{"product_id":"toontrack-sdx-la-sessions","title":"Toontrack SDX: LA Sessions","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"988\" height=\"556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/rLY74YFTbfE\" title=\"LA Sessions SDX – The Making Of | In the Studio with Niko Bolas\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFor Next-Level Takes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNine kits for Superior Drummer 3 recorded by industry legend Niko Bolas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEngineers - they work behind the scenes on pivotal records, ensuring that every subtle nuance, note and syllable of an artist's performance is captured and presented to perfection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou see their names in the liner notes, but rarely do they step into the spotlight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne engineer whose sonic fingerprints can be found across an extraordinary body of music is Niko Bolas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of a remarkable four-decade career, his approach to the art of recording has helped shape seminal works by artists across the musical spectrum - from rootsy singer-songwriter and pristine AOR to loud, uncompromising hard rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this SDX for Superior Drummer 3, Niko brings that lifetime of experience to the fore, realizing his vision of the ultimate drum expansion: nine carefully selected kits, many personally owned by some of the most iconic session drummers in the world, captured with the detail, character and uncompromising curiosity that have defined his work for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it comes to drums, the room plays as much of a role as the instruments themselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor these sessions, Niko picked his absolute go-to spot on the LA session map: The Village.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHaving hosted everyone from legends like The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to contemporary giants like Lady Gaga and Coldplay, its rooms have been the setting for landmark sessions since the end of the 1960s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter careful trials, Niko settled on three key locations in the main room of Studio D: the piano area, the studio floor and the riser.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also placed selected kits in a sealed-off vocal booth for a fourth, completely contrasting flavor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo capture it all, he employed an extensive array of microphones, even recording the ambience of the strings resonating inside the studio's grand piano for an extra dose of retro, on-the-floor vibe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, what would a drum recording be without to-die-for kits? Paying homage to some of the iconic session players he's worked with over the years, Niko called in a few favors to get his hands on personal sets from Kenny Aronoff, Steve Jordan, Denny Fongheiser, Charley Drayton, Anthony LoGerfo, Russ Kunkel and Stella Mozgawa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe end result is a broad palette of drums ideal for anything from subtle jazz, acoustic pop and rootsy singer-songwriter to edgy rock.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're looking for session-ready drums recorded by a man who defines the very word, you're in luck. And if next-level takes are what your next session calls for, this is your new go-to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecorded by legendary producer\/engineer\/mixer Niko Bolas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecorded in four different spots across two rooms in Studio D at The Village in Los Angeles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEight classic drum kits, including a total of 14 kicks, 14 snares, 27 toms, 21 cymbals and four sets of hi-hats\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne curated drum\/percussion combo kit sampled with hands and mallets, featuring djembes, klong yaw, doumbeks, tablas and djun djun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures kits personally owned by Kenny Aronoff, Steve Jordan, Denny Fongheiser, Charley Drayton, Anthony LoGerfo, Russ Kunkel and Stella Mozgawa\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSounds ideal for anything from subtle jazz, acoustic pop and rootsy singer-songwriter to edgy rock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures four \"room\" configurations: Piano Spot, Studio Floor, The Riser and Vocal Booth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComes with a collection of MIDI tailored specifically for the kits in this SDX\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes 45 mix-ready presets engineered by Niko Bolas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"988\" height=\"556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Ge7I5lsu_48\" title=\"How Niko Bolas Mics a Drum Kit | LA Sessions SDX | Mic Walkthrough\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Studio\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust east of Santa Monica, in the burgeoning West LA of the late 1960s, a 1920s Masonic temple was finding new life as a recording studio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the decades since, it has become a go-to for the session elite, Hollywood soundtracks and generations of artists - from Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones to Dr. Dre, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Coldplay and Lady Gaga.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd no wonder - there truly is something magic inside those walls. Toontrack is proud to bring a bit of that mojo to the Superior Drummer universe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Kits\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eIndigo Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDW Contemporary Classic (2010s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is session pro Russ Kunkel's (Crosby, Stills \u0026amp; Nash, James Taylor, Carole King) own recording kit, used on countless records over the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect pick for rootsy singer-songwriter and semi-acoustic pop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eNewspaper Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDW Collectors Series (2010s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe personal kit of Anthony LoGerfo, the drummer behind Neil Young and many more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis actually used to belong to Neil himself and can be heard on many of his records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect for organic and fat-sounding rock. It's got power, punch and presence - all in one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Piano Spot\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo recreate the feel of a band recording live in the studio, Niko positioned The Village's grand piano close to the drums and placed four sets of stereo microphones beneath its open lid to capture the resonance of the strings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result adds another layer of natural, on-the-floor ambience to the drums - warm, organic and just imperfect enough for that signature singer-songwriter and acoustic pop character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eKoa Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRogers Powertone (1970s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is Denny Fongheiser's personal kit - a real session gem that’s been used on hundreds of recordings over the years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for that classic and dry-sounding '70s vibe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eEbony Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGretsch USA Custom Round Badge (2020s)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis kit was lent to Niko by Steve Jordan and is the exact kit that he used on the recording of The Rolling Stones' \"Hackney Diamonds\" and the tour that followed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClassic rock kit in every sense of the word.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Studio Floor\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the classic spots in Studio D's main room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this setup, Niko placed the kits directly in front of the echo chamber window, facing the control room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere, reflections from the glass meet the room's wide, relatively shallow dimensions to produce a focused and controlled sound with plenty of punch and nuance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a slightly drier character that still lets the room move air, it proved an ideal setting for the kits of Denny Fongheiser and Steve Jordan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSunset Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTama Starclassic Maple (1990s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bold and big-sounding kit belongs to session legend Kenny Aronoff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt can be heard on Jon Bon Jovi's \"Blaze of Glory\" - among many, many other classic records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis kit screams rock through and through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eBig Kick Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYamaha Maple Custom (1990s-2010s)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharley Drayton's (Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Neil Young) personal kit. Unusual but great-sounding combo with a 26-inch kick and an 18-inch floor tom. Ringy, open and raw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Riser\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis small, elevated section of Studio D isn't a traditional stage riser but rather a podium, sitting just shy of a foot and a half above the studio floor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor drums, however, that modest elevation makes a noticeable difference.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTreatment on the surrounding walls and ceiling controls the immediate reflections, while the kit still projects freely into the full length of the room, creating a sound that is focused up close yet rich in ambience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis made it an ideal setting for the powerful, deep tones of Kenny Aronoff's and Charley Drayton's kits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Foundaround Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePearl\/Remo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wild combination of seemingly random percussion pieces, like tablas, djembes and doumbeks, that together sound eerily in unison.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit belongs to Gary \"Shep\" Lonsdale, legendary drum tech and longtime friend of Niko's.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Bone Dry Kit\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlingerland\/C\u0026amp;C\/Astro\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe personal kit of indie and post-punk powerhouse drummer Stella Mozgawa (Warpaint).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuper dry, muffled and unique sounds for dry drum tones across the genres.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Toontrack","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51311320891615,"sku":"TT760SN","price":179.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0016\/5173\/6636\/files\/LA_Sessions_SDX.png?v=1788275813","url":"https:\/\/pluginfox.com\/products\/toontrack-sdx-la-sessions","provider":"PluginFox","version":"1.0","type":"link"}