session work
& Recording w/ ben
bring your songs to life with ben’s playing!
In an age of programmed and midi drums edited to a robotic extreme, Ben’s drumming will add an expressiveness and color that will make your recordings shine where others dimly glow.
Having recorded everything from metal—to trip-hop—to funk—to electronic and many shades between, Ben takes on the role of an actor as a session musician—working in every way to embody the appropriate character the song calls for.
Often described as “melodic” and “musical,” Ben’s hooky approach to drum arrangement will add that special spark of creativity that will light up your parts and heighten the suspense of each moment.
With his sense of timing—precise, yet full of human feeling—the most restrained and disciplined beats as well as the wildest patterns take on an undeniable sense of purpose. It’s a difference you will immediately :)
Give your tracks the love they deserve with recorded drums from Ben!
Send me a message now below to get started
“Your drumming brought these songs to life! Thank you so much!”
-Jade B.
why you’ll love recording with Ben …
• Wickedly Consistent — Mocked by Earthside keyboardist Frank Sacramone, until he hit rim shots in his sleep, Ben’s tracks carry consistent power, feel, and dynamic attention across takes for maximum ease of use.
• Detail-Focused — No stranger to complex patterns and unusual rhythms, Ben will learn your parts with care and make them feel great.
• Able to Compose — Not sure exactly what the beat should be? No problem!
• A Great Kit — Ben’s Ludwig Classic Maple set is the gold standard for Nashville recording sessions
• A Great Recording Space — Set up in a largely unfurnished home connected to long corridors and a big upper level, Ben will capture the roomy, resonant sounds you crave.
Some of my favorite things to teach are:
Composition - YOU have the potential to create beautiful, artistic, melodic, musical, exciting, pulse-pounding drum set compositions that make other musicians and casual listeners stank face like they’ve never stanked before! I’ll help you navigate uncharted waters and discover a sound that is wholly your own.
Groove - You’ve got the ideas … now let’s make them sound great! I’ve learned the hard way that the most creative and special beats fall flat if they aren’t played with the right intention and a conscious feel. I’ll teach you to develop the headroom to do this.
Technique - I’ll help you loosen up and relax to play your fastest, cleanest, and most controlled. My goal is never to “make you” play a certain technique, but rather to help you approach your parts in a way that is efficient, physically safe, and just plain sounds good.
Learning & Memorizing Complex Parts (if you want to!) - I will show you how I break nuance and detailed-packed parts into bite-size pieces and move them from working memory into long-term memory.
Writing Non-Drum Music As a Composing Drummer - Seriously?? … Oh yeaaaaa!! Have you always had music you’ve heard in your head, but no way to communicate it to other musicians or build it into a demo? I’ll show you my process that I’ve developed as a writing drummer in Earthside (FYI the songs "Crater" on ADIS and "The Lesser Evil" on LTTS were written by me!).
Troubleshooting Problem Areas - Just flat-out stuck with something, and need a fresh perspective on it? I’ve hit almost every problem you can imagine in my honing of Earthside material, and that’s forced me to develop a laser-focused approach to identifying specific problems and outlining actionable steps to "steer into the challenge” and work through my issues. Your progress barriers don’t stand a chance!
*****
Pricing: $40 USD for one-off 45-minute lessons, and a lower per-unit bulk rate of $150 USD for 4 lessons. We will communicate beforehand so I have a good understanding of exactly what you need and a useful lesson ready to roll as soon as the camera turns on.
Send me a message below to inquire about recording with me!