Steve Gadd

Documented by Drum Faster

The most copied session drummer of the last fifty years — "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover", "Aja", Chick Corea, Stuff, Eric Clapton and several hundred more. A rudimental player on a drum kit, with a low, fat, muffled sound and a Yamaha endorsement running since 1976.

Read our full Steve Gadd feature →

2020 — The Steve Gadd Band

His own band, and the setup he has settled on in later years: Absolute Hybrid Maple shells, a mixed bag of old and new Zildjians, and a 30th-anniversary Yamaha kit that pairs birch toms with a maple bass drum.

The 2020 kit at a glance. Tap a piece to find it below; sticks, pedals and hardware aren't drawn.

Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple kit 22"x14" kick, 10"x7.5" and 12"x8" racks, 14"x12" and 16"x14" floors ⤷ who plays this

Yamaha 14"x5.5" snare ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K Custom Session 14" Hi-hats ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K Dark Thin 18" Crash ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A Avedis 20" Ride ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian 15" riveted crash eight rivets ⤷ who plays this

Vic Firth Steve Gadd signature sticks ⤷ who plays this

Coated single-ply batters, muffled ⤷ who plays this

2005 — The Clapton years

Long stretches in Eric Clapton's band, plus Crossroads festivals and his own groups. Same philosophy, newer shells, and by now his own Zildjian signature line.

The 2005 kit at a glance. Tap a piece to find it below; sticks, pedals and hardware aren't drawn.

Yamaha Absolute Birch kit 22" kick, 10"/12" racks, 14"/16" floors ⤷ who plays this

Yamaha 14"x5.5" snare ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K Custom Session 14" Hi-hats his own signature line ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K Custom Session 16" Crash ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian K Custom Session 20" Ride ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A Custom 15" with rivets eight rivets ⤷ who plays this

Vic Firth Steve Gadd signature sticks ⤷ who plays this

Coated single-ply batters ⤷ who plays this

1977 — The New York session years

The peak of the first-take era: Aja, Stuff, the Paul Simon records. Gadd joined Yamaha in 1976 and has stayed. Modest sizes, low tuning, and far more rivets than most drummers use.

The 1977 kit at a glance. Tap a piece to find it below; sticks, pedals and hardware aren't drawn.

Yamaha Recording Custom kit 22"x14" kick, 10" and 12" rack toms, 14" and 16" floor toms ⤷ who plays this

Ludwig Supraphonic 14"x5" snare chrome over brass — a long-standing favourite alongside his Yamaha models ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A 14" Hi-hats a top hat he bought used in the 1960s ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A 18" Crash with rivets the sizzle is a big part of the Gadd wash ⤷ who plays this

Zildjian A 20" Ride dry, low and controlled ⤷ who plays this

Vic Firth Steve Gadd signature sticks short, light, barrel tip — built for recording, not volume ⤷ who plays this

Coated heads, heavily muffled half of "his sound" is tuning ⤷ who plays this

2020 — The Steve Gadd Band

2005 — The Clapton years

1977 — The New York session years

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