Hi, I'm Mart Evans, a versatile drummer based in Philadelphia but originally from the UK. I've recorded MIDI drum tracks for bands, solo artists, and producers worldwide from my home studio for the past two years. Whatever your needs, I can provide you with a tasteful and organic drum part for your music.
As a drummer first, I understand the importance of dynamics and groove in a track, and that's why I always track live to keep the human element intact. You aren't getting a programmed part or a loop lifted from a third party. I consider myself very much a song drummer, and my aim is always to provide a part that fits your music perfectly and conveys the emotion you want.
My roots are in Rock/Pop, but I've touched on Country, Power Pop, Singer-Songwriter, Americana, Prog Rock, and Indie, amongst many others. At the end of the day, regardless of genre, I like playing good music, so check with me, and I'll tell you if I think I'm a fit for your project.
I'll always provide you with a MIDI file, but I have a host of libraries to pick kits from if you need audio. We can work in either audio or MIDI, whatever your preference is.
To get started, provide me with a mix of your track, the BPM, and any notes or reference tracks you may have, and we're ready to work!
If you've any questions, please reach out!
Mart.
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Credits
Discogs verified credits for Mart Evans10 Reviews
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check_circleVerifiedEverything great and very fast response.
check_circleVerifiedVery professional, a pleasure to work with, I expect to send more material Mart's way.
check_circleVerifiedMart is just perfect! I highly recommend working with him! He is very professional, easy to communicate with and provides his tracks very fast.
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Working with Mart is awesome! Firstly, he is VERY musical and delivers great performances—always making sure I’m happy with what was delivered. Secondly, and no less important, he’s reliable and communicates extremely often and clearly. He is a pleasure to work with, I highly recommend Martin, and I will definitely hire him again!
check_circleVerifiedVery quick and plenty of communication. He gave me a drum track which fitted the guide track to a tee. I didn't need to give him any other guidance and he completed the (albeit simple) track on the first iteration.
I have been working in the industry in the UK for many years and I have used remote drummers for my songs before with mixed results. Martin is a different class, tight, solid drum parts, great communication, quick turn around times and his prices are very competitive.
Martin is absolutely fantastic.Being semi retiring, i had previously had 3 session drummers on part time staff as our teams sub contractors. (50_ years) So i know a few things about session drummers. Martin is the exact kinda drummer i want and need. Always honors the story. Always listens. Always open to creative steering. Love his chops and taste.
Martin is a fantastic drummer! He plays with precision, and delivers dynamic, consistent quality drum performances. He’s a great asset for your production needs, hire him for sure!
5 Stars+ Martin is the best. One of 2 go-to drummers on all of my work,
Martin has been my go-to online drummer for over a year now. I have asked Martin to do everything from "Copy this original track" to "Here's a no-drum mix and a click track do what you think fits'. He has always responded quickly and is happy to take criticism and revise tracks although, more often than not, he exceeds my expectations first time. Martin has listed my cover of Not Ready To Make Nice (self-produced) as an example. A very professional drummer - highly recommended! ND, Houston TX
Interview with Mart Evans
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I played the drums on a cover of Jethro Tull's "The Whistler" by Celtic World Orchestra. I was so happy with how it came out, and as a self-confessed song drummer, it was fun to cut loose and get the BIG drums out. It was also a pleasure sharing credit with some real top-flight players on there. It was one of those tracks that gave me goosebumps during tracking. That's a rarity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE8YjQG82bA
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Most recently, I've been doing some work for a Chicago-based Synth Pop/Rock writing duo, and I have a terrific cover of "Kashmir" about to drop with Celtic World Orchestra.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I get to work on all different types of music with folks from all over the world. I love that aspect of it. Things never get boring, and I don't have to deal with band politics.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: "Can you put a fill there?" and the answer is always yes. If I feel it's not needed I'll voice that and give my reasons but at the end of the day, I'm being paid to do a job and provide a track that the client is going to be happy with.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That MIDI drums can sound machine-like. In the wrong hands, they can, but I aim to have all drum tracks that leave my studio as organic as possible.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Apart from technical questions such as BPM, sample rate etc., I would ask them what kind of mood they wanted to come out of the track. Also, I would ask if they have any reference files, whether an already available demo drum track or a track by an existing artist that they'd want to capture the feel of.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Don't settle and ask ALL the questions, no matter how simple.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started playing in 1986 and spent the following few years gigging around the South London pub and working men's club scene. I turned pro in 93 and spent the rest of the decade doing the cruise/seasonal thing. I moved to the States in 2000 and spent the first ten years playing with local singer/songwriters and bands in Philly and playing such venues as World Cafe Live/North Star Bar/Grape Street, amongst others. A wrist break in 2012 slowed things down for a while, as well as the arrival of my son, and in 2020 I decided to pursue my dream of recording from home.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Simple. Some people sometimes see that as unfavourable, especially in this YouTube note-fest era, but I love simple players that play for the song.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I have done some work for producer Stephen Paul on other platforms and Freddie Banks has been very supportive. He's killing it on here!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both. It's 2023.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I care as much about the end product as they do.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Just a kick drum so I could use it as a boat to get off the island.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Steven Wilson. He wears his love of Pop on his sleeve, as do I.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Step away when you're getting frustrated.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Seriously it could be anything right now. This week through the door, I've had Country/Pop, Dream Pop, Synth Pop, Classic Rock and some Prog Metal.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My ears. I know what works and what doesn't, and I can usually get that pin-pointed pretty fast. I'm also very easy to work with - no drama here.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Space. There's nothing worse than a song being choked by an overly-busy drum part. I'm a self-confessed song drummer, leaving the chops in the rehearsal room.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Once I've discussed with the artist what they're looking for, I start running ideas down. If the artist has a drum part already demoed I'll use that as a guide and stick to it, if not, then I'll run a few takes with some different approaches, and we'll start polishing the track down from there. I always track live to keep the human element intact.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: It's simple but effective. I have an upgraded Roland V-drum kit (with the digital snare, ride and hats) and a UAD Apollo interface, all going into a Mac. I mainly use Pro Tools for tracking but have access to Logic, Reaper and Luna. I rarely get to do any mixing as most of my clients prefer their files to be sent dry, but I have a curated collection of plug-ins just in case.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: My drumming influences are wide and varied, but if I had to choose one, it would be Jeff Porcaro. He was the epitome of taste and knowing what to bring to a song.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Mostly providing live parts. Sometimes I’m asked to program a track or fix-up an existing part but that’s rare. I’m finding more and more folks working directly with Superior Drummer 3 so I’m sending the basic project file out and letting them do their thing with it.
I was the Drummer in this production
- Programmed drumAverage price - $70 per song
My standard rate is $70 per song. I allow three revisions. Additional revisions after that will be $20 each. My usual delivery time is within 48 hours, depending on my book that week.
- Jeff Porcaro
- Phil Collins
- Kenny Aronoff
- Roland TD-27KV
- Roland VH-14D
- Pro Tools
- Logic Pro
- Reaper
- Superior Drummer 3
- Steven Slate Drums
- Addictive Drums 2
- Kontact
- EZ Drummer 3
25% off your first booking.
