Driving the Drums

Something I found out just the other day: If you're making a real chugger, and you want to give the drums an extra sense of urgency, zoom right in, and move the snare hits a tiny fraction before the kicks. Even if you're looking for it, you should barely be able to tell they're not hitting at exactly the right time.

On the other hand, if you want your track to have a more laid back feel, move the snare hits a fraction after the kick. It's another of those tricks that you don't notice, but overall makes a big difference to the 'feel' of the track.