How to Get the Drum Sound of Nirvana's "Nevermind" | What's That Sound? Ep. 5 

It’s crazy how close you got to the record without using the exact equipment. I mean you had all these heavenly analog stuff, but still. Well done!

Your video demonstrates the number one factor for getting any sound: a great drummer! That room does sound terrific though, and your processing really nailed the sound of that record. Nicely done all around! Cheers.

The double bassdrum trick is insanely cool. And nice drumming, Jessica!

Straight up thought that was an isolated stem at the start. Insane

Its crazy how spot on this was, especially the snare drum

the ghost notes in Smells Like Teen Spirit are actually full strokes, but the sound is dead on.

WOW you guys nailed it

That snare sound is spot on, the Wallace sample trick really makes it!

Most important ingredient: a great drummer beating the crap out of the drums. Well done, Jessica! Would love to hear you break down the drum sound from Rush's Animate from the Counterparts album.

Nice work! Recording drums well is an incredible process.

Wow, sounds great! What about having a closer look at Soundgarden's Superunknown drum sound, especially the one of Black Hole Sun? One of my favorites from the 90s.

It's unbelievable how many drummers can't work out the kick pattern in the chorus and fill it in with lazy ghost snares instead. Literally that extra kick makes the whole chorus!!! Also yeah, samples. Nevermind has samples on it. I don't care cos it sounds amazing, but people really want it to not have samples. The point was that it was still considered a 'dark art' in the 90s, whereas now it's hardly like anyone is letting any cats out of any bags. Great vid though!

Excellent job -- sounds so close to the original -- Jessica just crushing the groove!

Sounds incredible, really a lesson on compression. It would be great to hear about the drum sound on David Bowie’s “Modern Love” or John Mayer’s “Vultures”

Wow, very impressive. Curious about the Deftones' drum sound on Change or Digital Bath (the White pony era in general actually) :)

Skills on the drumming and micing up the kit. Nailed it.

It would be interesting a “how to get songs for the deaf drum sound”

The way you pushed the mic back really made it, good shit.

I dig this and can’t wait to try this. As for what drum sounds I’d like to see you cover for future episodes, how about Appetite for Destruction? Maybe even a double video for that where you break down the differences between the drum sound on that record and the Illusions albums. Also, anything Green Day. Either Dookie or so,etching a little more recent like American Idiot, the Trilogy or Revolution Radio. And maybe as a bonus, the Foxboro Hot Tubs.

I believe that I heard Andy Wallace used his standard kick and snare samples that he used on most all of his albums in the 90's. The same ones used on Rage Against the Machine, etc.

This is impressive work! Jessica as always is killing it. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I fully thought you’d just isolated the original drum track at the start of the video. God damn, good job.

My mind is blown! Amazing work guys. I’ve listened to this record thousands of times, even its multitrack and you guys nailed it!!!

She is such a great drummer!

Sounds wicked! The double bass drum cannon, that room, those room microphones did 99% of the sound imho. Well done!

What a great drummer!

Love this! Great job Jessica! Going to see Dave next year hopefully I can get some drum lessons!

That sounded great, thanks Noam and Jessica. I would lobby for a how to recording session for Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind record. Martin Birch was amazing behind the board, and I don't see much about him. The opening drums on Where Eagles Dare is one of my all time favorite drum sounds.

You guys killed it! Amazing job. I am going to play with these methods. Thanks!

never knew how crazy the drums in the bridge were in this. i never really thought dave was that great. but after hearing more stuff from after nirvana i’m kinda realizing he was definitely holding back especially in nevermind

Holy shit! ...no I can't really think of anything constructive to say just holy shit you guys killed it!

Omg Brother your in Chicago I live in Springfield Illinois that’s awesome Chicago 🎸🎸 love the scene there saw some grindcore bands in 2016

Killer. Speaking of Butch Vig, how about the Siamese Dream drum sound next?

Accent the offbeats on snare a little more and it's golden! And there's a kick on the 3 in that opening beat and its refrains. Definitely nailed the drum sound though! Great video.

Jessica is not only an incredible drummer, but she looks SO BADASS when her hair flies back, after hitting the crash!

This series is totally awesome- I would love to see The Stone Roses - Fools Gold (Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants)

Pixies - Surfer Rosa drum sound PLEASE!

this sounds incredible

You guys have come a long way! Closest one yet!

I was super excited when I saw this video because I thought you would include a drum sample pack like you did with the Rehab video. Don't get me wrong, it's still cool.

Please, do the "In Utero" drum sound. Totally different. Steve Albini's alternative drum sound is the holy grail.

love these drum sound videos. great drummer and great sound engineer. I would love to see the volume fader relationships to each microphone track. its something I always struggle with in my drum mixes.

That sounded super close to the original! Great job!

I cant believe you didn't use the 440? or the 960? I personally would have went with the 1173 or the 960 but i am on a budget so the 1488 or 92B is what i use now. I wish i could get my hands on a 975FFG or a 1660X, The newer 55B and 770 sound just as good. My all time dream mic is the AC17X3.

Those rooms sound incredible!

Awesome video! Would love to see a drum breakdown for razorblade suitcase by Bush!

Sounds great! I'm sure Butch Vig has said he composited samples on the bass drum and snare to beef them up by feeding the tracks out to a trigger. Post production of course.

Sound of early 90’s Nirvana large Tama drums 24” kick drum, 14/16” deep rack tom and 18” floor tom w/ Zildjian cymbals finished

Yes! Thank you!

Let’s see some videos on the White Stripes - amazing how much was done with so little

I love the hell out of my 421's!

Great Series! ‘Cake - The Distance”

Damn, dead on. Great drumming!

In Utero next! 30 yr anniversary on September 21st 2023

Awesome. Did you do, or would consider doing, Tool Aenima drums? I believe they pumped the close mics through a huge PA back into the room during tracking, or something like that. Such a huge sound, obviously a lot also going on in the mix

exceptional work guys

6:40 I'd say, high hats are golden on the compressed room mics

"Pure thunder, feels like the earth is shaking like you're gonna die" listen to Lysol by the Melvins

This series is fucking sick

Do In Utero next!

Interesting how that far kick mic sounded like it was clipping but in the final mix it was just what the doctor ordered.

amazing information in this video. thank you for making it! how about how the drums on 'Kind of Blue' or any classic late 50's bebop?

Amazing!!! Well done!

It sounds exactly like the record 😵✨

Incredible

Very well done! Awesome tutorial :)

oh shit Jessica works at Reverb? always stoked to see her play on Rob Scallon's channel

Nailed it!!!!!!!!!!

id love to see a breakdown of the Metz drum sound. Hayden Menzies is a beast!

Do the drum sound for “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds!

Gotta do the Tool (Lateralus and Aenema) / David Bottrill technique next!!! I've always wanted to know the details of how he got that sound.

Request: Could you recreate the drum sound for Prince's Purple Rain?

please do a dry 70’s punk drum sound!!

you guys should do one recreating the 50s sound (elvis, doo wop, etc)

One Butch Vig is twice as many as the world needs.

Great drum sound by Butch Vig

i'd love to see a Martin Hannett's drum sound tutorial from you :), not necessarily the famous Joy Division's sound

I have to say: how amazing of a drummer you are! I am delighted! :D... ah, there is all that gear too, but, damn, I want that drummer in my band...

I would love to see a video on John Mellencamp's 'Rain On The Scarecrow". I've heard that Kenny Aronoff hit a pipe against a fire hydrant with a mic nearby.

Great Video! Would very much appreciate an episode about the J Dilla/Questlove/Soulquarians sound of D'Angelo's "Voodoo" or Commons "Like water for chocolate" album!!!

Mad Excellent 👍🏽 !!!

I’ll love to see a Gish or Siamese dream drum sound

Great drumming!

thanks! would love to see some fela kuti (tony allen) drum sound? some non western approaches would be nice

Andy "I'll Mix Triggered Sounds In With Drum Mic Feeds (Or Replace The Performance Entirely)" Wallace

You could probably use these tips to get close to the drum sound on Gish too

Enema of the state drum sound would be sickkkk!

You nailed it !

Riveted - thank you!

Please do broken machine by nothing but thieves it sounds really greatful

AMAZING!!!!

Drum sampling Andy Wallace trick 7:53

I’ve always love the drum sounds on Neil Young Harvest! I think the drums sound pretty similar from track to track excluding “Man needs a Maid”. Could you do a track off this album? Old Man!!!

6:30 dang things sounding a little Blur Song 2-ish there! 😮

What polar pattern was used for the room mics? They didn’t tell in the video. I’m guessing figure of 8 but could be cardioid too…

Deftones drum sound pls!!!

Do In Utero!

keep up with the grohl sounds and do in utero!!!!!!

Damn that triggered reverb makes it so good

I'd love to see Dom Howard sound break down