The Area 33 SDX<\/strong> brings together parts of the original Drumkit From Hell team: Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal<\/strong> and producer\/engineer\/mixer Daniel Bergstrand<\/strong> (Behemoth, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir). In this joint venture of sourcing, engineering and ultimately externalizing their very figment of what the most all-encompassing metal-related SDX for Superior Drummer 3 could be, they ended up with an absolute monster weighing in at a staggering 180+ GB<\/strong>. It was recorded at Fredrik Thordendal\u2019s personal studio 33<\/strong> in Stockholm, Sweden. This studio, which Thordendal and Bergstrand built from the ground up, was designed with the goal of creating the epitome of a drum room: spacious and reverberant but at the same time profoundly precise, direct and controlled.<\/p>\n

With its seven contrasting and complementing kits, extensive pool of additional drums and virtual forest of cymbals, the Area 33 SDX<\/strong> presents a massively broad palette of raw and unadulterated drums that you can hone, shape and mold using the limitless framework of Superior Drummer 3. To add, these are not your average, everyday kits \u2013 several of them boast up to eight toms, double bass drums and 15 cymbal slots. On top of that, this SDX was captured using what is beyond traditional in terms of microphones. Each kit was recorded using the classic close-mic technique but, in addition, with an extra set of microphones on each position. This means that each drum and cymbal is represented by both a mono as well as a stereo pair of microphones, allowing you to sculpt tones beyond what you thought possible. Finally, to capture the essence of the room and to give you even more options, 11 ambience microphones (of which seven in stereo) were recorded.<\/p>\n

With this one, you\u2019ll have endless possibilities of shaping drum mixes beyond what you thought possible. Let\u2019s head into the infinite universe of the Area 33 SDX.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Engineered and produced by Fredrik Thordendal and Daniel Bergstrand<\/li>\n
Recorded at 33, Fredrik Thordendal\u2019s personal studio in Stockholm, Sweden<\/li>\n
Featuring seven (7) unique drum kits<\/li>\n
A total of 13 snares, 14 bass drums (x2), 42 toms, three hi-hats and upwards of 40 cymbals<\/li>\n
Recorded using 11 ambience microphone positions (of which seven in stereo)<\/li>\n
More than of 180 GB of sampled drums and cymbals<\/li>\n
Sampled by drummer Leo Margarit (Pain of Salvation)<\/li>\n
Drum tech and tuning by Urban N\u00e4svall, assisted by Jimmy Pettersson<\/li>\n
Includes presets for each kit engineered by Bergstrand as well as the Toontrack sound design team<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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FULL PRODUCTIONS<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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KITS & PRESETS<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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INSTRUMENTS &
ARTICULATIONS<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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ENTER THE STUDIO.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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33 is Fredrik Thordendal\u2019s newly built and personally designed state-of-the-art studio facility, located on the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden. The studio features one main live space as well as two individual control rooms. From here, Fredrik and in-house producer\/engineer\/mixer Daniel Bergstrand work on a variety of projects and
with clients from all over the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Want more?<\/strong><\/p>\n
The journey continues in the Area 33 \u2013 Origin SDX. Have a look and a listen here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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THE MAKING OF.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Meet parts of the team and get some behind-the-scenes
shots from the session.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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THE KITS.<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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CLASSIC KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Ludwig*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> White Cortex
Material:<\/strong> 3-ply maple\/poplar\/maple<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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METALLIC KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Ludwig*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> Chrome Over Wood
Material:<\/strong> 6-ply maple<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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STEEL KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Ludwig*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> Stainless Steel
Material:<\/strong> Stainless steel<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Gretsch*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> USA Custom
Material:<\/strong> 6-ply maple\/gum<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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IMPACT KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Varus*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> Power Series
Material:<\/strong> 6-8-ply chestnut<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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LIQUID KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> Pearl*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> Fiberglass Shell
Material:<\/strong> Fiberglass<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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RED KIT.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Brand:<\/strong> K-Drums*<\/a>
Model:<\/strong> Mod. B
Material:<\/strong> 6-Ply Maple<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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ADDITIONAL INSTRUMENTS.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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DANIEL Q&A.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Name:<\/strong> Daniel Bergstrand
\n Location:<\/strong> Uppsala, Sweden<\/p>\n
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Q: Honestly, this is a monster of a product. What was the idea going in?<\/strong>
\n A: It just kind of happened, we didn\u2019t really had an idea to be honest. It started with the obvious one in our opinion, the Classic Kit, and to capture that kit the same way we normally do in our studio but with some extra flavors on top. The phrases \u201cbut what about that kit,\u201d \u201cwe have to include that snare\u201d and \u201cthat set of cymbals needs to be sampled\u201d were said a lot and, all of a sudden, the monster was born.<\/p>\n
Q: Hearing it play back and working with it now that it\u2019s done, what are your thoughts?
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\n A: I\u2019m insanely happy with the outcome. It\u2019s such a versatile product, you can tweak and shape these kits to whatever style of music imaginable.<\/p>\n
Q: When recording the library, you went for a quite unconventional approach for miking the individual instruments \u2013 which proved to be a strike of genius, if you ask us. Where\u2019d you get this idea and how is it useful now that you\u2019ve had the chance to work with the end result?<\/strong>
\n A: It\u2019s a proven fact that it sounds better miking something up from a bit of distance so that the whole instrument gets captured correctly. I mean, you pretty much always hear each instrument of the drums from an arm\u2019s length distance. The problem is to do that live, bleed-wise. That\u2019s not an issue in this case because you can simply just erase all bleed and time-align the signal with the close mic position. And being able to even do this in stereo was such a joy. Imagine starting to create your sound as you hear it while actually sitting behind the kit playing it.<\/p>\n
Q: You also captured up to 11 different ambiences of the room. Which creative options do you think this will open to users\u2026and how do you see yourself utilizing all these channels? <\/strong>
\n A: I usually record eight ambience channels here at the studio. In this case, I added a few more favorite mic positions so that it\u2019s possible to create even more environments. There are tons of creative options at the moment, I would suggest to pick whatever desirable ambience that fits the song you\u2019re working on and build your sound from there. That\u2019s how I usually start myself.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Q: Sometimes an overlooked part of producing drums is what happens long before choices for mics, outboard gear and signal chains \u2013 it\u2019s the tuning and hands-on treatment of the instruments themselves. Urban N\u00e4svall was the drum tech for this project, who also worked on The Metal Foundry SDX with you and Fredrik. What is it that Urban does that creates so much magic?<\/strong>
\n A: Where to start, he is such a genius! He got tons of experience and tricks up his sleeve. Even tough he had to work with two extremely confused personalities like myself me and Fredrik, he managed to shape every instrument up and organize it all so that we could sample everything we had in mind.<\/p>\n
Q: To you, which kit out of the bunch is your favorite and why?<\/strong>
\n A: Them all! Hard to pick a favorite because it all depends of the style of music I\u2019m working on.<\/p>\n
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SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Meshuggah \u201cDestroy Erase Improve\u201d<\/span> (1995)<\/h5>\n
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Strapping Young Lad \u201cCity\u201d<\/span> (1997)<\/h5>\n
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Soilwork \u201cStabbing the Drama\u201d<\/span> (2005)<\/h5>\n
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In Flames \u201cA Sense of Purpose\u201d<\/span> (2008)<\/h5>\n
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Dimmu Borgir \u201cAbrahadabra\u201d<\/span> (2010)<\/h5>\n
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Meshuggah \u201cKoloss\u201d<\/span> (2012)<\/h5>\n
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Dark Funeral \u201cAttera Totus Sanctus\u201d<\/span> (2013)<\/h5>\n
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Abbath \u201cAbbath\u201d<\/span> (2016)<\/h5>\n
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Pain of Salvation \u201cIn the Passing Light of Day\u201d<\/span> (2017)<\/h5>\n
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Pure reason revolution \u201cAbove Cirrus\u201d<\/span> (2022)<\/h5>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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1. Rear Mono<\/strong>
Soundelux U95<\/p>\n
2. Rear Close<\/strong>
Royer R-121<\/p>\n
3. Amb Mid<\/strong>
HUM Audio ARM-1<\/p>\n
4. Amb Mid Mono 1<\/strong>
Soyuz 017 Tube<\/p>\n
5. Amb Mid Mono 2<\/strong>
U47 FET<\/p>\n
6. Amb Far Mono<\/strong>
Brauner Valvet Tube<\/p>\n
7. Ceiling Close<\/strong>
Ehrlund EHR-M<\/p>\n
8. Ceiling Mid<\/strong>
Ehrlund EHR-T<\/p>\n
9. Ceiling Away<\/strong>
Ehrlund EHR-T<\/p>\n
10. Ceiling Far<\/strong>
Ehrlund EHR-M<\/p>\n
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Soundelux U95<\/p>\n
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HUM Audio ARM-1<\/p>\n
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U47 FET<\/p>\n
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THE MICS
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Learn all about how the microphones were
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THE PRESETS.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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To inspire and enable you to make music immediately, the Area 33 SDX includes a range of mix-ready presets engineered by Bergstrand as well as the Toontrack sound design team. Use the presets as go-settings for your songs or as great starting points for making your own elaborate mixes.
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THE MIDI.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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In the included MIDI library, drummer Leo Margarit delivers a fundamental collection of broad and metal-inspired grooves and fills. To make it easy for you to find what you\u2019re looking for, each section in every \u201csong\u201d is organized by leading instrument (hats, ride, cymbals, toms etc.).<\/strong><\/p>\n
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MEET THE DRUMMER.<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Name:<\/strong> Leo Margarit
\n Location:<\/strong> Eskilstuna, Sweden<\/p>\n
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Q: You started playing drums already at the age of three (!). What are your earliest musical memories and why do you think you were drawn specifically to the drums?<\/strong>
\n A: I don\u2019t actually recall starting since it was such a long time ago but according to my dad, who\u2019s a professional guitarist, he was rehearsing with his band and I was apparently drawn to the drums, which I guess is a natural thing for a small kid… So the drummer of his band gave us a silent practicing kit that I started playing on. I got lucky to be able to jam a lot with my father and to grow up in an area (in the south of France) where music was a big part of the culture, so there was a lot people to play with and opportunities to perform live. One of my first gigs was when I was seven. I\u2019d play the marching snare as the Little Drummer Boy in a theatre piece for 3,000 people a night for two weeks. I remember being terrified, not because I was playing but because there were horses running around and explosions…\n <\/p>\n
Q: Over the years, you\u2019ve played a lot of styles of music \u2013 anything from pop to jazz and salsa. Is this something you think has helped shape the drummer you are now? Inspiration and rhythm-wise, what from these worlds do you bring to your drumming today?
\n <\/strong>
\n A: It has absolutely shaped the drummer I am today. I feel like being open to different styles made me a better musician overall! When I play rock or metal, you can most likely hear my jazz influences \u2013 and same goes for the other way around. I carry these influences in everything I play and even strive to incorporate them in my playing. I always loved playing different things and can\u2019t see myself being stuck in only one genre! <\/p>\n
Q: You\u2019ve also played percussion over the years, which of course is related to playing a drum kit \u2013 but at the same time completely different. Hope do you think being able to handle and understand the role of percussion helps you as a drummer?<\/strong>
\n A: It is indeed a different world, especially the classical percussions like vibraphone or marimba! When I joined the conservatory back in 1996 to study percussions, I remember feeling almost helpless because I was starting from scratch. I was bad at reading music sheets that had more than just rhythms, so I really had to step up my game and practice a lot \u2013 from six to eight hours a day. This is something that taught me discipline in my drumming, how to practice efficiently and for the music. I also got to learn hand-played percussions over the years, like congas, bongos, darbuka… Most of the time out of necessity… \u201cWe need somebody to play the congas for that gig!\u201d \u2013 \u201cFine, I\u2019ll learn!\u201d I\u2019m very grateful for that because all this really developed my drumming \u201cvocabulary\u201d and skills.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Q: How would you describe your style of drumming? What do you strive for in a performance? <\/strong>
\n A: It\u2019s hard to describe, I guess… If anything, I hope it\u2019s unique! Playing live, I always try to adapt to the actual band. If I play with a rock band, I\u2019ll try to respect the music and the style by following the original music as much as possible. Most of the bands I play with nowadays use click tracks, so I\u2019m trying to play tight and groovy but also to remain creative and bring something new or special every night. I have a hard time playing the same fills over and over, which is probably both good and bad in some cases!<\/p>\n
Q: You\u2019ve been the drummer for Pain of Salvation since 2007. 15 years! If you had to pick out some highlights so far in you career, what would they be?<\/strong>
\n A: Yeah, it\u2019s crazy to think that I was a fan of that band, that I travelled around to see them perform and that I ended up changing my entire life and moving to another country for it! It\u2019s been a great experience, I got to meet most of my idols throughout the years, to tour with bands that I also idolized and make new friends along the way. One of my fondest memories would be playing Hellfest for the first time with Pain of Salvation, meeting Mike Portnoy the same day and having him watch us from the side of the stage while we were playing. That was really intimidating for me, but at the same time I remember feeling really proud and humbled! I got to travel the world back and forth a bunch of times and meet supporting fans… There is hardly a better feeling than that in the career of a musician!<\/p>\n
Q: This was the first time for you sampling drum, which is quite a different process compared to performing on a record. What are your thoughts on the experience and what are your biggest takeaways?<\/strong>
\n A: First of all, I\u2019m very grateful to have been part of that project! It was a three-week intensive recording period, consisting of playing only a few hits (relatively speaking) over the course of 12 to 14 hours a day. You get into a sort of trance where you have to remember the way you last hit the drum or cymbal and how you\u2019re going to hit it the next time. I think it was very interesting only to focus on making the instruments sound the best. You also learn a lot in the process, like how moving the stick a few millimeters here or there will change the sound. It\u2019s something you do instinctively while playing I guess, but this time I really got to reflect on that and take mental notes! Working with Daniel Bergstrand and Fredrik Thordendal is always a pleasure and a fun experience. I loved the fact that they included me in the process and I\u2019m again humbled that they chose me.<\/p>\n
Q: On that note\u2026you truly sampled some larger-than-life type of kits kind of far from what you\u2019d bring on tour or to a session. What was it like jamming on them?<\/strong>
\n A: That was definitely a bonus! I got to play on these massive kits, with double kicks and a outrageous amounts of toms! I\u2019ve been playing big kits in the past, but this time it was also some of the best sounding kits and rare vintage series that you almost never see in real life. I love the fact that each kit had its own \u201csoul\u201d and I almost immediately felt how and what to play on them. I wish I had a drum collection like that at home!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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MORE FOR YOUR METAL.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Here are some titles that will be gold for your upcoming songs:\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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THE MAKING OF.<\/strong><\/h1>\nMeet parts of the team and get some behind-the-scenes shots from the session.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div> <\/div>\n<\/section>\n

See full instrument list & details<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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See full instrument list & details<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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See full instrument list & details<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n <\/use><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\n <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n