“The PDX720 is just so good at capturing my voice clearly and communicating what I’m saying above the drum kit.”
At one time or another, every musician has played along to their favorite bands and thought, “If only I could get paid for this.” Richard Ray does. Having built a robust fanbase on live streaming platform Twitch, where he is known as officedrummer. He performs drum covers three days per week for up to eight hours per session, covering as many as 100 songs, eight of which he preserves on his YouTube channel, Office Drummer Daily. He responds to viewer requests, often taking on songs on the spot without having played them before. His musical chops are matched only by his improvisational intuitions, and both are further supported by his AUDIX microphones. These include the revered on kick drum, several D4 on his toms, and the studio dynamic mic as his primary narration and ’casting mic.
“I was at one of those assemblies at school where they try to get kids to join band or orchestra, and I was just fascinated by the drums,” he says of his beginnings. “Later, the first album I ever bought for myself was Dookie by Green Day, which had so much great drumming on it. At 14 years old, I got my own drum set and started playing in bands. After high school, I went on tour with my band, all over the world. It was called A Hundred Onces, and we were a two-piece instrumental math-rock band.”
Ray’s tipping point into streaming was one that is all too familiar to performers by now. “When the Covid-19 lockdowns started happening in 2020, I obviously couldn’t play with live bands anymore,” he recalls. “I discovered live streaming, and somehow I have been able to build a following and sustain myself doing it.”
A cornerstone of his prodigious streaming output is a high-quality drum sound with worry-free workflow, which is why he relies on AUDIX microphones. “I first learned about them hanging out with Thomas Lang and seeing AUDIX all over his studio,” he says. “Thomas is the drummer of stOrk, a progressive metal band out of L.A., and has also worked with John Wetton, who played bass and sang in King Crimson and the band Asia.
“Because I cover a lot of metal and heavy rock tunes — Metallica, Tool, and a lot more — the D6 is essential to my kick sound,” Ray continues. “It just gives me the big beef with that nice little click on top.”
The D4, or rather several of them, adorn his toms. “Not only do they sound great, but the way they can clip directly onto the drums makes them so easy to ‘set and forget’ for recording sessions and streaming,” he says.
Of course, Ray is not just playing — he’s talking to his Twitch audience and explaining what he’s doing as he does it. For this, he finds the PDX720 to be unparalleled. “The PDX is just so good at capturing my voice clearly and communicating what I’m saying above the drum kit,” he explains. “It doesn’t get too much bleed from the drums, it pairs very well with my UAD compressor, and importantly, it’s sturdy. If I’m talking while playing eight hours straight, there’s a chance I’ll hit it with a drumstick given how tightly everything is set up. I don’t worry that the PDX will get damaged.”
Ray has sage advice for musicians who would love to monetize their online presence. “Intuitively, streaming seems perfect for hermits,” he cautions. “But at baseline it’s about building community. Think of it like a show in a small club, only it’s even more intimate in a way. Beyond your musical talent, people are showing up to make connections with each other just as much as with you. So, your main role is to provide a safe, welcoming space for them to do that. Talent alone doesn’t mean you’ll build a following, just like it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a gig.”
With the goal of building more community in mind, Ray’s next online adventure will incorporate an even more interactive format, not to mention his trusty PDX720. “I had made a few Instagram videos where I asked people to guess a song just by the drumbeat,” he teases. “Game shows are popular on Twitch, so I’m going to formalize this into a show called ‘Guess This Song.’ I’ll be the host, so I won’t just be sitting behind the drum kit all the time. A host needs a great speaking mic, so the PDX is going to occupy a central place of honor!”
