Tone Profile

The drum sound is characterized by its tight, punchy attack, combined with a spacious, ambient room tone. It has a controlled low end and a clear, present high end, resulting in a polished and radio-friendly drum sound.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The drum sound on "Africa" was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles.
• Jeff Porcaro used his signature Ludwig drum kit, known for its focused and controlled sound.
• Multiple microphones were used, including close mics on the individual drums and overheads for capturing the overall kit sound.
• The room mics were placed at a distance to capture the ambience of the studio.
• Compression was applied during tracking to control the dynamics and create a punchy sound.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a well-tuned drum kit with coated heads for a controlled sound.
• Use close mics on the kick, snare, toms, and hi-hat to capture the direct sound of each drum.
• Experiment with overhead mics to capture the overall kit sound and stereo image.
• Use room mics to capture the ambience of the recording space.
• Apply compression to individual drum tracks to control the dynamics and add punch.
• Use EQ to shape the frequency response of each drum and create a balanced mix.
• Add a touch of reverb to the snare and toms to create a sense of space.
• Consider using a gate on the kick and snare to tighten up the sound and remove unwanted noise.
• Mix the drums with the other instruments in the song to create a cohesive and balanced overall sound.

Original Gear

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• Ludwig Drum KitShop on Reverb(drums)
• AKG D12Shop on Reverb(mic)
• Neumann U87Shop on Reverb(mic)
• Urei 1176Shop on Reverb(compressor)