Discrete Drums

Drummer, Percussionist, and Producer Bios

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Notice: While Discrete Drums Multitrack and Stereo DVDs are no longer available, Sonoma offers select Discrete Drums' stereo content as RiffWorks InstantDrummer Sessions and as DrumCore 4 AAX/AU/VST3 plug-in add-ons. Stay tuned by subscribing to the newsletter.

Eric Darken

Eric Darken is a percussionist from Nashville, TN who has recorded with a variety of artists including Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, CeCe Winans, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Steven Curtis Chapman, Mercy Me, Jewel, Bob Seger, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and others.

Eric's music has been on Dateline, 20/20, The Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer, Access Hollywood, and many MSNBC Shows.

Eric has been nominated 4 times for an Academy of Country Music Award in the musician category, he is a 2 time nominee and winner of a Dove Award in the instrumental category and has been nominated 2 times for a Nashville Music Award.

Eric Darken is the perc for these products (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 2
Discrete Drums - EarthBeat
Discrete Percussion (Won an EM Editors Choice Award)

Chris McHugh

Not only can Chris McHugh be seen touring with Keith Urban on his 2009 "Escape Together World Tour," but his work can be heard on numerous platinum and Grammy Award winning recordings from a virtual who's who in the music industry. It is estimated that his involvement in the making of nearly 50 albums has played a role in the sale of upwards of 100 million worldwide.

A New Jersey native, Chris moved to Nashville in 1985 to start his professional music career. He has since recorded, produced and audio engineered for the likes of Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Jewel, etc. He has also served as Keith Urban's musical director for over two years.

Chris McHugh is the drummer for this product (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 2

Tony Morra

Tony Morra started playing drums at age 3 in Queens. His career began at 16. He played every club in New York (Bitter End and CBGB). Tony says, "Growing up in NYC gave me the opportunity to play rock, funk, jazz, and pop. I did drum programming and live playing on jingles and TV. I traveled with Sweet Sensation and Stevie B. I worked with producers and writers in LA like Diane Warren. Now I play for artists including Ayeshia Woods, Aja, Amy Grant, BJ Thomas, Bobby Caldwell, John Pizzarelli, Songs From The Neighborhood's Tribute to Mr. Rogers! (Won A Grammy), Bruce Springsteen & Joe Grushecky (old friends), Paul Taylor (Winger), Rod Morgenstein (Winger/Dixie Dregs), Alex M (Laguna Beach), Nicole Mullen, Avalon, The Katina's Demon, Kogure (Japanese Heavy Metal Singer), "Chronicles of Narnia", "Just Married", Rachel Farris, Jennifer Paige, Cherie Adams (Formerly of "Avalon"), Van Zant, Regis & Kelly, and more."

Tony Morra is the drummer for these products (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental 2

Greg Morrow

Greg Morrow has worked with numerous industry talents including the Dixie Chicks, Van Zant, 38 Special, Hank Williams III, DeGarmo & Key, LeAnn Rimes, Amy Grant, Travis Tritt and Deana Carter, and more.

Greg Morrow is the drummer for these products (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 1
Discrete Drums - Turbulent Filth Monsters
Discrete Drums - EarthBeat

Engineer and Producer Bios

Craig Anderton

Musician, producer, and renowned journalist, Craig Anderton brings his unique vision and vast array of signal processing devices and plug-ins to bear on innocent drum tracks in Turbulent Filth Monsters. Derived from the acclaimed Discrete Drums Series One Rock/Alternative collection, these loop remixes are not programmed but performed by Nashville drum ace Greg Morrow. They crunch, distort, contort and frighten, while retaining the human groove and sheer feel of the original performances. The result is Turbulent Filth Monsters - a collection of incredibly edgy, hardcore, technoid, bizarro loops. Fully "ACIDized" - 21 Styles - 168 Loops - 688 MB.

Craig Anderton is the producer for this product (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Turbulent Filth Monsters

Rick DiFonzo

Rick DiFonzo is the key player behind Discrete Drums. Guitarist for 80's Philly psycho power pop band, the A's. Moved to NYC in early 80's and recorded and/or toured with artists including Joan Osborn, Roger Waters, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Belinda Carlisle, Sophie B. Hawkins and others. Then he began writing music for television. Rick DiFonzo's music has appeared on The Sopranos, Friends, American Idol, America's Funniest Videos, Desperate Housewives, General Hospital, Grey's Anatomy, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Monday Night Football, All My Children, Hope and Faith , Cosby Show, Saturday Night Live, Oprah Winfrey, Good Morning America, King of the Hill, NBC Sports Olympics, ESPN, ABC Sports, FOX Sports, Best Damn Sports Show, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Party of Five, Summerland, Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Bachelor, Bachelorette, the Man Show, Ed, Access Hollywood, and Three Sheets. Working on 2 records of his own (Bright Shiny Pop - a collection of sugary, melodic power pop, and InstruMENTAL - a collection of guitar driven instrumental stuff).

Rick DiFonzo Mix Interview, "I recorded guitar tracks on Roger's [Waters] album Amused to Death," he recalls. "That led to my appearance with him at The Wall concert that celebrated the falling of the Berlin Wall in 1990. We played before almost half-a-million people at the site and a broadcast audience that included almost every country in the world!"

Rick DiFonzo is the producer for these products (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 1
Discrete Drums - Rock Series 2
Discrete Percussion (Won an EM Editors Choice Award)
Discrete Drums - EarthBeat
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental 2

Joe Hardy

Joe Hardy has worked with ZZ Top, Michael McDermott, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Steve Earle and many more. He Mixed ZZ Top "XXX". He worked at the infamous Ardent Studios, which has a forty year history encompassing a wide range of artists like Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many more.

Craig DeFalco's SleezeRoxx Interview says, "Joe Hardy was by far the greatest hang I've ever been on while working in a recording studio. What a great way to record a record. Nothing but laughter and music being made with no bad vibes or shattered nerves! He is a very intelligent man so his humor is top shelf as well. You've got to stay on your toes when dealing with Joe Hardy. "

Joe Hardy is the engineer for this product (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 1

Steve Marcantonio

Steve Marcantonio Mix Interview: "Steve Marcantonio is a master at the task [engineering country music]. Given his trademark punchy drums, well-placed guitars and tastefully present lead vocals, it's no surprise that the client list of this former Jersey boy reads like a who's who of country. His work encompasses classic Nashville as well as the edgier side of the genre, including projects for Rodney Crowell, Deana Carter, Billy Falcon, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, George Strait, Alabama, the Warren Brothers and Vince Gill, among others." Also check out the Steve Marcantonio Sound on Sound Interview.

Marcantonio is the engineer for these products (click for previews):

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 1
Discrete Drums - Rock Series 2
Discrete Drums - EarthBeat
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental 2

Recording Studios

Sound Kitchen - Studio E

Sound Kitchen - Big Boy Studio

The Sound Kitchen is the Southeast's most prestigious recording facility. Many of the biggest names spanning all music genres have recorded here (3 Doors Down, Amy Grant, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Bruce Springsteen, Buddy Guy, Chicago, Dixie Chicks, Jimmy Buffett, Keith Urban, and many more. The remarkable Big Boy Studio includes 3,000 square feet of tracking space, six isolation booths, and a Yamaha C-7 grand piano. Big Boy is a beautiful and spacious studio, measuring 45 feet by 74 feet in length.

Discrete Drums Products Recorded in Sound Kitchen's Big Boy Studio:

Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental
Discrete Drums - Heavy Mental 2

Hum Depot Studio

From Mix review of Hum Depot "Between downtown Nashville and Berry Hill (was) a funky two-room studio called Hum Depot that (was) owned by studio session aces Greg Murrow, Tony Harrell and producer RS Field. It is one of those places a lot of cool artists and producers like to go to. The Hum Depot's clients have included Lucinda Williams, Ray Benson, the Dixie Chicks, ZZ Top, Steve Earle, Dan Baird, Steve Forbert, John Kilzer, Todd Snider, Raul Malo (The Mavericks), Steve Cropper, Radney Foster and Robbie Fulks. Producers who have worked there include Richard Bennett, RS Field, David Leonard, Rick Will, Joe Hardy, Chris Farren and Mike Utley."

"The upstairs room (was) outfitted with a Neve 8232 32 X 24 recording console, a 24-track Sony APR-24 machine, and a solid assortment of vintage and new outboard gear. While Hum had its share of the popular digital gear, they valued the classic stuff. In that spirit, the owners installed a 1972 24 X 16 API console in the downstairs room."

The Hum Depot appears to be closed. After owning The Hum Depot Recording Studio in Nashville for eight years, Tony Harrell joined with two partners to open Vibe56 Studio located on famous Music Row in Nashville.

Discrete Drums Products Recorded in Sound Kitchen's Big Boy Studio:

Discrete Drums - Rock Series 1