Cain Daniel

Session Drummer/Percussionist

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11 Reviews (2 Verified)
Cain Daniel on SoundBetter

Your one stop shop for high quality live drum tracks for any project or movie score!

My name is Cain Daniel and I am a live/session drummer based in Los Angeles,CA!

Recorded music is so special because it is a moment or moments in musical time that are encapsulated and kept forever. So when working with me, I will always treat every project as an opportunity to create something amazing.

A little about me:

I am originally from Miami,FL and currently hold a Bachelors Degree in Music from Berklee College of Music.

Past drumming Credits include Kanye West, Derek Hough, Sofia Reyes, Jesus Molina, and many others across a wide variety of genres.

Look me up on Instagram and Youtube under the handle "cainddrums" for a variety of clips that show different sides of my playing!

I have a wide variety of drum equipment and microphones at my disposal to properly and best serve your song's vision, as well as the care and dedication to work along side you to ensure that you are receiving the best product possible.

PS: I offer discounted rates for bulk bookings (albums, multiple tracks/demos, multiple arrangements, multiple instruments)

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

11 Reviews

Endorse Cain Daniel
  1. Review by Leo B.
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    by Leo B.
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    Excellent job, very quick, very well recorded, deep pocket, nice dynamics.

  2. Review by KevenEknes
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    Cain is the creme of the crop. As a drummer you need someone musical who can musically understand more than just adding the groove and feel of the song, and that is Cain. He understands music on a deeper level than most, and is adept at finding the right part for the right time. Tracking drums is hard, since it is a very involved process, and Cain has a great setup that makes everything clean to work with, with a great and "pure" core sound. Every project he has done for me sounded immaculate.

  3. Review by Pete Mills
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    by Pete Mills

    Cain's metronomic feel coupled with his explosive spontaneity make him the ultimate foundation for both live shows and recording sessions. His flexibility to be open to suggestions is surpassed by his execution and personal flare he adds. Cain is a massive asset to the Los Angeles music scene for multiple genres as his jazz background shines through. Pete Mills from The Sweet Kill

  4. Review by Fryderyk D.
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    So professional and his playing abilities are just insane. Versatile and technically impeccable and yet so tasteful and musical with his choices. His tracks are clean are beautifully recorded and prepped. Recently we were working on a remote project, which is to be released very soon, and Cain was the first one to track - he did it so fast and his professionalism helped the production process. I highly encourage everybody to work with him!

  5. Review by Aaron Srdoc
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    by Aaron Srdoc

    Cain is a fantastic session drummer, with great feel and musical intuition. Working with him to record some live drums for a trailer music track was a blast. Cain nailed the charts and turned around the recordings very quickly. He immediately understood what was required for the track, and gave us multiple takes with thoughtful variations to ensure we had everything we needed. I highly recommend working with Cain for any of your drumming needs!

  6. Review by Anton Laplume
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    by Anton Laplume

    Cain is an absolute pro! Super easy to work with and hands down one of the tightest drummers out there. Hard to find a drummer who's so well versed and able to cop every style with real authenticity. Whether you need fusion chops or a fat, pocket, rock groove, Cain will absolutely get the job done!

  7. Review by Corgi D.
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    Not only is Cain prepared to tackle whatever challenge you throw his way, but he is extremely sensitive to the sounds you want to achieve. Last year, Cain and I collaborated on some drum-tracking for some music I had written and he nailed both the feeling and sound I had hoped to achieve from the drums. Cain will not be satisfied until he reaches the perfect take, making the comping progress so much easier. I would highly recommend him as your drummer of choice because, no matter the obstacle, he will go above and beyond what you ask of him.

  8. Review by Leo
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    by Leo

    I met Cain at Berklee College of music where he was one of the most in demand studio drummers. Every other night he was playing in a session or a show and he has never slowed down. I witnessed him as a live, tour drummer in Berlin and most recently he recorded drums on my track remotely. He is reliable, talented, and has tremendous feel.

  9. Review by Marc Malsegna Guitar
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    I’ve worked with Cain in a few different scenarios from pop to jazz and he is an absolute monster. Amazing drummer, musician, and person. We recently collaborated remotely on a session and I absolutely loved all the ideas he brought to the table. The drum stems he sent me sounded amazing, high quality, great mic technique, and his playing of course is absolutely top notch. I will continue to call him to work on more projects. Whatever the situation is, Cain will absolutely kill it!

  10. Review by Marc Malsegna
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    by Marc Malsegna

    I’ve worked with Cain in a few different scenarios from pop to jazz and he is an absolute monster. Amazing drummer, musician, and person. We recently collaborated remotely on a session and I absolutely loved all the ideas he brought to the table. The drum stems he sent me sounded amazing, high quality, great mic technique, and his playing of course is absolutely top notch. I will continue to call him to work on more projects. Whatever the situation is, Cain will absolutely kill it!

  11. Review by Aria Cruz
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    Been working with Cain Daniel since 2017!!!
    He has played drums for me live and killed it.
    Such an amazing drummer, super easy to work with and always makes sure you get what you want.
    Recently, Cain recorded drum tracks for a new song I’m producing. The tracks sounded perfectly clear and he sent the stems right away!
    On top of it all he’s a bro 😎 always cool.
    🥁🎯🎧🦅

Interview with Cain Daniel

  1. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  2. A: Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, 20 in Yamaha Bass Drum, UA Apollo Interface, Neumann KM184 OHs, and a FET 47

  3. Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

  4. A: Recently, I was apart of recording the drums for an Under Armour Commercial for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson which was a surreal experience.

  5. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  6. A: Right now I am working on some of my own material that I have stuffed away for many years pre pandemic, and well as remote sessions with clients around the world.

  7. Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

  8. A: Guitar players like Keven Eknes and Marc Malsegna are both musicians that I have worked with in the past and that I have full confidence will give you the same attention and treatment that I would. You would be in great hands.

  9. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  10. A: Analog obviously has its perks, and it is so amazing to be able to track into those pieces of gear when possible. But from what I see now as far as advancements in the digital realm, that divide is getting closer and closer. Companies like UA and Izotope have really hit their digital emulations out of the park. And now given the fact that you can add plugins on the way in, it really changes the game.

  11. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  12. A: That I get to make beautiful music with people all around the world that I would normally never be in contact with! The internet is an amazing place.

  13. Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

  14. A: Most customers ask me if I have any ideas for the song or to give them any arrangement ideas if they are unsure where the song should go. My answer as to be expected always varies, and usually I try my best to offer the best advice I can.

  15. Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

  16. A: That I just walk in and record for 10 minutes and send it off. I really like to take time on my work, sometimes the whole day on one track if thats what's required. No matter the budget, I don't feel comfortable putting my name on something that I feel is half baked. So as simple as it may be given my setup to record, the act of creating is not.

  17. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  18. A: Are there any sources of inspiration I should look to sound wise for the drums What mic setup do you prefer, if any? Are you looking for loud bombastic dense drums or a more sparse and open part? These questions typically allow for me to delve further into the clients vision and hone in on how we can make the best product.

  19. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  20. A: That its okay to be specific about what you want from the drums, no matter how strange it may feel or be. My goal is to play YOUR song, and to make it feel how you want it to.

  21. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  22. A: Well I am originally from Miami,FL, where I grew up playing in the Blues and R&B scene with different acts. My first real gig was actually backing my mother, who is a well known singer in that area. My father is also a musician, a drummer in fact, so you can say I grew up in a musical family. From there I received a full scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I majored in Music Business and Performance while studying with drummers such as Terry Lyn Carrington, Dave DiCenso, and Bob Gullotti among others. After graduating in 2016, I moved to Los Angeles where I have been lucky to work with a tour with many amazing acts such as the ones listed above in my credits section.

  23. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  24. A: The biggest thing I have learned from my time as a studio musician is to listen. Often times we rush to make our musical or mixing decisions based on the first thing we hear or our first impressions. But I have learned that the best products I have delivered were handled at a more thorough and moderate pace. And when doing that I often make more concise and overall less changes to the completed product.

  25. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  26. A: Since I have a degree from Berklee College of Music, I am lucky to be proficient in many styles of music not listed above including Jazz, Latin, and other World Music Styles. But I would say the majority of the work I do in the studio is in the Rock, Country/Singer Songwriter, and Pop Genres as well as the occasional Movie Score.

  27. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  28. A: I think my strongest skill is my musical sensitivity, my attention to detail, and that I try to make the experience of hiring someone online as personal and effortless as possible.

  29. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  30. A: My promise to clients is that you will walk away from our experience together satisfied and excited about the music we have created. At the end of the day, music is supposed to be fun and give us inspiration. So I don't consider a project finished until both of those objectives are complete.

  31. Q: How would you describe your style?

  32. A: Id say my style is the sum of all my experiences. Growing up playing Blues and R&B has made my groove sit back in the pocket and get that greasy sound that many of our favorite songs have. Spending time studying and playing Latin and Jazz Music has made my ears open and accustomed to improvisation as well as creating a shared musical performance as opposed to just playing a part. And lastly, my years of playing behind Rock,Pop and Country artists of all different levels has given a maturity and polish to my playing so that the musical decisions I make while unique are still appropriate and serve the music.

  33. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  34. A: I think my "dream gig" as people like to say is either Sting or Herbie Hancock. These artists in my opinion effortlessly weave in-between genres and create such unique and interesting music to play as well as listen to. And since I love playing so many styles, I think these gigs would allow me to scratch that itch each and every night.

  35. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  36. A: All in all, I do my best to go the extra mile and bring my musicality as well as sensitivity to each track I play on. I like to spend a good amount of time really ingesting the essence of the songs I work on, which I believe allows me to understand and serve the writer's vision.

  37. Q: What's your typical work process?

  38. A: Typically when clients reach out to have me record I like to chat with them in depth about what they are looking for from the drums. As a provider I really want to make sure that the person hiring me gets exactly what they envisioned, and this conversation allows me to place myself in the right direction. Afterwards, I go ahead and choose the gear that I feel best represents that vision and record one or two passes as a test. Then I will send a reference to the client for approval and notes. Once that comes through, I like to record at least two solid takes with different vibes and send them off so the client can pick and choose what feels right to them. I also like to attach rough mixes of my drums along with the raw stems, so if the client prefers its an easy drop into their session and they can move on to other important matters in their mix.

  39. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  40. A: My studio setup is located in Los Angeles,CA where I am currently based. I have spent a lot of time especially during the pandemic creating an environment suitable for recording the best quality sounds I can. As far as gear goes, I have a wide variety of drums, cymbals, percussion, and microphones to fit each track's individual needs and nuances. My mic locker includes Beyerdynamic, Shure, SE Electronics, Audix, as well as some custom mics that have served me well on many tracks.

  41. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  42. A: Wow, thats a hard one to narrow down to a short answer haha. But some bands and artists that continue to inspire me are Sting, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nine Inch Nails, Herbie Hancock, Animals as Leaders, and Tigran Hamasyan. And some of my favorite drummers include Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Mark Guiliana, Dafnis Prieto, and Matt Garstka.

  43. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  44. A: The vast majority of the work I get called to do is provide live drum tracks for artist projects as well as commercial clients. Many times I will receive demos or the beginnings of a song idea, and I do my best to help elevate and contribute to the sound of these projects all while sticking to clients vision.

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Under Armour Ad Campaign For Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

I was the Drummer in this production

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Guaranteed 2 Day Turnaround and 1 revision with all bookings.

GenresSounds Like
  • Darren King
  • Josh Freese
  • Rich Redmond
Gear Highlights
  • Zildjian Cymbals
  • Istanbul Cymbals
  • Pearl Drums
  • Ludwig Drums
  • Yamaha
  • Ludwig
  • Slingerland
  • Leedy
  • and Mapex Snares. LP
  • Meinl
  • and other world Percussion
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SoundBetter Deal

Discounted Rates for bulk bookings (albums, multiple tracks/demos, multiple arrangements, multiple instruments)

  • Beginning of Soundbetter JourneyApr 06, 2021

    Hey all! 

    Just wanted to pop on here and say that Ive been loving the Soundbetter platform so far. In comparison to other sites, things are much more streamlined here and Ive been able to start seeing some success already in my early days online. Hoping to connect with more of you soon, and definitely reach out if you have any questions about me!

    Happy creating!