drums from “superstition” by stevie wonder | ToneDB
superstition
stevie wonder
drums
AI generatedv1.0
Tone Profile
A tight, punchy, and funky drum sound with a focus on the snare and kick, characteristic of 70s soul/funk. The drums are dry and close-miked, with a clear attack and controlled sustain.
Gear
- Rogers Drumsinstrument
- Reverb$40Sweetwater
- AKG D12microphone
- ReverbSweetwater
- Shure SM57mic
- ReverbSweetwater
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The Story
"Superstition" was produced by Stevie Wonder and engineered by Bob Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil at Crystal Sound studio in Los Angeles. The drum sound features close-miking techniques with AKG D12 and Shure SM57 microphones on a Rogers drum kit to capture the dry, punchy character. The kick drum was likely damped internally to control resonance, and the snare was tuned tight with possible muffling to reduce ringing.
Production Credits
Producer: Stevie Wonder
Engineer: Bob Margouleff, Malcolm Cecil
Recorded at: Crystal Sound studio, Los Angeles
Signal Chain
Instrument: Rogers Drums
Microphone: AKG D12
Recreation Tips
- Use close-miking techniques on each drum to capture a direct and dry sound.
- Experiment with damping the kick drum to achieve a tight and punchy tone.
- Tune the snare drum relatively high and consider using some muffling to control sustain.
- Apply compression to the individual drum tracks and the drum bus to enhance the attack and create a cohesive sound.
- Consider using EQ to shape the individual drum tones, focusing on the low-end punch of the kick and the crispness of the snare.
- Use minimal reverb or ambience to maintain the dry and intimate character of the original recording.
Original Gear
- Rogers Drums(drums)
- AKG D12(mic)
- Shure SM57(mic)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: AKG D12
Dynamic mic designed for kick drum with similar low-end response and punch as the D12, perfect for capturing that tight 70s kick sound
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Shure SM57
The exact same microphone used on the original recording, still manufactured and ideal for capturing snare attack and presence
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Rogers Drums
Modern drums with similar maple construction and vintage voicing that can achieve the punchy, controlled tone of 70s Rogers kits
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Close-miking and compression techniques
1176-style compression plugin that emulates the fast attack and punch used on classic 70s drum recordings
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Rogers Drums kick drum damping
Modern damping solution that helps achieve the controlled, punchy kick drum sound with reduced sustain
ReverbSweetwaterFrequently Asked Questions
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