The Black Album Drums - Darrell Thorp, Mike Tacci (Metallica), Gunnar Olsen (Puscifer), Drum Doctors

There is something about this kit in this room and in that spot. Step in with us as we celebrate the iconic Metallica Black Album drums with Ross Garfield (Drum Doctors), Mike Tacci (assistant engineer on The Black Album), Darrell Thorp (Foo Fighters, Beck, Radiohead), and Gunnar Olsen (Drummer - Puscifer, Bruce Springsteen, A Perfect Circle) at the legendary One On One Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California.
THE DRUMS (Used on The Black Album)
1980's Gretsch (Maple)
16x24 Kick (x2) Walnut Stain
10x12,11x13,12x14,14x16 Toms Ebony Gloss
16x18 Floor Tom Ebony Gloss
6.5 x 14 1980's Tama Bell Brass Snare "Terminator"
MICROPHONES USED
Tom Mic - Top and Bottom Rack and Floor Toms
www.lautenaudio.com/tom-mic
Snare Mic - Top and Bottom Snare
www.lautenaudio.com/snare-mic
LS-208 - Kick in (x2)
www.lautenaudio.com/ls-208
Clarion FC-357 - Kick Out (x2)
www.lautenaudio.com/clarion
LA-120 V2 - Hi Hat (x2)
www.lautenaudio.com/la-120
LA-320 V2 - LCR Overhead & Stereo Room High (XY Left + XY Right)
www.lautenaudio.com/la-320
LA-220 V2 - Stereo Room Low
www.lautenaudio.com/la-220
Eden LT-386 - Room (x2) - High Back Wall
www.lautenaudio.com/eden

[@MetalMayhem1978]

I’m a guitar player for 30+ years, but I swear I enjoy watching drum videos more 😂

[@TheMack]

Totally agree, the same here! I even subscribed to Drumeo. Love the drums! :)

[@ConcertFootageNate]

Same, at 48 I got my first drum set..Started playing guitar in 1989, for about 2 yrs I only knew Metallica riffs on guitar, lol not full songs just pieces. I think being a guitarist for so long has helped me learn drums a little faster, my sense of timing and rhythm. I last 6 months I got double bass pedal and I’m really enjoying coming up with drum parts that I now write guitar riffs to that, it’s a great thing..Love the drums more everyday!

[@pvampman]

me too. Ive been playing guitar for 30 yrs, yet I always find myself watching a shit ton of drum videos. But this is pretty cool video...this drum kit is historic

[@guitarpunkcovers8405]

How did this not turn out to be a drum library. Some of the best sounding drums I've heard

[@JohnDunstonDrums]

Exactly what i was thinking.

[@jedigarrett142]

They did it for the BFD 3 software

[@tome4285]

It sounds fine and all, but so generic

[@huubdrums]

@@tome4285you seem nice 😊

[@DamageInc86]

​@@tome4285 I don't think I've ever heard a record with black album drum sounds since the black album.

[@MatthieuCARTON]

Can you just imagine what this video represents for any heavy metal drummer? I wondered what became to that kit all my life! The wait is over. Today is the day. THANK YOU LAUTENAUDIO!

[@LautenAudio]

Glad we could be a part of that!!

[@BrianLoudenslager]

I'm glad you see it that way. It made the hair stand up on my arms. Being in this room with that kit was something else. I must be honest and say it's the best-sounding drum room I've ever been in if you want lively drums.

[@isaacleedrums]

@@LautenAudio I love my Lauten snare mic man!

[@LautenAudio]

@@isaacleedrums we are so glad!! Thank you for being part of the family!

[@NintenDub]

​@@LautenAudiodo you know where this kit has been all that time?

[@VipersNest]

Lars gets so much grief for his drumming but he's an icon. This album is ingrained in me and will always be in my top albums ever.

[@joeplem5329]

I wore my video player OUT watching a year and a half documentary now to see this i have goosebumps!!!! One of the many reasons I play drums!!!!

[@LautenAudio]

Many of us had that doc on repeat!

[@christiancea6]

We all thought it was TAMA. That great GRETSCH sound is real. Great video!

[@designercaolho]

Although Lars was signed to Tama and Zildjian back in the day (and still is), he admittedly used Gretsch and Sabian when recording the Black Album.

[@drummrboy]

@@designercaolho Yeah I was actually curious to see that pair of Sabian AA hats, but they're not there sadly...

[@christiancea6]

@@designercaolho I remember the “Nothing Else Matters” video and seeing the drum kit but still thought it was a Tama. Great video!

[@faustomadebr]

He used the same floor toms and bass drums for Load/Reload, but with Tama rack toms. There is also the ludwig snare drum on Ride and Master.

[@snapascrew]

I thought it was widely known that it was gretsch…. ?

[@duketheclown3380]

Can’t believe the studio looks EXACTLY the same as it did in 91!!

[@OneOnOneRecording]

other than new floors, new fabric on the clouds, and different curtains, the live room itself hasn't changed. Don't mess with a good thing, right?

[@RaceDayReplay]

I'd always assumed that Lars owned the kit that was played. Had no idea it was a rental

[@robbiemoore5608]

He brought his kit for the St. Anger sessions

[@StereoAnthony]

It's an iconic drum sound on an iconic album. The sound of the thunderous toms on Sandman were seared into my 12 year old brain. Chocolate Audio sampled this kit as a BFD E-Drum library, so I can play it whenever I want. An amazing sounding drum kit.

[@frankie_ghiloni]

I’m just glad to see One on One is still around!🙌🏻

[@LautenAudio]

We are too!

[@muriloninja]

After all these years Ihad no idea it did but thank the gods it does! It should always be around! Incredible studio and that floor is incredible!

[@BradDollar]

This part!

[@slugtoenail]

Interesting. I thought it closed down over a decade ago?

[@SoundsLikeADrum]

Great sounds all around and fun to see/hear that kit. Major props to Gunnar on the drumming!

[@LautenAudio]

🤘Gunnar rocked it!

[@mattwinegar527]

I happened to visit One on One while they were recording the Black Album, and here's a few things I remember. I remember walking in the control room and there were pieces of 2" tape EVERYWHERE hung on the rear wall with labels of what parts of what song they were from. It looked like some serious tape edits were happening. For example, they would have strips of tape hanging on the wall labelled, "Fills", or "Verse2". things like that. On the wall to the right of the console they had a shrine of hair metal magazine cut-outs of bands like Bon Jovi and Warrant with pictures of dicks pasted over where the microphones would be.. When I walked out into the live room, I immediately noticed the kit had a ton of mics all over it. Maybe 4 mics on each kick drum. D112 Re-20 Sm57 Fet47... That sort of thing. I wish I could remember the exact specifics. The other thing that I noticed was every cymbal had it's own mic. They looked like AKG451eb's... on EVERY cymbal, and there were a lot of them. Every Tom had top and bottom mics. It was a huge amount of microphones. Out in the room was a full PA system with giant sub-woofers (maybe 18") and a whole other console setup to pump the sound of the live drums through the PA back into the room. It was the craziest setup I've ever seen. They'd been there for many months and were almost done with drums at that time. Also in the main room (maybe it was a huge iso booth, but I thought it was part of the room) was a section of half stacks. I definitely remember a Mesa Boogie MkIIc through a Marshall Cab, and a 70's small script Marshall with a 4x12. I also remember a rack with another MkIIc and a bunch of random stuff in it (ADA preamp, FX's) and a JC120. Each cab had an Sm57 and a MD421 on it. I wish I would have paid better attention, but I was just there for a quick visit and didn't really think much of it at the time.

[@OneOnOneRecording]

good stuff, thanks for the comments!

[@mikekelly1771]

That snare is like a phone book to the face!

[@brianphillips9152]

Yep! Thank you may I have another

[@michaeldean7220]

Nice. How would you describe the St Anger snare? :)

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

Bell brass is also the nevermind snare

[@IshadaKatzteilov]

Lars doesn't know shit about tuning a snare. Clack clack.

[@mirkomarkovic3438]

@@IshadaKatzteilov did you not se russ garfield there??

[@blashuvec]

INSANE DRUM SOUND

[@DiamondRodrigo-wx9hu]

Fact is Tommy Lee was recording the Dr. Feel-good album with Bob rock, and invited Lars in the studio at a chance one day to hear what they had going on....Lars was blown away with what Tommy and Bob had created with Tommy's drums. So Lars kind of decided right there he wanted to really dial in a whole new thing for his drums when he went in to do their new album.Lars found himself talking with Bob Rock some about his ideas and months into it Bob was asked to record their album and also really put the work in to create Lars "drum sound" as he really felt Tommy's sound had just opened up things in the drum world sonically and this became main thing....drums and guitars at peak performance for how they felt was manditory.Bob and Lars had a hard time dialing in things with the kit,that's why all the shellacked hardwood sheets was screwed to the wall so the bounce of things could happen....and the rest as they say is....in the history books!!!

[@itikutok6568]

The drums, the room, the studio. OMG

[@FirestormAudio]

Right?! So good!

[@DrProfessorMD]

Gunnar is my favorite drummer and I grew up on the Black Album era. This is absolutely amazing.

[@GunnarOlsenMusic]

Cheers. This was very special for me!

[@Dr-Bakeneko]

new old dream unlocked. I rented the year and a half in the life of Metallica tape out of my local blockbuster with my best friend from middle school. We both decided to dedicate our lives to music in whichever way possible. Seeing this is awesome. Genuinely awesome. Thank you for making this video. Also, it’s very joyful knowing so many people feel a similar way, judging by the comments. This would make a great gathering at a pub!

[@brianphillips9152]

Gretsch always getting it done in the studio.

[@totigerus]

I completely agree. I just don't understand why more drummers don't use Gretsch live. Their endorsee list has always been spotty at best. Tama and DW have been shitting all over them in that department for YEARS. This is coming from a guy who saved for years to buy a square badge kit in 2001, which I still own and play.

[@rodrigoaquinoofficial]

True, no matter is Vinnie...

[@fleatactical7390]

@@totigerus I could be wrong, but Tama and DW have always struck me as being more "road worthy" than Gretsch. Maybe that's a marketing thing as well, and not based in any reality, but if true, I figure any decision made on the live aspect you mention also has to take into consideration the rigors of touring and the wear and tear not only on the drums themselves, but also the stands and mounts (since both will usually come from the same manufacturer in the case of endorsements).

[@jiboo6850]

wait, they only use toms! bass drums are Doctors and snare is Tama.

[@cy2112cy]

@@fleatactical7390 Gretsch hardware was notoriously horrible. Tama’s hardware was always a big marketing/selling point for them. Perfect for metal with all those heavy cymbals high up. Gretsch never went down any big marketing push until more recently.

[@tortureddrummer]

I watched those Year and a Half tapes like 1000 times when I was younger. They really inspired me at the time. Really nice to see this in more details. This past year I got to meet Lars in SF for the first time and told him how much he inspired me during the Black album times and how much watching the tapes helped push me in a certain direction.

[@leonardrhyman9578]

Wow! Thank you so much for this! I've heard some rumors that Gar Samuelson used the same Gretsch kit when recording Peace Sells!

[@awesomefanger]

I’ve heard the gene hoglan used the same set gar used on peace sells a black gretsch, not sure if it’s the drum doctors kit. Charlie benante also used a gretsch on the first few Anthrax records.

[@josephworth2655]

This is tremendous. Absolutely iconic kit that contributed to an iconic album. All us metal drummers have dreamed of playing that kit. Monster sound.

[@Maggai]

This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen (and heard) The actual kit???? OMG

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you liked it!

[@DerSilvano]

"I wouldn't ask you to do a drum roll if your arm fell off" - James Hetfield

[@davidhall8231]

Gold... Great days

[@adamc209]

As a fan of Metallica, and having not watched the documentary in years, this is just awesome! Love it

[@michaeljamesjohnson]

What a dream come true getting to play these iconic drums in the same studio!! Unreal!! 🤘🏼

[@josemariamedina3903]

I read the video description and i got goosebumps. Beautiful video. Thanks for doing this! A very important piece of music history!

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@xxgil2]

I bought a bell brass because of this legendary kit. Nice to see a video dedicated to it! Thanks!

[@marvinhanson9391]

This answered so many age old questions ive had all my career, thank you!

[@fomosmith]

Well this is certainly the most awesome drum related content I’ve always wanted to see! Thank you!

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@owenjacobs65]

The amount of glee and pride Mike Tacci has is palpable.. this is so cool😭

[@LautenAudio]

Mike is awesome.

[@gbirdo4718]

Thank you for such a gem of a upload!!!! This is why KZbin is the best platform.

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@SyeDrums]

This is coolest video I’ve found on you tube this year, love it

[@LautenAudio]

That's a huge compliment. Thank you!

[@SyeDrums]

@@LautenAudio pleasure to watch

[@shredenvain7]

I would kill for a vst drum library of this entire kit in that room. The toms and that bell brass snare are amazing.

[@ilyeshmusic]

...that one in a million combination with that drums...best guitars, best vox, best solos, best guitar sounds, best time, best ....it was just one in a lifetime...

[@ericvitale4307]

This is absolutely amazing!

[@michaelgallegos8811]

Wow what awesome sounding kit !

[@thrasher5122]

The mics used in this video are so good you could hear dude scratching his beard hair by hair 😂😂😂😂😂

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Great stuff, guys!

[@LautenAudio]

Thanks, Glenn!!

[@nobeldrums]

Gunbuns living out scores of drummer's dreams! Also note uncredited cameo of Blair Sinta.

[@LautenAudio]

Yes! We have another video posted today with Blair as well!!

[@nobeldrums]

@@LautenAudio I noticed after. Great videos!

[@ilmatteot]

I wondered this video 25 years ago...thank you

[@OscarGarcia-wh3so]

Best drumming sound ever! Loved this!

[@ry-io1nd]

ive been waiting for this!

[@anthonytsi]

One day I hope to visit this studio. I did not know that AJFA was also recorded there. What a difference in the sound of those two albums to be recorded in the same place. Thanks for this video.

[@DanielMcBrain]

Awesome video, never thought watching something like this, thanks for sharing

[@jcsk8]

That´s unbeliavable, at least. I´m crazy about the black album and searched a lot for the drums and cymbals used in that album, but found just some videos from the actual recording. Now this. Amazing. Can´t tank you enough, guys.

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@JockeLundgrenTV]

Amazing! Thank you very much. ❤

[@matthewforster6073]

AMAZING sounding kit awesome video 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@__jevy]

This is amazing. Thanks!

[@rboxsters]

Great vid! Was fun to watch the Nothing Else Matters video afterwards. You can see Mike and the Black Album drums! So cool! Nice to connect the dots all these years later. I've always been a fan of music videos which had clips of the band in studio, however NEM might be my favorite. Thank you Drum Doctors and LautenAudio!

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@the_minimalistic_adventure]

That kit is so incredibly iconic. It’s basically priceless at this point.. just to be in the presence of it would be amazing!

[@fleatactical7390]

Surprised it's still in top condition. I don't care how good the guy maintains his gear, rentals get beat on, and they're, what, probably 40 years old now? And being in California, I'm shocked they haven't been stolen.

[@OneOnOneRecording]

@@fleatactical7390 Ross said he stopped renting them out a long time ago once he realized how valuable they became, and due to cost to insure them and possibility of getting damaged or stolen. They are pretty much in the Drum Doctors private collection now, so pretty cool that we got to see them back in the room one more time.

[@LautenAudio]

What they said ☝

[@fleatactical7390]

@@OneOnOneRecording Ahhh, OK, thanks for the info. I originally assumed that would be the case, again, given the fact that they still look so good, and well, are still in his possession. LOL But I also have to imagine that a few other folks got to play on them before he came to that realization. And I doubt they realized it.

[@OneOnOneRecording]

@@fleatactical7390 you're probably right about that one, at least in parts. Like Ross said it was kind of a hybrid kit, with kicks from one set and toms from another. Not sure exactly when it was retired.

[@3vandrom]

More than just amazing! 💯

[@RecordingDrumsWithBrad]

Such a great sounding kit! Didn't realize how big the toms were. Massive! I just bought the Snare Mic and it's one of the best decisions I've made in a long time. Fantastic mic! Next on the list are Tom Mics. Thanks for creating these videos. Very educational!

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you like it! Welcome to the family!!

[@RecordingDrumsWithBrad]

Love it!! Thank you!! :)@@LautenAudio

[@a.c.6426]

I tripped across this video and am sooo incredibly happy I did.. I lived my early teen years through Metallica.. what a fuckin amazing kit…

[@EDawg_32]

This video came at the right time for me. Thanks Lauten Audio. It also amazes me how much Metallicas work is dissected

[@ItsKingBirdi]

Damn i wish i got to play those what the hell it still sounds fresh all these years later

[@JarickL]

I just set up my big 8" studio monitors after treating my room and this kit is about the biggest sounding drums I've heard in my life. Will check out!

[@grahamtoole6435]

Aw man this is so cool! The actual kit that lars played for the black album, that snare is ridiculous and those toms are like thunder! The sound bob rock and the rest of the black album sound engineers produced from that kit will never be surpassed imo. Undoubtedly the best drum sound ever created for any album ever!!

[@xrt7874]

I think Justice drum sound is miles better and it was recorded in the same studio room with Tama drumkit.

[@fleatactical7390]

@@xrt7874 I agree, but they are two totally different albums in terms of production. Simply put, the Black album drums would have sounded stupid on ...And Justice, and vice-versa.

[@jiboo6850]

@@fleatactical7390 you guys need an ear check asap.

[@ochocabra1542]

according to Bob Rock that was Dr Feelgood

[@jiboo6850]

@@xrt7874 you guys have bad ears. end of story.

[@irrsinnrainer]

The Black Album has some of the best Drum and Bass tones I have ever heard. Such a great production. And I didn't know that the drums for Justice and The Black Album were recorded in the same studio.

[@greatpower30]

That snare just sounds exceptional

[@snapascrew]

Cool to hear such a close approximation of what the raw kit probably sounded like back in the day before the samples were added in for sweetening. Just a great sounding drum kit in a great sounding room. Can’t go wrong!

[@LautenAudio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DustyRacoon]

You legends actually did it

[@FDrums]

This Gretsch kit in this room...Can't get any better!

[@cy2112cy]

This is so great. I have spent hours of my life trying to imagine what it would be like in that room with those drums. This is probably the closest I’ll get. Finally all the little questions answered (except the long standing snare sample debate)

[@LautenAudio]

What's the long-standing debate?

[@cy2112cy]

@@LautenAudio if they were used or not. And if so how and to what extent.

[@mtaco111]

Bob always used his snare sample called St.John which was made at Little Mountian in the loading bay, in Vancouver

[@cy2112cy]

@@mtaco111 interesting. I’d love to gain any more info on this. Just curious of course. I know there is a ‘snare sample’ track on the multitrack notes but that’s it. Never knew if it was just a sample for reference when tuning or for single replacements or if it was every hit on every track. Also heard stories about a boss delay being used to trigger the samples. All just rumors though. Now we have this new fancy sample to talk about!

[@mtaco111]

@@cy2112cy Roland sde300 delay, delaying the snare track off the sync head of the tape machine to get the triggered sample snare in time with the real snare on repro head if that makes any sense to you. the sample may have been printed to a track during the mixing session

[@BenPowellDrummer]

HISTORY RIGHT THERE!!

[@BradDollar]

Yep, I second a sample library here! It's awesome that kit is in use and not in a museum.

[@flaviosobral1177]

This is awesome. I don't remember to watch a 19 minutes video on youtube in a while. Everytime I see a video with 10 minutes, most of the time, after 2 minutes I'm bored. After 19 minutes of seeing this, I was like "it has already finished?"

[@aek4018]

This is stupid cool - thank you guys 💪🏻

[@LautenAudio]

We are so glad you enjoyed it!

[@rodrigoaquinoofficial]

Amazing.

[@kovalfetterer2218]

I feel like micing the toms top and bottom would sound insane live on stage

[@LautenAudio]

It would probably be a nightmare on a stage if there were wedges, but it's amazing in the studio!

[@jameskirkbydrums]

sounds amazing!!

[@jimmmmmyp]

OMG as a Lars Ulrich and Black Album fan, I absolutely love this video! Thank you!

[@NIGHTWHEEL...]

Awesome

[@jar3817]

I've been waiting 30+ years for this video...THANK YOU

[@lowbass5]

this history revealed! thanks Lautenaudio!

[@andygreen5565]

HOLY CRAP!!! Was not ready for this when I woke up. I’m done with the internet today before y’all take all my money.

[@LautenAudio]

😂

[@josephdingle1447]

That's awesome!

[@bradydastrup1025]

Those drum sounds on the black album are the bench mark for me. I love them so much. I’d kill to record there on that kit.

[@miked5487]

I have the same overheads in spaced pair... such good misc!

[@LautenAudio]

Thank you for being part of the family

[@akiv2479]

I own a big Gretsch USA Custom kit from this era. It definitely has a magic tone, especially the toms.

[@caidema]

This is amazing

[@fc3970]

INSANE sound. Lmao.. that great Gretsch sound. I never knew it about this album. I switched to Gretsch USA Brooklyn a few years ago btw. It makes perfect sense. Those drums have massive character.

[@MrJayArt]

Doesn’t sound the same at all

[@fc3970]

​​@@MrJayArt indeed. That was not my point. Usa custom is unique :) However I mean all the usa lines are fantastic that great Gretsch sound.

[@nairnodrums]

Amazing sound. I want bottom mics on my toms. Great videos, guys

[@LautenAudio]

Turns out they are a must have 😂🙌

[@Toehider]

Fantastic stuff!

[@NICODOMINION]

I knew METALLICA was recorded with Gretch... some little details in the "Nothing Else Matters" video revealed this. But now I have confirmation! 

[@djjazzyjeff1232]

11:56 "I am diggin' it, and I'm trying to talk myself out of it." BRO I had the exact same thought process. I was thinking about how to best route the bottom one through the Sub-Aux when you said that 😂😂

[@JulianFernandez]

awesome!

[@patrickr.452]

So cool! I'm curious what other records that kit(s) has been used for.

[@alfredneumann4332]

what a gem! thank you for making this video. super exciting to see this stuff! i love the sound of the drums but to me the china takes the cake. never have i heard a china cymbal that sounds more complete

[@G_Gr00v3]

Will we get more videos like this? This is dope!!

[@LautenAudio]

We sure hope so! You should check out our SNARE series next 😄

[@G_Gr00v3]

@@LautenAudio oh I have and I love it! I want an episode with Daniel Jensen talking about the classic OCDP snare drums with holes, that's my favorite snare sound ever

[@thrasher5122]

The drum sound correlates with the guitar tone as well. So much low end and chuggy riffs came from this sound

[@scottfielding6179]

Gunnar!! Love this cat. WOW, snake drums baby, sounds amazing.

[@maxmacdonald8868]

Brilliant I qinsee what other huge recordings this kit is on?

[@user-vm9hy7qx7c]

Oh wow that's a insane sound its sounds like the recording

[@drummerdan95]

I have one of the replica black album tour Artstar II kits, wish I could get it into a studio like this just to hear what it's really capable of lol

[@blekkmark]

Art in the making.

[@isaacleedrums]

i love that they took the smaller floor tom, flipped the heads, and hung it from 1 floor tom leg mount. LOL It works!

[@GunnarOlsenMusic]

Yeah that was a shock!

[@johnnylegion5346]

HOLY SHIT !!!!!! They sound soooo fucking good dude !!!

[@darkbrickmedia]

Nice Video guys!

[@LautenAudio]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Tyl-Fiedler]

Omg so good❤❤