TONEDB

drum from “let it happen” by tame impala | ToneDB

let it happen

tame impala

drum

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A heavily compressed and punchy drum sound with a distinct lo-fi, vintage character. The kick is thuddy and deep, the snare cracks sharply, and the overall kit feels tight, gated, and saturated, creating a signature 'sucked-in' rhythmic pulse.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Vintage Kick Drum (e.g., Ludwig Classic Maple 22" or 24")

Amp: N/A

Microphone: Sennheiser MD 421-II (inside, near beater or slightly off-center)

Processing: Console Preamp or Roland RE-201 Preamp section (for saturation), Aggressive EQ (e.g., +8dB @ 60Hz, -10dB @ 400Hz, +6dB @ 4kHz for beater click), Heavy Compression (e.g., DBX 160 style: 4:1 to 6:1 ratio, fast attack, medium release, significant gain reduction), Tight Gating

Other: Heavy dampening (e.g., pillow inside). Tuned low for a deep thud. Often the dominant rhythmic element.

Recording Notes

  • Recorded by Kevin Parker primarily in his home studio, contributing to a controlled, somewhat dead room sound.
  • Drums are typically tuned low and dampened (kick) for a tight, thuddy sound, while the snare retains a sharp crack.
  • Extensive use of processing (compression, EQ, saturation, gating) applied aggressively during tracking and mixing.
  • Minimalist miking techniques are common, focusing on heavily processed close mics rather than capturing natural room ambience.
  • The 'Currents' album, while more digitally produced than earlier Tame Impala works, still carries a strong analog-inspired, saturated sonic character.
  • The signature 'pumping' and 'sucked-in' feel is a result of aggressive compression techniques, often involving series and/or parallel compression on individual drums and the drum bus.

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a dry, tight-sounding drum kit or samples. Tune the kick low and thuddy, and the snare medium-high for a good crack.
  • Apply heavy, fast compression to kick and snare individually. Emulations of DBX 160 (for kick) and Urei 1176 (for snare) are good starting points.
  • Use tight noise gates on the kick and snare to eliminate bleed and shorten their decay, enhancing the punchy, almost 'stifled' quality.
  • Introduce saturation via preamp emulations, tape saturation plugins, or distortion on individual drum tracks and the main drum bus for warmth and harmonic richness.
  • Employ parallel compression on the drum bus: send your drum mix to an auxiliary track, compress it very heavily, and blend this back in with the original drum sound to add density and sustain without losing transient impact.
  • EQ aggressively: boost sub-bass (around 60Hz) and beater click (3-5kHz) on the kick. Boost the snare's fundamental (150-250Hz) and crack (5-8kHz). Consider a broad cut in the low-mids (300-500Hz) on the overall drum bus to reduce boxiness.
  • If using overheads, keep them focused (perhaps even mono) and consider mixing them lower in the balance to let the heavily processed close mics dominate.
  • The hi-hats and cymbals are often less prominent or more 'tucked in' compared to the kick and snare; focus on getting the kick/snare groove right first.

Sources