-kind room, Ash’s ingenious ability to tune, alter and engineer unique-sounding make-shift kits as well as his inimitable bedrock-solid pocket groove.
In addition to the included MIDI library and wealth of preset content, this EZX includes five core kit variations engineered to cater to the broadest possible cross section of beat-driven, modern music across the genres. Whether you’re looking to write beats for hip-hop, funk, contemporary R&B or modern reggae, there’s a kit or preset at your reach.
Welcome to the ultimate canvas for limitless modern music production – and the perfect opportunity to lock in with the pocket of one of today’s most in-demand drummers.
For the past three decades and counting, Ash’s contagious pocket groove has been the bedrock of the sound on songs by the likes of Alicia Keys, Dua Lipa, Cher, Robbie Williams, Adele, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and many, many more. With 29 number-one albums and 10 number-one singles as well as a staggering 58 top 10 albums and 17 top 10 singles, his track record speaks for itself. Meet one of today’s undoubtedly most in-demand session players, the human beat machine: Ash Soan.
For the past three decades and counting, Ash’s contagious pocket groove has been the bedrock of the sound on songs by the likes of Alicia Keys, Dua Lipa, Cher, Robbie Williams, Adele, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and many, many more. With 29 number-one albums and 10 number-one singles as well as a staggering 58 top 10 albums and 17 top 10 singles, his track record speaks for itself. Meet one of today’s undoubtedly most in-demand session players, the human beat machine: Ash Soan.
Q: Take us back to the very beginning. How did your interest in music first begin?
A: My father played me a song by Sandy Nelson called “Let There Be Drums.” From then on that was it – the sound and feel of that instrument stayed with me.
Q: Was becoming a drummer a given from the start?
A: Absolutely. I now play guitar and a little keys and bass, but drums was and still is the main beat in my heart.
“Drums was and still is the
main beat in my heart.”
“Drums was and still is the
main beat in my heart.”
Q: Over the years, you’ve played on projects covering pretty much any style imaginable. If you had to pin down a style that is truly you, what would it be?
A: Songs all the way any songs, but vocal music is the one. I love lyrics and the journey they take people on.
Q: Take us through a typical day in the life of Ash Soan.
A: Coffee, walk to my studio across my field then into whichever project is in my life at that time. This could be a track or an entire album, a TV theme or movie cue. When I have free time, I’m working on music and sounds for my projects.
Q: When it comes to playing, you’ve always highlighted the importance of feel. To you, what is ‘feel,’ exactly?
A: Literally for me a gridded beat is in time, but what else is there? It’s in time, right? For me there is much more. Feel I think is the connection of the notes when joined together by the player, how the bass drum interacts with the snare and snare to hi-hats. Each of us has our unique way of connecting those parts and therefore our own feel. Some people have a very good way of doing this and some people concentrate on getting it perfectly in time and are mainly concerned with the click. With modern DAWs playing to grid isn’t what is needed now. Feel is.
Q: You’ve been working as a drummer for upwards of thirty years now – touring the world, recording and performing in all kinds of scenarios. Looking back on this journey, are there any events or moments that particularly stand out for you personally?
A: I think playing the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony with Mike Oldfield, supporting The Rolling Stones at 24 years old, recording “Set Fire to the Rain” with Adele in the studio with me and playing with all the artists live including Bryan Adams, Sinéad O’Connor, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood and more have been some highlights. The movie work has been fun too.
If casually glancing upon the modest-looking 18th century windmill in the rural outskirts of Norfolk, the first thought that’d come to mind would hardly be anything remotely associated with music. But fact is, 400 years in, this mill still very much grinds – churning our custom beats for artists at the very top of the music industry food chain. Welcome to The Windmill.
If casually glancing upon the modest-looking 18th century windmill in the rural outskirts of Norfolk, the first thought that’d come to mind would hardly be anything remotely associated with music. But fact is, 400 years in, this mill still very much grinds – churning our custom beats for artists at the very top of the music industry food chain. Welcome to The Windmill.
Q: You have recorded drums for some of the best-selling acts in the world from your Windmill Studios. How did it start? Take us back to the beginning and how the idea of converting the mill into a studio was born.
A: I needed a space for my drums, as over the years I amassed quite a few kits. A dear friend of ours suggested the mill could be restored partially back to a working space. We did this in 2012. I then started experimenting with some mics and Logic. This soon got me into the idea of buying some proper gear and learning Pro Tools. Nine years later I’m in here everyday working on something for someone somewhere in the world.
“I’m in here everyday working on
something for someone
somewhere in the world.”
“I’m in here everyday
working on something for
someone somewhere in
the world.”
Q: You’ve spent much of your session drumming career in some of the busiest studios in London. What was the best thing about moving some of your work closer to home?
A: My family, really. It’s great to be with my kids at the end of a day. I can do the school run etc. I do still love working at Abbey Road, RAK or British Grove, but the simplicity of working alone I love.
Q: You’ve kept the room pretty much as it was built way back in the 18th century. No acoustic treatment, no baffling, no traps. Oddly, it truly sounds amazing. Why do you think it works so well?
A: The walls are straw bales. When I started restoring it, I told Stephen Lipson and he mentioned to Trevor Horn I was making a studio. Trevor said “Ah, great what are the walls made of?” I was horrified as I thought he’d just laugh at the prospect of straw, but when I told him he said that is probably one of the best acoustic materials to use. I should have got it in writing!
Q: Walk us through the process of how it works when you lay down grooves for a client at The Windmill.
A: I usually ask for two stems: one of the track and one of the drums on their own. Sometimes, the groove they have programmed is where they want it to be. Other times I’m given freedom to create a groove and part. I send reference mixes and when the client is happy with the take I will send separate stems.
Q: What’s the one project you haven’t recorded here that you’d love to do?
A: Kate Bush.
From bright, tight and organic to dark, big and heavily processed – this EZX covers the entire sonic range.
From bright, tight and organic to dark, big and heavily processed – this EZX covers the entire sonic range.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
*All other manufacturers’ product names are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Toontrack. See full notice here.
SEE FULL INSTRUMENT LIST & DETAILS.
In addition to the core setting for each kit engineered by Ash Soan, the library includes a variety of presets by the Toontrack sound design team. Combined with the controls in the EZdrummer 3 ‘Mixer’ or the sound design possibilities in Superior Drummer 3, you’ll have a world of creative opportunities to tweak these kits beyond what you thought possible.
In addition to the core setting for each kit engineered by Ash Soan, the library includes a variety of presets by the Toontrack sound design team. Combined with the controls in the EZdrummer 3 ‘Mixer’ or the sound design possibilities in Superior Drummer 3, you’ll have a world of creative opportunities to tweak these kits beyond what you thought possible.
The included MIDI was performed by Ash Soan. It covers one collection of grooves and fills tailored to meet the stylistic approach of each of the five kit variations. The material is conveniently organized in Intro, A, B, C and Fills sections and covers several variations in each category. Simply drag, drop, mix and match to map out an entire organic-sounding performance. As always, with the ‘Edit Play Style’ feature – the creative possibilities are endless.
The included MIDI was performed by Ash Soan. It covers one collection of grooves and fills tailored to meet the stylistic approach of each of the five kit variations. The material is conveniently organized in Intro, A, B, C and Fills sections and covers several variations in each category. Simply drag, drop, mix and match to map out an entire organic-sounding performance. As always, with the ‘Edit Play Style’ feature – the creative possibilities are endless.
6 GB free disk space, 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended).
A working EZdrummer 2.2.1 (or above) or a Superior Drummer 3.2.4 (or above) installation.
