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Thread: Load of Questions

  1. #1

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    Ok everybody, I'm not trying to come off as arrogant but I feel like my playing skill has increased a ton since I've started and I have finally found out how to tune, and wow does the tuning makes a huge difference. Now that I have got my dynamics down and my ears trained I have realized there are some things I'd like to improve on my kit. I really do have a bunch for you, so I broke it into sections so you'll have stopping places to stretch, sleep, and eat.

    Drum Sticks
    I've been playing a lot lately and I'm going through sticks pretty fast. I'm using Sound Percussion Nylon 5A's, I bought a big pack of them and I only have two pairs left. Only one has broken, the others would just shred REALLY fast and bad on the neck, leaving little chips everywhere. The only other thing that really bothers me with them is they just don't "feel right" to me. I tend to like to hold my sticks very close to the butt-end, so I'd like something that has a fulcrum close to the butt, I think. I want to play fast and have a lot of rebound; from my understanding something with a long and narrow taper would be best. I really don’t know about the overall length and diameter though (A or B). A longer stick allows more leverage, but does that make it faster? With a wood stick, is it true that a 2B will crack cymbals easy? As far as weight goes, is it true that a heavy stick will sound better? If you took to sticks that are completely identical besides one is heavy and the other light, which one is going to give more rebound/ wrist speed? As for the tip, I don't know if I should get wood or nylon. I know that an oval shape tip would suit me best.
    Stick Specs
    1.Length?
    2.Taper?
    3.Diameter?
    4.Weight?
    5.Nylon or Wood?
    AHEAD Drumsticks?
    1.Lifetime if you replace the sleeves when you should?
    2.Is it true that they crack cymbals easy?
    3.Is it true they are easy to bend?
    4.They ruduce vibration, but do they have a good feel?

    Pedal Beaters
    I play with a Pearl P122 Double Pedal. I use the beaters that came with them and I don't like them much. I want to replace them with beaters that are long lasting even if they aren't cheap. I want something ideal for playing fast but will still give me a lot of volume. Anybody try Slug Percussion beaters? By fast I mean speeds reached in songs by Slayer and Slipknot.

    Pedal Springs
    The springs that came with my Pearl P122 Double Pedal are horrible. They squeak at any tension, and I have to constantly adjust them. Right now I have them tight; it seems pretty sloppy when they are not very tight. I need some good springs but I'm not sure if I should get heavy ones, with good springs will it have a sloppy feel when loose.

    Snare Strands
    My snare sounds pretty bad to me, I have to tighten the reso-head on them down to "I think its going to rip tension." I'm using the 20-strand snare that came with my Pearl Forum. If I don't bolt down those rods, the buzz is a painful one, it really does hurt my ears. I think a 12-strand would fix the buzz and allow me to tune the reso-head, not bolt the sucker down. There is still a unpleasant buzz but it's not as bad when I put two moongels on the batter head. It could be a problem with the head I'm using though, see below.

    Resonant Heads
    Currently I’m using a Remo Ambassador on the snare and Pearl Pro-tones that came with my set for everything else. I'm not sure if my problem (see above) is caused by the strands or the head, so no comment on the Ambassador. The reso-protones I have on my toms really suck for low tuning. When I tune them I get the wrinkles out, but unless I put a moongel in the middle, the sound really thin. How would 2-ply's for tom resonant heads sound? The Moongels keep falling off, so I might put duct tape in the middle of them since it wont be long until they are replaced, but will that help? The bass is decent, but I'd like something that will deliver more volume.

    Bass Porting and Muffling
    I play heavy metal and hard-classic rock, I favor fast double bass playing, but I don't know if I want a port or what size port if I did port it. From what I understand, tuning is harder when ported but if it would sound better to me I wouldn't mind. Currently, I don't have any muffling inside the bass, just what is on the Superkick II batterhead. I had a neatly taped hand-towel inside of it before I got the Superkick II and a week after, but took it out even after I tried tuning it different cause it sounded over-muffled. If I change the Batter head I might need to muffle again, anything you would prefer over a towel?

    Batter Heads
    Currently, I'm using Remo Black X on the snare and Emperor's on the toms. I love black batters on the toms and snare and I would like to keep using black heads for those. All my batter heads sound good to me when I throw some moongels on them. I was wondering what some other options where, preferably an even lower sound, Remo Ebony Pinstripe? I use an Aquarian superkick II, anybody think I'd be better off with something else?

    Head Dampening and Impact Bagde
    I am using two moongels on my snare and one on each tom. I was considering some tuning rings because they are cheap, would look nicer than moongels, and seem like they would dampen more than moongels. I have an Aquarian Super-Thin patch on my bass, I haven’t punched a hole yet so it works, but I have been thinking about a metal one. Will metal slow me down?

    Add-On Drums
    I Have a link to the Pearl Page that list all the Forum drums I could get for my set, but I don't think I'm allowed to post that here. Anyways I have a 5-Piece Pearl Forum. I'm dying to have a 3-4 up 2-down set, I just know that I would be more comfortable on that. This is what I want with what I have, Rack-10x8,12x9,13x10,14x11, Floor-16x16,18x16. I feel that the 18x16 FT and the 14x11 are most needed, If the 10x8 isn't much more expensive I'll get it too. I'd prefer not to take the 13x10 off as many people have suggested, it seems like a waste to me. However if I get the 10x8 and the 14x11 I'll just see how it sounds in-between and decide either to leave it or put a much different sounding head on it and place it left of the hats or tilted somewhere above the floor toms.

    This Is How I Want...
    My Drums To Sound
    Toms: Extremely low, very punchy. "Mean" sounding
    Bass: Low, with a loud thud,
    Snare: Like Craig Nunenmacher's Snare, Press Play below to hear it.
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiSg41OUvn0"]YouTube - Black Label Society-Stillborn[/ame]
    My "Tools" To Perform
    Sticks: Need to be perfect for playing extremely fast and not cause damage to my cymbals.
    Make my P122 Double Pedal: As fast and responsive as possible.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Man, that is an long post.

    Here's what I can help you with...

    It seems like you need to get different heads. I think you should try black Pinstripes over clear Emperors (if you want to stick with Remo). For the bass, you can try an Evans Emad, because I think you can remove the muffling if you decided you don't want it, and it'll be just a single ply head and you can stick a towel back in there.

    I've already given you my opinion on the add-on toms.

    As for the last part, I have clear Pinstripes over clear no-brand single ply heads, and I tune the batters very low and the resos very low but tighter than the batters, and I get a nice deep and very punchy sound out of them. You can watch my video to hear them.
    Last edited by su_admin; 07-03-2009 at 02:32 PM. Reason: language
    Matt

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Owens...where you are right now is at the point of needing to experiment. Sticks don't feel quite right to you...don't buy the same pair again. To Port or not to Port the reso head on your bass...you'll never know until you Port it. Pedal springs squeak...oil them. 20 strand snare buzzes...probably need a better head and/or 30 to 40 strand snare. I changed from 20 strand to 30 strand...much nicer.

    Take all the specifics you laid out and work with those. The end result is that you'll not only become a better drummer, you'll also become more knowledgeable. This works...I've been doing it close to 50 years and everything I do works fine for me.
    This is what you have to discover for yourself...what works best for you.
    There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value.

    http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...vaz/TheSet.jpg

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Well in regards to sticks its all about experimenting. Any stick can played fast. I mean Dave Lombardo uses a 2B. But alot of the other metal drummers such as Jordison and Adler are using something like a 5A but a little longer. I have Jordison's Pro Mark stick(its the same weight as 5A but is longer then a normal 5A) and its really light and reasy to blast with. However me personally I dont like the light sticks. I always used 2B and my wrists just got strong and I can blasts with those just as well as with the Jordisons. My advice go to the music store and test out every kind of stck. Some good starters would be 7A, 5A, 5B, 2B. And as far as nylon or wood tips its all about the sound it makes. Test one of each on something like a ride and see which you like better.

    Ok now about AHEAD sticks. I have 2 pairs of them. I have the Lars Ulrich(same as a normal 2B) and Tommy Lees(has his own custom weight and size but heavier and longer then a 2B). I am right now playing with the crap cymbals that came with my Pulse set(Until I can find some good deals why rush right?) and I abuse the crap out of them with my AHEADS and guess what still no breaking. Now it is also probably because I also use proper technique when hitting a cymbal. As far as life span goes I have seen it vary, I personally have never changed the sleeves and have had them for about 6 months( but also I can usually play a wooden stick for about a month until it gets too chewed up). But I have heard from friends who have chewed up a sleeve in a week. I have no idea how you could actually bend these things either but maybe thats just me.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Hey Owens...you're right, that is a load of questions! I'll do my best to help you.

    Drum Sticks

    I personally prefer the feel of Vic Firth sticks (I use 7A Wood Tips), I don't know what it is about them, but I do...this changes from person to person, so the thing to do is probably try out loads of different sticks at a drum store (either on a practice pad or preferably a kit). Once you find the right size for you, you could go around the different brands and see what you like best, then choose between tips. IMO nylon tips give you more of a "plastic sound" (for want of a better phrase) when hitting the drum.

    I also tend to stay away from Ahead sticks, as although they may last longer (and are consequently more expensive), they don't quite feel like wood sticks, and they tend to give your cymbals a bit more of a beating than they should be getting. There have been stories of cymbals cracking quite fast using Ahead sticks, and also wrist and forearm injuries due to the stick materials. But as I say, try them out, see if you like them or not.

    Pedal Beaters

    I can't really help you that much here, as I'm not too familiar with different brands of beaters, or how you like them to feel. For a lot of volume, you could use plastic or wood beaters. An option could be to go for the Mapex Tri-Tonal Beaters, which have 3 different materials on the one beater - Felt, Maple and Plastic. All you have to do is twist the beater around to use the material you want.

    Pedal Springs

    Again, I may not be of much help here, but I'll do my best. To sort the squeaking you could always use spray some WD40 or some kind of lubricant onto the springs. I would imagine anysprings would feel sloppy when they are loose, as the tension isn't there to get the response you would from tighter springs.

    Snare Strands

    This is something I am also looking into - changing the snare strands on my Mapex M Birch snare. I am looking into buying a set of Puresound snare wires, which I've listened to on other snare drums, and they do sound really good.

    Resonant Heads

    On my kit I'm currently using the stock Mapex/Remo reso head on my snare, and Clear Ambassadors on my toms. I'm not sure if your snare problem would be the snares of the head either. 2-ply's for reso heads will take away a fair bit of resonance and kill the drum IMO. Remo Ambassadors should be fine for reso's on your toms, or the Evans equivalent (G1's I think, but don't hold me to that!) As for the snare, I can't really help you much there, but I'm told the Remo Hazy Ambassador is a good reso, or the Evans Hazy 300.

    Bass Porting and Muffling

    On my bass drum, I have an Evans EMAD batter, stock Mapex reso with a 5 inch port hole offset and a neatly folded jumper inside, just touching the batter head. This gives me a really good defined sound, with not too much resonance that I could go and make a sandwich in the time it would take to die out, but not too little thats it's just a dull thud. It seems to be the right size port hole for me, and really gave me the bass drum sound I was looking for - especially with the new bass head.

    Batter Heads

    I really have no experience with black batter heads, so I can't help you there, but I'm sure there people here who can. As for the bass drum, the SKII wouldn't need upgrading, and it's personal preferance on what heads you like...different people like the different sounds that different heads create ... but if you felt an absolute need to change, then I would suggest the Evans EMAD

    Head Dampening and Impact Bagde

    I use both moongels and tuning rings (RemO's, Evans E-Rings, Aquarian Studio Rings). I use moongel on my two floor toms, rings on my 3 rack toms, and moongel on my snare. It takes a bit of experimenting to get the right amount of muffling that you like, so none of us can really help you on that one...just takes time and testing. However, I find that the moongel and rings both muffle about the same amounts, although the rings tend to give me a fuller sound. As for the impact badge, I've never heard of metal ones, so I can't really give advice there, although I would've thought metal wouldn't give you quite the same respone as something like an Evans EQ patch on your batter head.

    Add-On Drums

    I have 10/12/13 rack toms and 14/16 floor toms on my kit. People have also made comments about my 12/13/14 sequence, suggesting that they might be too close together tuning wise. But it just needs to be what you want it to be. I can tune my toms to where I want them to be with my Emps over Ambos, and they dont sound too close together for me. It all depends on the sounds you want from your kit- whether you want all your toms to be lower and deeper in pitch, or if you want the versatility of a 10" tom, which will give you a higher pitch and allow for a broader pitch spectrum to be covered when doing around-the-kits.

    Well, I gotta rest my fingers now, but I hope I helped you out a bit!
    Mapex Drums | Zildjian and Meinl Cymbals | Evans Drumheads | Pro Mark Drum Sticks

  6. #6

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    Owens , along with the above info , I would also like to add a comment on what you want your drums to sound like ...........The drums on Black Label Society's album was mixed to make that CD .

    Chances of getting them to sound the same are pretty slim . I suggest tuning them the best you know how and get them to where your ears like them .
    slot # 1

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  7. #7

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Thanks a ton for the advice everyone. I experiment with things, but I don't have deep pockets so I try to get a bunch of opinions before I buy. I'm really liking the looks of those AHEADs, the problem is they are $30 and I can't try them out before I buy.

    Pedal springs-They don't just squeek, they loose tension too, and I have used oil. At the moment they are as tight as they can get, but I need more tension still.

    Snare strands-I was just going by what bob said about 12's
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcHAFgafPkE"]YouTube - "Broken Opportunity" Pt. 1 Eliminate Snare Buzz?[/ame]

    Heads-I was thinking pinstripes/emperor's too. I think I'm going to go for Toms-Ebony Pinstripe/Black Emperor(darker tone than clear)
    Bass-Superkick II/Black Powerstroke 3
    Snare-Black-X/Hazy Emperor

    By the way I didn't mean I wan't to make my snare sound identical to his, I just meant more in that direction.


    ADD ON DRUMS- If I were to put pro-quality cymbals, get a pro-quality snare, and tune my toms and bass as well as I can with the best heads for the job; wouldn't all that make my kit sound pro-quality or good enough?

  8. #8

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    I'm sorry but why is everyone so into the emad batter head? Everyone who I hear mention it also within the same sentence mentions putting a jumper or pillow ro something else in there for obviously that extra bit of dampening???? To me that just doesn't make sense. If the head is that good why do you still need to add something to muffle/dampen it further? What is more confusing is allot of you guys are intelligent and well versed drummers....I just don't get it.

    Try the Remo Powersonic, no need for anything further. Has the built in control ring (which produces the same effect as the EMAD) and then if you still want that little extra, it has the external clip-on dampening pad. Once your playing with a band or even ot music in your bedroom, it's just a great sounding kick.


    Owen - Also with regards to your tom heads - what everyone else on here seems to be saying is what i would suggest too - Remo Ebony Pinstripes. You still get the black head, but by going the pinstripe route you get that extra punch your looking for, while being able to tune them nice and low. Generally a clear, single-ply, reso head would be enough.

    I won't talk about snare heads or strands since I've never taken the time to experiment with them.

    Sticks - play around with all different sorts and styles. Remember, it's not just weight and length and tip, there's also the tip shape, some are really round, others are long and narrow, all of which I found give a slightly different feel and rebound. For me, I sit there int he store and play around with heaps of ones until I find one I like. ATM, I'm partial to the Pro-Mark 7AN sticks. But that's me. Haven't used AHEAD sticks yet, but I'm keen...

    Bass Porting and muffling - Porting, is usually a godd idea, especially if there is any chance you will ever play with a mic. It just makes it ten times easier, also it reduces resonance, providing the punchier sound, since the air can escape the drum faster. You cn ort yourslef if you need to. Muffling - refer to my opening statements to people about the Remo Powersonic head. If you want additional muffling after using that head - your just wierd.

    Oh and before anyone says that the Powersonic is not loud enough, maybe a)use a hevaier beater and b) try taking off the clip-on dampener. Once there is other instruments and music it won't matter much. When your just in your room playin on your own - does it really need to be THAT loud? I'm onyl saying this becuase it's a comment I've heard in past about why the EMAD is better, despite that eprosn saying they were using a blanket int heir kick for extra dampening still - sorry but if they were meant ot have blankets in them, I figure DW and Pearl and all the others would make them that way
    "What consumes your mind, controls your life" - So, what consumes your mind?

  9. #9

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    Sticks- I went to guitar center today and they let me try out all the AHEAD sticks they had. I tried them out and I liked the JJ Speed Metal and the Lars Ulrich model the most. They both have a pretty long and narrow taper, so they both played fast for me and had great rebound. The JJ Speed Metal model is about the size of your average 7A stick, the Lars Ulrich model seemed to be a hybrid between a 5A and 5B with an oversized tip. The JJ Speed Metal stick was the fastest for me, but I noticed it played kind of sloppy, I would guess it's grip is too small for my hands. The Lars Ulrich model felt better even though I couldn't play it as fast as the JJ Speed Metal model. I ended up buying the Lars Ulrich model because it felt better to me and it's oversized tip produces a "big" sound from the drums, I also got a replacement sleeve and grip tape. I havn't had the chance to play it on my set, I know it will take some getting used to because it really does have a completely different feel compared to wood. I will try to get a video of it and explain it deeper in the video, as well as show you the large amount of rebound it gives.

    Springs-I'm going to try ordering a pair of heavy springs.

    Beaters-I still havn't found the beater for me, I like the looks of the Slug Percussion beaters but I could use some recomendations. I'm pretty sure I want my beaters on the heavy side, my P122 beaters seem too light.

    Heads-Still thinking Remo Ebony Pinstripes over Remo Black Suede Emperors for the toms. I like my Aquarian Superkick II on my bass, But I would like something simular from Remo as well as a Remo resonant head, I could use some recommendations on that. I don't like the Black X over Ambassador that I have on my snare, I could use some recommendations on that as well.

    Snare Strands-Who makes a good 12-strand?

    Porting-I'll be warming up a can soon, anybody have some size recommendations?

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    sorry if upset anyone ....

    STICKS-
    ahead are terrible ...if you really have a problem with breaking sticks then i would asses the way your playing ...

    WIRES-
    want a good 12 strand cut your old one up like bob does

    HEADS-
    i don't know who started this 2 ply resonate head fad ...............(i will get you)

    PORT HOLE-
    get an aquarian port hole from a shop install it properly ...(heads cost to much to replace)

  11. #11

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    Don't ever try to match the sound of a studio recording with acoustic drums. Won't happen. If you want that sound you need mics or triggers. The kit in that song does not sound like it does on the track in real life. Also remember that your drums will always sound better to someone listening and worse to you. Many overtones, resonance, etc., can be heard usually by only the drummer.

    I would advise you not to get Ahead sticks. I've NEVER broken a stick and I do my share of heavy hitting, just be careful with how you hit your cymbals and rim shots.
    zerOrings are bad people.

  12. #12

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    DRUM STICKS
    AHEAD Drumsticks-Sticks are all about preference though, I like my AHEADs way better than any of the traditional wood sticks I have used. They take a TON of getting used to, if you don't get the feel of them you will hate them. It took me a lot of time adjust to them today, but I like the way they play. Your wrists have to do way less work when you use AHEADS. If you rimshot with them they will bend but that is common sense, metal vs metal. If you PLAY your cymbals with them the cymbals will be fine, if you ATTACK your cymbals with them the cymbals will break. Every one of the 10 pairs of AHEADS I tried out were perfectly balanced.

    Wood Drumsticks-My main problem with wood sticks is they shed on the neck. I rarely break sticks, I almost always get rid of them when I've worn down the tapers.

    Wood vs AHEAD- If you pay $30 for a month's worth of sticks, why not try out AHEADS? They are $30 and they have a 60 day warranty. A few people tell me they have lasted 4 years for them! So if you pay $30 to start and just buy new tips and tapers when needed you could have a 4-year pair of sticks if you don't rimshot. I would rather pay $30 for AHEADS considering I love the feel and they have a 60-day warranty. AHEADS aren't for everyone, but if you give them a good try you might really like them.

    DRUM HEADS
    I play in my bedroom, today my friend who is a guitarist hit my drums and cymbals for me while I was at least 20ft away. I had him play slow and fast on each drum. From the view of someone hearing my drums I know how I want to change their sound:
    Note
    -All drums are 100% Poplar 6-ply Pearl Forum drums
    -Heads are listed as Batter Head/Resonant Head
    -I would like to have all Remo
    Current Bass
    -Good, but lacks power
    -Aquarian Superkick II/Pearl Protone, no muffling
    Wanted Sound
    -More volume and thud
    Current Snare
    -Has way to much resonance for a snare, has to much "crack"
    -Remo Black X/Remo Ambassador, Pearl 20-strand
    Wanted Sound
    -Less resonance, Less Crack
    -12-strand?
    Current Toms
    -Way to much resonance, badly lacks punch
    -Remo Black Suade Emperor/Pearl Protone
    Wanted Sound
    -Very Punchy, Low Resonance, Very Low Pitch, Dark, Warm
    -Remo Ebony Pinstripe/Remo Black Suade Emperor?
    Last edited by Owens; 07-08-2009 at 08:11 PM.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Owens View Post
    DRUM STICKS
    AHEAD Drumsticks-Sticks are all about preference though, I like my AHEADs way better than any of the traditional wood sticks I have used. They take a TON of getting used to, if you don't get the feel of them you will hate them. It took me a lot of time adjust to them today, but I like the way they play. Your wrists have to do way less work when you use AHEADS. If you rimshot with them they will bend but that is common sense, metal vs metal. If you PLAY your cymbals with them the cymbals will be fine, if you ATTACK your cymbals with them the cymbals will break. Every one of the 10 pairs of AHEADS I tried out were perfectly balanced.

    Wood Drumsticks-My main problem with wood sticks is they shed on the neck. I rarely break sticks, I almost always get rid of them when I've worn down the tapers.

    Wood vs AHEAD- If you pay $30 for a month's worth of sticks, why not try out AHEADS? They are $30 and they have a 60 day warranty. A few people tell me they have lasted 4 years for them! So if you pay $30 to start and just buy new tips and tapers when needed you could have a 4-year pair of sticks if you don't rimshot. I would rather pay $30 for AHEADS considering I love the feel and they have a 60-day warranty. AHEADS aren't for everyone, but if you give them a good try you might really like them.

    DRUM HEADS
    I play in my bedroom, today my friend who is a guitarist hit my drums and cymbals for me while I was at least 20ft away. I had him play slow and fast on each drum. From the view of someone hearing my drums I know how I want to change their sound:
    Note
    -All drums are 100% Poplar 6-ply Pearl Forum drums
    -Heads are listed as Batter Head/Resonant Head
    -I would like to have all Remo
    Current Bass
    -Good, but lacks power
    -Aquarian Superkick II/Pearl Protone, no muffling
    Wanted Sound
    -More volume and thud
    Current Snare
    -Has way to much resonance for a snare, has to much "crack"
    -Remo Black X/Remo Ambassador, Pearl 20-strand
    Wanted Sound
    -Less resonance, Less Crack
    -12-strand?
    Current Toms
    -Way to much resonance, badly lacks punch
    -Remo Black Suade Emperor/Pearl Protone
    Wanted Sound
    -Very Punchy, Low Resonance, Very Low Pitch, Dark, Warm
    -Remo Ebony Pinstripe/Remo Black Suade Emperor?
    Agree with you totally on the sticks issue there man - preference and style are always the two biggest factors. No one is right or wrong, just personal expeirences and preferences.


    With regard to your requestes about your sounds - I woudl suggest ensuring the tuning is right with your snare before looking at head changes and strands. Given that this is a forum - Pearl don't put the most quality into their snares at this level. The iea is that it is general usage - and not specific to a particualr style or sound. As such, most people hate them (that's what i find). Other than cymbals, snares IMO are the 1st upgrade anyone should make if they have bought somehting other than a intermediate-pro level kit - again this is MY OPINION. That being said, wth the right head combo and tuning you may get an OK sound. You need to cut resonance, and restrict snare vibration - best ways to do this is to tighten the crap out of everything. And when your batter head is tight, make you resonant head even tighter. That is the only way I have been able to find to combat the terrible sound of a stock snare for this level kit. Alos, remo o-rings or moongels are also your firend with regard to your snare sound too. Hell, this guy I'm learning with at the moment has a top end DW snare and still uses an o-ring to get the sound he wants - and it's a darn pretty sound. Only problem is this may increase the "crack" of the snare, so you may have to experiment a little with tunings. as fas as head choice, Remo have seeral options for heads that cut out unwanted over tones and resonance, so all I would suggest is experiment. Gien you want all remo - look maybe at Powerstroke 3/4 or the Controlled Sound batter heads.

    For toms - Already been said - Remo Ebony Pinstripes - simple. they will give you exactly the sound you want.
    "What consumes your mind, controls your life" - So, what consumes your mind?

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    I looked around on the Remo site and compared different combinations of resos and batters.

    Toms-Black Suede Emperors have a long sustain and a dark tone, Ebony Pinstripes have a short sustain and a dark tone as well. I'm guessing if I were to use the Ebony Pinstripes as batters and Black Suede Emperors as resos it would give me the dark tone I'm looking for as well as low resonance and a ton of punch.

    Bass-The Powersonic is supposed to be Remo's most powerful sounding bass head and has a controlled mid-range and low end, comes in clear or coated. Another option is the Powerstroke 4 in clear or coated. The Remo site doesn't tell you the sound difference between clear and coated with the Powersonic. According to the Clear and Coated Sound Quality "Graph" for the Powerstroke 4, the clear and coated versions of the Powerstroke 4 sound the same. I'm not sure what I should use as a Reso, maybe a Powerstroke 3?

    Snare-I think I want to use an Emperor X as the batter. For resonant I'm thinking Hazy Emperor.


    I think the heads I listed will give me the sound and look I'm going for, but I'm open to suggestions since I'm not sure those are the ones that will suit my set best. I could really use some input on the snare and bass heads.

  15. #15

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Sorry for the double, I have some more questions and I also need some advice on what I asked in the previous post.

    I have been looking to upgrade my cymbals and improve the sound of my pearl forum. Something I've heard from many people is the heads and their tuning affect sound far more than the wood a drum is made. Is that true, and if so does that mean you can make a pearl forum sound almost as good as a drum that is made just like a forum but with birch or maple? After I'm done getting the cymbals I want I will save up for better drums. I want very low pitches with powerful and aggressive punch, from what I've heard bubinga offers that, is their any other wood or a combination of woods that would offer that?

    As far as cymbals go I have been looking around and Paiste is the only company that offers the sounds I want. I can't decide between Rude Crash/Ride and 2002 Power Crashes though. The Rude C/R have a really good reputation and are used by two of my favorite drummers, I havn't heard much about the 2002 Power Crashes but I think they might be a better choice. Has anyone had experience with both of them?

  16. #16

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Owens View Post
    Sorry for the double, I have some more questions and I also need some advice on what I asked in the previous post.

    I have been looking to upgrade my cymbals and improve the sound of my pearl forum. Something I've heard from many people is the heads and their tuning affect sound far more than the wood a drum is made. Is that true, and if so does that mean you can make a pearl forum sound almost as good as a drum that is made just like a forum but with birch or maple? After I'm done getting the cymbals I want I will save up for better drums. I want very low pitches with powerful and aggressive punch, from what I've heard bubinga offers that, is their any other wood or a combination of woods that would offer that?

    As far as cymbals go I have been looking around and Paiste is the only company that offers the sounds I want. I can't decide between Rude Crash/Ride and 2002 Power Crashes though. The Rude C/R have a really good reputation and are used by two of my favorite drummers, I havn't heard much about the 2002 Power Crashes but I think they might be a better choice. Has anyone had experience with both of them?
    I can help you out with the cymbals as I have experience with both the rudes and 2002s. Only because my drum teacher is obssesed with Paiste and has 2002s and Rudes in his drum studio. First thing I will mention is if you go to Paiste's website you can hear sound clips that are very accurate of every cymbal they make. Anyway the Rude's are a darker more powerful cymbal and they are very thick. My drum teacher says they are his favorite but they dont fit well with his band so he uses 2002s with his band. 2002s are a brighter cymbal but still cut very well.

  17. #17

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Owen, I would say that what you have heard about heads vs. shell material is generally correct, but even though good heads can substantially improve a kit's sound, if you start out with a well built kit, and shells that will give you the general sound that is right for your playing, or situation, the right heads will add to the overall quality of the sound.

    BTW, have you thought about the Evans HD Dry head for the snare batter. I have it on my 14" Catalina maple snare and I can still get a nice tight sound, without the overtones, or I can tune it down for a nice deep sound. Just a thought for you.
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  18. #18

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Owens View Post
    Sorry for the double, I have some more questions and I also need some advice on what I asked in the previous post.

    I have been looking to upgrade my cymbals and improve the sound of my pearl forum. Something I've heard from many people is the heads and their tuning affect sound far more than the wood a drum is made. Is that true, and if so does that mean you can make a pearl forum sound almost as good as a drum that is made just like a forum but with birch or maple? After I'm done getting the cymbals I want I will save up for better drums. I want very low pitches with powerful and aggressive punch, from what I've heard bubinga offers that, is their any other wood or a combination of woods that would offer that?
    I would say this is a misrepresentation of the truth IMO. You can't change the sound of a drum with the heads from being like one kit to another. You CAN improve the quality of the sound your getting however. Let me explain.

    The tones and type of sound a kit will give is based on it's wood - primarily the inner ply. This is why to save costs, but stillg et a partiucalr sound, companies liek Pearl will sue poplar shells with a birch or maple inner ply. This way you get afordability, but with the added bonus of having the types of tones and sound you would expect form a higher end kit. So what this menas, with the same heads and tuning ojn a kit made fomr Birch, you will get a particualr sound, that is different from a kit made of Maple, a kit from bubinga and a kit made from poplar, etc.. The tones and sound are only affected by the wood and nothing can change that - no matter what anyone tells you. what the heads CAN do however is reduce overtones, minimse sympathetic ringing and give sustainable accurate tuning to improve the overall quality of the sound being produced by the wood type in question. The right head types and tuning will allow you to maximise the good qualities of whatever wood your using and minimise the bad. This is why a low level kit can sound better with good quality heads, since your cutting out allot of the things that enhance the things that make it sound like a lower end kit to begin with. On it's own you notice it sounding pretty good, but, sit it side by side to a higher end kit with equally good heads and tuning and you will notice the difference straight away.

    This is not mena tot undermine the improvement you get form the right heads and tuning. Trust me, it's massive, but it has it's limits, so you may find the sound your after just can't be attained on the kit you've got. But you work with what you've got and work it to the best it can be.
    "What consumes your mind, controls your life" - So, what consumes your mind?

  19. #19

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    You've gotten such great advice-I hope I can add something to help you out.I use promark pro grip 747's Nylon tip,a size between 5a and 5b,they're 16 1/4' long,thicker taper and neck.Best grip a stick can have IMHO.Look up details on web.Nylon tipped sticks are brighter when riding cymbalsBeaters-check out DW 101 dual sided,Tama Iron Cobra's,Danmar Red Ball's,You are on a good track with head choices,but research them in every way possible,what you end up choosing may not work out on your particular kit..I use Aquarian Studio X's batter sides,they control symp freq's without choking out drum,and they don't dampen the bearing edge.Look em' up.Remo Powersonic kick heads are sweet,Aquarian Super Kick's also sweet,as are many other heads in various combos,go to a drums only type store if you can,GC ain't always the best place for drum help-Try to whack and stomp some heads before buying .Geez, what we do is so subjective and personal as a whole,that you need to do as much hands on of various drum components and you'll know it when you hear it,then buy it.You seem like your more on track than you think you are.Peace
    Jeff's Gear-DW ,Ludwig,Tama,Sabian AA-AAX,DW Hardware,Gibraltar Hardware,DW Pedals/HiHats,Aquarian,Remo,Evans,Promark ProGrip 747's,Protechtor XL Elite Air Cases. "Music is the voice of Emotion","Drums Make a Great Alarm Clock for Bad Neighbors"."It Was A Quiet Peaceful Day Until The Drummer Began To Play".Member of Phrogge's Aquarian Army

  20. #20

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    Default Re: Load of Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by pastor_bob View Post
    Owen, I would say that what you have heard about heads vs. shell material is generally correct, but even though good heads can substantially improve a kit's sound, if you start out with a well built kit, and shells that will give you the general sound that is right for your playing, or situation, the right heads will add to the overall quality of the sound.

    BTW, have you thought about the Evans HD Dry head for the snare batter. I have it on my 14" Catalina maple snare and I can still get a nice tight sound, without the overtones, or I can tune it down for a nice deep sound. Just a thought for you.
    +1

    On the subject of port holes by the way, I have the Evans EMAD Resonant Head which has a 5" Port and it really does work great. Usually I'll port 5".
    Ludwig Accent CS Custom- Black with Chrome Hardware
    22 x 18 Bass Drum with Evans EMAD batter and EMAD reso
    6 x 14 Snare with Evans Genera HD Dry batter over Hazy 300
    12 x 9 Tom Remo Pinstripe over Remo Clear Ambassador
    13 x 10 Tom Remo Pinstripe over Remo Clear Ambassador
    16 x 16 Floor Tom Pinstripe over Remo Clear Ambassador
    16 x 18 ^



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