Specific tips on buying a new drumset.

R

RVLVNGDRS

New member
Hello everyone,

I'm getting back in the studio with my band to start recording again, so I've decided that my old GMS CL series just won't do the trick anymore. I'm going for high end drums this time and I have a very specific sound I'm looking for.

I know what to look for for the most part, but I wanted to know if I was missing anything out.

I'm looking for a very round sound. Nothing crunchy/attacky. Round sounding toms and a kick that thumps...just the thump, nothing very LOUD or with too much attack...I suppose the word again is "round" (hard to describe these sounds) For this I guess I should be looking for the rounded shell edges and avoid the sharp ones.

Also, this kit is mostly for recording pop/jazz...so I also want the kit to be low volume, so I guess I should be looking for thin shells (and avoid anything birch or oak?)

I know that the choice of drum heads have a lot to do with the sound as well, but as far as the KIT itself goes, am I missing anything out? OR does anyone have specific suggestions for brands or models?

Thanks to anyone that replies :D
 
Honestly, I don't know a ton about what specific brands are going to do for tone. However, I do think you should look a lot more into heads/tuning as that will play a huge factor in tone with whatever kit you get. Also correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe birch will be along the lines of the sound you are looking for. At work we had a birch catalina w/ evans g2 coated on batter and stock kick heads. It was pretty warm and not much attack and not really much sustain either, but it still had decent tone. The kick head though was a little punchy and probably could have been changed to a coated emad2 or something along those lines....

Anyway, don't base your decision on just my reply alone.. a lot of other people here know a LOT more than me. :)
Good luck!
 
Oh, and.. maybe this is wrong, but my dad has a kit that is 3-ply and they are LOUD. I don't know if thinner shells really ='s less volume...?
 
I thought Birch tended to be brighter. :confused:

I forgot to mention that i was looking for a warm, low-end frequency sound...i know that maple is very mid-range (which is also something i like a lot) and that Mahogany is very low-end...but the only good mahogany kit i know of is the Pearl MHX...

As for maple, i was looking at YAMAHA's Maple Custom Absolute...
 
I own a birch kit, a maple kit and a mahogany kit - that does not make me an expert, but it does make me informed.

I prefer birch as a recording kit because it offers a very focused sound with enough lows to sound full but with a very precise attack. I use birch for pop, and country material (birch kick drums can really cut through a mix). You are correct that birch may seem "brighter" - but I feel that concept is based on the focused sound. Birch can be easier to control in the studio with less overtones, etc. In the studio, each instrument must fill a specific part of the sound spectrum - the focused sound of birch fills that need nicely.

Maple does not offer as focused an attack, but does provide a very "round" sound which covers the mids and lows. You mention jazz - certainly maple provides the traditional "warm" jazz sound. I also feel maple is better for the "big" rock sound. While I prefer birch (because it can be easier to dial up a sound faster - an important factor when the studio clock is ticking), I think maple can be a better all around wood - you can tune it for jazz and tweak it for rock.

Mahogany tends to cover the mids and lows, but it can lose definition. I consider Mahogany to be a more specialized sound and I would not choose it for my primary kit since it does not offer the flexibility of a wood like maple. Keep in mind that like all woods, there can be a large difference in quality of wood - but with mahogany - most kits use the cheaper mahogany.

I've only use oak once - and while it had a deep sound and a solid attack (a good live kit), I would not want oak for my primary recording kit.

You seem to have a good understanding of the things to look for (rounder bearing edges, thinner plys, etc.) Although, keep in mind that thin shells normally mean more sustain - which while a good thing in drums, also can be a challenge to tame in a studio environment.

Based on you wants & needs, I can't help but think maple is the way to go. Regarding specific brands - too many to choose from. I've always been a fan of the Yamaha recording series kits. I've played some very nice DW kits. While I've owned some Pearl kits I've never been that big a fan - but I've heard very nice things about thier top of the line kits (never played any).

Good luck in your search!
 
Thanks a lot for all your help...I think my choice is narrowing down quite fast. :)

mikeh said:
-I prefer birch as a recording kit because it offers a very focused sound with enough lows to sound full but with a very precise attack. Birch can be easier to control in the studio with less overtones, etc.

-Keep in mind that thin shells normally mean more sustain - which while a good thing in drums, also can be a challenge to tame in a studio environment.
Click to expand...

Just for reassurance, will anybody second motion these?
 
I second all the opinions, very true. I myself, am into HipHop recording, but.. I was in a band previously, and I was the drummer. I don't know a whole lot as the people above me do, but I do know that if you really want a good drumset http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Mapex-M-Birch-6Piece-Drum-Set-with-Free-8-Tom?sku=449727 that one would be something to look into. Unless of course, you're looking for the whole shabang 3,000 dollar drumset. But, that one is something I was looking into when I was the drummer of my band (Deafening Silence R.I.P.) :P

Hope this helps, at all...

P.S. These guys know what they are talking about, never skip a judgement.
 
I have an older birch Yamaha recording custom. This set was a studio standard for years. Great sound. I always found it to be "full bodied" but it didn't work in all situations. I seem to have better luck with my GMS SE kit. Thin maple. G2 heads. Moon gels to cut down on some of the overtones.
Your room and mic choices will have a lot to do with the sound too. I just put 703 over the kit. (I have panels through out my room) The clouds are making a big difference to my ear. If you want pm me and I'll send you a link to some stuff done with the GMS kit.
 
Re-Lapse said:
Unless of course, you're looking for the whole shabang 3,000 dollar drumset.
Click to expand...

I'm looking in the high-end range of drum sets...

and since i only need a 4-piece, i suppose most high-ends would go for around 2000$
 
I think he's refering to the "quality of sound vs dollars" ratio. It is a valid point however there's no definitive answer as it is dependant on what brand and level of kit is being considered.

Re the timbers, etc............:Assuming we're talking about 1) shells of similar size, thickness and ply count, and 2) "Mahogany" as in quality African Mahogany and not the lower quality, generic Asian Lauan............. mid frequencies won't vary much between Maple, Birch and Mahogany. Lows will be more pronounced in Mahogany, followed by Maple and then Birch whereas highs will normally show through more with Birch, then Maple and mahogany last.

A thin shell ( 1/4" or less)will normally have greater sensitivity, resonance and woody sound, usually with a lower pitch BUT volume can be sacrificed, however, they can sound great if close mic'd. A medium (approx., 5/16"-3/8" )thickness tends to create a balance of a shells characteristics with an increase in volume/projection. Thick shells ( 7/16" to 1/2") take this even further with less "character" and more volume/projection.

The above info was originally sourced from research done by Pearl and while probably specific to their research, it is a good general guide.

What can't be easily calculated is how any specific kit will sound in any specific acoustic environment........what may sound great in a store, etc., may just sound plain crappy when you get it home or vice versa ;) .

:cool:
 
RVLVNGDRS said:
I'm looking in the high-end range of drum sets...

and since i only need a 4-piece, i suppose most high-ends would go for around 2000$
Click to expand...

Ahh, alright, well.. Good-luck, these guys k now their stuff, I don't.
 
I would go maple, thinner shells, more rounded bearing edges. For a 4-piece for pop/jazz, you would probably want smaller diameter shells. Flanged hoops will offer more sustain and more overtones (that can be dampened if need be).

DW would be a fantastic choice, Maplex I think has some good stuff in that price range, even Pacific/PDP are great for the money. Steer clear of Pearl, Tama, and Yamaha kits with die-cast hoops as they will have thicker shells, more volume, less sustain, and more attack.

There are lots of great custom builders who will be able to build kits in the $1000 to $1500 range to your specs. You would ideal get Keller maple shells, 6-ply for toms, 8-ply for kick, and 10-ply for snare. One great builder is John Riolo at AMDrumParts.com as he does lots of kits and has fantastic prices. Lots more if you search at DrumShed.org or Ghostnote.net. I had my custom kit done by Dan at Raven Custom Drums.

I'd recommend this config for more jazz-oriented:

8x10" tom
13x14" floor tom
16x18" kick
5.5x14" snare

And this would be my choice for more pop-oriented stuff:

9x12" tom
14x15" floor tom
18"x20" kick
6"x14" snare or 6"x13" if you like higher tunings

I've got a 15" floor tom now and it works much better with my 12" tom at all tunings. Plus you can add on a 10" and 18" toms down the road and have a fantastic wide range of pitches. And the 20" will give you a nice punchy kick sound that cuts through nicely for pop stuff. Rounded edges and coated heads will warm it up quite a bit.
 
i like the yamahas for all that your looking for but there snares suck my ass in my opinion...i hate there jazz pop sound (stupid) tama makes great toms but also there snares suck....pearl you can do about anyhting with....birch, maple and even poplar ...the catch here is you need to dump the heads for new ones and you need to be good with a tunning key.....
If you want to go realy ballsy...go with a custom kit....like spaun, truth, and the dream kit i have been saving up for a C&C kit
 
I would suggest the new DW Classic series. These have a rounded edge and use Mahagony shells with maple reinforcement hoops. Also the Pearl Mahogany drums sound great. Mahogany (not the shitty Phillipean) has a very warm round natural sound, but has a strong low fundamental.

Maybe this is the sound you're lookin' for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1jm3Ogsm04
 
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