Toontrack SDX Drumopolis (by Tony Visconti)

Few producers have resonated through music history quite like Tony Visconti. Not only has he pushed sonic boundaries and rejuvenated the sound of rock, he’s created mold-breaking milestones of musical art throughout a career spanning nearly six decades. From seminal albums with iconic artists like David Bowie, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy to multiple Grammy wins and a Music Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Contribution, Visconti’s influence speaks for itself – etched into the very fabric of music as we know it.

For this SDX, he took his fearless approach and unending curiosity to London’s legendary Metropolis Studios. Flanked by his choice-drummer – UK session stalwart Stephen Gilchrist (The Damned, Cardiacs, Graham Coxon) and engineer Liam Nolan (Adele, Rihanna, Drake, Stormzy) – he oversaw recordings of eight kits, all sourced to pinpoint some of the most iconic stops along the way of his extraordinary career. Two distinct Studio A environments were captured: the spacious main room and the tighter, damped iso booth. In the main room, lively, edgy kits representing Visconti’s Bowie-era work were recorded while in the booth, grittier sounds more in the style of Thin Lizzy and T. Rex were sought. In both rooms, a broad range of ambiences and extra mics were recorded, giving you optional tonal flavors to use when shaping your mixes. To top it off, the natural reverb in the adjacent stone room was captured using a stereo ribbon mic, giving you another organic layer to work with for all kits. Altogether, this will give you kits covering eight different facets of rock – from the loud and open to the tight and gritty. Be it for glam, classic, alternative, art, prog or beyond, you’re covered.

In addition to the sounds, a broad selection of presets engineered by Tony Visconti himself as well as a MIDI library of grooves and fills by Stephen Gilchrist are included – all inspired by the different eras and work that has made Visconti the legend that he is.

The Drumopolis SDX is Tony Visconti’s legacy in drum form – captured with detail, depth and an unmistakable passion for drums. Ready to create? Welcome to kit city.