Improving sound of a crap set

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artCROSS

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I got a Pulse Drumset for Christmas...It's probably the lowest of the lows, but i love it to death! My drummer has a custom pearl set of some sort, but i just wanted a set to record my own stuff with. Anyways, I want to record with it, and my friend said that I could make any set sound great if i just put some decent heads on it. My question is what heads would be the best when wanting to record a Ben Folds type of sound (maybe more Something Corporate). The mics i'll probably be using are 2 over head condseners, an ATM25 on the kick, and a SM57 on snare. I'm just gonna let the overhead pick up the toms b/c i ran out of money! Thanks!
 
That isn't a bad way to record drums for being on a budget. Your drums are probably cheap, 6 lugs per head drums. You are probably better off getting a beat-up uses vintage kit such as a Slingerland or a Rogers. But we'll work with what you've got. I would use Remo Emperor heads on top and Clear Remo ambassadors on bottom. On the top heads, a coated or a clear work fine. The coated darkens up the drum a bit, which I like. On the kick, use an Evens EQ3 on the batter and a single ply for the front. On the snare, bottom clear Ambassador snare and on top, a coated Emperor with the bottom black dot part number: BE-0114-10. You'll have to order that head because it isn't a popular head and most stores don't stock it. Give them THAT number!
Tuning: the NON batter side, tighten really tight, skin tight! That makes the batter head tune so much easier and it sounds the best. When tuning the batter heads on the toms, tune to the desired pitch after the bottoms are tuned. On the kick, tighten the front head skintight and the batter head, tighten just enough untill the wrinkle is gone. Snare, bottom skin tight and tighten the batter tighter than the toms. The snare should always cut through everything else.
I hope that helps. Good luck!
D
 
Do not tune the resonant heads "skin tight".

I like Evans G2 clear heads for the batter side, Evans Resonant clear for the resonant side.

On snare, I just use an Evans Power Center or something. Any snare side resonant head for the bottom.

Bass drum, if you like a deep, powerful kick... use the Aquarian Superkick II.

Learn how to tune properly.. it will make a world of difference.

Search for articles on tuning, there are a lot out there.
 
renosonse heads skin tight! these guys that say to tune both heads the same are usally the 20 year old guys at guitar center who think they know it all. It all comes down to personal preference though. I like a Punchy sound with a little bit of overtones. Trust me, John Bonham never had a problem. Listen to the How the west was one CD and tell me the drums don't sound awesome!!
 
cobradenim said:
renosonse heads skin tight! these guys that say to tune both heads the same are usally the 20 year old guys at guitar center who think they know it all. It all comes down to personal preference though. I like a Punchy sound with a little bit of overtones. Trust me, John Bonham never had a problem. Listen to the How the west was one CD and tell me the drums don't sound awesome!!
Click to expand...


If you are going to crank the resonant head that tight, you should just take it off. It's not doing anything anyway.

Everything I have ever read about tuning drums says the top and bottom heads are tuned the same, or just "Slightly" off either way to produce different types of ring.
 
The best way to get a good sound from drums made out of cheap MDF shells is to use Evans Hydraulics on your batter side and a thin evans genera on the reso. That head combo will make any piece of crap sound good.
 
I like the resonant heads skin tight. If they are removed, it sounds like shit because there's nothing for the sound to resonate off of. Just because a book say to tune both heads the same does not mean that it is the best way. Do what ever sounds good to your ears. I've discovered that when the resonant heads are tighter, it makes the top one easier to tune, and the tone is punchier and there's more volume. when they are the same there tends to be a conflict of the heads. I also have a 10x14, 16x16, 16x18 and 14x24 drum set-up and I like the way it sounds tuned like that.
My friend was having trouble tuning his floor tom once before a gig and asked me for help. I hit both heads and said, "its the bottom head, watch this." and tuned each lug 1 1/2 turns and then tuned them to match each other. Later the sound guy complimented his kit and said that the last song souned thunderous! Well, the last song had alot of floor tom in it.
There is no right or wrong way to tune a drum, no matter what anyone tells you. Just listen and then experiment.
 
I usually tune my reso's lower than my batters. I think it all comes down to taste and what heads you're using.
Try looking at the drum tuning bible and see how that goes for you. Google drum tuning bible to get it.
Get a good base tuning, and then go from there to see what your drums like best. There really are no hard fast rules, just directions to go in.

Just my .02

Peace.
 
MadMinute said:
I usually tune my reso's lower than my batters. I think it all comes down to taste and what heads you're using.
Try looking at the drum tuning bible and see how that goes for you. Google drum tuning bible to get it.
Get a good base tuning, and then go from there to see what your drums like best. There really are no hard fast rules, just directions to go in.

Just my .02

Peace.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
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