Whether the masses were hitting the dancefloor or the demolition night, there's no question that disco was one of the sonic signifiers of the 1970s. In this week's episode of What's That Sound, Noam and Jessica explore how to best recreate the sound of disco drums, channeling multiple classic recordings by the likes of Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, and Chic—that means airtight, dry and controlled sounds with lots of separation between each element of the kit.
We started by pointing an AKG D12 at our trustyLudwig Vistalite kick drum, this time with the front head removed and stuffed with a sleeping bag. This was complemented with a Ludwig Acrolite Snare which received a Shure SM57, alongside a Big Fat Snare Drum head and a wallet to dampen and lower the pitch. Our 14” Zildjian K-Sweet Hi-Hats were placed as far away from the kit as possible to promote separation while maintaining a comfortable playing distance, and finally, we covered both of our Gretsch Toms (each miked with their own AKG C 414 B) with cloth for that classic "dead" sound. Finally, we opted for a stereo set of Schoeps V4U condensers for our overheads, placed low and wide to capture the hats as well as our Zildjan K Dark Crash.
For this particular recreation, the recording and mixing process is also essential—each hit of percussion has to shine as bright as a mirrorball. On top of the wide stereo image on the overhead mics, we also low-passed their signal to remove as much of the drums as possible and leaving only the crispness of the cymbals. The kick and snare were then compressed using a DBX 165A—the ideal for a punchy 1970s sound. Finally, the whole mix is compressed in parallel through a pair of UREI 1176 compressors: every time the snare is hit, the kick will dip down in volume. By blending the compressed mix with a dry mix, the kick remains consistent.
Does this recreation feel mighty real? Watch the video above and hear it for yourself.