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drums from “africa” by toto | ToneDB

africa

toto

drums

70% ai confidence

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.

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The Story

Jeff Porcaro's drum sound on "Africa" was recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, using his signature Ludwig kit. The setup included close mics on individual drums, overhead mics for stereo imaging, and room mics to capture the studio ambience. Compression was applied during tracking to create the punchy, controlled sound that helped make the recording radio-friendly.

Production Credits

Producer: Toto

Engineer: Al Schmitt, Tom Lord-Alge

Recorded at: Sunset Sound Recorders, Los Angeles

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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Substitutions & Recommendations

Shure Beta 52AShop on Reverb$150-$200

Alternative to: AKG D12 kick drum mic

Modern dynamic mic with similar focused low-end response as the D12 for capturing tight kick drum punch

Audio-Technica AT4040Shop on Reverb$300-$400

Alternative to: Neumann U87 overhead/room mics

Large diaphragm condenser with clear high-end detail for overhead and room miking without the U87's premium price

Warm Audio WA76Shop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Urei 1176 compressor

Hardware recreation of the 1176 with the same fast attack and punch that shaped Porcaro's drum transients

Universal Audio 1176 Collection PluginPlugin Boutique$150-$300

Alternative to: Urei 1176 compressor

Official UAD plugin version of the original 1176 used on the recording, perfect for recreating the compression character

Ludwig Classic Maple SeriesShop on Reverb$1500-$3000

Alternative to: Ludwig drum kit

Modern Ludwig kit with similar maple construction and focused sound characteristics to Porcaro's signature setup

Sources

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