Behind The Scenes | Home Studio Setup With Chad Smith From Red Hot Chili Peppers & Warm Audio

[@bdbuds1]

I really love how he doesn’t pretend to know the types of mic’s or what the board consists of. Really humble dude. One of my favourite drummer EVER!! The guy is a beast!! And he’s fun to watch play too.

[@Ross2112]

And how he says "I one time made an album called Blood Sugar Sex Magick and there's a song on there called Give it Away" as if everyone in that room and likely everyone who would click on this video doesn't already know one of RHCP's most popular songs

[@justanotherpeasant3442]

Chad Smith has got to be one of my all time favorite drummers in the world. Dude is fricken awesome!

[@adamcoe]

Great point about the height of OH mics. Like many people, I set up mine at equal height for years without even thinking about it, until I saw the George Massenberg thing about keeping them equidistant to the snare drum. You wouldn't think it makes that large a difference, but it's absolutely amazing. Sure, you can certainly get a passable and very useable sound just from putting up some mics above the kit whereever, but if you take all of 10 or 15 minutes and really pay attention to placement and height, it pays huge dividends. Great sounding stuff, WA

[@fritzarmstrong8232]

Chad Smith + Warm Audio - what's not to love?!?

[@matts.1190]

Chad is an amazing drummer, one of a kind. Definitely a great fit for warm audio gear!

[@WarmAudioOfficial]

One of the best in the game!

[@MikeS-kw2hr]

I did an album way back in the day called Blood Sugar Sex Magic, and it had this song Give it Away..." lol, yeah Chad, about 50 million people have changed who they are after listening to that album.

[@ZACohea]

Think about his perspective; how do you insert that into a conversation without coming across as a pompous windbag‽ He somehow made it work.

[@MikeS-kw2hr]

@ZACohea totally! That's exactly what is was thinking! You can't always assume every last person has heard it, although I'm sure 1 out of 3 Americans or more knows that albums. So you have to do it that way. I just can't imagine the awesomeness of being in a band that big!

[@ZACohea]

@@MikeS-kw2hr It would be kind of strange to invite him over without knowing about that album and that song though, but Chad has been around and just concocted a boilerplate script for every occasion from the sound of it.

[@MikeS-kw2hr]

@ZACohea he probably rather you not even know his band. He doesn't seem narcissistic. I don't know. All I know as a lifelong drummer who loves the drums as much today if not more than I did when I was 11, if I didn't fukn faint, chances are we would have the worst conversation ever. I would be like cousin Eddie in Vegas vacation, when Katherine fires up the microwave and he pisses his pants and forgets his name for about 30 seconds lol.

[@RobertLisboa]

That kit sounds so good raw.

[@dralexkoefman]

Chad, got the best gig on the planet

[@DanielBradler]

Chad Smith is always such a joy to watch! Thanks for sharing it!

[@PTonyJr]

Warm Audio is killing it! My drum recordings have never been so alive

[@StandbyCymbalist]

I grabbed two MKI Wa12 Preamps back when they were new. they still work and both sound unique. one is fuzzy with tremendous low end (DI bass is 100% usable without eq), while the other is very bright and works well on condensers (tambourine, acoustic guitar) They are an excellent pair and cover so many bases. It’s amazing to see what Warm has grown into and the quality of artists they work with. Bryce is a class act. 🙏🏼

[@aubyoung1218]

I’m gonna let him know you said that 🙏🏻 blessings to you

[@hayfordfrempong6369]

I love his Drum Techniques from the RHCP

[@ToddTheJoker]

Awesome! thanks for taking us along

[@Leaving_Orbit]

Heaviest groove in the world, class act.

[@JoshParkerDrums]

I love that he’s endorsed by Paiste, plays them on tour. But this kit has a Zildjian and Sabian mix lol. Whatever works to get the sound you’re after! 🤘🤘

[@85ddrummer]

He’s also now a DW endorsee. Playing a pearl in this clip haha

[@JoshParkerDrums]

lol word

[@mts353]

Also has a Ludwig ft

[@adamcoe]

I believe I saw a combo of both Evans and Remo heads as well

[@delladrums]

I swear new Chad Smith content comes out every week 😂 Great video guys and great gear, so glad to see Chad featured on here 😄

[@tamuzd]

Legends Collaborating. 🔥

[@rray3630]

I love it that Chad has an old Slingerland kit. I love most brands but as I grew up by the factory and it was my first kit I will always play them . I have a few GREAT Tama kits too......I did catch it but it sounded LIKE he was saying that he recorded with the slingerlands......

[@McCormickfarrier]

Very interesting to observe that every great drummer, whatever style of music and whatever well-known company he may be sponsored by, has the obligatory vintage Ludwig set somewhere in some corner, which of course is only used when no one is watching and only for special purposes like recording an album, for example.... 😂😂😂 Great video! I love that stuff 🤠👍

[@tippss3332]

Chad is a legend!!!!! Way understand!!!! Love Warm Audio products. Using WA guitar cables. Solid!!!!!!! Well done boys, cheers!!!

[@chickenlickin3820]

Not 'Warm' They're Red Hot!

[@WarmAudioOfficial]

🔥

[@JeffWald]

Great stuff! Can you go into any of the settings that were used for the console mix we hear? Sounds awesome and the liveness of the room is very controlled. How did you do that? I've got a live room and alot of the WA gear you used (WA273EQs, WA412s, 47F, 47jr...)

[@zebatera2885]

Chad ❤️❤️

[@TJDrumsRHCP]

Cool video guys, thanks for sharing this with us. If it's got Chad Smith in it I click. Important question though; Will this be RHCP Jam House 4?

[@321CatDaddy]

Not only is Chad one of my favorite drummers, he has a big ol' puppy dog in the studio with him! 🤘🏻🤘🏻👍🏻

[@dustylemon3305]

Thanks guys, so interesting!

[@emilytgail]

always fun to watch Chad … fellow Detroiter who hopes he often finds opportunity to “say nice things about Detroit”. ❤

[@BlackenedNL]

Those toms sound amazing

[@KirkyDrums]

Toms sound rad

[@malinwj1167]

Always wondered if studios sometimes mixed different woods for a sound. Like maple toms, but a birch bass drum, or whatever. Now I have my answer. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@RedMedicineRecording]

Now….he needs to do a video with Auralex

[@letssee-k6c]

very cool, than you for sharing this, very inspiring !

[@pmfont]

Awesome video, guys! Love this setup. "We gotta have a bar." Haha

[@Bungletronics]

Curious when this was filmed because he’s got a Pearl kit with Sabian Cymbals. But he’s been DW/Paiste for a while now. I mean, I’m sure he’s got old gear hanging around but it seems like he wouldn’t want to show the old brands in a video like this. It really doesn’t matter, just me nerding out. It’s great to see a video like this! I love behind the scenes stuff

[@WarmAudioOfficial]

Thanks! This was filmed in August of 2024.

[@davidcurtis4478]

I recently bought my first pair of Warm Audio mic's. Best thing I ever did! Love them! DC

[@realestbg4176]

I enjoyed this video and learned a lot

[@willammusic]

It’s interesting how live the room is. I wonder if he’ll be adding some acoustic treatment?

[@aubyoungWA]

They had just finished construction about a week before our arrival. So YES! He will be adding to it, and thank goodness. haha.

[@kayakchrispy]

Prolly .. but the console mix sounded great to me

[@henryhuynh2099]

Yea I thought the same when hearing it from the camera. But then the console mix was tight and not over reflective. Black magic.

[@B-kn8yb]

@@kayakchrispydidn’t hardly even have a room sound to it lol. Why treat the room if that’s how choked it sounds.

[@huarachudo47]

Man, those mics and the drums... Great Pearl-Ludwig mix. Sounds outstanding.

[@ZackMester]

Looks like the whole set is Pearl to me (from the lugs at least)

[@McCormickfarrier]

@@ZackMester Sorry, the floor tom is a Ludwig ( from the lugs and the Keystone badge at least )... rest of the kit can be spotted behind the bar 😉

[@ZackMester]

@@McCormickfarrieryou are correct! Idk how I missed that…

[@tobiaswinter1358]

So nice to hear/see him not play DW

[@ZackMester]

@@tobiaswinter1358😂 I thought I saw him playing DW live but I also thought he was a Pearl guy

[@bobhoekstra7590]

Great stuff, Chad starts to look like Flea more and more

[@grantsutherland6798]

Happy Birthday Chad - 62 today 🎉

[@3ManCult]

Damn... that's a nice tight home studio Chad - #\|/☰ got to jam w/ one of your college buddies a while back, the guy who plays bass w/ you on the Pistolators "Bad Habit" video 👍

[@relaxingricky]

I just want to wear my hat backwards. 🍷🤙

[@DavidOakesMusic]

10:10 This is really great guys... That one guy " _yeah whatever how many likes have I got on tik tok ?_ "

[@ia5662]

yeah I find Andrew Watt and all this hype around him as a producer quite insufferable - he's like a simp to all the old head rockers that desperately want to get relevant with younger generations. And I LOVE Chad, for the record.

[@jmac1013]

You should make a D12E mic. IMO, the greatest kick mic of all time.

[@iengineer_247]

Warm please make a WA-25 (d25 from like AKG)

[@bobc.5698]

How is the bass amp, guitar amp positioned in the room for playing and recording drums, bass, and guitar all together live?

[@teatime6414]

When he told him about the tom mics, Chad be like "oh really, nice" lol. Like really doesn't care haha.

[@danymalsound]

The heavy hitters don't care, they just want us engineers to make them sound bigger and badder. That's really the only goal

[@kevinac4397]

That kit sounded nice as heck. They run a series of mics through one preamp?

[@WarmAudioOfficial]

Thank you! Check out the video description for full signal chains. We ran some of the mics through our 73-style preamps(British Mic Pre) and some through our WA-412 (American mic pre).

[@carl-magnusconsitt7389]

😂 Yeh ..now hes happy! Now he can do drumwork to send all over the globe. So.. did you use the overheads mics to the tube preamps? Congrats to Warm .. 👍

[@WarmAudioOfficial]

@@carl-magnusconsitt7389 Thank you! Overheads went through the WA273 preamp & WA76 compressors.

[@carl-magnusconsitt7389]

@@WarmAudioOfficial Ok, thanks!

[@Akm111_]

My question is about the room, do you guys prefer a room full of echo and ambience or acoustically dead for drum recording?

[@NintenDub]

Red hot audio baby!??

[@yoyolebatteur]

There's toms in Give It Away, but just at the very end ;)

[@IsmiseEireannach]

Love Chads Pearl sound. Wish he'd go back 😢

[@trevorjewett3819]

No sight or mention of DW at all.

[@IsmiseEireannach]

@trevorjewett3819 I imagine DW isn't his "go to" choice. Pearl Masters kit with a Ludwig Floor Tom on this. Also no Paiste. Sabians and a K crash.

[@trevorjewett3819]

I’m noticed that too; no PAISTE’s. For some reason I just want to have him playing Pearl all the time. I just never accepted the switch in my brain.

[@IsmiseEireannach]

@trevorjewett3819 I always prefer his Pearl sound but I guess endorsements are endorsements 🤟

[@4crecs]

Добрейшей души человек ! :)

[@gameplayti2909]

"There's nothing symetrical about a drumkit." Wow, mindblowing indeed.

[@RustyKnorr]

Your mind must be an F’ing dandelion then.

[@Basilthedrummer]

😅​@@RustyKnorr

[@markrecine9464]

ooooo at 958 those sound niiiceee

[@nicoeleich]

Great video … weird to see Chad playing Pearl again … 😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@jamproject9]

Such a cool cat 💪👊

[@АндрейНиколаев-ы9ц]

happy belated birthday

[@ChickenLittleOfficial]

Skips the shure beta52 in the kick in

[@NintenDub]

Cool to see him playin some pearls 😂cuz he won't mention them in name when he talks about "the other drum company i used to work with" and he moves right along

[@trevorjewett3819]

I also noticed that, and interesting what brand was not seen or mentioned for his home studio

[@therisenatlas]

Wow, Will Feral has quite the setup!

[@Haku_records]

Who do I contact about endorsements

[@dirtysoundz]

🎉

[@rray3630]

The LukeEARM chilli poppers....😂😂

[@AL_KING777]

This makes me feel better that Chad smith doesn’t know the diff between a dynamic and condenser

[@HoraceLokhang]

It’s funny how the warm guys keep trying not to name names, but Chad just keeps dropping those brands

[@paulwyly9497]

Be even better if the audio was synced to the video 😊

[@Card-w1c]

What's the signal chain for the Strat- Supersonic?

[@bryceyoung4474]

1x WA-14 microphone --> WA-412 preamp --> interface

[@amievil3697]

NARDCORE!!!

[@1122stardust]

Always blows my mind how most pro album drum recordings sound flat yet you do this home recording thing and they sound incredible.

[@Monsterdrumma]

Interesting on blood sugar he played Gretsch with Zildjian hats and most likely ride also and Paiste crashes and one song Sonor I know because I met him and he told me when I brought up the Gretsch in funky monks. Now he switches to DW and Paiste and records with his old pearl with a Ludwig floor tom Zildjian and Sabian.

[@AL_KING777]

If Chad isn’t endorsed by new era it’s a missed opportunity

[@Matilduo]

Chad back with Pearl?

[@andreaudet]

Chad is back to using Sabian cymbals?

[@SoundMusicCo]

DW/PAISTE endorser. Not a DW or PAISTE to be found?

[@Old-School-Liberal]

So these are just copies of other mics???

[@bradc32]

yup.

[@ST-xg3gy]

Is the kit a little close to the desk?🤷

[@basiliobetancourt8584]

I’m so NOT surprised he doesn’t use paiste w his home set up 😂

[@Philosopher-d9t]

I'm amazed that the printed drums sound fairly dry. That room is way live.

[@Sunkenballs12]

Close mics louder in mix

[@PatEmDownEQ]

Make something new instead of ripping everyone off

[@Wtfdawg321]

That room is so loud

[@christopher-miles]

dude! chad must be in some serious money trouble. how he can't afford the real ones i will never know? it's a tax write off ffs. anyways, i hope he lands on his feet and buys himself a small 5088/api box or something. yikes.... poor guy!

[@emitremmus1004]

Lol. That's pretty funny.

[@Sunkenballs12]

Chad doesnt give a fuck. He wanted someone to come in and set nice stuff up for him. The 2% increase in quality in the real API vs the warm audio is not a concern to him.

[@morbidmanmusic]

Do some room work.

[@aubyoung1218]

Construction on the building finished a week before our arrival. But carry on…

[@BartSoundsGood]

omg so much bs haha

[@wakangli]

All that money and...a space that awful.

[@HenritheHorse]

It's unfinished, he had just moved in.

[@parapapapa69]

Best giveaway that Chad is an amazing drummer is how he ended up that jam. Fucking guitar players never stop... If you are jamming and you are a drummer... please don't let the song run for 20 min. Please don't :D

[@pippzzz]

« Is this a recreation of the sennheiser 414? » « no it’s something else » 🤦‍♂️ when you pick something from china you don’t really care what it copies as long as it sounds ok, but marketing-wise, you could at least pretend to know your classic mics 😂

[@besenkopf77]

He said 421.

[@poolshowerrecords]

he said senheiser 421. the mic looks actually like the akg c414 which is a classic condenser mic. but i wouldnt use it for toms personally...

[@Sunkenballs12]

Dipshit