Long admired for his intense dedication to his craft, rock drummer Kenny Aronoff has recorded and toured with some of the best in the business: Bob Dylan, members of the Rolling Stones and a pair of legendary Johns—Mellencamp and Fogerty. He began his journey by studying classical music in college, graduated to jazz and fusion and ultimately found his home in rock. He’s recorded at renowned studios all over the world but now works almost entirely from his space in North Hollywood. Earlier in his career he kept drum sets staged in multiple cities, so he was always primed to hit the ground running.
“I figured out when I was ten that drumming was my life’s purpose before I even knew what that meant,” Aronoff recalls of his fabled work ethic. “To be successful and stay successful, you must work hard, be disciplined and persevere. That formula will help you overcome any setbacks or obstacles. You blaze through criticisms and learn from them; you don’t take them personally. Heroes succeed despite all challenges.”
Like many musicians, Aronoff is not a fan of A.I. “I can hear it, especially with drums because it’s too perfect,” he observes. “It’s very hard to get a human to play like that, although the sounds have the same decay. It’s sort of like chocolate: one piece is good, two is great and three starts to make you sick. It’s cool when you hear the human element; when time bends a bit.”
A drummer’s mic setup is like a chef’s secret recipe, and the combination is his or her signature dish. “I use a Mojave MA-100 on top of the snare and a Shure SM57 underneath,” Aronoff explains. “On the kick I have a Shure Beta 52A inside and I also have a Mojave MA-50 on the head. On my toms I use a Mojave MA-100, which kind of gives me an analog sound. My overheads are two Roswell Aztecs and on my hi-hat and live cymbals I’ve got Shure SM81s. Behind my kit I have an AKG C214, which kind of sprays around the drums and gives ambiance. I believe Alex Van Halen used to do the same at one point. Then I have a few mics in the traditional overhead placement.”
Over the years, Aronoff has encountered many challenges. But his biggest came about a decade ago when he was tapped to re-record “My Sharona,” the Knack’s smash 1979 anthem. “Whoever owned the rights—probably the label—sold the master,” he recollects. “In that case, the band has no negotiating power. Somehow the surviving members could use another take of the song. I played to one of the original vocal takes—I’m not sure why they could use the vocal but not the drums. Anyway, I got every single mic and its placement that was used on the original drum set so I could make a precise chart.”
Recently Aronoff came off tour with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and is on the road regularly with Sammy Hagar. He’s also part of the Aerosmith and Friends mega-shows, late October at the Hollywood Bowl. Aside from his own studio, his favorite places to record include New York City’s The Power Station, London’s legendary Abbey Road and L.A.’s now-shuttered United Recording Studios, which operated for years as Ocean Way. Its Studio B was noted for its “drumbrella,” which could be raised or lowered over the kit.
The 3 Most Important...
lessons he’s learned as a drummer and studio owner are:
Good drumming is like making a cake. Pick the right beat and make it feel good. Creativity is the icing.
The reason I keep getting rehired is because of the three Cs: connecting, communicating and collaboration. You’ve got to be cool and authentic.
Co-elevate your bandmates in the studio. The North Star is to get the record on the radio and be a number one single.
