Tone Profile

A powerful, driving, and iconic early 80s rock drum sound, characterized by a militaristic, heavily gated snare and the immense natural reverb of Windmill Lane's unconventional recording spaces.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Recorded by producer Steve Lillywhite at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
• The massive and distinctive drum sound, particularly the snare, was famously achieved by placing microphones in the studio's stone-walled stairwell or reception area where Larry Mullen Jr.'s kit was set up, or by piping the drum sound out to speakers in the stairwell and miking the reverberations (a technique Lillywhite also used).
• The snare drum prominently features a gated reverb effect, very likely an AMS RMX16 unit using a 'NonLin 2' or similar short, non-linear reverb preset.
• Larry Mullen Jr.'s precise, powerful, and somewhat militaristic drumming style is integral to the track's urgent feel.
• Minimal emphasis on close tom miking; the overall kit sound and the huge room ambience were prioritized.
• The recording aimed for a live, explosive feel, contrasting with drier, more controlled drum sounds common at the time.

Recreation Tips

• Prioritize capturing or simulating a large, live, and reflective room sound. If recording acoustically, experiment with microphone placement in unconventional, reverberant spaces (e.g., stairwells, large halls).
• Apply a significant gated reverb to the snare drum. Use a plugin emulating an AMS RMX16 ('NonLin 2' preset is classic) or a similar short, dense, non-linear reverb.
• Use a snare drum tuned medium to medium-high, and ensure the drummer plays consistent, powerful rimshots.
• Blend close microphones (kick, snare) with heavily compressed room/ambient microphones. The room sound should be a dominant feature of the overall drum mix.
• Consider using PZM (Pressure Zone Microphones) placed on walls or floors if attempting to capture natural room ambience authentically.
• The drummer's performance is key: it needs to be precise, consistent in velocity, and powerful, especially on the snare and kick, to drive the track with that characteristic martial feel.
• Experiment with parallel compression on the room mics or the entire drum bus to enhance sustain and excitement without losing transient impact.

Recommended Gear

• Shure SM57(mic)
• AKG D12 (vintage) or AKG D112 MKII(mic)
• Neumann U87 Ai(mic)
• Crown PZM-30D (or other PZM microphone)(mic)
• Neve 1073 Preamp (or emulation)(preamp)
• API 312 Preamp (or emulation)(preamp)
• AMS RMX16 Digital Reverb (or UAD AMS RMX16 Plugin, Valhalla VintageVerb 'Nonlin' mode)(pedal)
• SSL G-Series Bus Compressor (or plugin emulation)(pedal)
• Universal Audio 1176LN Classic Limiting Amplifier (or plugin emulation)(pedal)