I was thinking that exact same thing a couple of days ago while listening to the radio. Simple but big.
My simple belief is that his drums sound good because that's what big drums with single ply heads sound like. Jimmy Page got a deep roundness out of them in production which is his excellent contribution.
Ginger Baker's drums, for example, sounded more boxy.
The most significant part of Bonham's sound though was his bass drum. It sounded like a much deeper version of the toms, making the kit one harmonious whole.
If you want that sound yourself, buy a biggish bass drum and don't cut a hole in it. Then make the sound guy mike it from the front (he should be your btch not the other way around). This will give you the whump of a real drum. The moment you cut a hole in it you have a thud. Then, when you add mom's soft furnishings and your security blanket you have a blat. No amount of production is going to save that.
I saw a picture of his son's setup, and sadly shook my head when I saw a hole with a microphone stuck in it.
Everyone says they love the sound but will not do what's necessary to get it. Not sure why.
Yep, he sure knew how to get sound of his Ludwigs to be loud and boomy.
It was Jimmy Pages' production methods as well as some primo engineers that helped give Bonzo the great recorded sound imo.
I still don't understand why more folks don't use 26" bass drums with NO hole!
Frankie Banali and Jon Hyde are 2 FB friends of mine that agree.......you MUST use a 26" bass drum or at least a very good 22 or 24 that has very little dampening inside and no hole.
I got to see Jason Bonham with his band Bonham years ago opening for the Cult.....Jason played one of his dads kits that night, but to me, Jason is really not similar to his dad in style.
"Everyone says they love the sound but will not do what's necessary to get it. Not sure why."
Liking how someone's drums sound and wanting your drums to sound the same way are 2 different things.
I saw Led Zep twice in the '70's. 1st time was around '75. Bonham took a solo that was good but nothing to get excited about. The sound of his drums from 15' away was underwhelming.
The 2nd time he was heading for the end, so it was what it was.
I think that the music/musicians accompanying Bonham really make a difference. Bonham with Spencer Davis Group or Jack Bruce or a metal band would not sound good. Big surprise!
Baker or Weckl with Led Zep....ugh.
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I read Jimmy Page liked Bonzos performance on "Presence" quite a lot...so do i.
Fun photos....................
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all the best...
As my user name suggests, I admire Bonzo's drumming very much.
I used to run a music night in a dive bar in LA and his daughter Zoe Bonham came down and played a few of her own songs. Great singer. Never managed to get her on the drums though to see if she's inherited her fathers drumming genes.
I have this deep fear that one of the brilliant czech sound "engineers" will be so smart and cut a hole into my 40yr old batter head while I'm not looking...
As previously mentioned, JB was brilliant in really playing to the music, sometimes it was simple, sometimes crazy complex. My two fave drumming songs from LZ are Achilles' Last Stand and Fool in the Rain
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The last post in the Bonham thread was almost 1 year ago?
well here we go then
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Awesome!
What is and What Should Never Be (Isolated drum track)
I think Bonhams drums sound the way they do because it was John Bonham who was playing the drums.
I know everyone has an opinion on bonham but to me he was one of the best. I love everything about his playing and sound. His sense of groove is incredible. What i liked most was how he did so much with such a small set.
I agree he was the best and new how to make them drums sing out loud.
RDM/Damage Poets
UFiP TAMAHA Zildjian
REGAL TiP
AQUARIAN
The world was introduced to John Henry Bonham with the song “ good times bad times”. Bear in mind, he was only 19 years old. Not only is his playing amazing but so is the creativity of how he came up with that groove in the first place. I love when drummers say, “ i can play that, its not that hard”. The point is, he had the creative ability to come up with that groove in the first place. Most musicians are great at copying but not very good at coming up with their own stuff from scratch. Think of a catchy guitar riff or a catchy chorus in a song. Thats what separates the oridinary from the extraordinary and why mediocre musicians become famous: its all about the creativity.
He brought so much to Zeppelins songs but in my opinion the best example of how Bonham’s drumming made a song what it has become was the introduction of the drum part in the song “stairway to heaven”.
I always felt the drumming in that particular song best exemplified the power of john bonham and what he can bring to a song. Dare i ask, would stairway to heaven been a hit with Neil Peart behind the drums????
I say no.
Last edited by Lexer; 05-20-2019 at 07:33 AM.
This guy does a great job showing how to play some Bonham fills and grooves.
https://youtu.be/1aEz6B7wRfA
Ya they are great tips. Thanks NPYYZ!
The drummer in that video is brian tichy. He seems like a very good drummer. Certainly does bonham extremely well.
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Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing
http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO
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