The Online Session Drums Project
At Amen Session Drummer we get to bring some pretty exciting projects to life, and our recent drum recording sessionfor the track “Feed My Ego” was one of those moments that reminded us why we love what we do. Tracked at Amen Studio in Bristol, UK, the song carried a heavy, glamorous rock energy in the vein of bands like Audioslave. With a tempo locked in at 85 BPM and a moody alternative rock attitude, it was the perfect playground for some vintage drums, careful mic choices, and a lot of attention to detail.
As an online session drummer, projects like this give us the chance to work with artists from all over the world—capturing the feel of a live studio performance without anyone needing to be in the same room.
The Gear
For this project we reached back into the golden era of drum design, rolling out a 1965 Ludwig Super Classic kit(Ludwig Drums). With its 22” bass drum, 13” rack tom, and 16” floor tom, the Super Classic is a reminder that sometimes less really is more. Its versatility meant we could explore a wide range of tones—from warm low-mids to that crisp rock punch.
On the snare we went for something with character: the Keith Carlock Gretsch Signature Snare (Gretsch Drums). It brought just the right amount of bite and dryness, complementing the brass shell’s rich tone without ever stepping on the cymbals. Speaking of cymbals, the lineup was pure Zildjian class (Zildjian)—14” Avedis hi-hats, a Constantinople 22” ride, plus Kerope crash and ride options to bring shimmer and weight where needed.
Tuning was handled with some help from Tune Bot, and the heads were Remo Ambassador Vintage Coated (Remo), giving us warmth and durability in equal measure.
For artists searching for session drummers for hire, it’s often this combination of classic gear and modern techniques that makes the biggest difference in the final sound.
Capturing the Sound
The drum sound lived and breathed thanks to some careful microphone selection. At the heart of it was the Advanced Audio CM47ve (Advanced Audio), supported by classic Coles 4038 ribbons (Coles) for overheads and Lauten Audio Horizons (Lauten Audio) for added warmth. The kick drum thunder came courtesy of the AKG D12 VR (AKG).
All of this was fed into a blend of Daking Audio IV preamps (Daking) and Focusrite ISA 828 units (Focusrite), keeping the signal clean, punchy, and full of life.
Take two turned out to be the winner. The verses had syncopated patterns and tricky grace notes that needed precision, but once they locked in, the energy carried the whole track. That’s the benefit of working with a dedicated session drummer—you get the experience and adaptability to nail even the most demanding passages.
Mixing and Reflections
Our approach to mixing was “less is more.” The raw recordings were strong enough that we didn’t want to overprocess. The snare ran through an API 550A EQ and a Distressor compressor, set at 4:1 with medium attack and release, shaving off around 4–6 dB without choking the punch.
Dynamic EQ carved space between kick and bass, and between snare and vocals. Rimshots on the snare brought extra impact, while the brass shell’s natural articulation kept things crisp.
“Feed My Ego” was one of those projects where the kit, the mics, and the performance all lined up beautifully. For artists looking for online session drums, or even a remote session drummer to collaborate with, this track is a reminder of just how powerful and personal the process can be.
At Amen Session Drummer, we love being part of records that demand personality as well as precision. Every session is about more than just playing notes—it’s about helping artists find their sound.
If you have a song and want the raw energy of live drums contact Gavin today.