Tone Profile

A driving and powerful drum sound with a mix of tight, punchy close mics and roomy ambience, characterized by a gated reverb effect.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The drum sound on "Money for Nothing" is iconic for its gated reverb effect, achieved using an AMS RMX16 reverb unit. The room sound was a key component, with gated reverb applied to enhance the sustain and create a unique spaciousness.
• Hugh Padgham famously discovered the gated reverb sound. The band were setting up in the studio and Padgham had the console set so that he could hear the drums through the reverse talkback circuit. The extreme compression and noise gating on the circuit created the gated reverb sound that he would go on to use on the drums for the Phil Collins track “In the Air Tonight.”
• The main element of the drum sound on “Money For Nothing” is the “NonLin 2” patch on the AMS RMX16

Recreation Tips

• Start with a well-tuned drum kit, focusing on a punchy kick and snare.
• Experiment with different microphone placements to capture both the direct sound and room ambience.
• Use an AMS RMX16 (or a plugin emulation) with the "NonLin 2" setting to achieve the gated reverb effect. Adjust the gate threshold and reverb time to taste.
• Consider using compression to further shape the drum sounds, focusing on attack and sustain.

Recommended Gear

• Tama Superstar(drums)
• Shure SM57(mic)
• Neumann U87(mic)
• AMS RMX16(other)