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drums from “land of confusion” by genesis | ToneDB

land of confusion

genesis

drums

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A gated reverb drum sound that is punchy and synthetic. It's a hallmark of 1980s pop/rock production, characterized by its tight, controlled decay and impactful attack.

Gear

Simmons SDS-Vinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
AMS RMX16processing
ReverbSweetwater
SSL 4000 G+ Consoleprocessing
ReverbSweetwater
Gretsch Drum Kitdrums
Reverb$1560Sweetwater
Neumann U47mic
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

The drum sound on Genesis's 'Land of Confusion' combines acoustic drums and Simmons SDS-V electronic drums, engineered by Hugh Padgham at The Farm in Surrey. The signature gated reverb effect was achieved using the AMS RMX16 reverb unit, a technique Padgham pioneered. The SSL 4000 G+ console provided EQ, compression, and gating to create the tight, punchy 80s character that became a hallmark of the era.

Production Credits

Producer: Hugh Padgham

Engineer: Hugh Padgham

Recorded at: The Farm, Surrey

Signal Chain

Instrument: Simmons SDS-V

Processing: AMS RMX16, SSL 4000 G+ Console

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a clean drum kit recording, preferably with close mics on each drum and overheads for ambience.
  • Layer in samples from a Simmons SDS-V or similar electronic drum kit to add a synthetic element to the sound.
  • Apply gated reverb using a plugin that emulates the AMS RMX16, focusing on a short reverb time and a hard gate to create the gated effect.
  • Use an SSL-style EQ to sculpt the individual drum sounds, boosting the low end for punch and the high end for snap.
  • Apply compression and gating to tighten up the sound and further control the decay of the drums.
  • Experiment with different blend levels between the acoustic drums, electronic drums, and reverb to find the right balance for your track.

Original Gear

  • Simmons SDS-V(drums)
  • Gretsch Drum Kit(drums)
  • AMS RMX16(pedal)
  • SSL 4000 G+ Console(channel_strip)
  • Neumann U47(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Pearl Mimic Pro$400-$500

Alternative to: Simmons SDS-V

Includes authentic 80s electronic drum samples and Simmons-style sounds perfect for recreating the synthetic layer

ReverbSweetwater
FabFilter Pro-R$200-$250

Alternative to: AMS RMX16

Features a dedicated gated reverb algorithm that can recreate the classic 80s gated verb sound with precise control

ReverbSweetwater
Solid State Logic SiX$1,800-$2,000

Alternative to: SSL 4000 G+ Console

Provides authentic SSL console sound with the same EQ and compression character for drum processing

ReverbSweetwater
UAD AMS RMX16 Digital Reverb$150-$200

Alternative to: AMS RMX16

Exact emulation of the original hardware unit used on the recording with authentic gated reverb presets

ReverbSweetwater
Waves SSL 4000 Collection$30-$50

Alternative to: SSL 4000 G+ Console

Budget-friendly plugin version of the SSL console EQ and dynamics used to shape the drum sounds

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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