Recording Drums with Will Chason at Hyde Street Studios

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A deep dive into drum tracking at San Francisco’s most legendary studio

Welcome to the exciting world of drum recording at the legendary Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. This iconic space has played host to some of the most important recordings in modern music history. Albums like Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s Déjà Vu were born here. Walking through its hallways, you can almost hear the echoes of those sessions—moments of sonic exploration and innovation that continue to inspire new generations.

On this particular visit, I had the pleasure of working with house engineer Will Chason and the band Forest Day as they brought their track Sweat Shop Cathedral to life. Will’s guiding us through the process of tracking drums in Studio A, a room with a soul of its own.

A Living Legacy

Hyde Street isn’t just a studio—it’s a community. A collective of engineers, producers, composers, musicians, and creatives who share a passion for craft. Some run their own rooms here, others collaborate across projects, and the result is a place that’s alive with energy and creativity.

At the heart of our session is Will Chason—a San Francisco-based engineer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose résumé speaks for itself. He’s a two-time Grammy winner (including Best Rap Song in 2021) with multi-platinum credits. He’s worked closely with Kanye West, Tyler, The Creator, RZA, Steve Lacy, Pusha T, and The Head and the Heart, to name just a few. Will’s also collaborated with production legends like Rick Rubin, Don Was, and Mike Dean.

Despite all that, he’s easygoing, approachable, and fully focused on the music. It’s that combination—high-level skill and grounded energy—that makes him such a valuable presence in a session. Watching him work in Studio A, you understand why this room and this engineer are such a powerful pairing.

Setting the Scene

As we step into the studio, Will is already deep in the setup process with the drummer, who’s brought in their own kit. Will’s first priority? Making sure the drums sound good in the room. He puts it plainly: “You’re not going to get a good drum recording unless the drums sound good.”

He moves around the room, listening carefully, making adjustments, and collaborating with the drummer to fine-tune the kit’s resonance and tone. It’s a hands-on, collaborative start—foundational to the sound we’re about to build.

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Mic Placement: Shaping the Sound

With the drums sounding solid in the space, Will begins mic placement. He prefers to orient the kit lengthwise in the room, maximising options for room mics and allowing the sound to breathe.

“These are all just starting points,” he says. “Once I set up the starting points, we’ll go into the control room and sort of get our tones.” It’s an iterative process that reflects Will’s blend of precision and openness.

Kick Drum Mics

Will sets up two mics on the kick. A Moon mic below the drumhead captures the sub-bass—the low-end energy you feel more than hear. “Sometimes I’ll leave it out of the mix, but it’s always good just to grab it.”

At the sound hole, he places a D112 slightly angled at the beater. This captures the attack and snap, creating a well-rounded kick sound that balances punch and depth.

Snare Drum Setup

For the snare, Will goes premium. A top mic and an under-snare mic—both 414 EBs—are strategically positioned. He adjusts the top mic based on the wear marks on the snare head, ensuring it’s placed exactly where the action is.

“This will give us a nice, rich snare sound,” he notes, and you can hear the results immediately—crisp, warm, and present.

Toms, Overheads, and Hi-Hats

The top tom gets a 421—an old favourite—positioned to minimise cymbal bleed. For the floor tom, he sticks with the D112, which excels in capturing low-end presence.

Overheads are a pair of vintage C12s, placed wide to bring out the detail in the cymbals. “I really want to get these details of the cymbals as much as possible,” Will says, and it’s evident in the clarity of the playback.

The hi-hat gets an M88, chosen for its “trashy” quality. Will is mindful of placement here: “You don’t want to put the mics where they’re going to get abused too much.”

Room Mics and Ambience

A vintage U67 captures the overall feel of the room, placed as a mono room mic. It glues the kit together, giving the drums a sense of place. Will’s philosophy is to grab as many tones as possible and decide later: “You never know where it’s going to play out.”

Building the Drum Mix

Once the mics are in place and the drummer is locked in, Will begins shaping the mix. He listens carefully to how each element interacts, always considering the bigger picture.

“It’s important not to get too zoomed in to the individual drums,” he says. “The record has to sound good together, not just soloed out.” It’s a reminder that the art of recording is about context, not just isolated perfection.

EQ and Compression Techniques

Will favours analog EQs for their musicality—smoothly enhancing the lows and highs without harshness. He also leans on compression to shape tone and add character.

A dbx 160 on the kick, an 1176 on the snare. “It’s not just about the characteristics of the compression,” he explains. “It’s also about the tone and saturation that it adds.”

Final Thoughts on Drum Recording

Throughout the session, Will stays attuned to phase alignment and how each mic contributes to the whole. “When you have 14 microphones on a drum set, the chances of getting some phase cancellation are pretty high,” he notes. His ability to manage these complexities without losing the creative flow is what sets him apart.

Conclusion

Recording drums at Hyde Street Studio A is more than a technical exercise—it’s an experience. It’s about capturing the energy of a performance in a room that has shaped some of the most important music of our time. With Will Chason behind the console, you’re not just in good hands—you’re in the presence of someone who truly understands how to honour the room, the instrument, and the artist.

Whether you’re stepping into Studio A for the first time or returning to its warm embrace, know that you’re part of something bigger—a lineage of sound, sweat, and soul. And when Will’s at the helm, you can trust that every hit, thump, and shimmer will be captured with care, clarity, and character.

Download The Multitracks Here!