Story by Steven Douglas Losey
Photos by Rick Malkin Page 6

MD: Your drum sound is perfect - totally pro. Please talk about it.
David: I like drums to be full - sounding, round with good attack and sustain. I'm a big fan of die-cast hoops. I like the focus they give to a drum's tone. I use a combination of Gretch drums and evans drumheads, which gives me everyhing I'm looking for in terms of consistancy. I've always tried to emulate Porcaro's sound. When I was working with Les Dudek, I found out that Jef used Gretsch drums in the studio.
MD: What has helped along the way?
David: As I matured as a player, I realized how important it was to try to develop my own sound. I experimented a lot with different head combinations. I felt like Gretsch was the sound I needed. Their vibe is really the standard for recording, and the cool thing is they translate just as well live. Even though all of their bearing edges are great right out of the box, I've always taken my drums to drum guru Sam Bacoo here in Nashville for his expertise in making my edges perfect. I find that little extra effort makes a big difference in the overall tone of the drums.
MD: You mentioned Evans heads.
David: Yes. I look for a big, fat, round, transparent sound for the bass drum. With snare drums I think it's important to find what combination of heads work best for that particular drum. For me, it depends on what the drum's natural tonal character is. Based on that, I decide if I'll use a single-ply coated or a reverse dot on top, or an extra thin clear bottom or a normal-weight clear on the bottom. It all depends on the snare drum.
MD: How about your cymbals?
David: Zildjians are versatile, consistent, and incredibly musical all the time. One of the things I love so much about Zildjians is the endless array of tones and colors they allow any drummer to have. I've always looked for consistancy in a particular series, and Zildjians always have that. It's reassuring to know that if I break a 16" A Custom, changing it out with another 16" A Custom doesn't change my sound. I also appreciate that they seem to always be coming up with new and unique sounds. I've been going back and forth between A Customs and K series crash cymbals. With Travis I use the A Custom crashes, but when I record it varies depending on the style of music.
MD: Finally, what matters most to David Northrup?
David: I don't consider myself so much a religious person as a spiritual person. I'd like people to know that I acknowledge God and credit Him for where I'm at in my life and in my career. It's all Him, not me. I'm just the proud recipient of his blessings. Working hard and making sacrifices is all part of it. But being still and listening and praying for guidance, that's when things begin to fall into your lap, out of nowhere.
   I have an incredible wife and two beautiful children, and I play drums for a living. It's amazing and crazy. That's been my dream from a very early age, almost my entire life, and now I'm in the middle of that dream every day. I truly believe this was and continues to be something God had always intended for my life. It's been a matter of being patient, staying out of my own way, trusting, and letting him open and close the doors. Never stop wishing and never stop dreaming...never!

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