FAQs
I receive a lot of emails asking me similar questions, so I've tried my best to cover most of them here. If you'd like to know anything more you can drop me an email here:
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FAQs
So, I can just use these drums for anything?
Absolutely! They are there for you to use in any which way you'd like. They've been used in dance tracks, spliced up for electronic music, cover versions, original songs and placeholder drums before the 'real' drums go down (it always makes me smile when I get sent a guide drum track for a session and it's one of the Isolated Drums!).
Do I need to credit you?
Yes please. I love that they are available for free for everyone, and I would be proud to be credited on any projects they are used on, to acknowledge the time and love that has been put into the transcribing and recording the drums, as well as studio equipment and costs. Donations on the Isolated Drums page are also gratefully received.
What are the copyright issues?
Drumbeats and drum patterns are not typically considered songwriting. The law makes clear that lyrics, melody, harmony, and rhythm can be copyrighted. Most often, lyrics and melody are afforded protection under the law before the other two. This is arguable because the latter two are considered “accompaniment,” while the first two form the backbone of the composition, and remain consistent regardless of who is performing the composition. (Source www.lawyerdrummer.com)
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Having said that, if you were build a song around one of Ringo's more iconic and unique beats, such as 'Come Together', and claim the beat as your own that is clearly potential plagiarism. So, acknowledging the named songwriter for that particular song would be a wise idea, and naming them in the writing royalties (UK - PRS, USA - ASCAP) if you are officially releasing the song through a distributor.
Why don't you play a count in?
My initial intention for these drum beats was for songwriters to use them in place of 'Logic Drummer' or 'Superior Drummer', so they could get a real human feel on their songs. Therefore, they are recorded and presented with an assumption that most artists have a DAW (Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Garageband etc), and you can input the tempo I provide and drag the drums in to make sure everything lines up correctly.
But The Beatles didn't use a click track!
You are absolutely correct. However, to make sure these drum beats can be used in the most versatile way possible I made the decision to record to a fixed tempo. Some songs move around a lot in tempo (e.g. 'I Feel Fine'), so where appropriate I have decided an average tempo, but if the song moves around significantly (e.g. 'House Of The Rising Sun') I have provided a click track for you to use.
Why do the microphone setups keep changing?
All You Need Is Drums is a working studio, I am constantly tweaking sounds and upgrading equipment, so with a long term project like this the sound is naturally going to evolve over the years, hopefully for the better!
Can I make a request?
Absolutely. My number 1 priority with this project is to get through the complete recorded catalogue of The Beatles career. I have been booked to work on a few other projects which have allowed me to explore a few other artists and share their drums with you. I am happy to take requests, however depending on how busy the studio is I may not be able to get round to them all.
Do you record remote drum sessions?
Yes! That's exactly what I do. When I'm not recording my podcast, nerding out about Ringo, or running around after my kids, I spend most of my time working with artists to get fantastic sounding drums on their songs! If you would like more information about my rates and processes then please send me an email at:
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