Difference between drum heads...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spikeh
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DAS19 said:
whooaaaa heads are kinda like new strings for a drummer :D.
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The great Oud and Tar player, also ethnomusicologist Hamza el Din used to describe the origins of the hoop drum known as "Tar" by telling us that the name comes from Ektar, which has it's origins in the far east: Ek means "One" and "Tar" means string... So if you consider that a drum head is basically a very flat and wide instrument string, it's an appropriate comparison.
 
OK, went for emperrors on top and ambassadors on bottom... trying them out tomorrow. Also received my sound card + AD/DA interfaces now, so it's all funky :)
 
isfahani said:
The great Oud and Tar player, also ethnomusicologist Hamza el Din used to describe the origins of the hoop drum known as "Tar" by telling us that the name comes from Ektar, which has it's origins in the far east: Ek means "One" and "Tar" means string... So if you consider that a drum head is basically a very flat and wide instrument string, it's an appropriate comparison.
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Useless fucking post of the year.
 
My favorites are Evans G2 clear on toms. Not a huge fan of pinstripes... though they seem to last longer, even when brand new they never have as snappy of a sound as newish G2s. You can't go wrong with an Aquarian Superkick I or II on the kick.

Fybreskins are designed to replicate animal hide, right? Those seem like something you'd use for intimate jazz, not for heavy rock...
 
I prefer Fiberskyns over Pinstripes, because of the resonance. A drum should resonate, no matter what type of playing you do. If you want to make the drums sound less resonant, you can EQ and/or compress the resonance out, or apply a gate.

I play rock, experimental rock, avant-garde, etc. Fiberskyns offer more tonality, controlled resonance, and resounding thunder. It does simulate the sound of a calf skin head - I know because I used to have a drum with a calf skin head and also played calf-skin heads in concert band. They sound awesome. To get the most out of the heads, the drummer has to work on how he hits the drums they are on. I've never broken a Fiberskyn head. I haven't broken a head in 14 years.

You can tune in almost any sound you want. In my case, the higher I tune them, the more musical they get. When I tune them low, they never get farty or flappy sounding - they get a really neat compressed/tube distorted sound, very pleasant! This could be because I have nice shells, or because I like to work on my sound to the point that I never have problems with the way my drums sound. If a head sounds flappy, it's because it's tuned too low. This shouldn't be a problem with proper tuning.
 
MidiPunk said:
Here's the best breakdown I'm aware of:
http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/id15.html

I'd go for some 2-ply 'plasticy' batters for that kind of music, Fiberskyns are for the old farts ;)
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Hey watch it now!:p

Fiberskyns are great in the right situation.

Personally, for hard rock of any type, I like Pinstripes. I love the sounds of Ambassadors on toms, but just for the fact that i don't have to put anything on the heads o get the tom sound I personally like - I go with Pinstripes.

Keep in mind that the most used heads on toms are either Clear ambassdaors (for a attack) or coated ambassadors (less attack).

In the studio, thinner heads and cymbals reign supreme, because it takes less force to get "full volume" out of them, so the drummer can actually hit a little lighter.

Plus, thinner cymbals are much more musical sounding. I found that out after 10 years of playing Zildjian Z and Rock cymbals. :rolleyes:
Also, with the thinner heads - you can jut barely tune them and get the lowest note the tom will produce. Sounds like crap to me, but it mic's up really well.

Experiment some before you guys record.
The best kick sound I've ever gotten was with a 28" kick with the heads COMPLETELY slack, and no muffling at all. I had a mic mounted inside the kick. Man it was beautiful!

My guitarist showed up and plugged in (we all played in the same room and recorded everything live) and as soon as he started playing, the front head just buzzed the hole time - it was like having a 28" snare drum just rattling away, full blast.

I found this killer kick drum sound, and he just ruined it. LOL

I was never so pissed in all my life. Man, I spent days looking for a way to get the sound I was looking for, and when i finally did, it was just wash out - but the point is I learned how to get that sound - and when I build my next studio - I will be using it for my own stuff.


Why, oh why, didn't I build a drum room.

Hahahaha



Tim
 
Kirk Markarian said:
I prefer Fiberskyns over Pinstripes, because of the resonance. A drum should resonate, no matter what type of playing you do. If you want to make the drums sound less resonant, you can EQ and/or compress the resonance out, or apply a gate.

I play rock, experimental rock, avant-garde, etc. Fiberskyns offer more tonality, controlled resonance, and resounding thunder. It does simulate the sound of a calf skin head - I know because I used to have a drum with a calf skin head and also played calf-skin heads in concert band. They sound awesome. To get the most out of the heads, the drummer has to work on how he hits the drums they are on. I've never broken a Fiberskyn head. I haven't broken a head in 14 years.

You can tune in almost any sound you want. In my case, the higher I tune them, the more musical they get. When I tune them low, they never get farty or flappy sounding - they get a really neat compressed/tube distorted sound, very pleasant! This could be because I have nice shells, or because I like to work on my sound to the point that I never have problems with the way my drums sound. If a head sounds flappy, it's because it's tuned too low. This shouldn't be a problem with proper tuning.
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Amen! I love drums tuned higher, you get those babies singing like the Big band guys had and it is gorgeous!


Tim
 
Well, I can now officially say that 2 ply Emperors as batter heads and Ambassadors as resonant heads sound great in my studio!

Much better than the fiberskyns he had on there before... and he agrees with me too! :) Though he did manage to put one of the heads on the wrong way around as he didn't realise they were different ;P Bloody drummers! I told him which way to put them around too ;P

Nice and loud + lovely attack to them...
 
Spikeh said:
Well, I can now officially say that 2 ply Emperors as batter heads and Ambassadors as resonant heads sound great in my studio!

Much better than the fiberskyns he had on there before... and he agrees with me too! :) Though he did manage to put one of the heads on the wrong way around as he didn't realise they were different ;P Bloody drummers! I told him which way to put them around too ;P

Nice and loud + lovely attack to them...
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I love the Fiberskyns BUT, they have to have a decent amount of tension on them to sing like I like them - and most guys like their toms tuned lower than I do.

Congrats on getting a drumsound you like!


Tim
 
(Toms)- Evans EC2-clear- allows a controlled amount of resonance/overtones by using a thin metal strip embedded between the two plies on the edge of the head. Great attack as well.

(Kick)- Aquarian Superkick II- This is a 2 ply head with a foam ring attatched to the non playing side. Say goodbye to pillows,blankets and whatever else you used to muffle the bassdrum before- you won't be needing that anymore. It will make your kick drum sound like a cannon-deep thud with excellent punch and attack.
 
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