Kickport...kick around your thoughts...

[xweasel]

I think you're missing the larger point Tom was making.

I may have. What was the larger point?

[slinglander]

Maybe Drummer means "drummers who have drummed a lot in many different venues with many different, experienced bands/members before audiences of all sizes" have different tastes in drum kit sound and tuning based on those experiences, not their skill levels.

[drummer]

Im sorry Drummer but that was just a tad insulting. Just because I dont agree with you, youre going to take a shot at a persons ability? Nice.

I'm taking no shots brother. Some people find insults where they do not lie. Ever noticed that?

[drummer]

Just because someone doesn't earn money for what they do does not mean they are mediocre.

That's right!

[Bish]

I may have. What was the larger point?

5Bs instead of 5As?

[TamaSabianGuy]

Wow! A bunch of information to "kick" around here (full of bad jokes sorry). Thanks a ton for all your help. All and all it sounds like if I do not mike it (which I do not have money, equipment, or intention on doing) then it does not really make a big difference.

I put my old Powerstroke Pro on it and played around with tuning and it sounds pretty good! I would say a lot better than my old kit (same bass drum size, lesser quality) even with the port. I am considering throwing my new Tama non-ported reso head on it, but I just can't seem to allow myself to put a Tama head on it. I think it would be much better without a port.

Thanks again for all the feedback. Sorry I was away so long, but life happens. Still cleaning, polishing, fixing, bending, head changing, tuning, and other stuff to my kit. One day I will get to play it with all the pieces there!

Have a good one everyone!

[slinky]

I don't use one nor have I ever tried the sub kick thing. I'm even leaning towards no port at all. Amazing sound can be achieved by just putting a mic up to an unported reso head.

[Johnny G]

I thought they for the bottom heads.

The new smaller series of ports can be used for either head, batter or reso. Players choice. Does the player want to hear more of his toms tone, or allow a mic better access from underneath? That's how I see the difference.

As for the comment about already having vents...
It's not about relieving air pressure as with a standard vent. These are head ports that allow for the release of sound in a different way, much like the extreme 3" and 4" snare vents I have seen. By placing the port on your tom's batter side, you have created a focused sound port directed at the player.
Brilliant! IMHO.

[Johnny G]

IMO, this is one of those "To-maaaay-toe, To-maaaah-to" things. Just like maple vs. birch, metal vs. wood hoops and Synthetic vs. conventional motor oil. Even if it makes a small difference in a narrow frequency band....it is what it is. That's what makes everyone and every set-up unique.

As for being professional, I view a drum set like a race engine. A small modification, in and of itself, may not make much difference. But, it's the combination of those mods and how they work together as a system that makes for the total output. The professional engine builder understands this and sweats the details, knowing that can be the difference between winning and losing. Not everyone is a professional racer, or requires a high-dollar, ultra-trick machine....but the best part is taking something and making it "your own".

Thank you for saving me the time in typing. Perfectly said!

[TamaSabianGuy]

That was a good comment. Thank you. I did buy the Kickport and install it. I am really on the fence as to if it did much at all. I really have not had enough time to play with the tuning yet to see if that will help it any. I have been so busy and working on this kit so much I have had almost no time playing them. The store did say I could return it if not satisfied.

I have a almost new non-ported Tama resonant bass head. I think I may try with and without and really get a feel of what it's really like with port and without. Then find out which one is for me. I am really new at this ya'll so I am learning everyday. You all are helping with that.

But, don't worry I will not keep the Tama head on my PDP kit long. I think that is just not right at all. I will probably order a PDP head pretty quick if I decide that is the sound I want. I am trying not to worry what others think or want out of my kit.

I had a buddy that has been drumming for 30 years or so tell me my tuning was bad. I went along with it because I know I could use work in that area. He made it sound so bad to me, it took a good hour to get them close to where I had them. I will not let that happen again. At least on the forums you can ask, then take what you want and leave the rest, but learn from it all. But, you guys can't actually "touch" my kit. I named my kit "Marmalade" kinda cause it's orange sparkle and there is orange marmalade. Not sure if that will stick though. Any name ideas?

Sorry for the book.

[rickthedrummer]

It strikes me that so many of the older drummers got a great sound out of their BD without all the heads available today. Just a piece of felt and some decent tuning.

If you build it, convince people that it will improve your sound in some way, they will buy it.

[Texdrumr]

If you build it, convince people that it will improve your sound in some way, they will buy it.

Marketing 101...

[markdrum]

About two years ago I went back to vintage style heads and felt strips. I'd forgotten how good they sounded! I now have the sound that I grew up with and I couldn't be happier. I still use SuperKicks and the like on my kits that are used for rock dates but for everything else I've migrated back to the "old school" technique.

A lot of this trend dates back to the over-produced records that started coming out in the 70s. Yep, I'm that old8^). We would tune up our drums to sound like >musical< instruments and the producer would come out of the control room with sanitary napkins and duct tape!

If you like the sound of the drum with a KickPort then congratulations but don't let non-musicians tell you how your instrument should sound.

[armyoflarry]

I think they are great on smaller kicks, and floor toms that are converted to kicks. They take care of the dampening and add that low end to make them sound more convincing as a larger bass drum. I think they are useful, but not a be all end all solution.

[TamaSabianGuy]

Wow. I am really surprised how much talk this topic stirred up. I tried it and different tunings, with and without pillow. No real noticeable difference. My wife said she may have noticed a difference at about 10' away. Of course, I do have hearing issues with both some high and low frequencies, but for me it did not work as well as I would have liked. So I did return it back to my local shop.

Thanks again for all the feedback, it's awesome!

[Johnny G]

It strikes me that so many of the older drummers got a great sound out of their BD without all the heads available today. Just a piece of felt and some decent tuning.

If you build it, convince people that it will improve your sound in some way, they will buy it.

First of all, the phrase "great sound" is highly subjective. Too much so to be thrown out as if that particular sound is the only great kick sound.
The old drummers were not trying to get the same type of kick sound that rock/country/hip-hop/etc drummers are today. They got a "great sound" for swing and big band and all the jazz genre. I think the push for more and more low end with punch comes from the more modern players.

And...

Don't call us marketing sheep, puhleeese! I am an educated man who has done sales, among a lot of other things, so I know how advertising attempts to manipulate. Many of the other players on this site are also educated professionals who have "bought into" the Kickport.
I have actually tried a Kickport on my own bass drum with different heads and different objective listeners and have heard the results and received the feedback. This is why I use it. Not just because some ad says whatever.
It is also why I will try out the tom ports. Because I have had one good experience and am very curious about their other product. I never consider satisfying curiosity money poorly spent if it's less than $100.
Good day.

[Pearl MCX Man]

Wow slow down there Johnny G. Jeez I am an old drummer and in our times back in the 50-60-70 we did not have the luxury of all the different heads and gizmo that is out there today to make our drums sound good. I agree with Rick cause he has a lot of experience under his belt to be able to have made a career in drumming. You probably wasn't even born then and if you were you probably didn't start to play drums into mid 70's when heads started to revolutionise. For us old guys trying to keep up with times is costly and waste of money imo. We try to keep our drumming as simple as possible cause we don't have to prove nothing to the world cause we already did years ago.

[drummer]

I can see and have experienced both sides of this. They both have merit. I was one of the last on board with the whole RIM system thing back in the 80's. I thought the free standing drum, pitched shells, etc. were all a bunch of marketing hogwash. I'm quit the cynic after-all. But later and after much experience with them, I've been able to hear the difference. Sometimes differences are subtle. I often use the analogy of cooking. You can slightly change the flavor of a dish by adding just a tad of a particular spice. To say it doesn't make a difference, whether or not you can taste it, is a bit naive. For every action, there is a reaction. The same is with drums. Do we need the difference that it makes? I would say no. But does it help some drummers improve their drum sound? I think it does and that was my experience as well as literally hundreds of other drummers that have experimented. We're not just talking a few drummers here and there that are using this thing. It is one of the most revolutionary drum devices to come along since the isolation mounts. And when so many pro drummers embrace it, that should get your attention.

I should be working for those guys. I need to get paid for this!!!

But really... let's not turn this into a big issue. Everybody keep their cool and respect differing opinions. That's what makes the world go around.

[Ray on the Drums]

I bought one and like my 40 bucks back please!

[Warren Wright]

Ive played "ported reso heads" since 1992 - Yesterday I installed my first "Kickport" on the Evans EQ3 ported reso on my Yamaha Oak Custom kick drum. I noticed that I can hear the kicks "attack" a bit better from the drivers seat than without the Kickport - and it "seems" like the batter head has a bit more "rebound" - although I have no way of proving that. To me, the cost of the Kickport versus the benefit of it seems like a good investment because anytime I can "hear" the kick better - even marginally, without mic'ing it, then whatever I did, was beneficial.

Cosmetically, my Gold Kickport sitting in that shiny black Evans reso head with the Red Oak Lacquer on the kick drum sure looks "Sharp" and I love the contrast of the "Chrome" on everything metal and then that "Gold" kickport horn" sitting at the 5 O'clock postion in the Evans reso head - - - it is "Eye-Catching" and brings your attention to the "Kick Drum" - once there, the eyes tend to roam around the rest of the kit...making the entire kit more "Visible".

[HolyChina]

i just really like your title of this thread and never really considered a kick port before i knew of them but always over looked it but it was a very catchy tittle good job.

[Lefty]

I can't hardly believe some people don't hear the difference. It's quite noticeable on my 20 and 22 kicks. I wonder why? Maybe head combos or something? I've got a PS3 batter on the 20 and an SK1 on the 22. Both have stock Yamy logo resos. I also wonder if certain rooms make it more noticeable? It's strange some people swear by them, and others swear against them. At any rate, I like mine.

[MDK]

I just did my toms! Hopefully tonight I will be changing the kick batter and installing the port for that head too.

Dude so whats the verdict?? I also thought they were for the reso heads this seems like a sin to cut a hole in a brand new tom batter head? I imagine tuning is affected?

BTW I have one in my Saturn 22" Bass drum and notice difference from the drivers seat. I just have a regulator on my beech kit and may try a Kick port on that as well but honestly it sounds great as is.

[ItalianAvalanche]

I didn't like mine. I didn't like the extra weight. I found that my reso head was more muffled than my batter head, which seemed dumb. I use a plastic impact pad and hard beaters, so I get allllll the attack I need from that. I prefer to get a more boomy tone from my reso head, and a simple porthole takes care of that perfectly.

[SpazApproved]

wow seeing those in the batter head just makes me scratch my head...