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drums from “style” by taylor swift | ToneDB

style

taylor swift

drums

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The drums have a tight, punchy, and somewhat retro sound, reminiscent of 80s pop/rock. The kick and snare are prominent, with a gated reverb effect adding to the vintage vibe.

Gear

Yamaha Recording Custominstrument
Reverb$704Sweetwater
Neumann U47microphone
ReverbSweetwater
AMS RMX16processing
ReverbSweetwater

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The Story

Taylor Swift's "Style" drums were recorded with producer Max Martin and engineer Michael Ilbert, featuring a blend of close-mic'd drums with the signature 80s gated reverb effect created using an AMS RMX16 reverb unit. The drums receive heavy compression and EQ to achieve their tight, punchy character that defines the retro-pop aesthetic.

Production Credits

Producer: Max Martin

Engineer: Michael Ilbert

Signal Chain

Instrument: Yamaha Recording Custom

Microphone: Neumann U47

Processing: AMS RMX16

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Yamaha Recording Custom drum kit for a similar tonal foundation.
  • Use a Neumann U47 microphone on the kick and snare drums to capture their full sonic character.
  • Apply compression to the kick and snare to enhance their punch and sustain.
  • Experiment with gated reverb using a plugin emulation of the AMS RMX16 to replicate the 80s-inspired reverb effect.

Original Gear

  • Yamaha Recording Custom(drums)
  • Neumann U47(mic)
  • AMS RMX16(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Eventide H9$599

Alternative to: AMS RMX16 gated reverb

Built-in reverb algorithms include accurate gated reverb that recreates the 80s snare sound from Style

ReverbSweetwater
UAD AMS RMX16 Digital Reverb Plugin$149

Alternative to: AMS RMX16 reverb unit

Exact plugin emulation of the original hardware unit used on the recording

ReverbSweetwater
Audio-Technica AT2020$99

Alternative to: Neumann U47 microphone

Budget condenser mic that captures drum transients well for close-mic techniques used on Style

ReverbSweetwater
Warm Audio WA-47$899

Alternative to: Neumann U47 microphone

Tube condenser microphone designed to replicate the vintage U47 sound at a fraction of the cost

ReverbSweetwater
Yamaha Recording Custom Series$1,200-$2,000

Alternative to: Yamaha Recording Custom drums

Same drum line used on the original recording, still in production with the same punchy maple shell tone

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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