Tim Brown
New member
tilinmyowngrave said:
The problem is, the question your asking is partially "relative". What I mean by that is, some people like drums tuned low, some like drums tuned high.... after you get past the facts that thinner shell has a lower timbre than a thicker shell, it's all opinion really.
I mean - Danny Carey is using a metal kit with extremely thin shells, made up of small drums, and tuned low. Now, if he tuned that kit higher, it would be a LOT louder. Why? Because it would have a higher pitch, which is easier for the human ear to hear, and that's the point that BradC is missing, and it is why John Wyre's statement is wrong.
Otherwise - why would Drum Workshop make drums that were "quieter" than Pearl or Tama?
I mean, Pearl could come out with an advertisement that said:
Pearl Export
The Loudest Fucking Drums on the planet
because Our Shells are the thickest!"
because Our Shells are the thickest!"
And you'd hear things like "DW - quiet drums made just for pussies!"
The more plies that are applied/layered in a wooden shell will raise the natural fundamental tone/timbre of the drum.
Also, the length of the shell will play into this.
an 8-ply 8"x12" will not have the same timbre as a 12"x12" of the same number of plies.
More wood = higher pitch.
You can verify this with two pieces of plywood. a 1/4" plywood will have a lower pitch or tone than a 3/4" piece.
The thickness doesn't change the actual tuning range, but it dictates which part of the tuning range that particular shell sounds better tuned in. Does that make sense?
Let's say that a 14" diameter tom's optimum tuning range is between 5 and 10 (just using these numbers to give a low and high tuning range and nothing more - they don't relate to anything else in regard to this - I'm not talking about any kind of tuning device numbers.)
My opinion (and notice that it's my opinion, but it's based on years of experience) is that a thinner shelled drum would sit better in the 5-7 portion of the range, while a thicker shelled drum would sit better in the 8-10 portion of the range.
Understand what I'm saying?
So, I would agree that a drum with more plies and of a wood that has more grain density and a higher timbre should be tuned higher - but then again, I think all drums should be tuned a little higher.
The standard wood used for drum making is furniture grade Maple. It doesn't sound bad, but in all honesty it probably isn't the best wood for drums simply because it has such a pronounced midrange. Birch doesn't have "more high end", it has less midrange, which makes it so great for mic'ing; it's been called the "pre-equalized" wood, the lows and highs stand out better than the midrange does.
I don't have any experience with Bubinga except as an outer layer on a Sonor Snare that I had, and I would say that 1 ply played virtually no part in that drums sound....now, if it had been on the inside of the drum - then it would have made a difference.
As for dropping the mallet.
Drop the mallet 1" and see if the Kick drum doesn't sound a lot more musical.
Tim
. O well, my axis pedals are pissing me off. Yes, they are very responsive. But I still havent figured out how to adjust them, despite countless hours of trying, and on my second bass drum the thing fell apart... I wasnt even playign hard, i wa splayign softly and then the spring just came loose and it took forever to get it back, and now it squeaks... Im seriously cosnidering swapping these axis for a pair of DW 5000's. I know you use axis, tim, so do you know what I'm talking about, or am I the only person who ahs these problems?
. ANd the only person I know who is handy enough to fix them is on bad erms with me (well, not yet, but next time I talk to him).