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RACK or STANDS

I hear this one a lot. Which makes more sense a drum rack or stands?  Well, let's talk about them.

STANDS
Stands for drum kits were initially fairly light weight, because they were designed to hold one cymbal, or a snare drum, and then even later on, two rack toms. However, it wasn’t until the 1980’s that drum companies beefed up the hardware making it possible to have a steady base of support for multiple cymbal arms, etc.

For a while stands keep getting heavier and bigger, finally adding counter-weight booms and getting big enough to jack up your car for a tire change. Nowadays, that “heaviest stand race” has backed off a bit and drum kit stands are available in a variety of sizes (and weights), with clamps and attachments for all sorts of gear. So you do not necessarily NEED a separate stand for each cymbal or other item with those options available nowadays.

RACKS
Drum racks had been “home made” versions until recent years. I remember seeing one from the 1930’s. They are now available from several major companies in a variety of shapes and materials (aluminum, steel, PVC, other composites) with all sorts of extensions, add on's, clamps, arms…you name it….it can probably be configured now from commercially available parts.

OKAY, SO WHY CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER
I have used both racks and traditional stands. (In my DSA page's picture gallery, you'll see phots of me using my rack in Pix #714 and #732)

I have even used a combination of BOTH by having spanner tubes connected to cymbal stands. It worked great for my needs because all of the cymbals, toms, microphones, etc. were on the spanner tubes and the supports were actually heavy duty cymbal stands. That made it easy to set up because I didn’t have to juggle a one legged post while trying to clamp on a fairly heavy (because of all of the attachment clamps) spanner tube.  I had 28 clamps on the spanner tubes,and that made them very heavy.  With rack systems, although you don't have as many FLOOR footprint peices of hardware, you DO have lots of clamps, ratchets, and connectors. The weight increases quickly as you add things onto the rack.

ABOUT USING RACKS
If you seen the photos of PASHA’s drum kit, then you realize that without using rack system components, that he would require an incredible number of specialty stands. There is no question to me that using the racks are a MUST for him.

Racks can, indeed, eliminate a lot of floor footprint clutter if you use a lot of gear that is now on (or else would be) on separate stands. It is now possible to have everything, including your snare drum, and hi-hat, attached to a rack set-up. If you don’t use a rug to mark the floor positions of the components of your drum kit, then a rack might help you with positioning the components of your drum kit the EXACT same way each time.
 
This might not happen to you, BUT I have experienced times when the tubes of the rack interfered with the spot I wanted to place an extra cymbal or a tom. That can be a problem that affects other drum or cymbal spacings too.

Getting everything mountd comfortably takes a lot of time and trial & error to get it all “just right”. That ALSO means that a rack system might NOT be easy to MODIFY when you find yourself on a stage with less than desirable space.

ABOUT USING STANDS
Stands can be adjusted and moved “on the spot” without a lot of hassle in situations like a small stage. And nowadays, it is also possible to SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE the number of actual stands you need by using more clamps and attachments. Stands are a MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE option if you tend to CHANGE your drum kit configuration for different performances.

TRANSPORT
Whether you choose to use a rack or traditional stands, they must be transported to the next performance. So if you do a lot of one niters, either way could mean schlepping a lot of weight around if you have a large drum kit. I don't believe there is much of a weight or load volume difference between stands and racks if you use a large kit.

For smaller kits, I think racks can be OVER KILL.  You may not agree, but that's how I feel about it.


I changed my drum kit somewhat a few years ago.  I did not want to have 250 pounds of drum harrdware to transport so here are some of my personal set-up decisions that might give you some ideas.

I have reduced my hardware load considerably during the past five years by using attachments to the cymbal stands. The attachments and clamps available for use on regular stands are pretty clever designs and they are sturdy as well.

I still have a bunch of drums and rack gear in storage, but I don't usually use a really big set as much these days. So this is what works for me in most situations:

On my left side I have one single braced stand that holds a cymbal, a mounted tambourine, and a rack tom.
On my bass drum, the mounts hold two rack toms and a cymbal.
On my right side, a second single-braced stand holds three cymbals, a cowbell and a jam block. The only other hardware left to pack is my throne, bass drum pedals, snare stand and hi-hat stand.

I purchased an SKB Hardware case (that looks much like a hard shell golf club flight case) that is 48” x 18” and has tilt-back wheels. I do not break down the tiers on my stands. I just remove the cymbals rods. I did not disassemble my hi-hat or snare stand. I simply collapse the legs. I can lay the still-assembled stands into the SKB case for transport. When I set up my kit, it is just a matter of placing the cymbals rods back into the ratchets and opening up the tripod legs.


I have used racks, stands, and the combination of both and I had my reasons for that. Nowadays my playing involves USING VARIOUS KIT COMPONENTS...... depending on...... the performances requirements. Since I CHANGE things quite often .......I’m back to USING STANDS.

If I had a REALLY LARGE KIT....AND....if I was playing with an act where I used the EXACT same set-up each performance...then I’d probably get my rack gear back out.

But right now, with so many one-niters, my lightweight stands are sooooooo easy to set up and TEAR DOWN and pack.

So, like so many aspects of drumming, it comes down to your personal preference of comfort, stability, convenience, portability, and even the desired “look”. Hey.....it’s all about you.

Cheers,
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

At the request of one of our members, I’m going to discuss drum cases. The question was how do I decide what is best for my needs?

First, lets examine the three basic groups:

ATA CASES
These “ultimate protection” cases are usually custom built from ¼” to ½” plywood. They feature special recessed latches, heavy duty hinges and are typically covered outside with a waterproof laminate and lined inside with thick foam cut to fit the shape of item being transported.

To qualify as an ATA Case, the case must conform to the Air Transport Association's specifications (300 mandatory requirements. The material and manufacturing methods must meet or exceed the ATA case specifications...this is a big deal to get ATA certified! The tests involved with becoming "ATA 300 compliant" are conducted to ascertain if an ATA shipping case will withstand the rigors of being shipped a minimum of 100 times. These are cases designed for SERIOUS protection!

These cases are very expensive. Unless you are touring with a major act, where the Road Crew stacks tons of equipment into the tractor trailer rigs, these are probably too big and too heavy to be practical and fit into the vehicle you normally use to transport your equipment.

HARD CASES
They are called “hard cases” generically. The original ones were made of vulcanized fibre by companies like Humes and Berg. This material was developed many years ago to make “sample cases” for traveling salesmen. Humes and Berg took this material and made drum cases (and other musical equipment cases) that quickly became the industry standard through the 1980’s. Although the “fibre style” cases are still available, they are not as desireable as the now popular molded plastic cases. The old fibre cases do tend to warp, absorb moisture, and even tear.

The newer style molded plastic cases are scratch resistant, water resistant, impact resistant, and therefore offer much better protection for your drums. They also available with foam interiors which adds another level of protection. Some companies like XL Specialty Percussion, Inc., now offer designs (i.e. the Protechtor Elite Series) that eliminate the need for foam and yet still offer an additional level of protection.


SOFT COVERS
They are called “soft covers” generically, dating back to the old canvas covers made with Macintosh type material in the 50’s and 60’s. Today, with modern materials, the covers are well designed zipper bags. There are many styles and materials to choose from today, including vinyl, synthetic leather, various types of canvas-like material, nylon, Cordura, and even real leather. Many covers also feature soft protective linings and reinforcement in the areas where the most wear and stress occurs.

SO HOW DO I CHOOSE WHAT’S BEST FOR MY NEEDS?

If you are going to carry your own drums and you will transport and store them VERY, VERY CAREFULLY, then COVERS may be a good alternative for you. They are lightweight and will not scratch or tear the upholstery in you vehicle. However, they offer LITTLE if any PROTECTION from load-in/load-out impact or (horrors!) being dropped. In my opinion, covers are practical ONLY for people who are VERY PROTECTIVE of their drums when they are transported or stored. Otherwise, I DO NOT recommend them.

When in storage, care needs to be taken that they will not be knocked over or have anything heavy (or objects that will pierce them) placed upon them. Remember…..they are called COVERS, because that’s all they are….a soft bag.

If you PLAY LOTS OF ONE-NIGHTERS and transport your gear in the back of a truck or in a trailer, etc. then you most likely need molded cases for your drums. These are, after all, CASES, and as such, they offer a much better level of protection. Modern cases are designed to absorb some of the impact of load-in/load-out handling, as well as, the bumps and vibrations (and sometimes load shifts) experienced in transit. Foam lining (or the cases with “impact absorbing” designs) offers an improved level of protection, and I believe it is well worth the cost…..especially if you have a kit with an expensive custom finish.

Remember that some mounts and brackets require EXTRA SPACE when you are purchasing these kinds of cases. If possible, it is best to actually take your drums into a drum shop and see which styles of cases fit your kit’s components best. One other cool thing, that may appeal to some drummers, is that molded cases are now available in a choice of colors.

If you are TOURING WITH A MAJOR ROAD ACT then you already know about the necessity of ATA cases if you want to still have an intact kit at the end of a tour.


IN SUMMARY

If you care about your drums, then it is wise to select the proper level of protection you will need when transporting them. I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Load-ins and load-outs are often the times when bumps, knocks, and utt-oohs happen. And equipment stacked in the back of a truck or trailer is certainly going to need adequate protection from the ineviatble TRANSIT mishaps.

I have seen drummers near tears, because they transported their beautiful drum kit WITHOUT CASES and somewhere in transit a piece of LOOSE SHIFTING BANGING GOUGING SCRATCHING hardware damaged some drums. There is nothing that saddens me as much as seeing what was once a beautiful drum kit…… absolutely trashed because the owner didn’t “love it enough” to take care of it. But, hey….that’s just my own very biased “drum loving” opinion.

If you've purchased a good drum kit, then you've spent some considerable cash....so why wouldn't you want to take care of it?   Get the cases or covers appropriate for your situation.............and don't leave home without them.

Cheers!
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I want to buy a really good drum kit. Why should I choose Yamaha and not DW, Mapex, Pearl, Gretsch, Tama, Premier, Sonor, Peace, Sunlite, Ludwig, Rogers, Slingerland, Taye, Leedy, or some other company? How do I choose the right brand?

Good Questions and here are some comments for your consideration.

MODERN TECHNOLOGY
Today’s drum manufacturers have had the tremendous benefit of learning from the past mistakes and successes of others, as well as, the advancement of so many technological developments. Modern methods have permitted improvement in the quality of materials, glues, and even quality control tests. The ability to make great drums has never been better!

Today’s big name drum makers ALL MAKE SOME REALLY GREAT PRODUCTS. Some also make some lower price-point products, and student-line or beginner-level products, where certain material cost savings measures and production methods facilitate cheaper price tags. However, the top line drums, usually have more meticulous craftsmanship, closer specification tolerances, and better materials than the lower lines.

There are also some VERY FINE custom drum makers out there today that make very high quality products based upon the specifications and preferences of the individual buyers. Their pains taking attention to fine details and finishing are evidenced in their work. I have seen and heard some incredible drums from these shops.

I have been fortunate to be in performing situations where I have been able to play lots of different drum kits from lots of different manufacturers. So I can say that in my opinion, just like cars there ARE some diffferences.

FEATURES?
Now most companies have unique design features which may be the very reason YOU would want to buy their products over some other company’s. For example, Pearl (Reference Series) has been making drums with different woods and different ply construction for each drum size. DW has “Timbre Matching” and “Vertical Grain” designs which appeals to many buyers. Other companies use various woods, lug designs, metals, unique sizes, etc. AND ALL OF THIS DOES AFFECT THE OVERALL SOUND CHARACTERISTICS. There are more choices than ever and it can be confusing to someone ready to buy their dream kit.

So how do you choose? I believe that like buying an automobile, the drum kit FOR YOU should fit YOUR needs and YOUR playing style and YOUR desired image. It should also give you an absolute feeling of pride and satisfaction when you sit down to play.

In addition to sizes and configurations, you will need to RESEARCH THE DESIGN DIFFERENCES and decide what best suits your OWN SPECIAL performance requirements. For example, do you want warm mellow tone? Do you want tons of bottom end? Do you want lots of projection……or more control? Do you want lots of sustain or more moderate sustain? Some drums today are designed to give you those different sound charactersitics. Choices, choices, and more choices.

Which manufacturer has the counter hoops that feel and sound best to you? Which drums are easiest to tune? Which lug design holds the tunings best? What neat features on this particular brand absolutely “does it” for you? The answer to these questions would affect your choices in sizes, and brands.

LOOKS?
Now cosmetics are also a consideration. Maybe cosmetics have little or nothing to do with the sound or feel of the drums, but they do have a lot to do with how YOU FEEL when you look at YOUR drum kit. Custom finishes, gold hardware, tube lugs, ……whatever…...these are all very personal choices, but it can also add a lot to the final cost. Maybe, to you, the additional cost is worth it. Maybe you also want to have the satisfaction of a very different look from all of the other drum kits.

NEIL'S SOUND TEST
I remember that Neil Peart went on a quest for his IDEAL drum kit several years ago. He decided that he would use the 9” x 13” rack tom as his constant factor in the initial testing for the sound characteristics of drums from all of the drum companies. I don’t know if I would agree that particular drum size is the one for you or me to use as a test drum, but, Neil tried lots of 9” x 13” toms, tunings and headcombinations etc., until he finally decided which company made the drum that he felt sounded “best”. After that he tried their other drums etc. and finally made his choices. This may provide you an idea or some orderly way to weed through some of the endless flavors a little quicker.....OR MAYBE NOT! Either way, I just thought I would share that story with you.

The “best drums” is a highly subjective term. By now, you are aware of my opinion that there are plenty of well-made, top quality, great sounding drums available today. Only YOU can weed out the ones YOU don’t like, and finally get down to a short list of best possible choices for you.

WARRANTIES
Some manufacturers have better warranties, and some have better reputations for quick shipment of repair parts. These "after sales" factors that might affect your final choice.

ENDORSEMENTS
I believe some major dude drummers endorse certain brands because they really feel that particular brand is "the one". However, other drummers might endorse a brand, not only because they make good products, but also because they get a lot of free stuff and a lot of name recognition. I KNOW THE BIG COMPANIES WILL HATE ME FOR SAYING THIS BUT does it really matter to you that (fill in the name) plays (fill in the brand) drums? THE BIG DRUM COMPANIES think it does and they spend a lot working on your mind about that.

For example, how many different brands has Billy Cobham gone through? Or Terry or Vinnie or Bobby? Get the point? So does it matter what brand your favorite drummer playing this year?

Seriously, ....you have a brain and you have ears and you know what sounds "good" to you.....and also know what sounds GREAT to you. Isn't that a better guide line than slick adverstising?

FINAL ANALYSIS
If it sounds like I’m saying that it doesn’t matter what brand then you’re wrong. It does. But it only matters what brand absolutely rocks YOUR world....not mine. It’s what absolutely feels best to YOU and inspires YOU to sit and play and play and play. THOSE are the drums that really "do it" for YOU.

It may be one of the few times in your life where it really and truly is.............ALL ABOUT YOU!

Next time we'll talk about hardware and cases.

Cheers!

Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

On the Forum today, fellow drummer “export1413” asked about why some drummers put tape on their drum heads. I responded to that, but I wanted to expand on that topic in this blog.

While some drummers frown on ever doing that, I do use tape sometimes in live performances and I’ll explain when and why below.

When I do use tape, I use what is called GAFFERS tape....and NO….... it is NOT the same thing as DUCT tape. Gaffers tape has a specially formulated adhesive designed to hold it in place. However, unlike duct tape , it is easily removed and it doesn't leave a sticky residue.

GAFFERS TAPE?
Gaffers tape is used on many theatrical production stages to mark positions for the players or prop placements or maybe to tape down cords for safety purposes. It was purposely designed to be easily removed and not leave the sticky mess that duct tape does. Can you imagine how a stage floor gummed up with duct tape residue would trip up twelve dancers coming unto the stage?

Happy feet galore coming onto the stage! "Tappy-tappy tappidty-tap"….....(then shoes hit that sticky tape residue) then "whoooops…crash……boom....bang!" "absolute disaster"

(I wish I had a video of that happening don’t you?)

Well so much for the lame imaginary comedy. Now, I'll explain HOW and WHY I use gaffers tape on my drum heads. I’ll do it with a real scenario.

SCENARIO
I’m hired to do a show and my drum kit is set up and now the Sound Techs are ready to do the drum sound check. I know that every venue has different acoustic characteristics that have to be dealt with when using sound reinforcement equipment. It’s the job of the Sound Crew to fix those problems at sound check and not at the actual performance.

The problems?......sometimes it’s the lows, sometimes it’s the highs and sometimes it may even be a very specific note of the scale. That’s why my drums (especially the toms) may generate and resonate an overtone series that sets off vibrations in the adjacent drums or that rings way too long causing feedback or weird harmonics.

Okay back to the drum throne. I think my drums sound great…..and they really do ……but then the Sound Techs bring the faders up.

Now in this scenario, I tuned my drums to the pitch intervals I wanted, but I didn’t know until NOW that IN THIS VENUE certain drums would generate these weird little harmonics until the microphones were turned up. "Woooooooooom"

Yes, now we all hear it don’t we? “Which drum is doing that?”

Okay if you’ve never done this before, with drum kits, the microphone placements are a trade off. I can’t let them interfere with my playing so they are sometimes placed in positions that are a compromise between the actual best spot and the spot where they don’t get in my way.

A drum kit has all of these components with different pitches, cymbals vibrating at different frequencies and, on a live sound stage (unlike in a studio - where you can get great room ambiance) CLOSE MIKING THE DRUMS is typically the best way to get that big huge live show sound.

Why not do it like in a studio? Well, simply because placing a couple up those "zillion dollar studio microphones" over the drum kit and getting them "hot" enough to pick up all the drums would result in picking up OTHER NEAR-BY sound sources too.

I know.....some of you need a "word picture".....okay .....focus.....I know you can see what’s around me here. First of all these stage lights are going to make about one hundred degrees on stage tonight....but I digress.

Okay, there are stage monitors everywhere and guitar amps and bass amps and the keyboard amps and then there’s the horn section over there and the back-up singers over here (hey, all three of those girls are really hot looking too) , and the "Star of the show" is running everywhere with a cordless microphone. Okay, back to the point and leave the hot chick singers alone!

Now you see why using a studio “room mic” technique (although it sounds great in the controlled environment of a recording studio) for "live show drums" would pick up a lot of bleed over from the other sound sources and the "house mix" would be a mess.

That’s why I’m sitting at the kit right now listening to the Sound Techs say
“Okay Ken, the kick and snare sound fantastic. Play the floor tom once again…...hey that's some really good solid low end like you asked for.."

Then it starts...woooooOOOOOOMMMMMMM

The the Sound Tech says " s#!+ man, that harmonic is not going away unless you change something up there or we back off the fader out here" .

For live work, when I hit that floor tom I want it to just explode with low end, so I do not want them to bring that fader back because of this weird harmonic overhang..wwwwooooOOOOOOM

So what do I do?

I play on the problem drum with a stick in one hand while moving my index finger on the other hand along the drum head until I find the spot where the microphone is picking up the excess ring from.
I ask the tech “I think I found the spot...did that get it out?” He says “Yeah, that did it.”

Then I apply some GAFFERS TAPE to that spot to deaden the over ring… just enough to stop the harmonic problem. Now with the tape applied I hit the drum again. I repeat this until we achieve a good useable sound because I don’t want to piss off the Sound Techs. That's because I need them to help my drums sound good in the mix…..which makes my employer happy…..which helps them remember who to call next time....ME!


Like I said, I may or may not have this problem with other drums, but if I do, then I try to correct it with a little bit of tape. Although I could resort to re-tuning everything rather that using the gaffers tape……I DO NOT WANT TO EVEN BRING THAT UP because it would take a lot of time and basically piss EVERYBODY off!

On top on that……everyone else is waiting to get their sound check done too! THAT's why I opt for a quick fix, that will work for this stage, and this venue, right here, right now!
I use the tape; the problem is solved in an acceptable way (and quickly) and I still get a good sound.

I'm happy, the Sound Techs are happy because I'm working WITH them and not giving them a big attitude fit.....so they're going to LIKE me and HELP me tonight....and for that THEY'LL get the credit....hey....everybody wins.

I’m the first instrument to get finished with my sound check, but now you understand why that is. They have to get my levels so the rest of the layers can work.

Okay, I’m finished with my sound check. Let’s go hang with the three hot back-up singers while, the Sound Crew tells the guitar player he’s got a lot of lot of crackle coming out of his amp……that’ll keep him busy a while!

"As I walk by the House Mixing Console they say "thanks man" you're great to work with! - but this guitar player with six different guitars to pre-set is driving us nuts!" THE END

BUY WHERE DO I GAFFERS TAPE?
I buy gaffers tape at the same store that sells sound reinforcement equipment here in Nashville. If good to have in your case. I can also use it to tape down any cords I don’t want folks tripping over……and to mark the hardware placements on my drum rug.
Here's a site so you can see the different kinds available. http://www.findtape.com/shop/results.aspx?cid=14&bc=G_GAFF1&gclid=CObn0P_ovo8CFQ2aOAodAlZFdg

ONE MORE THING FOR THE "WIDE OPEN" "NO MUFFLING" GUYS
I understand, and I like to have my drums that way too. Sometimes a venue just has a problem where it just doesn't work out that way. So, I want to assert that I don’t have gobs of tape all over every single drum and my drums don’t sound like cardboard boxes. The tape is used as a quick fix to the harmonics problems in live venue situations.

I will add that, for me, the most frequent "problem" is my floor tom which sometimes picks up sound waves from bass drum batter head ( which is only 4” away from the bottom head of my floor tom). Sometimes one of the rack toms may set off another one, but most of the time it’s the floor tom that gets some tape.

And if that guy doesn't quit saying he needs more cowbell I gonna take it and stick.....oh, think I digressed again

Well, I hope this helpful, until next time….

Cheers,
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I have an email from a young drummer that wants a quick way to get his feet going on double bass drum patterns. He cited some of his favorite Metal music bands and drummers. He was very down because after a few weeks of trying to play it, he was basically getting nowhere. He asked about the heels up or heels down positions and he said he wasn't getting much volume from his bass drum. He wanted tips on getting started on developing his double bass ability.

Here is my advice to him.

REALITY CHECK FIRST
The reality is that professional drummers, known for their proficiency with double bass drum playing spent years PRACTICING like obsessed maniacs to develop their speed, endurance, and muscles. Unless you are a one-in-a-billion exception then you ain't going to get that good in a few weeks. It's gonna take a lot of work.

FIRST GET YOUR FEET IN POSITION
A few drummers may disagree, but I contend that the speed and power you are going for, is best achieved using the HEEL UP technique. Tim Waterson, holder of the World’s Fastest Feet Title, uses an advanced variation that he calls the SWIVEL technique. I highly suggest that you go view the several clips he has regarding this technique.

VOLUME/POWER
Now depending on which drummers we might use as an examples, you need to know that MANY of them actually get the volume via the sound system. Therefore, for the time being, I suggest that you focus on the playing the patterns and keeping them steady. Volume can be addressed later.

EQUIPMENT FACTORS
You need to make sure you set the height of your drum throne and the position of it (in relation to your feet on the bass drum pedals) to where your feet just hang naturally over the pedals. The idea is to get your legs into a position where your feet and ankles can move freely in order to generate speed and control. Spend some time getting this position established because it is the basis of the balance you'll need for playing double bass drums.

The length of your beater stroke, the tension on your bass drum pedals, and the amount of rebound the beaters get off of your bass drum heads (because of the tightness or loosness of your bass drum head) are ALL very significant factors.

You will have to experiment to find the right combination of those variables for you. Perhaps you will even need to make some trade offs to come up with a combination that sounds good and yet still feels good to you.

THE PHYSICS OF BASS DRUM PEDAL SPEED
Imagine trying to play fast bass drum patterns with very long beater stroke lengths (the travel distance) plus loose spring tension on the pedals (the way the beater comes back to ready position) plus a very loose bass drum batter head (which has little rebound). That would take some absolutely phenomenal foot work. There are some minor adjustments would make it so much easier.

These adjustments will improve the efficiency of your pedal strokes. The length of the beater stroke has to be long enough to generate solid beater impact, but not necessarily from a ninety degree angle or "all the way" back. I'd start with about a forty-five degree angle stroke and then adjust it to whatever feels best to you. Somewhere is that general range is most likely going to be a good "feel" for you.

Next the pedal spring tension HAS to be tight enough to return the beater back very quickly to make the next stroke. You need to let the pedal help you. That's why a loose spring tension is just going to feel sluggish and will slow you down rather than helping you.

The beater also has to BOUNCE off of the batter head…..NOT sink into it. So if you are a drummer with a normal bass drum stroke that sinks the beater into the bass drum head (and holds it there) rather than one that lets it rebound off the head (much like a snare drum stroke), then you're going to have to change that style for fast double bass drum patterns. You'll never play thirty-second notes on your bass drums by sinking the beater into the head.

INTERESTING STORY THAT I’LL SHARE
Louie Bellson was the first drummer to bring double bass drum playing to popularity. I had the fortune to meet him, when he was here in Nashville visitIng my friend Larrie Londin. We talked about double bass drums and he shared something that, at first, really surprised me.

He told me that one of things that helped him master the feel of playing double bass drums was his EARLIER LIFE ability as a tap dancer. He said that his bass drum playing had a feel similar like he was tap dancing on the pedals. Well, I'm not a tap dancer, but I watched him do it.....and it made a lot of sense to me. He was dancing on the pedals.


R E V I E W....... O F...... M Y..... T I P S


GET YOUR PEDALS AND BASS DRUM HEADS ADJUSTED FOR YOUR BEST OVERALL SOUND AND FEEL. GET YOUR THRONE HEIGHT AND POSITION FOR THE BEST BALANCE. The speed and control is going to be coming from your feet and ankles not from your legs.

REMEMBER.....for fast playing..... THE BEATER HAS TO BOUNCE OFF OF THE BASS DRUM HEAD QUICKLY IN ORDER TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT STROKE.

PRACTICE SLOW EIGTH NOTE PATTERNS FIRST. MASTER THE SLOWER TEMPO, AND THEN MOVE UP TO A LITTLE FASTER TEMPO. You are working on the ability to keep the pattern even and steady. If the strokes sound choppy or uneven, then you are not ready for a faster tempo yet.

CHECK OUT TIM WATERSON’S SWIVEL TECHNIQUE clips on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92qdU4jspao

PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE. THEN PRACTICE SOME MORE.

Many times, nothing of value comes to us easily. But if playing double bass drums was easy and everybody could do it, then it wouldn't be a big deal would it? Stay committed and have fun.

Cheers!
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I received a new communiqué asking for some advice. It read “My band is playing some gigs now, but I’ve been breaking sticks like crazy and I've cracked some cymbals and busted severaldrum heads. This can't be normal. Help, I’m going broke fast!”


The drum shop must love this guy but he does need help. WE need to find out why he has to hit his kit so hard in the first place.

THERE IS A LIMIT
Now I certainly understand that some drummers like to play "hard", but the reality is that ALL drums, drum heads and cymbals have a volume threshold. That threshold is the point where, no mater how much HARDER you hit them, the instruments WILL NOT give you anymore usable musical sound. When you exceed the impact limits then something has to give doesn’t it?


WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING?
Let’s IDENTIFY some possible scenarios.

1. Your drums aren’t mic'd at all, and everyone else in the band is playing very loud.
You are playing as hard as you can so the drums can be heard.
2. You have drums, drum heads and cymbals that are NOT designed for the musical styles (or for use in the musical environment) that you are performing. Therefore, you are trying to physcially pound more out of them than they can produce.
3. Your drum kit is mic'd, but you are in the habit of playing so PHYSICALLY hard, that the Sound Techs turn you down in the mix.

FACE REALITY
If you’re playing in a very loud band and you are NOT mic'ing your drum kit, then you may, indeed, be bashing your gear into pieces in an effort to be heard. Up to a point, the selection of larger sticks, more durable drum heads and heavier cymbals may help you. But, even these have their volume threshold as mentioned above.

LOUD, VERY LOUD, AND HEY MAN! I CAN'T HEAR MY DRUMS!
If the reality is that if your guitar player has Marshall stacks larger than refrigerators, and EVEN YOU can not hear your drums, then you REALLY DO need microphones on your kit………..and some serious ear protection, as well.

I WAS AT THE RIGHT GIG, BUT I BROUGHT THE WRONG GEAR
Okay, Dr. John! Are you playing gear that just is right for the gig? If you are playing really loud you need to realize that a 15” thin weight crash cymbal and drums muffled up like old school studio sets just ain’t going to cut it. Drum sizes, drum heads and cymbals, designed for loud volume levels may be the solution for the breakage you are experiencing.....but only up to their own limitations.

YOU CAN BE HEARD WITHOUT KILLING YOURSELF
If you are using the appropriate kind of gear and yet you are constantly breaking components IN AN EFFORT TO BE HEARD then you definitely need to mic your kit. With today’s modern sound reinforcement gear, available at reasonable prices, you should not have to damage your drums and cymbals in order to be heard. In fact, the purchase of mic's is going to end up saving you some cash.

IT MAY BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT
Using microphones on your drum kit makes it much easier for you to play in a relaxed easy style and be heard just fine. You will need to tune your drums so that the microphones capture the kind of sound you desire to go to the audience. To make sure of that, you need to tune up the kit while listening to the way it sounds through the PA speakers.

For example, my drum kit for shows for is set up with tunings for use with microphones, and to be honest, it doesn’t sound as good to me without the microphones on it. That’s because the mic's are capturing sound from certain spots or narrow zones on the kit. What the microphone “HEARS” from that spot is what is going to come out the sound reinforcement speakers.

Now combined with some carefully apllied EQ (equalization.... enhancement of specific highs, mids, and lows) my show kit sounds sound bigger-than-life coming through the PA. Depending on the venue there are sometimes weird overtones, or other undesireable sounds that have to be padded out, so time with the Sound Techs is really advised before each performance.

REMEMBER NOW YOU HAVE POWER STEERING
With drum kit microphones, you won’t have to play as HARD anymore. You can still play solid, but you do not have to pound the heck out of your kit. So REALIZE that if you DO continue to play BUTALlY HARD, then the Sound Tech may have to will probably turn you DOWN in the mix. If that happens you’ll loose a lot of the advantages of being mic'd up. So be smart and work with the Sound Tech so that your mix to the main speakers and your monitor mix are both as good as you can get them. Hearing a good mix will inspire you to play tastefully and give you a bit of a different perspective about how you play.

CYMBALS
Although drums of any size can be tuned (within their optimum tuning range and size capability) to sound good when miked up, cymbals can't. Other than using different sticks, they are what they are.

So we have a completely different situation in selecting the right cymbals to use for loud performances. You need to select the sizes, weights, and models that will sound good and ALSO survive for the next performance.

All of the major cymbal makers today design cymbal models for the various styles of playing and volume levels. So if you're constantly breaking cymbals then you are likely using the wrong kind of cymbals for the music you're performing.

Good sounding professional quality cymbals are expensive so I strongly suggest that you choose what you need carefully and take proper care of them. The main set up tip I can offer is DO NOT TIGHTEN THEM DOWN on the stand so tight that they can't move very freely. If they can't move freely, they may not survive the adrelelin rush hits you'll give them before the end of your show.

I hope this gives you some practical ideas that you can apply to your own playing situations. I recognize that each drummer is unique and everyone has to find what works best for them.

Until next time, cheers!
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

Favorite Season: Spring

Favorite Getaway Place: Key West, Florida…man,talk about a laid back town!

Favorite Music Venue: Nashville Ryman Auditorium, it’s acoustically perfect.

Favorite Song: God Bless America

Favorite Spectator Sport: Football

Favorite Sport to Play: Golf

Favorite Drummers:
Jazz – John Guerin
Hired Gun - Keith Carlock
Big Band – Butch Miles/Gregg Field
Show – Ron Tut
Studio – Jeff Poccaro/Jim Keltner
Heavy Rocker – John Bonham
Funk – David Garabaldi
Country – Larrie Londin
Christian Music – Will Denton
Progressive Rock - Mike Portnoy
Concert Rock – Neal Peart
Pop Rock - JR Robinson
Groove Miester - Bernard Purdie
Latin Percussion - Lalo Davila


Band I would love to perform with: Steely Dan

Favorite Movie of All Time: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (we watch it every year!)

Favorite Movie Quote: “He made him an offer he couldn’t refuse”. (The Godfather)

Favorite Animal: I love dogs…especially Cairn Terriers

Favorite Car: Corvette

Favorite Actor: Al Paccino

Favorite Actress: Sandra Bullock

Favorite Male Vocalist: David Clayton Thomas/Michael McDonald

Favorite Female Vocalist: Aretha Franklin/LeAnn Rimes

Favorite CD: "Tom Cat" - Tom Scott and the LA Express

Favorite TV Show: The Unit / 24

Favorite TV Channel:  The History Channel

Favorite Cartoon Character: Scooby Doo

Favorite Beverage: Iced Tea with Lime

Favorite Restaurant Meal: Prime Rib of Beef

Favorite Fast Food Meal: Chili

Favorite Fruit: Banana

Person I respect the most: My wife, Anne

Deceased person I would love I be able to talk to: My Grandmother

Living person I would love to meet and talk to: Bill Gates

Country I would love to visit: Australia

Social Problem that Disgusts Me:  Street Thugs and Drug Dealers

Most Evil Thing on Earth:  Using religion to justify acts of cruelty, greed, and destruction.

Biggest lie I hear the most:  "If I can do anything to help, you just call me".

I received another email asking for ways to help get the drums placed the same way every time the person set them up. I’ll show my response here and maybe it will provide some usuable ideas to other drummers having some similar problems.

Whether you use a large kit, a small kit, or somewhere in between, one thing is certain; you want a set-up that is comfortable so you can concentrate on giving your best performance every time. Many drummers have ways to assure the exact same positioning on their drums every single time. Here are some on my ways for doing that.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE MARKED
There are three basic concerns; the floor spread, the component heights, and the component angles. Let start with the floor spread. I use a commercially made drum carpet called a Gig Rug. I use it because it is thin enough to roll up and fit into my hardware case and because it has a “creep-stop” barrier for my bass drum. You may have something else that you like, but my method for repeating the exact same floor spread each time STARTS with simply marking the hardware placements on the rug.

I use small strips on duct tape to mark the placement of the feet of the stands and throne, the floor tom legs, the pedals, and the spurs of the bass drum. I use duct tape because if I decide to change something, all I have to do is remove the tape and replace it with the new markings. I make a “U” shape with the tape strips around the outside of all of the stand leg rubber tips. I also outline the pedal footboards with tape strips. This is my foundation for placing the other hardware and components.

Some cymbal stands, and other pieces of hardware now have memory locks that allow you to re-assemble certain adjustments in the same way every time. That's great and I use them. But in case you don't I’m going to talk about ways to mark stands that don’t have memory locks or don’t have them in CERTAIN PLACES places that are STILL critical adjustments for a repeatable set-up.

First the stand tripods. I simply mark the center tube's height at the spot where the center clamp tightens with a mark of a Sharpie pen. I draw a line onto the center tube at the top of the clamp line and I ADD a small vertical line, with the Sharpie, at the position where the thumb screw tightens the clap.That marking looks like an upside down letter “T”. The top line of the “T” is the mark for the height of the tube and the vertical line gives mer the lateral spot. I do these markings for other tiers of each stand. I also do it for the cymbal rods. It is a simple way to give you the correct length and the correct spot where the thumb screw aligns every single time.

For cymbal tilters, I make a mark across the two sides of the ratchet when the tilter is in the correct position. Thereafter, to get the correct angle each time, all I have to do is align the two marks on the ratchet. This works for other component adjustments that have a ratchet type adjustment (snare stands, cymbal booms, etc.).

For rack toms, depending on the kind of mounts you have, you decide what sort of marks the Sharpie can make to indicate the same positioning each time. For example, if you have a vertical tube in a bracket on your bass drum, you can mark the height, as you would the cymbal stand leg clamp. You can mark the position where the thumb screw aligns with a vertical mark.

I use different heights on my floor tom legs, so I add an additional code to assure the exact same positioning for them each time. I place the floor tom upside down and mark each leg bracket 1, 2, or 3. Then, when I have each leg height exactly where I want it, I make a mark at the place it aligns with the bracket AND the also mark correponding number on the leg. When I use two floor toms, I do the same EXCEPT I use A, B, and C ON THE SECOND TOM MARKINGS so I don’t get the legs confused.

I also want my snare drum in the stand basket at the same position each time. I mark the bottom snare drum head’s counterhoop with a dot on each side of the snare stand basket’s rubber tip that faces me. Thereafer, I can simply line the two little dots on either side of the rubber tip and have my snare "just right" again.

Now I have multiple cymbal stands and other pieces of hardware that look alike when they are not assembled so I mark WHERE they go in my set-up onto each piece. For example, a cymbal stand base may be marked "LC" for left crash or "LCR" for left crash/ride. The next tier and the cymbal rods with have the same codes.

Should you want to change your adjustments, the Sharpie ink comes off easily with rag and rubbing alcohol. I personally use BLUE Sharpies for marking my gear because it shows up well even in dim light.

Well, that’s the basis of my method for marking my gear. As I take hardware out of the case I simply look at the “component” code and stack the corresponding pieces with one another. I flop out the rug and then position the bass drum and the pedals first. Then everything else can be assembled and be placed and positioned right “on the mark”.

Cheers!

Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I recieved this question:
"Ken, my drums WERE sounding fantastic just a few weeks ago and now they suck. Any idea what has happened to that great sound I had?"

Well, first I will assume that you do tune your drums as needed and that all of the tension rods didn’t suddenly strip out. So, I’d suspect some drum heads now need replacement.

Drum heads, like guitar strings, DON’T have to break in order to NEED replacing. Like guitar strings, they need to be replaced when they won’t hold tunings and the resonance in gone. Your ears should tell you…..hey this doesn’t sound good anymore. Plus, many times, drum heads won’t feel good anymore either. Hey you rock and roll animal, they just wear out.

The most common variables for WHEN to replace your drum heads include:
• How often you play
• How hard you play
• What kind of heads you use

The first head to go on MY set is always the snare drum batter. It just gets a lot of hard strokes and because I like the sound of a single ply coated batter on my snare drums, that kind of head isn’t going to last as long as some other heads might. Now, I could buy other types of heads with more durablility but they don't have the sound and feel I prefer. Just like the guitar player could use heavier gauge strings, but they would feel and play like steel cables to his fingers. The point is that is a "feel vs. durabilty" decision that only you can make for your drum kit heads.

There is a simple test to see just how much wear your snare drum batter head gets after just one gig. At the end of the show, just take it the previously "new" head off and look at it. Does it have lots of dents in it? Is the middle “caved in” pretty deep? If it is really dented up or if it has a big “crater” spot in the middle, then it’s had it. Some drummers can get through several performances without changing snare batter heads. Some change them are EVERY gig. I typically get about three shows out of one.

I usually change the snare BOTTOM heads about every fifth batter head. You may experience a different replacement cycle. However, the bottom heads DO WEAR OUT from the constant snare vibrations and you would be amazed at just how much a DEAD snare bottom head absolutely KILLS your snare drum’s sound.

So how do I remember whether I’m on the second batter head or the fifth? Man, I really can't. I play different snare drums for different performances so I really don’t remember. I have to write the number on the head. What I do is write the “change” number (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 AND the date) on the head’s counter hoop with a Sharpie pen. When I get to new batter head number “4”, I know that the next drum head purchase needs to include a bottom snare head too. I write the date on the snare botton head for future reference also.

Now, depending upon the same variables mentioned above, the tom tom batter heads, and the bass drum batter heads will, at some point, start to feel weird and sound less than desirable. That should signal possible replacement.

Resonant heads on toms last much longer than the snare drum bottom heads because they don’t have the wire snares on them, but they do will fatigue at some point. They too, will need to be included in your own unique replacement cycle scheme.

The snare wires ALSO get worn out and “stretched out” after lots of playing time. There’s no discernable time table, but you should be able to HEAR the problem of dead or stretched out snares. If you can’t, then just do this. Flip your snare strainer OFF to the “RELEASED” position. Now look at the snare wires. Are they hanging even and all of the strands seem to be properly alligned? Or are they uneven and maybe some of the snare wire are pulled out and rattling? If so, it’s time for some new ones.

The various brands and models of drum heads have their own SOUND and TUNING characteristics, and different durablity factors. There are more CHOICES today than ever before. You, and only you, can decide what drum heads perform best for your needs.

I will share this last observation with you. I used to constantly experiment with various drum heads, and ended up with stacks of new drum heads that I did not like. Now that I have identified the kinds of heads that I DO like, I stay with those models when I purchase replacement heads. Afterall, the factor that most concerns me is consistently getting the the SOUND that I want.

Well, until next time…..

Cheers!
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I was just thinking about my musical engagements during the last two weeks. I’ve enjoyed two funky horn band performances with the Fabulous Fairlanes, four nice acoustic jazz nights, a slamming big band show at the Municipal Auditorium, tympani in an afternoon symphonic performance, and some really cool recording work that I’d describe as Celtic/Rock/Metal.

Every situation had a different genre that I was able to bring into the mix from my experiences. I took pride in being able to do what was best to make each situation work for the good of the music.

So what‘s my point? The point is confessing that there was a time in my life when I felt just too cool to do anything but rock the house. For example, I thought that using wire brushes on ANYTHING was about as lame as it gets.

I didn’t like the way they sounded on the drums and I sure didn’t like the way they felt (as opposed to sticks). My one-dimensional rock and roll brain was focused on my perception of being hip, but I was wasn't hip at all.

I thank my lucky stars that a great professional musician thought I was worth helping. He gave a harsh dog cussing about my one-dimensional view that got my immediate attention. Then he explained to me that having a preferrred style was fine, but being a professional musician was ALSO about being able to do whatever the person hiring me wanted. At the age of 16, this was a forunate slap back into reality. It was early enough to get me focused on the things I needed to learn.....about music....about people....and about showing respect for the people who hired me.

Nowadays, I must confess, that I still don’t LIKE the way brushes sound on drums and I still DON’T LIKE the way they feel. But I CAN play with brushes and I do recognize that brushes may be EXACTLY what some artists want to hear on THEIR rendition of a particular song.

And I've gone way beyond brushes. I've since done things like play on a cardboard box, slam a a board down in the hallway, beat on a tom with maracas, and tap a beer bottle with a spoon, rub sandpaper blocks together, etc. And I did it with the attitude of giving the best performance I could. When I "got it" .....and understood that it's not always about my interpretation of what would sound "best".

If you aspire to become a professional drummer, then please don’t limit yourself to being like a one-trick pony. Play what you like as often as you can; and go ahead develop your own style and trademark sound. Just realize that there are often other career opportunities out there that pay very well for those who can do what is required.

Cheers,

Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I believe it takes a certain amount of “take charge” mentality to be in the driver’s seat in just about any band. Drummer’s can certainly control the dynamics and the over all feel of the music with what they play (or don’t play).

They can also be a target for blame if things don’t go right even if they were NOT the reason….or not the ONLY reason. Dealing with the blame game and resolving the disputes requires good people skills. I recommend diplomacy first but I realize that every band or performance situation is different. However, I have some thoughts that I’ll share.

Only YOU can determine what is applicable to your situation. It’s always an emotional situation so I reccomend that you have a plan of action ready when the need arises. My first response is usually to say “Well, I see things a bit differently but let’s sit down and discuss this like the professionals I know we are. I know we can resolve this”. This is not an in-your-face challenge to combat. It’s a very mature way to try and resolve an issue.

If that doesn’t work, then my next move is to say “Okay we both need some space and we don’t want to discuss this until weve though more about it. We'll talk through it later". Then I walk away in order to let the matter diffuse until a later and more appropriate time. I don’t look at this a cut-and-run move at all. It’s me taking the high road (and control)…… basically implying that before someone does something they will regret, I’m tabling the discussion until another and better time.

 There are times when the other party is so belligerent or downright over-the-line that I am forced to use “I’m not going to accept this kind of behavior from you. We can either act like professionals and talk this out, or we can accept the obvious fact that we have different viewpoints on this matter. But no matter what, I am not going to stand here and be insulted any longer.” Sometimes that gets things moving towards actually identifying the REAL problem(s) and arriving at a mutually agreed resolution.

Unfortunately, there are those highly emotional times (and highly regrettable times) when absolutely no diplomatic solution that seems like it is going to given a chance. You shouldn't be expected to take undue abuse or disrespect, but if there is the possibility that a resolution can be reached I'll suggest the next statement be "First you appoligize for he way you acted, then we'll resolve this like intelligent adults."

There are always complicated factors in these extreme conflicts. Maybe the tension has been building for a long time and this was bound to happen. If so, I’ll submit that if the impasse is so serious that you can no longer deal with it, you may be better off just saying “I don't think we can work together if this is the way things are going to be."

There are many strong personalities in the music business. It’s just inherent to the interaction of highly opinionated strong-willed people with creative minds. Some people are able to stay cool and some people are quick to anger. So sometimes tension and tempers do flare. My hope is that cool minds will prevail and the disputes can be resolved.

Sometimes, it has turned out that I WAS the one who was wrong. Yep, that happens too! It takes a strong and confident person to say, “I was wrong. You were right to point that out to me. And now I see that you did exactly what you should have done. Please accept my apology” .

A lot of us drummers have strong egos and often that trait is essential roles we have. However, we should be professionals that can take and give constructive criticism with respect and dignity. No one deserves to be the whipping post every time someone else gets emotional, including the drummer.

Setting the boundaries, and the expected rules for conflict resolution, early in a professional situation is a good way to establish an honest and civil way to address the problems that will arise. So my suggestions for your considerations are:

 •Be professional. Show respect and expect it in return.

 •Don’t loose your cool or let others see you get rattled.

 •Try taking the high road of reason first, the last resort is called that for a good reason.

 •If you are the one who is wrong. Admit it. Deal with it and resolve things.

 •Realize that sometimes you must just accept that you and the other party can still co-exist, even if you disagree on certain matters.

 •If the disagreements turn nasty and bitter beyond any reasonable professional relationship, then maybe it just isn’t worth the stress and energy to keep doing it.

•Never threaten anyone with bodily harm or property destruction. Unless you're a soldier on a field of battle just don’t do it.

 

Well this was a serious blog, but maybe it will help facilitate some thoughts next time you have one of those confrontations.

 Cheers!

Ken Sanders

 IBJAMN in Nashville

If recording artists use a lot of different studio musicians to get tunes down for a CD release, they may not have an actual band for shows and tour work. This is where “hired gun” drummers have an opportunity to make some pretty good pay. If the artist has a “production” type show, the drummer will probably have a lot of homework to do to prepare for it. However, this can easily mean more pay than the some of the other sidemen will get.

It is important for the drummer and the artist (or the arranger) ASAP and discuss how the LIVE performances will differ from the CD tracks.
There are typically some essential count offs, cues, fills, build up figures, and other possible elements that must be done exactly as planned to make the show a dramatic and exciting production. Work on these things BEFORE the rehearsal(s). Impress the decision makers by knowing your parts and helping lock the show together.

The artists want the tempos right so they can sing the lyrics clearly and do the voice inflections they want to do. I suggest that the drummer clock the tempos desired with an electronic click device and practice it. The count offs and the ability to hold the tempo for all the other players is, of course, a basic expectation, but it is especially crucial if the artist uses any sequenced parts in the show.


The next important thing is to make sure that you have the drums and cymbals required to produce the parts the artist wants for the LIVE performances. Big acts will likely furhish this for you!

You MAY have to alter your typical set-up a bit by placing some pads around the kit for some triggered sounds.

Finally, be totally committed and prepared when you do go on stage. It’s more than having your parts down and your gear ready. It includes being alert and focused. Everyone needs adequate sleep and many drummers need some warm up time. Some need to meditate or whatever it is you do to get into the "zone", so whatever it is, make sure you allow time to do it and be ready for the show.

Perform your best every show because you never know who is going to hear you and approach you for your NEXT opportunity. Professional careers are, indeed, a sequence of opportunities that somehow came your way.

Now this last advice is dead serious. The drummer must be straight when he/she goes on stage and becomes the anchor that the band is depending on. So the ultimate no-no is do not ever go on stage drunk, hung over or otherwise impaired. It’s a good way to lose friends, respect, damage your reputation and to get fired.

Being a “Hired Gun” drummer can be an interesting and lucrative endeavor, if you have the focus, style/chops, attitude and personality to handle it. Drummers who develop a reputation for making a big difference in the show’s appeal can move up the food chain pretty quickly. Kudos and positive comments are always pluses for your reputation, and for getting consideration for future work.

This kind of work is NOT for everyone, but for some it might be the vehicle to opportunities that lead to joining a successful band or equipment endorsements or television/video work or maybe even a recording contract. Who knows?

Well, until next time….

Cheers,
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I do my all of drum equipment business at Fork’s Drum Closet in Nashville. One of the cool things about shopping at Fork's is that you never know who is going to come into the store. Customers, both professional and amateur, often have those drummer-to-drummer discussions that are worth just hanging out at the shop to hear.

One cool thing about us drummers is that we LOVE to share our drum information with one another.

One segment of Gary Forkum’s (the owner of Fork’s) business is the ever-increasing vintage drum market. Fork’s has a steady flow of very interesting vintage drums and drum kits coming into the store. It is not unusual for the customers that are present when some really cool items come in, to ooooh and aaaah the newly arrived treasures....often with the reverence others might associate with viewing a sacred relic. I’ve certainly slobbered over lots of them, and see no foreseeable change in my tendency to do so.

Some folks love to collect vintage drums because they find them unique pieces of musical history. Others have been looking for a drum that they want to have in order to create a certain “authentic” sound for recording work…..basically a tool of their trade, but a very special one.  Still others, especially “Jazz Guys” are looking for a vintage kit that has the feel and look and sound that just “does it” for them.

 

 

Everyone seems to have at least one “Holy Grail” drum item they are searching for. For a lot of us drummers…..well... even if we have all the stuff we will ever need… we still just want more cool stuff.

 

Well, I went through all of that to get to the heart of the discussion we had at the drum shop last week. The topic was…..”Do the old drums just sound better than the new ones?” Aaaaah, you can imagine the depth of that discussion…..way too much to cover here, but it does warrant a few points I will make.

 

First, everything about what "sounds" good, bad, great, or, terrible, etc. is, of course, VERY subjective. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then likewise we can accept that fantastic sounds are up to the ears of the one proclaiming them as fantastic sounds.  Now, although some others may disagree with me, there is no doubt in my mind that the top line drums made today, are better crafted than the drums made thirty and more years ago. But the sound? Obviously subjective!

Today’s top line drums are made from specifically selected woods and other materials to PURPOSELY generate certain sonic qualities. Walnut shells, birch shells, ash shells, maple shells, and beech shells, etc. or combinations thereof…..all generate different sound characteristics. Additionally the glues, bending and seaming technology, and other craftsmanship involved in making top line drums today is far superior to those of the good old days. Now that's the CRAFTSMANSHIP..... not the particular sound that just might absolutely rock your world. So maybe we can agree that it still comes down to the unique sound that YOU LIKE doesn’t it?

For example, someone in the drum shop will eventually say “I’ve been looking for a snare drum with that classic ROUNDABOUT (remember the Yes recording with drummer Bill Bruford) SOUND, and I still haven’t found it”.

I confess that I’ve had a lot of fun with this one. I’ve told those drummers searching for that genuine ROUNDABOUT SOUNDING SNARE DRUM to select ANY 5 to 6 ½ depth, 14” diameter drum in the shop and then I would show them THE DRUM they were looking for. After they brought me a drum I would say..."My God...that's it!" Next I tuned the drum heads top and bottom and then de-tuned a couple of lugs on the top head. Then aha!....... there was the ROUNDABOUT SNARE SOUND. The point of this little story is that it is not ALWAYS the drum. It is often the way you set the drum up.

So our drum shop discussion last week ended this way……just about any drummer can name a vintage drum (or drums) that would just BE THEIR ULTIMATE FIND. If they find it; then, they will treasure it, and it will be a source of personal drum pleasure for them to have.

However, back to the original question posed; an old drum does not automatically qualify it for being a great sounding drum. Even after being properly repaired/restored an old drum MAY or MAY NOT sound like the mythical sonic treasure you had stored away in your mind for years.

I have discovered that many times myself..... although..... it doesn’t stop me from still wanting that ELUSIVE vintage drum that is STILL my particular Holy Grail drum. It must just be something that gets into the blood system of us drummers!

The sounds of our drums, in my opinion, are a combined product of our minds, our ears, our techniques and the way we set the drums up.  So ANY drum….vintage or not… with the ability to sound AMAZING, is still dependent on being set up to produce that amazing sound!

So whether old drums actually sound the way that we want to remember them sounding….we’ll most likely continue to search for our own “Holy Grail” drum.  I hope you enjoyed these thoughts and I certainly hope YOU find your Holy Grail drum too!

 

Cheers!

 Ken Sanders

 IBJAMN in Nashville

 

One matter which is often a topic for drum solo artists is the question “double bass drums” or “double bass drum pedal” on a single bass drum.

First, let me state that I am not implying that double bass playing is a "must" for all drum solo artists. I'm only saying that if you DO WANT to use double bass drum effects, that today there are two basic directions to consider. Second, I'm limiting my discussion to acoustic drums, since I believe electronics is a seperate category to discuss at at another time.

Okay, let’s discuss both accoustic bass drum options.

For many years I used two bass drums and there are at least two distinct advantages with that option.

•To the audience, it has a distinctive visual appeal.
•You can use different piches and/or different sized bass drums for unique tonal patterns.

But, there are also some possible concerns about using two bass drums.

•They (perhaps) take up a larger area for your drum kit on stage.
•There is an extra bass drum to transport (which certainly may not bother everyone).
•The positioning of other components of the drum kit may be more difficult. Depending on your reach and the “spread” of the other components, this can impact your comfort and dexterity.

EARLY MODEL DOUBLE BEATER PEDAL

The Zalmer Twin pedal was in production when I started using double bass drums. If you've never heard of it, you may want to Google that one. I tried the Zalmer Twin pedal but the secondary pedal was not smooth at all and it certainly was not responsive (quick) enough to consider for my playing purposes. Although it was a very cool concept for it's day...it just wasn't my "cup of tea".


I initially used an 18” bass drum and a 22” bass drum (obviously with different pitches) which opened up some pretty cool possibilities for jazzy improvisations. However, after evaluating the possibilities of using them in my hired gun work, I realized that two 22” bass drums with the same pitch was probably better.

ADJUSTING THE SET-UP

Using two bass drums meant getting my hi hat stand footboard in a comforatable and playable position. After all, I would play it more than I would the secondary bass drum pedal. I took a hi hat stand, from which I removed the legs, and then attached it to the secondary bass drum counter hoop with a Rogers brand hoop clamp (like Louis Belson was using at the time). That didn't prove to be sturdy enough, so I added a second clamp to really lock the stand into position solidly. That worked.

So far, so good, but now there was another "gear" problem......crash cymbals. When I first started playing double bass drums, boom cymbal stands were not around (yeah, I guess I’m really getting old now). So I also had to rig something up for the cymbals on the left side of my kit that was dependable and solid.

Here's what I did. I used the Ludwig double tom mount on the second bass drum and placed two of the the old shell mount style sliding cymbal holders onto the L rods. Later, I saw a picture of Ginger Baker in Cream, and guess what?....he was doing the same thing. I then mounted the two rack toms on a stand between my right and left bass drums. Everything on the right side of kit fell into place without any more special modifications.

Anyway, if you look at pictures of double bass drum kits in the mid sixties, you’ll see that a lot of drummers were rigging up confortable ways to position the hi hat and other cymbals on their kits.

Well let's go back to the double beater bass drum pedal. Since 1986, I’ve been using a double bass pedal on one bass drum. Basically, when they finally produced one that was smooth, durable, and RESPONSIVE enough to suit me... I bought it!  And for me that has worked out fine.

The other double bass pedals I’ve used SINCE 1986 have constantly improved and the ones I have today ARE INDEED, as RESPONSIVE as anyone could desire. The double beater bass drum pedals on one bass drum provide me with a comfortable set-up and the "feel" is great.

Additionally, the rotating leg hi hat stands made today and highly adjustable boom cymbal stands are so well thought out that it makes my old rigs look like Frankenstein engineering. I had some other rigged up hardware too, but we'll discuss another time.

So today....at least in my opinion..... the factors involved in making a decision of whether you want to use double bass drums or double pedals comes down to...... simply your own personal preferance.

If you prefer the attention-getting cool look..... and the ability to use different pitches..... then use two bass drums. All the hardware you need to get a comfortable set-up is available nowadays.

If you want “less to transport” AND if you like both bass drum beaters generating the EXACT SAME PITCH..... then use a double pedal. You'll find several drummers today, who like me, switched to double beater pedals for those reasons.


Either way, I encourage those who are interested, to enjoy the creative possibilities of double bass drum figures in their performances. Also be glad that the "old drummers" that were out there before you...... pushed drum designers to improve double bass drum equipment.

Today you have lots of great choices!

Until next time,

Cheers,
Ken Sanders
IBJAMN in Nashville

I was thinking about the different situations where drum solos are performed before live audiences. I’m just sharing these thoughts with everyone and hope it facilitates some comments. Sometimes in jazz performances there are numbers that feature the old Be Bop “swapping fours”  or swapping eights.

Then there are jazz tunes like “Take Five”. In the original recording of that tune, Joe Morello had an extended solo to a melodic pattern during his solo, and they performed it that way live also. He was able to structure his solo in that piece to the vibe of the tune. Sometimes those kind of solos can be fun to work out.

I’ve seen Buddy Rich, John Bonham Louie Bellson, Neil Peart, Carl Palmer, Tommy Lee, Omar Hakim, and many other famous drummers do extended solos at a point in the show where they could really focus on playing whatever they wanted without the restriction of staying within the confines of a melody or the accompanying musicians. This seems to be the solo situation that most of us drummers really enjoy most…………whether watching someone else, or getting to perform our solos in front of an audience.

 The thing that seems to be the most important aspect to the audience is that the drum solo be interesting and have some musical entertainment value to it. In the Fabulous Fairlanes Show, I like for my solo to be within a powerful number, where I can bring the band back in for a really big final turn around and a dynamic ending. I’d be interested to hear from others out there about live solos and the logic you apply to making them fresh and exciting for the audience. Well, until next time keep on laying down the jam. Ken Sanders

Well folks, I’m new to the Drummer’s Community Forum, but I would like to offer my experiences and hard learned lessons about life to help to younger drummers. For those aspiring to become professional musicians, I recommend that you seriously listen to all styles of music. When you limit yourself to only one particular style, you are immediately restricting your options in the future. Think of it this way. If you were a house painter (I know a lame example, but that’s the first thing that came to mind) and you personally preferred blue houses, would you want to restrict your work to painting ONLY blue houses? Of course not, you would loose a lot of business. Anything you learn that provides you with a better understanding of different musical styles is a benefit to you and your musical vocabulary. Basically, I just suggest that you don’t allow yourself to become a one dimensional musician if you want to stay marketable as the world of popular music changes. Some of the most successful drummers are very able to read and perform a variety of styles. Examples? How about Anton Fig? He’s worked with some major heavy metal and hard rock musicians and he does the Letterman Show. How about Steve Smith? Big Band, Journey, Jean Lu Ponty, Jazz. Larrie Londin? Motown, Country, Elvis, Journey, Big Band, Jazz and Funk. The list could go on but the point is that a well-rounded drummer can survive the break up of a band, or the end of a musical fad and still go on to the next project. For drummers in a equal partnership with an aspiring band, this can be looked at in lot of different ways. Big breaks with partnership band members like the Beatles can still happen today. Some bands really do have a sincere pledge to stay together and put forth the efforts necessary to reach their common goal. But just remember, after all of the struggle to get a recording contract the Beatles replaced Pete Best with Ringo Starr. Yep, it happens. Honestly, the odds are that bands will, indeed, evolve and some of the original people will be replaced. After many years, Danny Seraphine was suddenly out of Chicago. It happens. Personalities change or band members get married or involved in relationships that change their outlook about a musical career. Others, find out that the road to success is just a lot harder than they ever imagined. Mental breakdowns, religion changes, politics, addictions, attitudes, deaths……who knows what will happen? Basically, the music business can be a long and hard pursuit and not everyone is willing to make the sacrifices required. That’s reality so be prepared to deal with it. Well, I haven’t discussed equipment, sound reinforcement, recording, surviving the road, staying healthy, or any other of the many, many worthy topics…..but I’m open for that. Cheers, Ken Sanders IBJAMN in Nashville

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