Experience the Vintage Drums of Cowax

Experience the Vintage Drums of Cowax

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Studio Visit
3. The Cowax Sound
4. Lab Overview
5. The Drum Kits
   1. Kit 1: The 1975 Kit
   2. Kit 2: The Animal Kit
   3. Mixing and Matching Kits
6. Lab Parameters
   1. The Expression Fader
   2. The Dynamic Fader or Mod Wheel
   3. The Grit Parameter
   4. Adjusting Reverb
7. Conclusion
8. Highlights
9. FAQ

The Vintage Drums of Cowax: A Walkthrough of Spitfire Audio's Labs

Introduction

Spitfire Audio has become a household name in the world of music production for their high-quality sample libraries. And with their free Labs series, they've only gained more of a following amongst artists and producers alike. With the Vintage Drums Lab, Spitfire Audio takes You on a Journey to the heart of Brittany, France, and introduces you to the unique, analog sound of Cowax Studios.

The Studio Visit

As the Spitfire Audio team visited Cowax Studios, they were immediately struck by the studio's analog-only approach. The studio is a rarity in today's world, utilizing only tape, valves, and hard-to-find microphones that are no longer produced. Cowax Studios has remained frozen in time, boasting a vintage aesthetic, and the team at Spitfire became obsessed with the idea of creating something special in this space.

The Cowax Sound

If you've heard of Cowax Studios, then you've heard of their drums. The sound is vintage by design and unapologetically powerful. The Vintage Drums Lab captures this sound while offering a distinctly unique sound palette for all of your compositional and songwriting needs.

Lab Overview

The Vintage Drums Lab from Spitfire Audio contains two analog drum kits. Each kit has been acoustically captured and real-time analog treated, offering a familiar yet incredibly unique sound.

The Drum Kits

Kit 1: The 1975 Kit

The 1975 kit is a restored Ludwig 1975 kit with a 26-inch bass drum, famously used by John Bonham. It was captured using vintage ribbon microphones through a handmade mixing console. This kit comes with a variety of sounds, including kicks, snare, toms, hi-hats, and cymbals.

Kit 2: The Animal Kit

The Animal kit is a house kit at Cowax Studios featuring unaltered animal hide drum skins. These skins are perfectly maintained by the use of interior heating bulbs and yield a warm sound. The Animal kit comes with unique sounds, including kicks, snare, toms, hi-hats, and cymbals.

Mixing and Matching Kits

The Vintage Drums Lab gives you the freedom to experiment with different kit combinations. Mixing and matching kits from the lab allows you to Create unique sounds that are entirely your own.

Lab Parameters

The Expression Fader

The expression fader controls the volume of the drum kit and allows you to adjust to the level of loudness you desire.

The Dynamic Fader or Mod Wheel

The dynamic fader or mod wheel changes the full mix of the drums. Turning it down gives you a tight, modern, controlled sound. Turning it up gives you a roomy, acoustic, as captured sound of the Cowax Studio space.

The Grit Parameter

The grit parameter adds an analog distortion as an overlay that gives the drums a gritty sound.

Adjusting Reverb

In addition to adjusting reverb, you can also adjust the grit, giving you more control over the final sound.

Conclusion

The Vintage Drums Lab from Spitfire Audio is a must-have tool for any producer looking for a unique, vintage sound. The kit captures the essence of Cowax Studios while also giving producers the freedom to experiment and create sounds entirely their own.

Highlights

• Two unique drum kits, each with acoustically captured and real-time analog treated signals
• Mixing and matching kits for unique sounds
• Lab Parameters such as expression faders, dynamic faders, grit parameters, and reverb adjustments

FAQ

Q: Can the Vintage Drums Lab be used with any DAW? A: Yes, the lab can be used with any DAW that accepts VST, AU, or AAX plugins.

Q: Can I use this lab for commercial or non-commercial purposes? A: Yes, this lab can be used for commercial or non-commercial purposes without any licensing requirements.

Q: Can I use the lab for live performances? A: Yes, the lab can be used for live performances. However, it is recommended that you test the lab in your live setup before the performance to ensure that everything works correctly.