A two-hour remote drum session
I followed the artist’s programmed drum part from printed charts, then added my own touch as we worked together remotely.
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On a Tuesday evening in early August, I played a remote drum session from my studio in Kennett Square while the producer and artist were together in a studio in Long Island City. We were done in two hours from start to finish, with everybody happy.
The artist had already programmed the entire drum part and recorded the other instruments to it. I converted his drum MIDI into drum notation and printed the charts.
The producer, who was also engineering, controlled Pro Tools on my studio computer remotely. He ran the recording and listened through his studio monitors which allowed me to stay behind the kit. The artist talked with me over FaceTime and listened with the producer in his studio.
I started by playing the part note for note. As we worked through the song, he asked me to add my own flair in certain sections.
In the bridge, the artist had a very specific pattern in mind for the bell of the ride cymbal. We worked on it together until I could play what he was hearing, then tracked that section. It came out sounding really cool.
Having the charts in front of me and the artist there to give feedback kept things moving. We could make decisions as we went, and wrapped up in about two hours.
This is one way I offer attended remote sessions: you can join over video, or control Pro Tools on my studio computer from your own room.