TONEDB

drums from “mr. blue sky” by elo | ToneDB

mr. blue sky

elo

drums

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The drum sound in "Mr. Blue Sky" is characterized by its tight, punchy, and somewhat synthetic quality, blending acoustic drums with electronic elements. It's a very produced sound, contributing to the song's overall bright and polished aesthetic.

Gear

Ludwig Drum Kitinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
Neumann U47microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Kepex Noise Gateprocessing
ReverbSweetwater
Urei 1176processing
ReverbSweetwater
LinnDrumdrums
Reverb$129Sweetwater

ToneDB may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

The Story

The drums on ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" were recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich with producer Jeff Lynne and engineer Mack. The sound features a Ludwig drum kit recorded with Neumann U47 microphones and processed with Urei 1176 compression and Kepex noise gating to create the characteristically tight, controlled feel. The distinctive sound comes from layering these acoustic drums with LinnDrum machine parts, blending organic and electronic elements in typical ELO fashion.

Production Credits

Producer: Jeff Lynne

Engineer: Mack

Recorded at: Musicland Studios, Munich

Signal Chain

Instrument: Ludwig Drum Kit

Microphone: Neumann U47

Processing: Kepex Noise Gate, Urei 1176

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Ludwig drum kit as a base.
  • Use a combination of close-miking and overhead miking techniques to capture the kit.
  • Apply heavy compression using a Urei 1176 to achieve a punchy sound.
  • Use a Kepex noise gate to remove unwanted noise and tighten up the drum hits.
  • Layer in sounds from a LinnDrum or similar drum machine to add electronic elements.
  • Experiment with EQ to further shape the drum sound and blend the acoustic and electronic elements.

Original Gear

  • Ludwig Drum Kit(drums)
  • Neumann U47(mic)
  • Urei 1176(compressor)
  • Kepex Noise Gate(pedal)
  • LinnDrum(drums)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Slate Digital VMS ML-1 with U47 tube model$999-$1199

Alternative to: Neumann U47 microphone

The VMS system's U47 tube modeling captures the warm, full sound of the original while offering modern reliability for drum recording

ReverbSweetwater
Universal Audio 1176LN Plugin$149-$199

Alternative to: Urei 1176 compressor

Provides the same fast attack and punchy character as the original hardware 1176 used to tighten the drum sound

ReverbSweetwater
FabFilter Pro-G$179

Alternative to: Kepex noise gate

Modern gate with precise control to recreate the tight, artifact-free gating that cleaned up the drum hits

ReverbSweetwater
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2$179-$299

Alternative to: LinnDrum

Includes vintage drum machine samples and layering capabilities to blend electronic elements with acoustic drums like the original

ReverbSweetwater
Ludwig Classic Maple Series$1800-$3000

Alternative to: Ludwig drum kit

Modern Ludwig kit with the same warm maple tone and punchy attack characteristics as vintage Ludwig drums

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Community Insights

No community insights yet. Be the first to contribute!