If you were too...

[Lars Ftw]

Hey,

If you were to buy new heads for your drums and cymbals, hi-hats, pedals etc etc, and you loved a famous drummer and the sound of his kit.

Would you choose the ones he uses?

[jazzkat]

try it out man.
i have done that and have learned a lot from it.

[nio]

Probably not... because famous drummers use gear based on other factors such as:
1. contractual agreement (sponsorship)
2. they typically play at very large venues (unlike us)
3. they can afford the best equipment (unlike us)
4. durability...their schedules have rigorous touring (unlike us again)
So, I try to buy the best value at the highest quality I can find, that I can afford. They don't really have to worry that much about that.
I think I have pretty good equipment now, but if I was a famous pro, they wouldn't make the cut....the equipment I would use would be so much better!

[Constinator25]

Heck yeah!!! I'm trying to build my cymbal arrangement like Matt Greiner. I really like his setup. I wouldn't want his exact kit though. Gotta have some individuality.

[gonefishin]

Hey,

If you were to buy new heads for your drums and cymbals, hi-hats, pedals etc etc, and you loved a famous drummer and the sound of his kit.

Would you choose the ones he uses?

To answer the question, I say no I would not based on what his set sounds like.

I say listen to equipment with your own ears to decide what sound you like and dont like.

It is hard to copy the sound of a drummer you hear on the radio because their sets are mic'd and mixed.

Welcome to the board too, enjoy the show.

[bassist learning drums]

Welcome to Drum Chat!

The best way to find out the answer to your question would be to sit on your favorite drummer's kit and have your opinion formed from that.

[backtodrum]

The only thing I can say about this is your favorite drummers sound is shapped so much by mics, compressors, gates, mixers, sound engineers, massive subwoofers, line array sound system etc, etc. The list goes on and on. and I am only speaking for when they play live. I have not mentioned recording studios and their techniques. I have had plenty of occasion to be in both environments, and what my kit and cymbals sound like miced live on stage and in the studio can be pretty much changed and manipulated by a good sound engineer and mic techniques and equipment. My goal is to provide the engineer with the best sounding foundation to work with that I can which would mean, good sounding quality drums with good heads and tuned well. Then use the best cymbals I can afford paying particular attention to the ride and high hat sounds. In the studio I like crashes that get out of the way quickly, on stage it is not as important that they get out of the way as fast only that they sound good when hit etc., but you get the idea. After that it's pretty much controlled by the engineer and out of my hands. So to answer your question I would say, to chase another drummers sound and try to reproduce his sound is illusive at best. I think by using what he uses cymbal size and brand etc. Use similar drum sizes and heads you might reproduce what his kit sounds like accoustically (un-miced) but weather you can reproduce what it sounds like live I would say it would be really tuff! If it were me I would focus on making sure the kit you have is tuned well and your shell size fits the music you are trying to play and that your cymbals fit the music you are playing and go with that rather than trying to chase your heros sound because there is just too many variables and you may get really discouraged and disappointed trying to accomplish it.

[defcon235]

the only thing i can say about this is your favorite drummers sound is shapped so much by mics, compressors, gates, mixers, sound engineers, massive subwoofers, liner array sound system etc. The list goes on and on. And i am only speaking for when they play live. I have not mentioned recording studios and their techniques. I have had plenty of occasion to be in both enviroments, and what my kit and cymbals sound like miced live on stage and in the studio can be pretty much changed and manipulated by a good sound engineer and mic techniques and equipment. My goal is to provide the engineer with the best sounding foundation to work with that i can which would mean good sounding quality drums with good heads and tunned well. Then use the best cymbals i can afford paying particular attention to the ride and high hat sounds. In the studio i like crashes that get out of the way quickly, on stage it is not as important that they get out of the way as fast only that they sound good when hit etc. But you get the idea. After that it's pretty much controlled by the engineer and out of my hands. So to answer your question i would say, to chase another drummers sound and try to reproduce his sound is illusive at best. I think by using what he uses cymbal size and brand etc. Use similar drum sizes and heads you might reproduce what his kit sounds like accoustically (un-miced) but weather you can reproduce what it sounds like live i would say it would be really tuff! If it were me i would focus on making sure the kit you have is tunned well and your shell size fits the music you are trying to play and that your cymblas fit the music you are playing and go with that rather than trying to chase your heros sound because there is just too many variables and you may get really discouraged and disappointed trying to accomplish it.

+1

[Pearl MCX Man]

Yes it can be done but with a price.

[jafo]

The only thing I can say about this is your favorite drummers sound is shapped so much by mics, compressors, gates, mixers, sound engineers, massive subwoofers, line array sound system etc, etc. The list goes on and on. and I am only speaking for when they play live. I have not mentioned recording studios and their techniques. I have had plenty of occasion to be in both environments, and what my kit and cymbals sound like miced live on stage and in the studio can be pretty much changed and manipulated by a good sound engineer and mic techniques and equipment. My goal is to provide the engineer with the best sounding foundation to work with that I can which would mean, good sounding quality drums with good heads and tuned well. Then use the best cymbals I can afford paying particular attention to the ride and high hat sounds. In the studio I like crashes that get out of the way quickly, on stage it is not as important that they get out of the way as fast only that they sound good when hit etc., but you get the idea. After that it's pretty much controlled by the engineer and out of my hands. So to answer your question I would say, to chase another drummers sound and try to reproduce his sound is illusive at best. I think by using what he uses cymbal size and brand etc. Use similar drum sizes and heads you might reproduce what his kit sounds like accoustically (un-miced) but weather you can reproduce what it sounds like live I would say it would be really tuff! If it were me I would focus on making sure the kit you have is tuned well and your shell size fits the music you are trying to play and that your cymbals fit the music you are playing and go with that rather than trying to chase your heros sound because there is just too many variables and you may get really discouraged and disappointed trying to accomplish it.

BINGO!!!! Totaly agree.

I take drum lessons. I play on the instructors set in a studio. You can't even imagine the difference in sounds and accoustics between where my set is in my family room which is not accousticaly designed and un-soundproofed and his in the studio which is accousticaly designed and soundproofed. I started chasing the sound of his drums and never could get it. So I gave up and decided to get my set to sound the best it could and the way I liked it. Never looked back.

[IAmNotATable]

Nope. I have some strong belief in me that you should set up your kit the way it best fits you. Just you. Of course, this could mean imitating your favorite drummers kit because that is what fits you. But I have a feeling you'll come across something called trial and error.

Much like I did when I attempted to be Travis Barker and sucked at it...

To each his own. If that is what you want to do, go for it.

[almostmatt1]

iv seen too many people want to get a signature snare drum because a good artist uses it, regardless of what it sounded like. so, your a breath of fresh air
well. i have stopped playing constantly and written down stuff, because i always get the feeling of 'ok, i would like to swing around here and get THIS noise'. i have developed psycologically a kit with 5 crashes, 4 splashes, a bell, 3 rides, 3 chinas, 2 pairs of hihats, 3 bass drums, 4 toms, 2 floor toms, 2 snare drums, a gong drum, 3 mini tympani's... anyway, getting a bit off topic.
my point is, you should make a kit that suits you. you see kits like terry bozzios, then you see kits with 2 cymbals and 4 drums. suit your kit to YOUR playing. id say its a useless cause to attempt to imitate your idols sound with their drumkit because, like mentioned before, there are things like mics, effects and stuff that drastically change the sound away from what the actuall unmicced, uneffected drums sound like. your kit should be a subject of a lot of thought. my dream cymbals are a mix of paiste from a lot of different lines, some zildjians, and some meinls. each and every part has the exact sound i want, and it has taken me quite a long time to find that exact sound. im guessing by your name that you are a lars ulrich follower (you are a smart smart person ) but that kit would only be perfect if you play metallica covers, unless it happens to be the kit that suits you for a reason that has nothing to do with the fact that your idol uses the same kit. your kit should be perfect, thats why i am saving to get it peice by peice. i am in fact getting my dream snare for christmas.

i feel as though i am somewhat straying from the point, so i will attempt to summarise. your kit should be exactly what YOU want it to be, regardless of who else uses it. should you be trying to attempt a artists sound, unfortunately replicating their equipment will not do the job, and its not as though all you will play is the same stuff that your favorite artist plays. take a lot of time choosing your kit to make it perfect for you for everything you want to play, not just covers from one specific band (though that band is one of the greatest bands ever in my opinion)

[almostmatt1]

ANDDDDD welcome to drumchat

[SomeGuyDude]

If I have a sound in my head that I like and want to make, yes. Yes I would.

This whole "make your own sound" snobbery is asinine. The ONLY roadblock would be the fact that 99% of drums on albums are so coated in post-production that it'd be pretty tough to actually get that same sound out of your kit anyway.

[Russ]

If nobody wanted to immitate sounds of musicians, we would have no cover bands/musicians and nobody would use triggers/samples. You can make your own sound, but if you like someone else's, then there's no shame in trying to use it.

[Larrysperf]

Nope Nuff said

[SomeGuyDude]

If nobody wanted to immitate sounds of musicians, we would have no cover bands/musicians and nobody would use triggers/samples. You can make your own sound, but if you like someone else's, then there's no shame in trying to use it.

If nobody wanted to imitate sounds, we wouldn't have any new musicians period. EVERYONE starts off by wanting to sound like their inspirations.

[Russ]

If nobody wanted to imitate sounds, we wouldn't have any new musicians period. EVERYONE starts off by wanting to sound like their inspirations.

Companies should brag that in their ads. "This is the guitar Hendrix used, so buy it and be like Hendrix."

[yohin]

No.

Sure, I like to know what my favorite drummers' setups are, and a lot of the time it does influence in some way the gear I use and how I set up my kit, but in the end I base my drum/cymbal/head choice and setup on what sounds best to me, and what I can afford. I also think every drummer should develop their own individual style instead of trying to exactly copy their idols.

[SomeGuyDude]

Companies should brag that in their ads. "This is the guitar Hendrix used, so buy it and be like Hendrix."

...they do. You just described every single ad that ever featured a famous musician ever.

You do realize that Fender makes a Voodoo Stratocaster, yes? The one from 2000 even has a reverse headstock so you can get the same effect he had from playing with a normal guitar flipped upside down.

[Russ]

/self facepalm

[jafo]

I see nothing wrong with trying to duplicate a general sound or style, but there's alot to be said for individualality.

It's really pretty simple, some like to follow....and some like to blaze thier own path.

I like Bonham, others like Peart, my set has absolutley not one single piece of gear that Bonham used. It does'nt stop me from trying to play like Bonham, nor does it make me want to go out and spend money on a set of Paiste 2002's either. But I'm an individualist, not a follower.

So it's a free country, do what you want, follow the road more traveled, or the one that does'nt exsist yet.

[backtodrum]

If nobody wanted to immitate sounds of musicians, we would have no cover bands/musicians and nobody would use triggers/samples. You can make your own sound, but if you like someone else's, then there's no shame in trying to use it.

Russ just made the mile high club

[pastor_bob]

WTG Russ!

[pastor_bob]

If nobody wanted to imitate sounds, we wouldn't have any new musicians period. EVERYONE starts off by wanting to sound like their inspirations.

Careful with over generalizations SGD. I'm sure it has a lot to do with my age, when I started scratching the music itch for real, but I have never wanted to sound like someone else - either on guitar, or drums. I do explore things that others have done, but that is because I like to search for my own signature sound. Musicians with a signature sound ultimately got there because they broke away from the pack and found their own unique sound. I have a number of guitars, not because I like collecting guitars, but because I have wanted to explore the sounds of the different types. Eventually, I will end up with the sounds that I prefer, and I am sure some of the guitars will go.

I say it's OK to emulate, but never stop looking for the sound that is most pleasing to you - whether that is someone else's sound, or a sound you found all on your own.