Abbey Road Orchestra: Low Percussion

Instruments

Bass Drum

A vintage concert bass drum with a single 32” head on a shallow open shell. This drum combines a defined attack, woody overtones and balanced resonance.

Sticks

Performances with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack and a balanced tone

• Hits
• Rolls

Hard Felt (Damped)

Performances with a hard felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head producing a muted sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Medium Felt

Performances with a medium felt mallet with a less immediate attack revealing clear undertones

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Brushes

Performances with fine metal brushes for a more delicate timbre

• Open hits
• Closed hits
• Open edge hits
• Closed edge hits
• Short Sweeps
• Long Sweeps
• Swirls

Rods

Performances with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance

• Hits
• Rolls
• Rim hits
• Rim rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Bass Drum presented across the keyboard

Bass Drum (Gran Cassa)

An orchestral staple, this 36” gran cassa is a two-headed concert bass drum with huge dynamic range and a very deep, complex sustain.

Sticks

Performances with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack and a balanced tone

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Medium Felt

Performances with a medium felt mallet with a less immediate attack revealing clear undertones

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Poly Beater

Performances with a plastic/poly beater to create a narrower sound with less low frequency information

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Super Soft

Performances with a super soft beater creating an extremely mellow attack and a boomy resonance

• Hits
• Hand damped hits
• Rolls

Brushes

Performances with fine metal brushes for a more delicate timbre

• Hits
• Closed hits
• Rolls
• Short Sweeps
• Long Sweeps
• Swirls

Rute on Rim

Performances with wooden rute, creating an intricate and earthy high pitched 'tap'

• Hits
• Flams
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Gran Cassa presented across the keyboard

Bombo

An Argentinian bass drum with a 20" hide head tuned with rope. It produces a low, organic sound with a very short sustain.

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Hard Felt (Damped)

Performances with a hard felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head to produce a muted sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Soft Felt

Performances with a soft felt mallet producing a rounded attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Soft Felt (Damped)

Performances with a soft felt mallet and a cloth placed over the drum head to produce a muted sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Sticks (Sides)

Performances with wooden sticks on the sides of the drum

• Hits
• Flams
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Bombo presented across the keyboard

Buffalo Drum

Constructed from a shallow wooden frame clad with a 22” buffalo skin head, this drum produces strong overtones with a rich, blooming sustain.

Hard Beater

Performances with a hard beater producing an articulate attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Soft Beater

Performances with a soft beater producing a rounded attack

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Buffalo Drum presented across the keyboard

Dhol Drum

A two-headed drum from the Indian subcontinent. Each head is struck with a different beater to produce the dhol's signature tones.

Dhol Sticks

Performances with traditional wooden dagga and tihli sticks

• Dagga closed hits
• Dagga closed hits
• Thili hits

Djuns

A pair of djuns (dundun) hailing from West Africa, these instruments are adept at carrying strong rhythms with a balanced, 'forward' tone.

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a defined attack with a balanced tone

• Hits
• Closed hits
• Rolls

Dragon Drums (Dagus)

Originating from China, thIs large pair of dagu drums (or ‘Dragon Drums’) produce strong and characterful tones with lengthy sustain.

Sticks

Performances with wooden sticks to produce the traditional dagu sound

• Hits
• Rolls
• Rim hits
• Rim rolls

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet for a less pronounced attack

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Dragon Drums presented across the keyboard

Epic Toms

A pair of floor toms positioned on opposing sides. These drums provide a tight, powerful attack and an explosive, hard-hitting tone.

Taiko Sticks

Performances with taiko sticks producing a hard attack and accentuated top end

• Hits
• Rolls

Taiko Sticks (Damped)

Performances with taiko sticks and a hide skin placed over the head of the drum for a muted sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Rods

Performances with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Epic Toms presented across the keyboard

Giant Taiko

With its 60” diameter shell this giant taiko (or O-Daiko) produces deep, controlled lows whilst remaining dexterous and agile.

Taiko Sticks

Performances with taiko sticks producing a hard attack

• Hits
• Rolls
• Rim hits
• Rim flams
• Rim rolls
• Shell hits
• Shell flams
• Shell rolls

Taiko Sticks (Damped)

Performances with taiko sticks and a blanket covering the rear head of the drum to reduce resonance

• Hits
• Rolls

Medium Felt

Performances with felt mallets for a variation on the classic taiko sound

Medium Felt (Damped)

Performances with felt mallets and a blanket covering the rear head of the drum to reduce resonance

• Hits
• Rolls

Hands

Performances with fists on the head of the drum producing a softer attack with a darker tone

• Hits

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Giant Taiko presented across the keyboard

Gong Bass Drum

This gong drum is constructed with a single oversized head, producing a very fat and 'modern' sound with a fast attack and punchy low end.

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Soft Felt

Performances with a soft felt mallet producing a rounded attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Puili

Performances with bamboo puili sticks creating a detailed, high pitched attack with a tight resonance

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Gong Bass Drum presented across the keyboard

• Hits
• Rolls

Surdo

A Brazilian instrument which traditionally provides the lower rhythms in samba music. This 22" aluminium shell variant produces a dense sound with a distinctive attack.

Medium Felt

Performances with a felt beater to produce the signature surdo sound.

• Hits 
• Closed hits
• Rolls

Hands

Performances with the hands on the head of the drum

• Hits 
• Closed hits

All-in-one

All available beaters and techniques for the Surdo presented across the keyboard

Taikos

A pair of Japanese solid Siam oak taiko drums producing a very focussed sound with which to create impactful, driving rhythms.

Taiko Sticks

Performances with wooden taiko sticks to produce the traditional taiko sound

• Hits
• Rolls
• Rim hits
• Rim flams
• Rim rolls

Hard Felt

Performances with hard felt mallets for a variation on the classic taiko sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Medium Felt

Performances with medium felt mallets producing a mellower attack

• Hits
• Rolls

Brushes

Performances with brushes for a more delicate timbre

• Hits
• Edge hits
• Rolls
• Short sweeps
• Long sweeps
• Swirls
• Shimmers

Hands

Performances with the hands on the head of the drum

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one (Taiko Low)

All available beaters and techniques for the Low Taiko drum presented across the keyboard

All-in-one (Taiko High)

All available beaters and techniques for the High Taiko drum presented across the keyboard

Toms

A spread set of vintage silver single headed toms, adept at both slow and rapid accented passages owing to their extremely clear and resonant tone.

Sticks

Performances with wooden drum sticks producing a hard and immediate attack with a powerful tone

• Hits
• Rolls

Sticks on Rims

Performances with wooden drum sticks on the rim of the drum to produce a 'tapping' sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Sticks (Damped)

Performances with wooden drum sticks and a tea towel placed over the head of the drum for a muted sound

• Hits
• Rolls

Hard Felt

Performances with a hard felt mallet producing a strong attack with a balanced tone

• Hits
• Rolls

Rods

• Performances with wooden rods producing an articulate sound with reduced resonance
• Hits
• Rolls

Brushes

Performances with dense nylon brushes producing a softer attack but with plenty of body

• Hits
• Rolls

All-in-one (Low Toms)

All available beaters and techniques for the lower pitched Toms presented across the keyboard

All-in-one (High Toms)

All available beaters and techniques for the higher pitched Toms presented across the keyboard

Mics and mixes

Mix 1

A full-sounding room mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 1, Overheads, Outriggers 1, and a curated blend of spots.

Mix 2

A tighter mix by Simon Rhodes, formed from Tree 2, Mids and Outriggers 2 with a curated blend of spots.

Section Overhead

A set of large diaphragm condenser microphones above the orchestral section capturing a clear representation of the instruments in the space.

Close 1

A blend of spot mics close to the source. Used in conjunction with the other close mics and section overhead to achieve the desired close sound.

Close 2

An alternative blend of spot mics which add body and air to the source. 

Close Ribbons

A pair of close ribbon mics capturing a rounded and detailed image. 

Tree 1

A decca tree formed of Abbey Road’s finest trio of classic valve omnidirectional microphones creating a lush and full sound.

Tree 2

A tighter, closer decca tree formed from mics with a more directional pattern, suited to faster, more detailed material.

Outriggers 1

Used in conjunction with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair utilises omnidirectional mics to reproduce the full width of Studio One.

Outriggers 2

Used together with either tree to obtain a wider image. This pair uses mics with a more directional pattern, pulling the edges of the room inwards.

Mids

A pair of valve REDD mics placed between the conductor and the source which adds extra focus to the sound when combined with the Tree and Outriggers.

Ambients

A pristine pair of small diaphragm omnidirectional microphones to the rear of the room for a natural ambience.

Vintage 1

A pair of original RM1B microphones placed in front of the conductor, combined with some classic ribbons to form a vintage scoring stage sound.

Vintage 2

A pair of classic 44BX microphones placed by the conductor for an alternative vintage scoring stage sound.

Pop Close

A Simon Rhodes mix of close mics panned centrally to give a flexible image not restricted to the orchestral layout.

Spill

A summation of spot mics placed around the other sections. These capture the natural 'spill' from the source across the orchestra for added realism.

Effects

Reverb

A bespoke IR developed at Abbey Road Studios