Conversations with Sam Ruff

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Ruff.

Hi Sam, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I picked up drum sticks at age 8 to accompany my older brother Eddie on guitar. I followed him down the rabbit hole of recording music, starting off in a modest home studio above our parents garage in Dayton, Ohio. I began playing drums with local bands and knew early on that I wanted to pursue a career in music. After high school, I moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music.

While at Berklee, I realized that I would need more than just proficiency on my instrument to be successful. I chose to major in Contemporary Writing & Production to gain an understanding of how to compose, arrange, and produce music from the ground up. Although I learned a lot in undergrad, I wanted to deepen my understanding of music production and engineering so I went on to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Production, Technology, & Innovation from Berklee at their campus in Valencia, Spain. Even though this program was during the COVID pandemic, I was able to join a French trio and play throughout Europe. We recorded an album in Portugal and were lucky enough to be Lee Ritenour’s band for his festival date in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

After graduating in 2021, I moved to Los Angeles. My dad and brother filled a U-Haul with all our gear and drove from Ohio to California. Then I found my first full time job in LA, which was teaching at Los Angeles Recording School on Sunset Blvd. I taught Advanced Studio Recording and Audio System Technology. Eventually, I decided to shift my focus to gigging, recording, and mixing artists. Teaching private lessons filled in the gaps.

In 2024, I had the opportunity to work with a production company that tours several international tribute shows (George Michael, Simon & Garfunkel, etc). I spent about 5 months on the road playing drums and touring in almost all 50 states, Australia, and Canada. In between tours, our studio, RuffRecords, began to grow exponentially.

Today, I am recording drums for artists and working on studio projects with my brother. Eddie’s knowledge as an electrical engineer allowed him to restore several vintage pieces of equipment including an 8248 Neve console, an MCI JH24 tape machine, and several pieces of outboard gear. Our studio is open and ready to rock. We focus on analog recording and look forward to making more music with fellow LA creatives.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a musician in LA is not easy. You get told “No” a lot. You can look the part, be a good hang, learn the music perfectly, and still not get the gig. It’s all about keeping your head up. I am a believer that everything happens for a reason and that when one door closes, another one opens. You just have to keep moving.

I often struggled with getting distracted by other people’s successes. It’s difficult to not compare yourself to others, especially when social media tends to only showcase the best parts of everyone’s lives. Each person is different and has unique skills, connections, and dreams. At the end of the day, it’s best to focus on your own health and happiness.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What sets our studio apart is our emphasis on analog recording. Digital is very convenient and consistent, but it is almost too perfect. Since computers allow for endless manipulation, a lot of modern songs are perfectly in tune and perfectly in time. However, imperfection is a human quality. When that is taken out of the music, it can sound too sterile. For example, the feeling of a drummer playing a little ahead of the beat can create excitement and energy. If you edit those drums to be perfectly on the grid, then some of that vibe is erased. While we can record straight to Pro Tools, we prefer to capture great live performances to tape.

As a drummer, I would say that my taste makes me unique. I’ve picked up a lot of musical vocabulary from playing and living in different corners of the world. Currently, my heart is set on playing the type of music that first got me excited when I was a kid: hard hitting drums that have a swing to them – think Bonham, Bill Ward or Alex Van Halen. Some of the bands/artists that I’m currently involved with includes Insomnivore, Stray + The Wild, Depersona, and Jeddy Knox. I’m also working on a solo album.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think a lot of people would be surprised that I actually grew up playing in churches. When I was about 12, I started playing drums twice a week at my local church. It sharpened my musical instincts and made me comfortable with playing in front of a few hundred people on a regular basis.

People who mainly know me as a drummer might be surprised that I am a total nerd when it comes to synthesizers. Manipulating electricity to design sounds is fascinating to me and has opened many creative doors in my productions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ruff-records.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samruffdrums
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@samruffdrums