Moises’ Off the Record series was created to peel back the curtain on the overlooked parts of the creative journey, giving music fans and fellow creators a closer look at how inspiration meets hard-earned craft. Bianca Richardson’s episode brings this spirit to life.
Known for her bold approach to both acoustic and electronic drums, Bianca takes on every musical project as an opportunity for discovery. Her influences crisscross drumlines, church bands, classic albums, and modern pop. In the studio, she reveals herself as a musician equally comfortable programming MIDI and holding down a groove. What truly sets Bianca apart is her openness: to collaboration, to new technology, and to honoring an inner voice that guides both her sound and her career choices.
Here, you’ll find insights that go beyond the final episode edit: stories of track layering, technical fixes, faith-fueled purpose, and the daily balancing act of originality in a world full of trends. Whether you’re a producer, drummer, or simply hungry for creative perspective, Bianca’s journey offers fresh ways to think about why we play and how we find our own sound.
Studio techniques: EQ, compression, and saturation
In Bianca’s process, getting the right drum sound is both a science and an art, and she’s not shy about geeking out over frequency ranges or plug-ins.
Her tools of choice include an intuitive, visual approach to EQ and a fearless attitude toward compression and subtle enhancement:
“I love using Fab Filter Pro-Q3 because you can visually see the frequencies.”
“I just compress the heck outta my drums, that's just what I like.”
“I use a saturation plugin to just turn up one db, to make the drums pop out a little bit more. It just makes the drums sound a little bit more crispier to me.”
Authenticity and advocacy: knowing & protecting your sound
Even with modern production tools, keeping control over your intended sound is not always simple. Bianca shares how staying true to your sonic identity can involve assertiveness and a refusal to compromise what matters.
"That moment when you released the song… And you get it back from a mixer or whoever's mixing it and it doesn't sound the same, and you're like, ‘what the heck?’ When it comes to your sound, you know what you want. Even if it's that little thing, it's something very minuscule. You gotta just push for it, because no one else will do it if you don't do it."
Faith, intuition, and music as a spiritual calling
At the heart of Bianca’s relationship with music is a sense of calling—something that runs deeper than career ambition or technical achievement.
"I'm a person of faith, and I felt like God really put it in my heart. Like, ‘this is something you’re gonna do. And this is something that's really gonna touch people.’ And I felt that at a very young age, and I truly mean that."
From trombone to tenors: Marching band roots
Bianca’s musical journey was built on determination and creative problem-solving from the very beginning. She didn’t start out on drums. Instead, she picked up the trombone, but only for one reason: to get her foot in the door of the school band and eventually join the drumline.
“Actually my first instrument was trombone, and I only did it because I wanted to be part of the drumline. I think I had to be part of the marching band and playing trombone for a year before I got to be a part of the drumline.”
After making it onto the drumline, Bianca quickly worked her way up to the tenors, a challenging set of marching drums that are typically played by upperclassmen. As a freshman, winning that spot was a major accomplishment. This achievement set the stage for her next four years in high school, where she honed her timing, focus, and sense of ensemble.
“So for four years I marched playing tenors, and at that time I wasn't playing drum set. And once I graduated high school… That's when initially I realized ‘okay, like I want to do this for a living.’”
It wasn’t until after high school that Bianca shifted her focus to the drum set. In her view, marching percussion and drum set belong to almost two different worlds. That leap required fresh dedication and a willingness to learn all over again, underlining just how much discipline goes into every step of her story.
The thrill of creation
Above all, Bianca is in love with the creative spark—being part of the writing, arranging, and recording process from the beginning.
“My favorite part of the process, I would say would have to be production. I love being in a studio with different artists and, you know, just the idea of creating something from nothing, being part of that creation process.”
Advice for aspiring artists: Social media, intuition, and knowing when to stop
In today’s digital landscape, aspiring musicians face unique challenges. It’s easy to get caught up in metrics and external comparisons, but Bianca emphasizes the importance of staying true to your own instincts instead of chasing trends or social media validation.
“Social media is a really big thing in this era, and [my advice is] just to not let the numbers get to you. If you trust what you feel, people are gonna really resonate with that.”
For Bianca, artistic intuition is just as important in the creative process as in navigating the online world. She encourages musicians to pay attention to what feels genuine and to know when a song is ready, even if it’s not absolutely perfect. Trusting your gut can save you from endless revisions and help you move forward with confidence.
“How do I know when a song is finished? For me, if it’s 80% there, that’s good. I know it’s finished [when] I can play it the next morning and feel it.”
This approach lets musicians balance the constant demands of sharing work online with the inner satisfaction of knowing when to call a project complete. By combining self-trust, presence, and discipline, Bianca shows how musicians can thrive both creatively and personally.
Producer idols and dreams of collaboration
Bianca’s appreciation for legendary producers is deep and detailed. In her interview, she shares who she would love to collaborate with and describes what makes their process inspiring.
“One producer and, and artist too, that I would love to collaborate with is Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Just to see how they program drums. I don't know if this is true, but this is what I've heard: on the older Janet records, they used to play the drums, from start to finish. It wasn't a copy-and-paste kind of thing. And to do that, that's really hard.”
Studio gear choices: Cymbals, snares, hi-hats, and a unique approach
A closer look at Bianca’s kit reveals her attention to sonic detail. She adapts her setup for each studio session, using different gear combinations to get just the right sound.
For cymbals, Bianca likes having flexible options for different textures.
“My other crash can be anywhere from 18 to 22 inches, just to have different textures.”
Her hi-hat choices also reflect her preference for a bigger, more expressive feel.
“My hi-hats tend to vary from 15 to 17 inches, but I mostly use 16 inches. I like my hi-hats pretty big because I really like to dig in when I play.”
When it comes to snares and studio tricks, Bianca relies on clever tools, like snare weights, to achieve a clean, controlled sound:
“Another option I use now when I’m recording is the snare weights. It’s like a little leather band you clip on your drum. I like using those because they don’t leave the sticky residue that moon gels do, so I like that. I would say that’s a secret sauce I use, because you don’t necessarily see it in my videos. Now I feel like the secret sauce also comes when it’s EQing, for sure.”
Bianca’s real “secret sauce” is a combination of these behind-the-scenes choices and her approach to EQ in the studio—subtle things that might not be obvious in her videos, but make all the difference in her sound.
Hybrid drumming and technological experimentation
Bianca embraces new technology, MIDI controllers, and hybrid setups, always eager to discover tools that can drive her sound forward. For her, staying open to possibilities is key.
“Technology is always advancing, and whether you like it or not, that’s just something you’re going to have to accept. You don’t have to accept all of it, but at least accept a little bit and be open to new situations and new technologies.”
Experimentation is part of Bianca’s process, and she enjoys bringing electronics into her setup.
“What I like to do is use my SPD-SX as a MIDI controller, and I like to control all the sounds coming from Ableton.”
The importance of alone time and originality
If you want to find your own sound, Bianca recommends making space to be intentionally alone. Solitude can be a powerful tool for discovering true originality.
“Finding originality—what I’m realizing in my season of life—is just honestly spending time by yourself. Not isolating yourself, but spending time with yourself and understanding what really resonates with you. I say the number one thing is to really spend time with yourself and find the things that you like. No one can tell you what that is but yourself.”
Experimentation tips for drummers: Plugins, layering, and rule-breaking
Bianca encourages drummers and producers to step out of their comfort zones, experiment with sounds, and try new things—even if they seem unusual at first.
“Take some time alone to really experiment with your creation process. No rules, no nothing. Just mess with plugins, use a vocal plugin on a drum—I’ve done that before and I’ve gotten really cool sounds by doing that.”
Music’s universality: It “goes deeper than what people see”
For Bianca, music’s impact goes far beyond words or genres. She shares a personal story that proves how music can move people, regardless of language.
“This lady was playing this music—it was in Hindi, it was Indian music. And it was actually Hindi Christian music. Even though I didn’t understand the language, I still felt something. I still felt the spirit. So I truly think music goes deeper than what people see. That’s why people feel it.”
Looking forward: Redefining musical boundaries with every beat
Bianca Richardson’s story is a reminder that music isn’t about settling into a single role or resting on routine. Each choice she makes, whether she is swapping instruments, rethinking her drum sounds, or quietly defending her vision in the studio, reflects a restless drive to keep moving, to keep questioning, and to keep building something real.
For Bianca, progress doesn’t mean chasing perfection. It’s about chasing a feeling: that moment when the groove hits just right, when a sound resonates deeper than words, or when a simple melody transforms into a powerful connection. In a landscape always hungry for the next trend, Bianca’s relentless curiosity insists that true growth comes from experimentation, honest collaboration, and a willingness to listen to yourself and to the world around you.
Discover even more of Bianca’s philosophy and process by watching her full Off the Record episode on our YouTube channel!
