Three minute reads for artists and producers
who want to make better records

By Thomas Dulin

Hey Reader, here's this week's Take Three email.

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TAKE ONE: Quick Links

• Avid have teased Pro Tools Sketch, a "non-linear, clip-based creation tool."
• ​Focusrite have released new "Gen4" versions of their popular Scarlett interface line.
• I'll be mixing Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors on the road this fall. If you're in one of these cities, come say hello at the show! This month makes 10 years for me with the band, and will be my last tour. I think?

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TAKE TWO: Recent Releases
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Bandages • Grace Annabella A... Bandages • Grace Annabella A... PREVIEW   ​

"Bandages" EP - Grace Annabella Anderson (Producer, Engineer)

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TAKE THREE: 1970s Drum Sounds

This past week I posted this instagram reel sharing some drum samples that I made to give away, and the response was really great. I thought I’d take a second to share how I typically go about gettingThat 70’s Sound.

If you have no interest in recording drums, you could just download those samples, or hire me to record them for you! But if you’re into that kind of thing, here are some helpful tips:

Having the right drums helps.

It’s okay if you don’t, but you’ll need to work harder on the tuning. The drums in those samples are my 1968 Ludwig drums and with some coated heads and muffling, they are perfect for this sound.

If you don’t have a vintage kit, definitely look into the Remo Vintage Ambassador heads, and plan on using something like towels or rings to dampen your toms and snare.

Levon helm famously preferred maxi pads on his toms in the studio.

Take the front head off the kick drum and mic it with a 57 or a 421.

This makes a much bigger difference in the punchiness of the sound than you would think.

If you’re nervous about it, add whatever kick drum mic you like. Just be sure to get the capsules as close together as possible.

Use tape or tape emulation.

I prefer the UAD Studer A800 and will often use this plugin on my Apollo 16 channels to “print” the sound on the way in.

Anything recorded in the 70s was recorded to tape. I would argue that the “70s sound” is impossible to achieve without either printing to actual tape or using some kind of tape plugins.

Use console emulation plugins.

My favorite currently is the bx_console SSL 4000 E. I love the sound of the SSL EQs. This console was introduced in 1979, so it is still technically a 70s console, if only barely.

I think my next channel strip purchase is going to be the Helios version of that plugin, the Lindell Audio 69 series.

Any “1073” plugin will steer you toward the 1970s as well.

Rely on close mics rather than rooms, and use digital reverb emulations.

​Valhalla Vintage Verb is great if you’re on a budget.

The UAD Lexicon 224 has the **exact** algorithms from the hardware.

Remember that in the 70s, the trend was thick shag carpet and very dead tracking spaces. Most of the records that we tend to associate with that time period have either very dead drum sounds, or they make use of digital reverb.

“When The Levee Breaks” excepted of course, which makes use of a pair of room mics in the three-story stairwell above the drum kit.

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That's all for this week, Reader, thanks for reading.

As always, please feel free to hit reply if there's anything I can do to help.

Thomas Dulin Producer / Engineer / Mixer