To top off my suck-tastic bass playing from Saturday night (following a flawless Sat morning run through) and the fact that I didn't sit down at the drums on Saturday OR Sunday...I played a flawless rehearsal on drums Monday for the first time with the new crew.
This music stuff is just weird. I do not get the mind/body connection and how we learn and progress...and then digress.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Upgrading: Cymbals
Picked up two new cymbals off of Craig's List this weekend:
1. Sabian AA 17" Medium Crash, $65 ($189 new). It actually sounds a lot like my existing Colorsound, just a little deeper and with longer sustain. It fits in with the kit well, though I don't know if it was "needed." It allows me to have a crash on each side now if I want. Just seemed like a great deal. I can't pass up a decent cymbal for 60 bucks.
2. Sabian HH Duo 10" Splash, $60 ($139 new). I had thought about buying one of these when I was looking for a new splash (was looking at 12" at the time). I liked this model a lot, but couldn't bring myself to spend the money at the time. So I picked it up cause it was such a great deal. I don't really need a splash, but the 10" I have now is cracked, so it's sitting in reserve. Just couldn't pass it up.
Both in great condition. Passed on a 12" Cherry Mapex Black Panther snare for $100. Decided I shouldn't jump at it since it was a weird size, even if it was a great deal. Also, didn't want to spend the $100 after buying the cymbals. I need to pace myself.
Also, I'm learning more about how to play the Sabian AA El Sabor Ride that I picked up a few months ago. It has a very "tinny" sound that I've had trouble adjusting to. I REALLY love the bell. The bell is awesome. I think I'm figuring out that when I ride it, I need to play more on the shoulder, instead of the edge where I am used to. I like the sound better there. I'm not sure this cymbal is going to stay in the main mix. Again, it was a $60 deal ($245 new) that I couldn't pass up and I thought that I like the El Sabor line...but it doesn't fit well into the kit. Sounds discordant and, like I said "tinny". I'm going to keep my eye out for a Zildjian K series ride (any model). These are pricey (about $325 new for the basic 20" model) and you don't see them used too often. In the very least I want to play them at some stores. I know that will have a deeper, fuller tone. No tin there. I'll have to see if it goes too far the other way.
I am curious a bit about Zildjian A Ping Rides. I hear Ping Rides mentioned often in articles. I should play one and see what they sound like. A 20" is $265 new. The New Beat Hi Hats made me want to go with a full Zildjian A setup...but I kinda blew that by buying some Sabians. I have a feeling that, rather than upgrading my cymbals once, buying used cymbals on the cheap is going to become an ongoing hobby of mine. It's just really hard not to want to jump on a $50-60 quality cymbal...and it is so hard to know how something will sound with your kit until you get it home and try it. Luckily, there's always a resale market for quality...so if it gets out of control I can liquidate some. I probably should get a cymbal vault to store the extras in (or just set up a decent box to keep them in).
1. Sabian AA 17" Medium Crash, $65 ($189 new). It actually sounds a lot like my existing Colorsound, just a little deeper and with longer sustain. It fits in with the kit well, though I don't know if it was "needed." It allows me to have a crash on each side now if I want. Just seemed like a great deal. I can't pass up a decent cymbal for 60 bucks.
2. Sabian HH Duo 10" Splash, $60 ($139 new). I had thought about buying one of these when I was looking for a new splash (was looking at 12" at the time). I liked this model a lot, but couldn't bring myself to spend the money at the time. So I picked it up cause it was such a great deal. I don't really need a splash, but the 10" I have now is cracked, so it's sitting in reserve. Just couldn't pass it up.
Both in great condition. Passed on a 12" Cherry Mapex Black Panther snare for $100. Decided I shouldn't jump at it since it was a weird size, even if it was a great deal. Also, didn't want to spend the $100 after buying the cymbals. I need to pace myself.
Also, I'm learning more about how to play the Sabian AA El Sabor Ride that I picked up a few months ago. It has a very "tinny" sound that I've had trouble adjusting to. I REALLY love the bell. The bell is awesome. I think I'm figuring out that when I ride it, I need to play more on the shoulder, instead of the edge where I am used to. I like the sound better there. I'm not sure this cymbal is going to stay in the main mix. Again, it was a $60 deal ($245 new) that I couldn't pass up and I thought that I like the El Sabor line...but it doesn't fit well into the kit. Sounds discordant and, like I said "tinny". I'm going to keep my eye out for a Zildjian K series ride (any model). These are pricey (about $325 new for the basic 20" model) and you don't see them used too often. In the very least I want to play them at some stores. I know that will have a deeper, fuller tone. No tin there. I'll have to see if it goes too far the other way.
I am curious a bit about Zildjian A Ping Rides. I hear Ping Rides mentioned often in articles. I should play one and see what they sound like. A 20" is $265 new. The New Beat Hi Hats made me want to go with a full Zildjian A setup...but I kinda blew that by buying some Sabians. I have a feeling that, rather than upgrading my cymbals once, buying used cymbals on the cheap is going to become an ongoing hobby of mine. It's just really hard not to want to jump on a $50-60 quality cymbal...and it is so hard to know how something will sound with your kit until you get it home and try it. Luckily, there's always a resale market for quality...so if it gets out of control I can liquidate some. I probably should get a cymbal vault to store the extras in (or just set up a decent box to keep them in).
CJ, Mickey's, 10/30/10
I was really disappointed about this show. I thought it was gonna be great. But it was just weird. People were really drunk and moshing and falling down through the first two acts and it just was pissing me off. Then we took the stage. We had hoped to start at 12:30 but didn't start playing until about 1:15am. As a result we had to cut several songs.
I was borrowing an amp and when I got up there I couldn't get it to work. I also couldn't get either one of the two tuners I brought to work, and the bass had been in the car for hours in the cold. Well duh...bad cable. By the time I figured that out it was time to start...so I had to delay to tune. Then I was totally freaked out and it fucked with me for the rest of the show. My legs were shaking. I kept dropping notes...getting lost.
To make things worse, the bass amp was set up on the wrong side of the stage, so we stood in the wrong places. And the vocal monitors weren't working. My vocals went ok, not great, in light of this, cause I had the PA speaker right behind me.
Anyway...I was totally disappointed in my performance. Pissed me off cause I played the entire set that morning mistake-free. So it wasn't that I didn't know the songs. I also wasn't drunk at all.
It's so annoying that you work really hard at something and then when it comes time to show other people...all of these external factors fuck it up. You get a late start. The equipment fails. The turnover is too quick and you can't get settled and properly set up. You get freaked out and it blows the entire set for you. Sucks.
RS dressed as "Broken Face" CT dressed as "Where Is My Mind?" EH dressed as "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and I dressed as "No. 13 Baby". Photos to come.
Setlist:
THE SAD PUNK
SOMETHING AGAINST YOU
I BLEED
BROKEN FACE
DEAD
MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN
GOUGE AWAY
ED IS DEAD
LA LA LOVE YOU
NO. 13 BABY
SUBBACULTCHA
BONE MACHINE
GIGANTIC
WAVE OF MUTILATION
HERE COMES YOUR MAN
NIMROD'S SON
VAMOS (skipped this for time)
DEBASER
CRACKITY JONES(skipped this for time)
WHERE IS MY MIND?
MONSTER MASH
MR. GRIEVES(skipped this for time)
I was borrowing an amp and when I got up there I couldn't get it to work. I also couldn't get either one of the two tuners I brought to work, and the bass had been in the car for hours in the cold. Well duh...bad cable. By the time I figured that out it was time to start...so I had to delay to tune. Then I was totally freaked out and it fucked with me for the rest of the show. My legs were shaking. I kept dropping notes...getting lost.
To make things worse, the bass amp was set up on the wrong side of the stage, so we stood in the wrong places. And the vocal monitors weren't working. My vocals went ok, not great, in light of this, cause I had the PA speaker right behind me.
Anyway...I was totally disappointed in my performance. Pissed me off cause I played the entire set that morning mistake-free. So it wasn't that I didn't know the songs. I also wasn't drunk at all.
It's so annoying that you work really hard at something and then when it comes time to show other people...all of these external factors fuck it up. You get a late start. The equipment fails. The turnover is too quick and you can't get settled and properly set up. You get freaked out and it blows the entire set for you. Sucks.
RS dressed as "Broken Face" CT dressed as "Where Is My Mind?" EH dressed as "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and I dressed as "No. 13 Baby". Photos to come.
Setlist:
THE SAD PUNK
SOMETHING AGAINST YOU
I BLEED
BROKEN FACE
DEAD
MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN
GOUGE AWAY
ED IS DEAD
LA LA LOVE YOU
NO. 13 BABY
SUBBACULTCHA
BONE MACHINE
GIGANTIC
WAVE OF MUTILATION
HERE COMES YOUR MAN
NIMROD'S SON
VAMOS (skipped this for time)
DEBASER
CRACKITY JONES(skipped this for time)
WHERE IS MY MIND?
MONSTER MASH
MR. GRIEVES(skipped this for time)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Snare Info
Snare tips article
Brass: A very sharp edge to the sound and very rich with mellow overtones.
Steel: A step more towards bright with a very pronounced ring, allot of body and longer decay than brass.
Aluminum: Clear, open sounds with bright, crisp overtones and is capable of incredibly loud rimshots.
Bronze: A close cousin to brass with the overall character of woods, can be loud, a good all around drum.
Copper: A close cousin to the Aluminum drum only slightly warmer.
Hammered: Same overall characteristics as the parent material, only slightly less resonance to varying degrees.
Metal Thickness: The 1mm shells are not as low to mid range resonant as thicker shells such as 3mm plus.
Metal Cast Drums: Very Loud and Resonant due to special cymbal alloys used in the casting process.
Wood Drums: see previous post
Small Diameter: Means higher pitch.
Longer Length: Means more power and shell resonance, longer decay.
Shallow Depth: Means more articulate, less power due to decreased shell area.
Snare Bed: A slight depression in the resonant side bearing edge to allow the snare to ride closer to the head.
Bearing Edges: Less than 45° are not inferior, they simply make for a different sound, usually less resonant and darker in character the less the angle, 35° is popular on Birch Drums. Drums get brighter if the crown of the bearing edge is a tighter radius (sharper) than if the radius is flatter (may be desired on the toms and kick).
Brass: A very sharp edge to the sound and very rich with mellow overtones.
Steel: A step more towards bright with a very pronounced ring, allot of body and longer decay than brass.
Aluminum: Clear, open sounds with bright, crisp overtones and is capable of incredibly loud rimshots.
Bronze: A close cousin to brass with the overall character of woods, can be loud, a good all around drum.
Copper: A close cousin to the Aluminum drum only slightly warmer.
Hammered: Same overall characteristics as the parent material, only slightly less resonance to varying degrees.
Metal Thickness: The 1mm shells are not as low to mid range resonant as thicker shells such as 3mm plus.
Metal Cast Drums: Very Loud and Resonant due to special cymbal alloys used in the casting process.
Wood Drums: see previous post
Small Diameter: Means higher pitch.
Longer Length: Means more power and shell resonance, longer decay.
Shallow Depth: Means more articulate, less power due to decreased shell area.
Snare Bed: A slight depression in the resonant side bearing edge to allow the snare to ride closer to the head.
Bearing Edges: Less than 45° are not inferior, they simply make for a different sound, usually less resonant and darker in character the less the angle, 35° is popular on Birch Drums. Drums get brighter if the crown of the bearing edge is a tighter radius (sharper) than if the radius is flatter (may be desired on the toms and kick).
Drum Wood
Article on drum woods
Maple:
Maple is a general overall warm sounding product, it can reproduce frequencies of the drum fairly well across the spectrum. True slow growth old forest maple trees are most prized due to the narrow growth rings and straight grain. The wood resonates extremely well and the finishes are well accepted. Newer and reforested trees do not have as tight a growth ring habit and are not as prized as old growth timber. Solid shelled snare drums made of burled or Birdseye maple are very warm in overall tone but also impart a very bright attack. Maple is generally thought to have very even tone across the spectrum and is prized by many drummers.
Birch:
Birch is a very dense tough wood, blond in color that tools well. It will have about a 10% loss in reproduction of low end compared to Maple and about a 20% increase in the high end, with the mid range remaining about the same, so the Birch kit will definitely be a “harder” and “brighter” sounding kit. Birch is derived from fast growth trees that are commonly large in diameter and finish reasonably well. Birch is often referred to as a naturally “EQ’d” drum set. This came from its popularity when used in recording studios where the attack portion of the sound was an important ingredient in recordings dating back to the late 60’s. It made it easier to get the drums to cut through the mix with minimal effort.
Poplar:
Poplar is derived from fast growing straight medium hardwood trees and is a less expensive alternative to Birch and Maple. Its finish can be somewhat green in color and is therefore used in the inner ply layers as substitute for more expensive and less plentiful woods. To my ear it takes on more of the tone of birch or mahogany than maple.
Basswood:
Basswood is a great less expensive hardwood that mimics the sound of Maple to some, mahogany to others. Yet it is more plentiful and gives the manufacturer a price advantage. It in many ways is an upgrade to luaan, or ramin and is often used as a core wood with a bit more of the lower register tone to it than realized out of maple. For this reason I tend to think of it more like mahogany than maple.
Maple:
Maple is a general overall warm sounding product, it can reproduce frequencies of the drum fairly well across the spectrum. True slow growth old forest maple trees are most prized due to the narrow growth rings and straight grain. The wood resonates extremely well and the finishes are well accepted. Newer and reforested trees do not have as tight a growth ring habit and are not as prized as old growth timber. Solid shelled snare drums made of burled or Birdseye maple are very warm in overall tone but also impart a very bright attack. Maple is generally thought to have very even tone across the spectrum and is prized by many drummers.
Birch:
Birch is a very dense tough wood, blond in color that tools well. It will have about a 10% loss in reproduction of low end compared to Maple and about a 20% increase in the high end, with the mid range remaining about the same, so the Birch kit will definitely be a “harder” and “brighter” sounding kit. Birch is derived from fast growth trees that are commonly large in diameter and finish reasonably well. Birch is often referred to as a naturally “EQ’d” drum set. This came from its popularity when used in recording studios where the attack portion of the sound was an important ingredient in recordings dating back to the late 60’s. It made it easier to get the drums to cut through the mix with minimal effort.
Poplar:
Poplar is derived from fast growing straight medium hardwood trees and is a less expensive alternative to Birch and Maple. Its finish can be somewhat green in color and is therefore used in the inner ply layers as substitute for more expensive and less plentiful woods. To my ear it takes on more of the tone of birch or mahogany than maple.
Basswood:
Basswood is a great less expensive hardwood that mimics the sound of Maple to some, mahogany to others. Yet it is more plentiful and gives the manufacturer a price advantage. It in many ways is an upgrade to luaan, or ramin and is often used as a core wood with a bit more of the lower register tone to it than realized out of maple. For this reason I tend to think of it more like mahogany than maple.
Snare Drums, More Research
I think I am narrowing my search for a snare drum. Based on internet research only (haven't actually played anything yet) I think I'd like to get a wood snare...probably maple. It sounds like a solid or block snare is the best...but cost will likely keep me firmly in the plywood department. Sounds like you want a thin shell...but not TOO thin.
Some research (all prices are for new from discount retailers):
Pearl (MCX) Masters Maple Snare Drums
6-ply, 7.5mm shells
$275.00 for 14x5.5 ($219 at Sam Ash), $330.00 for 14x6.5
This seems to be an industry standard. It would be hard to go wrong with this unless something was wrong with the drum.
Mapex MPX Maple Snare Drum
5.1mm
$149.00 for 14x5.5
This is Mapex's attempt to bring maple to the masses. Not sure yet if these are decent or not. I'd like to play a MPX against a Pearl MCX to see how they match up. I wonder if this is too thin and I am in danger of warping it if I tune improperly.
Pearl Artisan II Maple Snare Drum
$199.00
Needs more research
Tama Artwood Maple Snare
7-ply, 6mm thick
$290.00 forn 14x5.5 ($259 at Sam Ash)
Needs more research
Orange County Drums and Percussion Maple Snare
think this is probably really thick
$299.00 for 14x7
I was tempted by an Orange County that was on Craig's List for $150, but the more I look into it, I'm not sure this is what I want. Orange County are notoriously thick shells, which I guess can cause unwanted ringing. The solution is thicker hoops. Also a deep, thick snare is really made, as far as I can tell, to be loud. I think that I'm more of a finesse player than a power player. And I'm never gonna play in a heavy metal band. Any band I play in is gonna have to adjust to me being a more quiet player. A super loud snare seems out of character.
No, I think I want something versatile. I want to be able to tune it high and get a loud and sharp crack and a good rim shot, but I also want something that can be tuned a little lower and have a warm and fat tone. And I want something that avoids as many unwanted overtones as possible.
I think I've defined my price range as $150-$300. I'd like to stick with a well known brand and model. I used to not care about that, but if you are going to upgrade you might as well go with a known quantity...both for quality and, sadly, to impress others that you mean business. The New Beat hi hats that I bought convinced me that there is something to all of this on many levels. I don't need the most fancy or expensive or impressive equipment...but I want time tested recognized quality. It looks like Pearl, Tama, or Mapex will be my best bets to balance cost and quality.
As to size, it seems reasonable to go with a standard size...I think 14 x 5.5 or 14 x 6.5. I'd have to play them side by side to choose. I don't want to get a 13 inch and I don't think I want anything smaller than 5.5 or deeper than 6.5. Again, though, I need to play more snares to know. But it seems that if I am looking for a versatile workhorse, it's best to stay in the standard sizes.
Some research (all prices are for new from discount retailers):
Pearl (MCX) Masters Maple Snare Drums
6-ply, 7.5mm shells
$275.00 for 14x5.5 ($219 at Sam Ash), $330.00 for 14x6.5
This seems to be an industry standard. It would be hard to go wrong with this unless something was wrong with the drum.
Mapex MPX Maple Snare Drum
5.1mm
$149.00 for 14x5.5
This is Mapex's attempt to bring maple to the masses. Not sure yet if these are decent or not. I'd like to play a MPX against a Pearl MCX to see how they match up. I wonder if this is too thin and I am in danger of warping it if I tune improperly.
Pearl Artisan II Maple Snare Drum
$199.00
Needs more research
Tama Artwood Maple Snare
7-ply, 6mm thick
$290.00 forn 14x5.5 ($259 at Sam Ash)
Needs more research
Orange County Drums and Percussion Maple Snare
think this is probably really thick
$299.00 for 14x7
I was tempted by an Orange County that was on Craig's List for $150, but the more I look into it, I'm not sure this is what I want. Orange County are notoriously thick shells, which I guess can cause unwanted ringing. The solution is thicker hoops. Also a deep, thick snare is really made, as far as I can tell, to be loud. I think that I'm more of a finesse player than a power player. And I'm never gonna play in a heavy metal band. Any band I play in is gonna have to adjust to me being a more quiet player. A super loud snare seems out of character.
No, I think I want something versatile. I want to be able to tune it high and get a loud and sharp crack and a good rim shot, but I also want something that can be tuned a little lower and have a warm and fat tone. And I want something that avoids as many unwanted overtones as possible.
I think I've defined my price range as $150-$300. I'd like to stick with a well known brand and model. I used to not care about that, but if you are going to upgrade you might as well go with a known quantity...both for quality and, sadly, to impress others that you mean business. The New Beat hi hats that I bought convinced me that there is something to all of this on many levels. I don't need the most fancy or expensive or impressive equipment...but I want time tested recognized quality. It looks like Pearl, Tama, or Mapex will be my best bets to balance cost and quality.
As to size, it seems reasonable to go with a standard size...I think 14 x 5.5 or 14 x 6.5. I'd have to play them side by side to choose. I don't want to get a 13 inch and I don't think I want anything smaller than 5.5 or deeper than 6.5. Again, though, I need to play more snares to know. But it seems that if I am looking for a versatile workhorse, it's best to stay in the standard sizes.
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