Toontrack Stockholm SDX Expansion Pack

Five kits, straight from one of the top pop metropolises of the world – to your desktop

Sweden is one of the largest music exporters in the world. How a country of some ten million people has managed to become a cogwheel in the international hit-making community is a slight mystery. However, fact remains that since the heydays of ABBA and through to today, Sweden – and particularly Stockholm – has produced songwriters, artists and hits across all genres imaginable in an almost assembly line-like fashion. Regardless the reason, with this collection of sounds we’ve set out to bring some of that mojo straight to your desktop.

This SDX for Superior Drummer 3 was recorded at Riksmixningsverket (RMV Studio). Housed in a 150-year-old naval warehouse and beautifully situated right on the water at the inlet of the river, this is one of the proper gems of the central Stockholm studio scene. With rustic ceiling beams breaking up the diffusion, reflective surfaces of several types of material and with a soft wooden floor that acts like a cushioning membrane in the studio’s relatively large but still compact-sounding room, it’s a space ideal for bringing out the inherent qualities of any acoustic instrument. All in all, five kits were recorded – each handpicked to complement the others and to serve its own role in what the team set out to capture: a unique palette of beautifully singing drums covering the entire spectrum of tones – from warm, earthy and genuinely sparse to bright, loud and vibrantly forceful.

In addition to the drums, a basic set of grooves performed by sampling drummer Josephine Forsman (known from the Swedish band Sahara Hotnights) as well as a broad selection of presets designed by session engineer Linn Fijal as well as by the Tooontrack sound design team are provided. This all combined will enable you to get started instantly with great-sounding drum beats and mixes that you can use as springboards to venture off into your own unchartered sonic spaces.

From one of the top pop metropolises of the world straight to your desktop, here’s an SDX that decisively underlines that there is absolutely nothing stock about Stockholm. Welcome in to the studio. Have a seat at the console…and start mixing!

• Five (5) kits, 12 snares, nine (9) kicks and three (3) sets of cymbals
• Kit selections designed to cover anything from mellow to loud
• Recorded at Riksmixningsverket (RMV Studio) in Stockholm, Sweden
• Engineered by Linn Fijal, assisted by Vilma Colling
• Sampled by Josephine Forsman
• Comes with a broad collection of mix-ready presets for each kit
• Includes a custom MIDI library of drum grooves and fills

The Studio

Located on the island of Skeppsholmen, Riksmixningsverket (or RMV, as it’s frequently called) is housed in a 150-year-old naval warehouse. With a main recording room featuring rustic ceiling beams as well as both wood and stone surfaces, it has an amazing and unique diffusion. In here, drums come out tight and punchy yet still exuberantly rich with a perfectly balanced amount of warm, natural decay. Although the studio isn’t particularly old, it’s become a go-to creative space for domestic as much as international acts. Over the years, RMV has accommodated anything from loud rock bands (The Hives, Ghost) to pop acts (Coldplay, Loreen, Suede), icons like ABBA as well as subtle singer-songwriter-like artists like Cat Stevens and many more. This kind of breadth is what the team sought to display with the drum choices and tones.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO THE ENGINEER.

Name: Linn Fijal | Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Q: As we’re sure you’d agree, there’s something truly magical about how the room at RMV lends itself to acoustic instruments. Leaving magic aside, why does it sound so amazing, you think?
A: The acoustics of the room are very well calculated by legendary acoustician Ingemar Olsson, so that’s probably the main reason. Even though the building is very old, it only consisted of the outer brick walls, roof and a dirt floor before it was rebuilt. So all the interior is built from scratch to work as a studio. With budget enough to pick the best materials available at that point, no compromises were made and we ended up with a truly amazing room.

Q: Undoubtedly, drums play a major role in the overall sound of a song. To you, what makes a great drum sound?
A: To me, a great drum sound is one that really fits the arrangement and genre of the song. I personally love when the drums can play a major role in the production, and I do believe less can be more in that case too, provided that the drums are recorded well enough to get that perfect fit in the mix.

Q: How much does the actual drummer contribute to the sound, you think?
A: I think the drummer IS the sound and way more important than any gear.

Q: Being loud and noisy at the same time as they’re truly delicate, drums have a huge dynamic range. This makes them an art to capture, for which every engineer has their own toolbox of go-to tricks. What are some of yours? Are there any go-to pieces of equipment you couldn’t possibly do without?
A: It’s hard to talk about go-to gear, to me it’s very bound by genre. As an in-house engineer at RMV, I’m also really spoiled with a large mic collection and a really good console, so I have the luxury to vary the way I work. Workflow-wise, I always start by getting as close to the ”right” sound as possible in the physical room, and then let the mics and placements emphasise that solid acoustic sound while keeping in mind how much compression this will have to endure in the mix it will end up in. I also really like close-up stereo pairs and mics intended to capture the drums as a kit. They are the best glue and really add the expensive analog touch, even if you only use a tiny bit of them.

Q: Normally, a recording session means capturing an entire band or orchestra. What was it like focusing only on drums for an entire project?
A: I’m a sound geek…and focusing solely on one instrument – drums – was just like entering a playground. Having Micke, Martin and Josephine with their knowledge and gear for an entire week was also amazing. My focus was completely honed in on capturing the best drum sounds ever, according to me.

The Kits

POP KIT

Brand: Gretsch | Model: Brooklyn | Material: 6-ply maple/poplar | Era: 2010s

“This is the perfect in-house kit for any recording studio. It is exquisitely balanced, making it easy to record and shape to any genre – while still sounding really expensive.” Linn Fijal

HEAVY KIT

Brand: Tama | Model: Starclassic | Material: 5mm maple | Era: 2000s

This kit is like a warm hug from from the mother of rock drums. The love is endless. Enough said.” Linn Fijal

ROCK KIT

Brand: Ludwig | Model: Vistalite | Material: Acrylic | Era: 2000s

This kit has been with me for almost 15 years on recordings, but even more so on the road. We’ve seen most of the world together. This kit is diverse – it can handle big gestures and clear dynamics. It’s warm, fuzzy, big-sounding and distinctly sharp at the same time. The kit is both a beauty and a beast! The Colortone heads came just in time for the recording and their first playthrough was an extensive one for sure. This whole setup, sound-wise and visually, just does it for me!” Josephine Forsman

PUNCHY KIT

Brand: Sonor | Model: ProLite | Material: 9-ply maple | Era: 2020s

I loved playing this kit. It’s sounds as beautiful as it is looks. The mix between a classy, warm and soulful tone with a clear-cut punch is really appealing. Solid, high quality – this kit oozes self-confidence and coolness.” Josephine Forsman

TIGHT KIT

Brand: Yamaha | Model: Recording Custom | Material: 6-ply North American birch | Era: 2010s

This is a kit that has just the body to handle tons of grit and distortion. Perfect for a sound with a lo-fi vibe but still all of that full range.” Linn Fijal

THE MICS & THE MIXER

THE PRESETS

To enable you to get up and running right away, this SDX includes a broad range of presets by session engineer Linn Fijal as well as by the Toontrack sound design team. Use the presets as ready-made mixes or as great starting points for your own.

THE MIDI

The included MIDI was performed by session drummer Josephine Forsman and includes a basic collection of rock-oriented grooves and fills inspired by her own catalogue of work.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.

• For the full Installation of this product you will need approximately 42 GB of free hard drive space, plus an additional 42 GB is required for the installation process.
• 8 GB RAM (16 GB RAM or more recommended).
• A working Superior Drummer 3.3.6 (or above) installation.

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