A Few Options For Preserving Your Most Precious Asset
There is no doubt that acoustic drums are extremely loud. If you want to have any kind of longevity as a musician, you absolutely need to protect your hearing. Fortunately there are many options for doing just that these days. Earplugs have evolved over time, and now come in a variety of different shapes, colors, and styles. I have listed a few of those below.
Standard Foam
Foam earplugs are probably the most tried and true of all of the models of earplugs that are available out there. They provide more than sufficient hearing protection in most musical situations. I keep a huge bag of these with me at all times, no matter what I am doing. You can get some huge boxes of these at Home Depot if your in the market for an economy pack.
Plastic with Hole
This style of plug can be great for certain things due to the level of noise that they let in. They come hollowed out in the middle, thereby only blocking a portion of the sound. This can be good for really quiet playing, or on gigs where you need to be extra conscious of dynamics.
Attached Plastic/Foam
This is just a standard set of plastic or foam plugs that is attached by a cord. It’s the same level of hearing protection, but much easier to keep track of.
Vic Firth Cans
These come either with the headphone option, or without. The headphones can be great for recording, as they block just the right amount of sound when in the studio, and are comfortable enough to wear for long sessions. These cans are fairly inexpensive, and durable, making them a solid investment for any drummer.
Custom Plugs/Monitors
If you have the money, this is the best way to protect your hearing. There are a few companies that make custom molded ear plugs, and in ear monitors. I purchased my in ears from a company called In Ear Systems. I have taken them on the road, and regularly use them for multiple artists I trigger backing tracks for, and they have always worked great for me. Their in ears come with a detachable cable feature, so you only have to buy a new cable if yours breaks, and not a whole new set of monitors. I have linked their site HEREso go check them out if you are in the market.
I recently discovered this drummer while watching R&B artist Maxwell’s performance on the Grammy’s. I first noticed the unusually dry, trashy tones he was using, and then got one glance of his setup, and had to find out who he was. As it turns out, Chris “Daddy” Dave has played and recorded with other big name artists such as Kenny Garrett, Dolly Parton, Pat Metheny, Me’shell N’Degeocello, TLC, Toni Braxton, Mos Def, Common, Maxwell, Talib Kweli, Jill Scott, Mint Condition (Janet Jackson World Tour), Yolanda Adams, Robert Hurst Trio, Donald Brown Trio, Soulful Symphony and Reginald Veal, and many others.
The only thing that compares to the uniqueness of this guys tone and playing style, is his setup. As far as I can tell the largest kit this guy uses is only 3 or 4 peices. He will use either 1 or 2 snare drums, and sometimes one tom. His drums are placed in a rather uncommon pattern around him, leaving room for all of his cymbals to be right in front of him. The only way to truly understand his playing is to see him in action so below I have placed a few videos and pictures of this innovative drummer. FollowTHIS LINK to visit Chris’ myspace if you want to learn more about him. Hope you enjoy!
Chris Playing with Maxwell at the 2010 Grammy’s
Chris with the Chris Dave Trio Playing “Nefertiti” at Charlie Wrights in London
Pearls New E-Pro Live Electronic/Acoustic Drum Set Hybrid
Yesterday I did a post about a brand new product that Pearl is coming out with called E-Pro Live. It features the slogan, “Get Real. Be Real,” and was shrouded by rumors and theories about what this product could be. It looks like the majority of those rumors were right. E-Pro Live is Pearl’s new revolutionary electronic/ acoustic drum set hybrid. It will cost you a pretty penny (somewhere in the $3,000-$3,500 range), but it really is two kits for the price of one. It also features Pearls new R.E.D. Box module. I have listed some features of the kit, and module below.
Real wood shells, drum finishes, and hardware (mounted on a modified Icon rack)
The ability to remove all of the electronic heads (held on by standard hoops) and put on acoustic heads, converting it into a fully acoustic kit
Lifetime warranty on all hardwear
New Tru Trac heads, coated for realistic responsiveness, and playability
Pearl R.E.D. Box Module
1000 build in HD sounds
100 preset kits, with space for 100 custom user kits available
Ability to download external virtual drum sets from Toontrak, BFD2, Sonic Reality, Ocean Way Drums, Steven Slate Drums, and Virtual Drumline from Pearls web site
12 individual volume faders
Built in sequencer, allowing you to record and loop yourself
Now we just need to see this kit in action! The video belowincludes an explanation of the E-pro Live features, as well as demonstrations by Dennis Chambers, and Joey Jordison.
Achieve Your Ideal Personal Mix with the Aviom A-16II Mixer
I recently had a chance to use Aviom’s A-16II mixer, and was pleasantly surprised, and impressed with it’s user friendly format/layout, and it’s outstanding mixing capabilities. This 16 channel stereo mixer gives you personal control over everything you would ever want to adjust on stage.
This is the first time I have ever felt truly comfortable with my on stage mix, and I’m not even picky. Whether you’re on an external monitor system, or using in ears, there is usually someone else in charge of your mix. Most of us do the best we can to let the sound guy know how much to adjust each level in our monitors, but usually end up settling on a mix that is less than ideal. Again, I am really not particular when it comes to my mix, but this Aviom system opened my eyes to what kind of mix is achievable on stage.
Now let’s get to the features of this device. Below I have put a picture, and a few functions of the A-16II (which were pulled straight fromAviom’s website)
16 Channel Stereo Mix
Fully Adjustable Individual Channel Pan/Volume Control
Auto Detect Mono/Stereo Circuitry (So No Dealing With All Those Pesky Cables)
Simple Set-Up With Cat-5e Cables
16 Preset Locations For Storing Custom Mixes
Pan/Spread Control With LED Readout
Channel Volume Control With LED Level Readout
Master Volume, Treble, and Bass Controls
Easily Mountable
As you can see, these are just about all the features you would want in order to achieve the mix that is right for you. The Independent volume control allows you to change a level on the fly, and the custom mix option let’s you store a separate mix for every song if you like. The possibilities are truly endless, and I would definitely recommend this for the gigging musician.
Bring Tambourine Into Your Live Playing with the Hat Trick
As many drummers know, tambourine can add great texture and motion to virtually any groove. From programmed hip-hop grooves, to big fat classic rock grooves, tambourine can add the needed motion to spice up your playing. I have gradually become more fond of tambourine in the past year or so, and have recently been exploring options available for bringing it into a live scenario. In my exploration, I came across the Hat Trick hi-hat tambourine made by Rhythm Tech.
The thing I like most about this is the number of options it gives me in live situations, and even in the studio. I use it in two primary ways:
1) Hitting it with a stick much like a side mounted tambourine can be a great way to add it under your backbeat for choruses, or bigger sections of tunes that need an extra punch. You can also use it alone as your backbeat for softer sections of songs, or for parts where you may only be playing a shaker, and need a backbeat option other that snare/cross stick.
2) Bouncing the hi-hat, triggering the tambourine tone. This can also be a great way to add tambourine to choruses, or sections where you don’t have a free hand.
Below I have put a picture of the hat trick, and this is a perfect opportunity to debut a song I recently recorded the hat trick on. It’s an original christmas song by Julie the Band. You will hear the hat trick on all of the pre-choruses, and choruses. Notice how it brings a much needed distinction between sections, especially in a song that is so texturally based, and earthy sounding.
This is the original song “Merry Christmas” by Julie the Band. Listen for the Hat Trick, and enjoy!
A Few Great Drum Books for the Beginner/Intermediate Drummer
Whether you’re self taught, taking lessons, going to school, or whatever method you are using to better your playing and understanding of the drums, The basic fundamental concepts remain the same. There are a few books on the market that I personally recommend to all of my students, and have worked through myself at some point. These books all contain fantastic information on various subjects including reading, simple grooves, rock drumming, rudiments, etc… Lets go through them, and take a closer look at what these books are all about.
Joel Rothmans “Reading, Rudiments, and Rock Drumming”
This book is an all encompassing collection of a bunch of different drumming concepts. The majority of the book is broken up into sections starting very basic, and progressing to some fairly advanced reading/playing concepts. Each section contains a page of reading, a set of hand exercises, and a set of grooves. Each of these categories within the sections tie in extremely well with each other, and progress at the same rate in difficulty. This book is great for the self-taught drummer, as it eliminates confusion, and incorporates three of the most essential areas of drumming.
Louis Bellson’s “Modern Reading Text in 4/4″
This book is basically designed to only help one learn how to read, but the content is fantastic. It starts very basic by introducing quarter notes and 8th notes, and their corresponding rests, and then gradually becomes more difficult. There are a few things that set this book apart from other reading books, one being the length of each section. I have found that most reading books move from concept to concept too quickly, and don’t contain enough practice material to properly digest the concept. This book provides 3-7 pages of reading, plus a summary page at the end of each section to ensure proper understanding of the idea. It also contains countless exercises, and great explanations.
“Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms” by Gary Hess
This is by far the most comprehensive reading book I have ever come across. I have studied for countless hours from this book, and with the amount of information it provides, one could spend years practicing it. It starts very basic, but unlike most reading books, it progresses to an extremely advanced level. It takes one through virtually every reading concept imaginable including odd time reading, advanced triplet notation, and even complex roadmaps at the end that incorporate all of the previous material. This book is a fantastic source for learning to read not only rhythm charts, but also drum set charts/figures as well.
These are just a few of a collection of thousands of great book out there. Have fun practicing, and bettering yourself, and your playing!
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I would pay homage to the products that I simply could not function without. Lets get right into it!
1) Vater 5B, and 5A Los Angeles Wood Tip Sticks
Vater 5B’s are my primary stick, but I value both of these sticks equally. I use the 5B’s for all of my heavier, rock type stuff, and the Los Angeles’ for anything lighter. I work with a lot of singer/songwriters and the los angeles’ allow me to play lighter with the same amount of control.
5B/5A Los Angeles
2) Moongel
I can’t say enough about this product.It’s simply essential for studio situations, and should be part of any studio musicians arsenal. This little gem has helped me out on many occasions, and allowed me to eliminate hours of tuning and tweaking in the studio.
Moongel
3) Remo Coated Ambassador
This is, I believe, one of the most versatile heads on the market. I have used it for many different tunings, and have gotten some great sounds with it. It is my go to head whenever I’m in doubt.
Remo Coated Ambassador
4) LP Softshake
I have used this shaker in countless musical situations. It achieves a great balance between attack and great tone, and Is a solid addition to anyones gear bag. It also tracks extremely well.
LP Softshake
5) DW 7000 PX Double Pedal
This is the best, and only pedal I have ever played. It was the first pedal I ever purchased, and having tried countless others in music school, and other random situations, still my favorite. It allows me to get the perfect balance between weight and tension for maximum control.
As I get more and more session experience, I learn more about how to get good tones in the studio, especially snare tones. The overall tone you get out of a drum is determined many factors, such as how you tune the batter and resonant heads, what type of wood, and the quality of wood the drum is made of, the quality of the head, how you hit the drum, and about a thousand others. It takes time to develop a studio tuning technique that consistently gets you good tones, and makes micing and finding tones easier for the engineer. It also takes time to learn certain tricks you can use to deaden an annoying, or obnoxious tone that you cannot seem to get rid of with tuning alone. These tricks come especially in handy when dealing with snare drums, because their are a lot more variables to deal with, mainly the snares themselves. There is one product that I rely on very heavily to help me with this, and that I never go to a session without. The product is called Moongel, and its a priceless little tool that you can pick up for about $5. The product is pictured below, and is nothing more than a small blue gel pad that you can stick on your drums to drastically reduce ring, and sustain.
Moongel
It looks tiny, but has a greater effect than you would probably imagine. I often use these pads on the bottom of my snare drums, in order to keep the overall tone of the drum but reduce the unnecessary rattle that the snares sometimes produce. You can also use them on the batter or resonant heads of you toms to kill some of the overtone. If you don’t have any moongel handy, and you are in a situation where you need to kill tone, there are some other tricks you can use to get the job done. Duct tape is a great deadening tool, and lots of drummers will tape various things like tissue, or cardboard to their drums to achieve the same thing. Try experimenting with different types of tape, and adhesive products that will stick to your drums, and deaden ring. Have fun finding your own studio tones!
Every now and then I will post a product review of something that I get the opportunity to use in my playing. I recently advised one of my private students on buying a new drum kit, and he could not be happier with his decision. After exploring a few options, and considering my advice, he went with a Pearl Forum series kit. Let me start off by saying that for the money, I believe that this is one of the best, if not the best beginner kit you can buy. I should also mention that my first drum kit was a Pearl Forum, and it worked great for me until I reached the point of upgrading. Below are a few pictures so you can get an idea of what this kit looks like.
Pearl Forum Series Drum Kit
Between the time I owned one of these kits and now, Pearl has made some fantastic improvements. The first thing I noticed after setting up and tuning this kit was the tone. The tone of these drums far exceeded my expectation, having known they were purchased for less than $600. The shells are 6 ply Poplar, but replicate the tonal quality of a decent Birch or Mahogany drum. Pearl has also improved their tom mounting design, as these drums are equipped with with Pearls integrated suspension system mounts. This system eliminated the need to drill holes in the shells of your drums, which greatly improves tone and sustain. They also now hook to the rim of the drum, (unlike the Pearl Optimount System,) which makes tuning your drums less of a hassle.
Pearl Integrated Suspension System Tom Mount
Appearance is also important when purchasing a kit, and now Pearl offers black hardware on a few colors in this series (as pictured above) providing the beginning drummer the opportunity to own a sleek, expensive looking set. Their new low-mass lugs also help to increase resonance. All of these changes make this kit sound much better than one would expect. I would fully recommend this kit for anyone looking to buy their first drum set. Happy shopping!
Review of a Vintage Ludwig Marching Snare After Re-Furbishing
So I did a post a couple of weeks ago about a vintage Ludwig marching snare that I picked up at a music shop for $100. I recently re-furbished it and the finished product is fantastic! I have taken some pictures and below is the newly re-furbished drum. By the way, it’s a 15″ by 12″ marching snare in orange sparkle.
Batter Side/Snare Side
Now see what the finished product sounds like
Now for the changes I made. I thought I was going to have to replace both the top and bottom hoops, but to my excitement, it only looked like they were bent because the heads were torn and warped. I therefore only had to replace the heads, and get some new snares put on. The throwoff is still in great shape, and all of the tension rods (although rusty) and fine as well. For the top head I used a Remo Coated Ambassador. I want to be able to tune this snare a few different ways, and the coated ambassador is a versatile enough head to give me that option. On the bottom, I put a clear Ambassador, and a generic set of snares. The end result is awesome, and sounds beautiful on recording. For the particular recording I used it on, I tuned it really low, and put one moon gel on the top, and one on the bottom. The end result was a really fat, dirty tone that supported the vibe of the tune perfectly as the music was country/acoustic/singer songwriter stuff. I would like to thank the guys at Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood for always being so accommodating. For anyone who lives in the LA area, the guys at pro drums are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Below is a link to the post I did on this drum before re-furbishing. Enjoy!
Moongel
Pearl Integrated Suspension System Tom Mount
