I'm a music man, I looove music. I'll scan your song like it's mine, and lay down the drums with the bird's ear of a producer. I can offer different sounds & approaches. When I jammed with the bassist of The Smiths & Sinead O'Connor, Andy Rourke, he said, I gave him goosebumps. I'm a songwriter myself, I will feel you!
"The world that gets created exists between the Kick and the Snare!"
I run a recording studio and I'm quick. I'm an endorser of BOSPHORUS from Turkey, the best cymbals between here and Saturn. I studied with Keith Copeland, who was the drummer in Stevie Wonder's first touring band, and some of the heaviest jazz drummers in NYC. My work as a drummer is documented on over forty official releases on more than ten different record labels. I believe you'll hire me again! (Levon Helm, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Ferrone, Jay Bellerose, etc.)
I also program beats, do beat replacements and doublings. Tambourins, Shakers, Bells, etc.
Don't hire me for so-called gospel-chops and/or metal jobs. Hire me for anything right on the money and/or out of the ordinary.
My favorite challenge is recording drums to songs that weren't tracked to a Click Track; but CT and I are certainly best friends as well. Feel is everything.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Interview with Joe "Stone" Hertenstein
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: We just mastered a pandemic remote album with SPACEPILOT, a NY jam band out of the Nublu scene with electric guitar, synth/rhodes, and drums, which improvises freely. Guitarist and I jammed in a studio in Berlin and sent it to our keys man currently in Argentina. It worked amazingly, bafflingly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbDUsSUl1J4&t=1s
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Who's your favorite drummer? Milford Graves, RIP 2021!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Started with weekly drum lessons at age six. Studied music in seven cities. Looking back on 15 years in NYC.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Listening. Playing drums.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Love & excitement paired with experience & analysis.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Learning the song and lyrics, probably strumming and singing along, contemplating its form, its peaks and valleys. Imagining and finding the best snare sound for the vocals to lean against. Committing to the most driving kick drum pattern to melt into the bassline. Fitting in the simplest but most effective drum fills. You know... making music.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Rick Rubin, T-Bone Burnett, Daniel Lanois, Levon Helm, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Ferrone, Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Jay Bellerose, Kenny Wollesen, Beck, Tom Waits, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, JJ Cale, Tom Petty... Everyone current, who moves me. Bon Iver, Big Thief, Joe StoneBand...
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: In 2012 Keith Fredrickson released his album The Handshake, a Brooklyn power trio at its best, incredible songs!!! Man should be a star. We put so much time and love into it, his lady got pregnant and he took a job as accountant for Merrill Lynch. The band played a few local gigs and died. I miss them! The album is on Spotify and here: http://www.thehandshakenyc.com/music-encore Oh, Rock'n'Roll!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: I might just be the best drummer for your project on this forum. I'll make you happy, you'll hire me again.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My recording studio.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Friedrich Stoermer is an incredible mixing engineer, producer, song writer, master bassist - trust him! But I'm brand new here...I'll add to this as I learn the community...stay tuned.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Click track or not? - I don't like these discussions. The music is what matters. Listening means forgetting the name of the sounds one hears. It's way more important what happens in front of the microphone.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: That music I'm part of gets released into the world.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: You'll hire me again.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: How was your day? Anything else develops from there...I don't have a set way about things.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Look no further.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Style is pretentious.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: You. Because you found my profile here and are reading it.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: You can only get out of it what you've put in.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Music that moves me.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Great drums and mics, great sounding room, Bosphorus cymbals.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I make their music feel good.
I was the drummer in this production
- Live drum trackAverage price - $250 per song
- Programmed drumAverage price - $200 per song
- PercussionAverage price - $150 per song
- Beat MakerAverage price - $200 per song
- Songwriter - LyricAverage price - $300 per song
- Songwriter - MusicAverage price - $350 per song
We'll discuss your vision of the drum track before hand, of course: 2 dif versions and 1 revision.
One week turn-around time.
Additional $100 for a midi beat replacement/doubling/enhancement
- BOSPHORUS
