How to get the best sound out of your drums.

[deadwing2112]

Does anyone got any advice on how to get the best possible sound on your toms and bass. I kinda have been toying around and trying to find a perfect sound. But I can't. Any advice?

[Milton Banana]

A very subjective question, Deadwing. The "best possible sound" for your drums depends on the sound YOU, as the drummer, want to hear.

Is it a jazzy open sound? A warm rounded tone? A deep thuddy sound?

With some forethought, some suggestions, and experimenting you can get a sound you like almost regardless of what type of drums you have.

 

Every drummer on this board will tell you what their head choices are and how they tune, but I suggest thinking about what sound you would like to go for first, and then go to your local drum shop and ask them for suggestions on head combinations. If they know what they are doing, it will help eliminate the expense of buying heads that you don't care for. If you have friends who are drummers whose sound you like, talk to them too.

 

Are you drawing inspiration from a sound you heard on a recording? Or a live band you heard? Those things factor in too. My drums sound different when mic'ed because my soundman knows my sound, and knows how to mix it properly into the sound of the band. Never trust the sound of recorded drums. They are often tweaked so much in production that one could never duplicate that sound on an unmic'ed set.

 

Let me know some more deatils on what your looking for in your sound. I'll try to help.

[deadwing2112]

QUOTE (Milton Banana @ Mar 4 2007, 02:54 PM)

A very subjective question, Deadwing. The "best possible sound" for your drums depends on the sound YOU, as the drummer, want to hear. Is it a jazzy open sound? A warm rounded tone? A deep thuddy sound? With some forethought, some suggestions, and experimenting you can get a sound you like almost regardless of what type of drums you have. Every drummer on this board will tell you what their head choices are and how they tune, but I suggest thinking about what sound you would like to go for first, and then go to your local drum shop and ask them for suggestions on head combinations. If they know what they are doing, it will help eliminate the expense of buying heads that you don't care for. If you have friends who are drummers whose sound you like, talk to them too. Are you drawing inspiration from a sound you heard on a recording? Or a live band you heard? Those things factor in too. My drums sound different when mic'ed because my soundman knows my sound, and knows how to mix it properly into the sound of the band. Never trust the sound of recorded drums. They are often tweaked so much in production that one could never duplicate that sound on an unmic'ed set. Let me know some more deatils on what your looking for in your sound. I'll try to help.

I really want to get me toms to sound like Mike Portnoy's toms. I guess kinda the deep rock sound.

[mortkort]

remember my wise words young padawan !

[deadwing2112]

QUOTE (mortkort @ Mar 4 2007, 04:41 PM)

remember my wise words young padawan !

Will they fit my needs perfectly?

[thesweetscience]

I find the best results are achieved when you hit them with sticks. You can try hitting them with other things but sticks really work the best.

[deadwing2112]

QUOTE (thesweetscience @ Mar 4 2007, 05:24 PM)

I find the best results are achieved when you hit them with sticks. You can try hitting them with other things but sticks really work the best.

Really?? I will have to try that next time.

[mortkort]

QUOTE (deadwing2112 @ Mar 4 2007, 11:21 PM)

QUOTE (mortkort @ Mar 4 2007, 04:41 PM) remember my wise words young padawan ! Will they fit my needs perfectly? look at the MOON and you will remember young padawan !

[deadwing2112]

QUOTE (deadwing2112 @ Mar 4 2007, 04:27 PM)

QUOTE (Milton Banana @ Mar 4 2007, 02:54 PM) A very subjective question, Deadwing.  The "best possible sound" for your drums depends on the sound YOU, as the drummer, want to hear. Is it a jazzy open sound?  A warm rounded tone?  A deep thuddy sound? With some forethought, some suggestions, and experimenting you can get a sound you like almost regardless of what type of drums you have.    Every drummer on this board will tell you what their head choices are and how they tune, but I suggest thinking about what sound you would like to go for first, and then go to your local drum shop and ask them for suggestions on head combinations.  If they know what they are doing, it will help eliminate the expense of buying heads that you don't care for.  If you have friends who are drummers whose sound you like, talk to them too.  Are you drawing inspiration from a sound you heard on a recording?  Or a live band you heard?  Those things factor in too.  My drums sound different when mic'ed because my soundman knows my sound, and knows how to mix it properly into the sound of the band.  Never trust the sound of recorded drums.  They are often tweaked so much in production that one could never duplicate that sound on an unmic'ed set. Let me know some more deatils on what your looking for in your sound.  I'll try to help. I really want to get me toms to sound like Mike Portnoy's toms. I guess kinda the deep rock sound. This is how I want my toms and bass drum to sound. Example

[Milton Banana]

Yeah, I've seen this before. Why does Portnoy always sound better in projects that are not DT? Anyhoo....

 

Obviously he's got Remo Ambassadors on his two standard size toms. If your toms are "power tom" size, you may not get exactly the same sound but basically get some Ambassadors or Emporers (slightly heavier than Ambassadors). Try tuning the top head to a low, yet full note, meaning don't go so low that it sounds untuned. But you can hear the toms there aren't bright or jazzy either. It's a lower note. Especially with only two toms, make sure that pitch separation is nice and wide. That floor tom is real low. If you've got many toms, you can kind of fill in the space accordingly.

 

Get the note you want from the top, and the on the bottom head tune it in tune with the other head so that it resonates as much as possible. Avoid that pitch bend sound some drums get where the sound sort of bends downward. You might even end up with the bottom head just a little tighter than the top. Hold the drum up to your ear and strike it (lightly! Don't blow out your ears!) Make it resonate as long as you can!

 

With the bass drum, I'm subjective. I hate muffling. I use an Evans EMAD on my batter head. It's pre-muffled, and I don't put anything inside the drum anymore. I recommend it.

 

The old style of bass drum muffling--like in Ringo's day--was to put a felt strip or two about 1" wide across the length of the head (usually an Ambassador again). A folded up bath towel can work too. Something light, yet not killing the tone of the drum. A pillow will make the bass all punch but little tone.

 

Hope some of this helps...

[deadwing2112]

QUOTE (Milton Banana @ Mar 6 2007, 09:15 PM)

Yeah, I've seen this before. Why does Portnoy always sound better in projects that are not DT? Anyhoo.... Obviously he's got Remo Ambassadors on his two standard size toms. If your toms are "power tom" size, you may not get exactly the same sound but basically get some Ambassadors or Emporers (slightly heavier than Ambassadors). Try tuning the top head to a low, yet full note, meaning don't go so low that it sounds untuned. But you can hear the toms there aren't bright or jazzy either. It's a lower note. Especially with only two toms, make sure that pitch separation is nice and wide. That floor tom is real low. If you've got many toms, you can kind of fill in the space accordingly. Get the note you want from the top, and the on the bottom head tune it in tune with the other head so that it resonates as much as possible. Avoid that pitch bend sound some drums get where the sound sort of bends downward. You might even end up with the bottom head just a little tighter than the top. Hold the drum up to your ear and strike it (lightly! Don't blow out your ears!) Make it resonate as long as you can! With the bass drum, I'm subjective. I hate muffling. I use an Evans EMAD on my batter head. It's pre-muffled, and I don't put anything inside the drum anymore. I recommend it. The old style of bass drum muffling--like in Ringo's day--was to put a felt strip or two about 1" wide across the length of the head (usually an Ambassador again). A folded up bath towel can work too. Something light, yet not killing the tone of the drum. A pillow will make the bass all punch but little tone. Hope some of this helps...

Thanks milton for the advice. I'll be sure to try that on the toms.

[CygnusX-1Bk2]

QUOTE (deadwing2112 @ Mar 4 2007, 02:41 PM)

This is how I want my toms and bass drum to sound. Example

No offense but those sound like mush. If you want that sound slack the heads a bit and put moon gel in a couple of spots near the edge of the head. I am hearing head choke on these examples.

 

Ideally you want the drum to sing. The best way to achieve that is to find the fundamental tone of the shell itself and accentuate it through tuning. The head type will play a part in this too. Generally the thinner the head the brighter the sound and the more attack, a thicker head will be rounder with less attack and sustain.

 

To find the fundamental remove both heads and hold the shell suspended with little restriction. Strike the shell with the meat of your hand or a felt beater and allow the shell to resonate. You will then hear the pitch of the shell. If you like you can use a keyboard to help figure out what the pitch is so you can make note of it. DW drums are sent out of the factory with the fundamental printed on the inner shell. Once you know the pitch tune the heads to the fundamental and/or an enharmonic pitch.

 

If the batter and resonant head are tuned to the same pitch the tone of the drum will be a sustained note. If the resonant head is tuned higher than the batter head the note will have a descending tail and an ascending tail if the resonant head is tuned lower (I know it seems backwards). Generally if the batter head is tuned to the fundamental and want to detune the resonant head it should be enharmonic to the fundamental. In other words it shoudl be tuned to a third or fifth above or below the fundamental for maximum tone and minimum dissonance (a clash of tones).

 

Personally I prefer to tune my heads to the same pitch.

 

I too avoid muffling. For bass drums I like a Power Stroke on the batter side and a thicker than normal resonant front head, like an ebony Emperor. I have tried Aquarian front heads with muffling strips and those can be effective. So can the Evans pillow. You can get more punchier sounds with a pillow. I've been using the EMAD for a while and have never really gotten a good sound with it.

Edited March 7, 2007 by CygnusX-1Bk2

[sanzo]

that links to somthing thats been taken off.. If you want good

sounding stuff there is 3 things Iv learnt from asking the same qs as you,

1. get high end drums, maple, birch, beech ect.

2. theres a bit of computerised meddling in the drum sound I think in albums to make them sound better.

3. I found this out for my self after 3 years- tune the heads the best you can then play them and dont change them or retune them, after weeks and months they will form a better sound from being played in the same state and will break in, seat naturally.