You started out playing music already at the age of five. How come you finally ended up behind the console as opposed to on the stage? Where does the interest for recording come from?
I was always interested in recording and most of all producing. My first band did very DIY-type recordings in our jam space. After that I went to music school as a drummer, and there happened to be a studio where I spent every single moment I could spare for two years. After that it was basically “all systems go” for sitting in the producer’s chair instead of on the drum throne. I’ve never been much into songwriting, but I’ve always found it fascinating to record other people’s music and make it the absolute best it can be, and that mindset hasn’t changed one bit.

You have a true passion for drums and particularly for recording them. What’s so great about drums?
I love all instruments, and I actually started out as a piano player. But drums just makes my heart beat a little faster. Ever since I got my first drum kit, I’ve been obsessed with understanding how to make certain sounds and what it is that makes drums sound the way they do. I know it’s a bit excessive to have 30-40 snare drums in a studio (as opposed to my 10-15 guitar amps, haha!) but to me it makes perfect sense! The drum kit is the perfect instrument, and I think there is nothing more satisfying than a well-produced drum sound.

About engineering and recording, you’ve said that it’s your job but also your passion. What is it like having a career in a field which is also your biggest passion?
Very life consuming. I’m in my studio basically every day of the week, and I don’t really have any other interests. I love my life, and my life is built around me being a producer, not the other way around. This is basically what I’ve been working with my whole life, and with it being my not only biggest but really my only passion, there is really nothing else I can see myself doing.

Walk us through a regular day “in the life of Jakob Herrmann”!
I wake up, I pet my dog, I go for a workout and then I’m off to the studio. At the end of the day I go home, and at night I usually look at my calendar to see when I have a small gap between projects so I can travel somewhere. Then it’s all rinse and repeat.

What’s the one project you haven’t yet done that you absolutely love to do? What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Oh, I don’t know, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some artists and fellow producers and mixing engineers that the younger me would have never thought possible. And having recorded with everything from international superstars like Anthrax and Machine Head, to big local pioneers like Dark Tranquillity, Evergrey and In Flames, as well as working with some of my personal childhood heroes, I’d say for me it’s already hard to top that. At the same time, I enjoy working with bands and artists on all levels. I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing, and be thankful as long as I’m able to do it.

Walk us through the idea behind this project.
After making the Duality I and II EZX packs, I was toying with the idea of what it would be like to do the same thing on the theater stage. Recording an EZX requires a dead-silent room and lots of time, so when the theatre was closed and empty for some weeks during the summer, Toontrack and I decided it was time. I contacted my close friend Darby and asked if he wanted to be my drummer for the project, as he is the perfect match for a projekt like this. He also brought some of his cymbals and snares that I was curious to use. We both felt that this would be a very unique sounding EZX, as there is nothing out there like this – and we proved ourselves right. I knew from the start what I wanted this to be: An EZX featuring a big, unique room with a lot of ambience mics sounding very different from each other and that could be combined in different ways for a mind-blowing variety of sounds. When I made the Duality EZXs, I wanted one kit with a lot of options. This time, I wanted more kits with different sounds. And four cowbells.

Your studio is located in the same building as the theater and in fact directly connected to the stage. Have you recorded here for albums before?
The studio being hardwired to the stage is pretty unique and gives me the same level of control as when I record in my regular live room. I’ve used the stage for recording many times, everything from grand piano and strings to sound effects, drums and overdubs. 

Finally, listening back to the finished sounds and working with the products – what’s that like? Did they come out as you had envisioned?
Even better! Working with the presets made me realize how close to my original vision it sounded and how versatile it is, even though the room can be a wild beast to tame. Darby’s playing as well as being able to bounce my ideas with him in the creative process made it even better. We talked a lot about what a stage drum sound really is, as opposed to a big studio sound, and I guess you could call this the best of two worlds. It sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard, except my own recordings here, and I can’t wait to both use it myself – as well as hear it being used by others!

First of all, what sparked your interest in music?
I was always surrounded by music as long as I can remember. My dad was a bass player and coming from America he had a huge love of English rock bands (and we all know the UK bands were the best back in the day!), so I was always exposed to the vinyl he would play. I never really looked at drums and thought that I really wanted to be a drummer. At the age of six I came home from school with a letter saying I could choose to play violin or tuba. I wanted to play violin, but my dad said he had a better idea. A week later I had a pair of drumsticks and a practice pad and I was hooked!

To you, what defines a great drummer? Name a few that you think stand out in today’s scene (regardless of genre) and some that helped shape you as a drummer growing up and learning the instrument.
That’s a difficult question and I am sure everyone has a differing opinion of the qualities of a great player of any instrument. For me it would have to be a musician who is well versed in multiple styles and genres. Not just someone that is good at one particular thing. I would say my playing style is a the result of five main drummers I loved growing up as a kid: Gregg Bissonette, Dennis Chambers, Dave Weckl, Simon Phillips and Alex Van Halen. I stole so many ideas of all of these guys. In recent years I would say that I’m really into Virgil Donati and Vinnie Colaiuta. These are the two guys that are at the top of their game and I find hugely inspiring as players. To me they are among the best out there.

You’re a professional drummer by occupation and have jumped between bands and projects your entire career. Looking back on this journey, any stints or projects that particularly stand out?
I have enjoyed working with virtually every project I have done. I find it extremely fulfilling to be able to work in different situations. In terms of one-off performances I have done with artists I would say playing “The Power of Love” with Huey Lewis and also the entirety of “Whole Lotta love” and “Rock And Roll” with Robert Plant were well up there on the top of my list! My time in The Darkness was definitely up there. I am currently touring with Martin Barre, the guitarist from Jethro Tull, playing his 50 Years of Jethro Tull tour. This has been an amazing experience playing some iconic prog songs that inspired so many of the modern prog bands. I’m fortunate that this gig has been taking me around the world and we look like being busy for at least the next two years. We also have Clive Bunker, the original drummer from Tull in the band, so it’s a ton of fun to play double drums with him. I also play with Swedish guitar legend Kee Marcello. I played on his last album “Scaling Up” which I think is a fantastic record. It’s kinda surreal that as a kid I used to play along to Europe albums and now I’m Kee’s first-call drummer! Also, I’m currently playing drums on Devin Townsend’s European tour. Having been a fan of his for years, its awesome to be being playing music with a rock icon that you were already a fan of. My solo album is definitely something that stands out in my career. I feel like it sums up my 30 plus years of drumming and what I have achieved. Also having amazing musicians on it like Don Airey, Bumblefoot, Per Nilsson, Martin Barre and Justin Hawkins, to name a few, definitely stands out as a highlight for me.

Having played blues, rock, hard rock, funk and, well, literally any style of drums there is – is there any genre/style you particularly prefer?
For me, I am a rock drummer at heart and that will never die, but I learned at a young age that it’s not a good idea to ignore other genres hence why my CV is so varied! I also love my jazz and fusion. It’s a genre that allows me to play to my full ability and fulfill my need to play millions of notes without getting fired!

If you weren’t playing for a living, what would you do for a career, you think?
I’ve always thought I’d be a fireman. Always thought that was a cool job!

To you, what’s unique about this EZX?
To start, you have four handpicked kits recorded to the highest possible standards. Add to this the option of five room ambience options in a huge acoustically amazing-sounding theatre and I believe you have one of the most unique EZXs to date. The room mics give so many varied options in terms of sound that the possibilities for sound are endless. From great close mics to the option to have the biggest drum sound ever, there has to be something for everyone in this pack.

You’ve been involved in many Toontrack products in the past, both as an audio demo creator and by providing MIDI material for expansions and MIDI packs, but this was your first time actually sampling drums. What’s your takeaway from the process?
My takeaway is that I absolutely loved doing this. One of the key components to being good at drum sampling is to be accurate with every strike you make. This was a good opportunity to see that my years of practice had actually worked out in great consistency in my playing and strikes! I also realized that when you have the correct team of people working together striving for the same goal, you get a product beyond your already high expectations. I can’t wait to record more with Toontrack.

Listening back to the finished product, did it come out like you had envisioned?
This has completely surpassed my hopes for this pack. The scope of this pack for drum sounds is huge. There are so many room options available at you fingertips with this pack. From a touch of room to give your drums some space in the mix through to massive, dominating drums…it’s all there. It sounds immense and I will definitely be using it in my own recordings to get room sounds not possible in my studio. I think I speak for the whole team involved when I say this is a really special EZX.