I live in Texas and till this day it still amazes me that some drummers will leave their snare drums or kits in the car in 100°+ weather and then wonders why their drums will not stay in tune
I live in Phoenix. The land of 110* days or higher. I’m amazed at the number of drummers that store their drums in a garage or other non air conditioned environment. My garage temp today, July 17th was 111*. The low at night inside the garage read 98*. These temps will alter the tension of the drumheads and possibly cause the plastic drum wrap to bubble up. So be careful when buying a used drum as you will never know where the drum was stored.
When gigs were plentiful, I would change my snare every 90 days, both heads. Toms and kick I usually change once a year because I tune them all pretty relatively low. But now with the pandemic and more recording being done, I'm changing my snare every month and just recently restocked for the toms to change them. I love taking drums apart and finding new sounds after tuning by ear, and for playing heavy hardcore and harder music, the formula couldn't be simpler, tune the snare high for crack (I use clear heads for more ring), toms low and girthy, and kick to J.A.W. and we're in business.🥁
If you play heavy music buy an Evans Hybrid for your snare. I play death metal and hard rock and I change my snare head once a year or even more. It's quite expensive, but it worths every penny.
Now, I'm not going to say that what you're doing won't work, because you're doing it and you clearly seem satisfied. But I always had the impression that lower tunings lead to the heads going dead sooner. That's not your experience?
@@toomdog it might be because of the particular heads; I use Evans EC2s Clear heads for the toms and even when I tune them low they last me quite a while. I'm also a Moeller freak and try to get a ton of rebound out of my strokes instead of bashing my toms to death like many metal drummers I know🤣
For me it's rebound loss and a deadness in the sticking that alerts me to it's time to change. My sticking "pattern" is about 2.5" in diameter and I play louder rock using Vater power 5A's so after a while 2-4 months the rebound gets wonky/dead and unpredictable in that sweet spot.
When I was gigging regularly I changed my snare batter head at about 8 months to a year of use. Probably could've done sooner, but my snare was a very forgiving drum to use. When I bought my current gigging kit I replaced all the tom and bass drum heads, top and bottom, but haven't since then. Realizing now I'm waaaaay past due on them.
A few years ago I had a Remo C.S reverse (white) dot on a 1970s Ludwig 400 super sensitive. It was worn out and really needed changing but sounded so good. In all honesty even with identical heads, I’ve never been able to get it sounding as good again!
Certain heads to have a longer break in period. I've found that to be quite common with drumheads using DuPont film. You may just have to play it for a bit more. Beyond that, experiment with the tuning based on the concepts we've presented in our various snare tuning videos. Cheers!
Sounds Like A Drum Yes I’ve found that with certain drumheads. Some take ages to break in, some sound great straight away. Years ago I used to use Premier own manufactured coated single-ply(they were readily available in the UK), they sounded great both when new and a good few months later. The coating lasted really well too. Wish they were still available!
for me it is when de-tensioning the head: if there is more than a 1/10" out of flat it is dead, but you may use dead heads (Devin Townsend) if it does not bother you; the Ambassador on my 14x8" exotic ASAMA is pretty rinsed out (30 years+) but gives me the sounds I like to manage with, so, what ?. Excellent video, btw.
I generally change a head when I stop loving the sound & feel of the drum. My bass drum has a pair of Evans EQ2 heads from 1991. The kit had been in storage for most of the time since then, but I've been playing it every day for the past two years & absolutely love the sound & feel of the kick. On the other hand, I've changed both heads on all the other drums twice since 2017.
Haha, I am way too cheap and frugal to spend my money on new drum heads that often. Only if my band mates start to notice, I would buy new heads or before a recording. But I am only a hobby drummer, so that might play a big role. I also play with very relaxed and open sounding technique thus some of my heads (bassdrum and toms) are older than 8 years...
i usually change old heads with brand new ones few days before i go to a recording studio (like once every year or two). Or when they break, of course. When sanding starts to disappear, that's where i use gaff tape for overtones control.
I read once that Steve Gadd doesn't change his snare heads very often at all. I imagine it's part of his sound. And at one gig he could feel when it was about to pop. He told his roadie it was about to go and very soon after it did!
I’m not a hard hitter or a hard rock player, but I wanted to play along to some sabbath for fun. One hour session and my snare head was more beat up then it has been from months of every day use. Did I overdo it and ruin my snare head?
I love changing heads and strings. It makes me want to play more when everything is fresh. There is nothing worse that sitting down at a kit with old worn out heads possibly with tape on them. I dont understand not taking care of your instruments and wanting them to sound and feel their best.
I change mind all the time just to try out new skins. Currently trying Evans UV2 and loving it. It's got a crack and ping I love. I was on Hydraulic Black skins before that just for looks basically. Didn't sound great to me though.
I’m weird...I change out my heads probably a lot more often than I need to. When I was gigging a good amount I would change out the snare head around every 2 months. I would change out my topTom heads every other snare head (about every 4 months) and I would change out my bottom heads and bass drum head once per year. I don’t play nearly as often as I did then so now I usually just change out my top heads once every 10-12 mos or so and do my resos every other year. It’s amazing the difference that changing out your bottom heads makes.
i recently changed my kick drum heads, which had been on there since before i got the kit around a decade ago from my dad, who hadn't changed the heads for a good 5 or so years before that. it was originally two ply but the top ply had split, so i had partly torn it off and was playing the bottom ply with random flaps of the top ply loosely waffling against the surface. id been able to get a usable sound out of it by mixing, but now that i've changed it out i can actually tune the drum up and have sounds other than "finger tight four pillows" ironically the original head is still on there, i took the time to fully remove the top ply and then put in a big 10" port from the center right to just before the rim, and now it's acting as a reso.
I tend to use loss of attack and wonky overtones as my barometer for when to change my snare heads (basically when it feels like my snare doesn't punch as hard as it used to). Great video as always!
I love that worn in look. Like the cover of Max Roach drums unlimited. The best snare I’ve ever played was a school snare. This 60s Gretsch 4105 with a top and bottom head from the 90s, Remo ambassadors. I know it’s from around that time because a teacher played the same drum. I try to make my snare drums sounds just like the that snare.
Excluding situations where I want to be sure my drums sound as good as possible (recording), I change my snare/tom batter heads when there's a big enough spot in the center where the coating has worn away, maybe 3" diameter or so, maybe more. I change the reso heads maybe every other time I change batter heads. I'm pretty sure I change heads less often than most people. With my 22" bass drum, I just look at the beater strike zone to gauge how worn the batter head is. It takes years before I change it. I've never changed the front head. The current configuration is clear EMAD with the thinner foam ring, Ebony PS3 front head with a 4" offset port, and no other muffling. I'm considering either sticking with the EMAD, or maybe going coated, to match with an EQ1 Dry (I like DW's version, but theirs has larger vent holes - I guess I need a drill?), EQ3 coated, or EMAD front, or going old school and using Calftones front and back with felt strips to muffle, but I can't decide which way to go.
For my at home solo practice kit (ie non bashing) the batters get changed rarely... but for gigging or full band practice the snare batter always needs changing before it gets dirty or coating worn out. I’ll usually rotate the snare batter 90 degrees to prolong the life cause mine will end up with a downward dip from hitting the same spot. I rotate my kick batter the same way to prolong having to change it. Reso snare gets changed when it’s bottomed out like you said or if there’s visible marks or in the case of my Pearl free floater I’ll change it when it seems like it’s been on there awhile cause that thin pointed bottom aluminum edge likes to pop reso heads, esp during a gig.
I am not too thrilled about how new heads sound for a couple of days. I believe they need a break in period to sound their best. So I don't recommend changing them right before a gig. Also I play a lot of brushes and a fresh coating always feels terribly loud after I change heads. But I have to say that since I use a Tune bot to get the pitch in the right range quickly, changing heads has become much faster and the result is more reliable.
I actually feel like the heads are often too bright sounding when they're new and I like how they start to sound a few months in. I'm one of the guys you describe at the end of the video with the pinstripes. I don't really change drum heads unless they get damaged somehow, or if want to swap them out to a different type of head for a different sound. I love vintage drums, and I think that a lot of the character and vibe of old drums are accentuated with worn-in heads.
You could put coated heads on to temper the brightness. I ran coated G2 on top and coated G1 Evans on my toms for a couple years and I absolutely loved it. Playing singer/songwriter indie/emo grunge (?).
My snare drum head always has a worn out circle just above center, the rest of the snare almost looks new compared, and the first rack tom, 10" with a coated head in my case is the first to start looking all gunked up, pain in the ass cause i don't always want to get four new tom heads but it looks awesome to have fresh heads on all toms at once
Great work man! I have always wondered about this, some key things to keep an eye on, combined with what your getting out of the drum is very useful and can save a heeeeaaaaaaap of time getting the kit working the way you want it!
Hm! So I changed heads in February, didn’t play those drums again for 7 months (lockdown), and now I might have change the heads?! Actually though, it does tell me why when I play them again this week, they might sound worse than I remember them doing. Very good video, thanks!
It’s funny, I also play bass and being a disciple of James Jamerson, all my basses have between 2-6 year old flatwounds that seem to get better and better. And I still can get as much brightness as I want. I don’t approach my drumheads that way haha.
+ 1 on the flats, although there are some brands I change every year or two and some I leave on forever. Guitar strings are hell. Before the pandemic I was playing bass in a band, but now that I'm left to my own devices I've been playing a lot of guitar (my first instrument) and I'm really sick of those things. I haven't been putting enough time in on the drums lately too require new heads. When it comes to Drums, the weak link is my playing.
@@jkf9167 all 4 of my basses are 60’s styled Fenders, so in the spirit of my heroes all are strung with La Bella flats. I’ve experimented with others, but for the true Motown or Beach Boys tone La Bella’s are the way. They also sound great with classic rock and alternative. Some say flats are a one trick pony, I use them for everything. I can’t play rounds cause the finger feel and also the loss of low end makes it sound anemic to me. My dad is a guitarist and I gotta say it’s a bit of work maintaining a six string, especially if you have a Floyd Rose tremolo. My drum heads last me 2 years at least on the toms and kick. But I usually play 7A’s and rarely go all out Bonzo on the kit haha. I need more time playing in a band context, but I’m almost always called in for bass. Hate to say it, drummers are more readily available than a bass player so that’s the determining factor for me.
@@ianisaacs2340 I play punk and alternative on flats. I play a Mustang that I have Dunlop Flats on. Those are the ones you have to change every year or so. I have some LaBellas that I can try on it when it's time to change them again, but I'm quite attached to the Dunlops. I also have a Jazz bass that has GHS flats. Those I never need to change. For Drums, I do everything idiosyncratic because I'm self-taught and drums are weird. But I also don't play super hard. I use fat but light maple sticks. I put an Ambassador on the snare (except I just put a black dot on it because I had one and looked cool), and Pinstripes on the toms because I realized that it's be easier to sound normal if I just did what everyone else does. I'm lukewarm about playing drums in a band. Generally, I prefer to be in a band that has a better drummer than I am. I use my drums for fun and recording.
for me it's strictly sound. If my snare doesn't sound right, I change the head. Even on sessions. I always keep extra heads with me in the event that an engineer asks, but that's never happened.
I'm always worried that I can't justify spending over $100 replacing all my heads when the drumset itself isn't even worth that much haha, am I being silly? Should I just upgrade all my heads and hope it makes my crappy kit sound good, or should I just save that money and put it towards buying a new drumset altogether?
i was in your position once, when i had a beginner drum set i was trying out all kinds of heads before and had mismatched heads for a while and it didn't really bother me cause the drums were cheap westburys , but when i bought my maple sonor drums i bought all new reso heads and batter heads for all toms and snare, when you buy something at a higher price you want good heads to be on there. it's kind of like getting a great guitar and a great amp. why pay for a great guitar and play it with a cheap bad amp. IMO sorry for the long rant
Buy really good drum-kit which is really worth of best heads investment. Otherwise: I don't see any reason to spend big money on the heads and put them on rubbish kit.
Good heads, the right muffling for your sound, and good tuning on a low-mid tier kit can really help them sound good. In some cases you can get exactly the sound you want with cheap drums, just depends what sound youre going for.
People out here changing heads in one or two years? Bro I haven't changed my heads in 10 years. Maybe that's why I'm getting absolutely no rebound off then at all
Do you also put a date on your tom reso heads? you gave me a great idea writing the date for the snare side head, cause i had a snare reso head split on me for the first time in 17 years playing drums, i've had and purchased different drum sets and snare drums over the years but i was shocked when i first saw that. now i'm thinking i may have to change my tom reso heads. sorry long rant on that question i'd love to hear your opinion
I have 3 easy rules to follow. #3 Is most important. 1. Is it sounding bad after I tuned it? Yes, change head No, it sounds good leave alone 2. Does it have holes? Yes, change head No, sounds good leave alone 3. Is the rim too close, flush, or below bearing edge of shell? Basically low enough for stick to cause damage to shell like when I perform a rim shot. Yes! change head immediately! Don’t let someone ruin your precious! No, leave alone
I replace heads only if they meet these requirements. I’ve had heads on bass and toms the longest two years and snare a year at most. Sometimes I change heads after three months if they pop out of collar or lose that nice sound. Toms sometimes as little as a month because they just get used more or just a bad apple. But those three rules help me a lot.
Man, yet another great and useful video! Been following you guys for a few years now and i really enjoy your content! Thanks for all the amazing information and tips, keep it up!! :DD
I try to listen to the sound of the drums and if they are still producing the sound i want then i leave the heads on. Once they start to give me trouble in tuning or not giving me the consistency they used to I change them. I'm performing eat least once but usually about three times every week and my drums are always mic'd so if the mix changes, I know the heads need to be changed.
You won't believe how long I've been with my drumheads. When I told to the guys of Sounds Like a Drum on Instagram that I'm with some drumheads for 22 years, they were surprised. Well, I didn't tell the whole story. I play at church, and I saw the old drummer put those drumheads: Remo Weather King Pinstripe on toms and kick, and Ambassador on snare. I replace the snare head for a Evans 360, and the kick head for a Evans G2, but just because they were ripped. Good drumheads are expensive here in Brazil, so this explains why I don't change my drumheads often. But the good news is I've been purchasing (sloooowly) the heads. I'm with all reso heads, and I will purchase all the batter heads - now all coated. I'm excited. The sound of my drums, I know, it will change dramatically.
Oh man. You are going to enjoy playing with those new heads my boy. I just swapped both heads on my toms a few months ago and it DRAMATICALLY changed the sound with different heads. And today, in fact that’s how I came across this video, I changed both the snare and batter heads on my snare and let me tell you, after playing foe at least an hour every day since I bought the snare a year ago, I wasn’t expecting there to be such a huge change in sound and feel.
I have a question: Is it possible that without any tension on the bottom, shells can warp and become unround? i am talking about concert toms or toms without resonant head. I change heads when I want to change the sound.
@@SoundsLikeADrum I usually go by feel and sound. If I have to tighten up the head to get it back to the tension for the correct amount of rebound then I usually will get a new head. Or if the head is starting to sound overly dead and dry.
Hey Sean! Sorry about the confusion- “back line” or “house” gear is provided by the venue or a rental house rather than belonging to the player. Here in New York City this is the standard for most smaller venues (capacity of less than 1000 people). Happy to answer any other questions you may have and we’ll be sure to clarify in the future. Cheers! Ben
I love the concept of your channel and how you delve into and deconstruct the intricacies of each part of the drum. Would y’all ever be interested in applying that same focus to sensory percussion? Would be really interested to get your perspective on it.
Just use your brain when it comes to these things. You don't need a video for everything in your life. It's a sheet of Dupont plastic film. There's not much else to say. Use common sense and you should be good. If you don't understand, just put the drumsticks away, you shouldn't be anywhere near a drum kit.
For what it’s worth, not everyone thinks of these things and we’re happy to share our experience and expertise on the topics. These aren’t always intuitive concepts. As for your dismissal of anyone who doesn’t understand, this is a really shortsighted mindset that I hope you learn to keep to yourself. And no, for what it’s worth, that’s not DuPont polyester film. -Ben
I live in Texas and till this day it still amazes me that some drummers will leave their snare drums or kits in the car in 100°+ weather and then wonders why their drums will not stay in tune
it happens to me alot when it's not bein' wraped with anything Evans
I live in Phoenix. The land of 110* days or higher. I’m amazed at the number of drummers that store their drums in a garage or other non air conditioned environment. My garage temp today, July 17th was 111*. The low at night inside the garage read 98*. These temps will alter the tension of the drumheads and possibly cause the plastic drum wrap to bubble up. So be careful when buying a used drum as you will never know where the drum was stored.
What a great video!!!! Iearn so much from your channel!!! Thank you so very much for your video!
Writing the date, and marking points. Brilliant. Thanks!
Great episode
I usually write the date on the head when I fit a new one.
When gigs were plentiful, I would change my snare every 90 days, both heads. Toms and kick I usually change once a year because I tune them all pretty relatively low. But now with the pandemic and more recording being done, I'm changing my snare every month and just recently restocked for the toms to change them. I love taking drums apart and finding new sounds after tuning by ear, and for playing heavy hardcore and harder music, the formula couldn't be simpler, tune the snare high for crack (I use clear heads for more ring), toms low and girthy, and kick to J.A.W. and we're in business.🥁
If you play heavy music buy an Evans Hybrid for your snare. I play death metal and hard rock and I change my snare head once a year or even more. It's quite expensive, but it worths every penny.
Now, I'm not going to say that what you're doing won't work, because you're doing it and you clearly seem satisfied. But I always had the impression that lower tunings lead to the heads going dead sooner. That's not your experience?
@@toomdog it might be because of the particular heads; I use Evans EC2s Clear heads for the toms and even when I tune them low they last me quite a while. I'm also a Moeller freak and try to get a ton of rebound out of my strokes instead of bashing my toms to death like many metal drummers I know🤣
@@ZetroDrummer I've played those Hybrid heads and man if I could afford to I would never play anything else, they're amazing
For me it's rebound loss and a deadness in the sticking that alerts me to it's time to change. My sticking "pattern" is about 2.5" in diameter and I play louder rock using Vater power 5A's so after a while 2-4 months the rebound gets wonky/dead and unpredictable in that sweet spot.
I love this channel. I got my drums sounding great because of this
Your snare sounds beautiful!
Very clever tips guys, thank you
You guys are awesome!
Aw shucks! Thanks so much, Tyler!
I loved the ideia of make a little mark on the head to see how it changes, just genial
🇧🇷
When I was gigging regularly I changed my snare batter head at about 8 months to a year of use. Probably could've done sooner, but my snare was a very forgiving drum to use. When I bought my current gigging kit I replaced all the tom and bass drum heads, top and bottom, but haven't since then. Realizing now I'm waaaaay past due on them.
A few years ago I had a Remo C.S reverse (white) dot on a 1970s Ludwig 400 super sensitive. It was worn out and really needed changing but sounded so good. In all honesty even with identical heads, I’ve never been able to get it sounding as good again!
Certain heads to have a longer break in period. I've found that to be quite common with drumheads using DuPont film. You may just have to play it for a bit more. Beyond that, experiment with the tuning based on the concepts we've presented in our various snare tuning videos. Cheers!
Sounds Like A Drum
Yes I’ve found that with certain drumheads. Some take ages to break in, some sound great straight away. Years ago I used to use Premier own manufactured coated single-ply(they were readily available in the UK), they sounded great both when new and a good few months later. The coating lasted really well too. Wish they were still available!
for me it is when de-tensioning the head: if there is more than a 1/10" out of flat it is dead, but you may use dead heads (Devin Townsend) if it does not bother you; the Ambassador on my 14x8" exotic ASAMA is pretty rinsed out (30 years+) but gives me the sounds I like to manage with, so, what ?.
Excellent video, btw.
You have been SOOO much help man. You give support to a lot of feelings I had, but doubted myself. Free to experiment now. Thanks again !
I generally change a head when I stop loving the sound & feel of the drum. My bass drum has a pair of Evans EQ2 heads from 1991. The kit had been in storage for most of the time since then, but I've been playing it every day for the past two years & absolutely love the sound & feel of the kick. On the other hand, I've changed both heads on all the other drums twice since 2017.
Haha, I am way too cheap and frugal to spend my money on new drum heads that often. Only if my band mates start to notice, I would buy new heads or before a recording. But I am only a hobby drummer, so that might play a big role. I also play with very relaxed and open sounding technique thus some of my heads (bassdrum and toms) are older than 8 years...
i usually change old heads with brand new ones few days before i go to a recording studio (like once every year or two). Or when they break, of course.
When sanding starts to disappear, that's where i use gaff tape for overtones control.
I change every summer and winter. Its just easier to remember that way.
When you go to a cheap practice space and the drumheads literally resemble the surface of the moon
Thanks for your info my friend..always professional knowledge..you the man..been playing music for years..always learn something new
I read once that Steve Gadd doesn't change his snare heads very often at all. I imagine it's part of his sound.
And at one gig he could feel when it was about to pop. He told his roadie it was about to go and very soon after it did!
When brushes don't play easy, I change it out; but I share your sentiments on brand new coating.
Love this channel
Thanks Zac!
I’m not a hard hitter or a hard rock player, but I wanted to play along to some sabbath for fun. One hour session and my snare head was more beat up then it has been from months of every day use. Did I overdo it and ruin my snare head?
I love changing heads and strings. It makes me want to play more when everything is fresh. There is nothing worse that sitting down at a kit with old worn out heads possibly with tape on them. I dont understand not taking care of your instruments and wanting them to sound and feel their best.
I change mind all the time just to try out new skins. Currently trying Evans UV2 and loving it. It's got a crack and ping I love. I was on Hydraulic Black skins before that just for looks basically. Didn't sound great to me though.
not being racist, but "Hydraulic Black skins" does not please no real drums; tssss !.......
That is a good idea I will use it
Sounds so great with that G12 !! I'll have to try those
My absolute favorite! -Cody
I’m weird...I change out my heads probably a lot more often than I need to. When I was gigging a good amount I would change out the snare head around every 2 months. I would change out my topTom heads every other snare head (about every 4 months) and I would change out my bottom heads and bass drum head once per year.
I don’t play nearly as often as I did then so now I usually just change out my top heads once every 10-12 mos or so and do my resos every other year. It’s amazing the difference that changing out your bottom heads makes.
i recently changed my kick drum heads, which had been on there since before i got the kit around a decade ago from my dad, who hadn't changed the heads for a good 5 or so years before that. it was originally two ply but the top ply had split, so i had partly torn it off and was playing the bottom ply with random flaps of the top ply loosely waffling against the surface. id been able to get a usable sound out of it by mixing, but now that i've changed it out i can actually tune the drum up and have sounds other than "finger tight four pillows"
ironically the original head is still on there, i took the time to fully remove the top ply and then put in a big 10" port from the center right to just before the rim, and now it's acting as a reso.
I tend to use loss of attack and wonky overtones as my barometer for when to change my snare heads (basically when it feels like my snare doesn't punch as hard as it used to). Great video as always!
I love that worn in look. Like the cover of Max Roach drums unlimited. The best snare I’ve ever played was a school snare. This 60s Gretsch 4105 with a top and bottom head from the 90s, Remo ambassadors. I know it’s from around that time because a teacher played the same drum. I try to make my snare drums sounds just like the that snare.
When you've worn through a coated head and now your strike zone is clear... Naw it's fine I'm scared of replacing my snare head when I suck at tuning
Don't let the fear of tuning hold you back from an improved sound. The best way to overcome that fear is to practice! Yes- practice TUNING.
@@SoundsLikeADrumthat facts 💯
You should watch @soundslikeadrum videos on tuning and get over that hurdle!
Excluding situations where I want to be sure my drums sound as good as possible (recording), I change my snare/tom batter heads when there's a big enough spot in the center where the coating has worn away, maybe 3" diameter or so, maybe more. I change the reso heads maybe every other time I change batter heads. I'm pretty sure I change heads less often than most people.
With my 22" bass drum, I just look at the beater strike zone to gauge how worn the batter head is. It takes years before I change it. I've never changed the front head. The current configuration is clear EMAD with the thinner foam ring, Ebony PS3 front head with a 4" offset port, and no other muffling. I'm considering either sticking with the EMAD, or maybe going coated, to match with an EQ1 Dry (I like DW's version, but theirs has larger vent holes - I guess I need a drill?), EQ3 coated, or EMAD front, or going old school and using Calftones front and back with felt strips to muffle, but I can't decide which way to go.
Damn. This channel rocks
For my at home solo practice kit (ie non bashing) the batters get changed rarely... but for gigging or full band practice the snare batter always needs changing before it gets dirty or coating worn out. I’ll usually rotate the snare batter 90 degrees to prolong the life cause mine will end up with a downward dip from hitting the same spot. I rotate my kick batter the same way to prolong having to change it. Reso snare gets changed when it’s bottomed out like you said or if there’s visible marks or in the case of my Pearl free floater I’ll change it when it seems like it’s been on there awhile cause that thin pointed bottom aluminum edge likes to pop reso heads, esp during a gig.
I am not too thrilled about how new heads sound for a couple of days. I believe they need a break in period to sound their best. So I don't recommend changing them right before a gig. Also I play a lot of brushes and a fresh coating always feels terribly loud after I change heads.
But I have to say that since I use a Tune bot to get the pitch in the right range quickly, changing heads has become much faster and the result is more reliable.
I actually feel like the heads are often too bright sounding when they're new and I like how they start to sound a few months in. I'm one of the guys you describe at the end of the video with the pinstripes. I don't really change drum heads unless they get damaged somehow, or if want to swap them out to a different type of head for a different sound. I love vintage drums, and I think that a lot of the character and vibe of old drums are accentuated with worn-in heads.
You could put coated heads on to temper the brightness. I ran coated G2 on top and coated G1 Evans on my toms for a couple years and I absolutely loved it. Playing singer/songwriter indie/emo grunge (?).
@@toomdog I guarantee if he’s playing vintage drums he’s using coated heads.
My snare drum head always has a worn out circle just above center, the rest of the snare almost looks new compared, and the first rack tom, 10" with a coated head in my case is the first to start looking all gunked up, pain in the ass cause i don't always want to get four new tom heads but it looks awesome to have fresh heads on all toms at once
I’d be keen to see you replicate larnel Lewis’s right side snare that he uses as a Tom as well
Hey Elisha! They actually did this, ua-cam.com/video/i85IS4Qe9iY/v-deo.html
My snare drum head has a two-inch circle on the center that's completely clear now but it still sounds great. :D
I usually change the skins when I notice that they become harder to tune or work with , I do it about every year or so snare 6 months max ,
Hey! Can I put an aquarian response 2 clear on the snare side?
Afraid not, it’s far too thick to conform to the snare beds or offer good snare wire response. Definitely go for a dedicated snare side head 👍🏻 -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum thank you!
Great work man!
I have always wondered about this, some key things to keep an eye on, combined with what your getting out of the drum is very useful and can save a heeeeaaaaaaap of time getting the kit working the way you want it!
Hm! So I changed heads in February, didn’t play those drums again for 7 months (lockdown), and now I might have change the heads?! Actually though, it does tell me why when I play them again this week, they might sound worse than I remember them doing. Very good video, thanks!
Do they still have catgut snare wires? Would like to use catgut for snare wires versus metal wires if I can.
It’s funny, I also play bass and being a disciple of James Jamerson, all my basses have between 2-6 year old flatwounds that seem to get better and better. And I still can get as much brightness as I want. I don’t approach my drumheads that way haha.
Oh I feel ya man, I play bass too and flats only get better with age :) flats and cymbals, just let them break in 👍🏻 -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum CODY I HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE A BASSIST TOO!!! Absolutely agree, just let cymbals and flatwounds do their thing!
+ 1 on the flats, although there are some brands I change every year or two and some I leave on forever.
Guitar strings are hell. Before the pandemic I was playing bass in a band, but now that I'm left to my own devices I've been playing a lot of guitar (my first instrument) and I'm really sick of those things.
I haven't been putting enough time in on the drums lately too require new heads. When it comes to Drums, the weak link is my playing.
@@jkf9167 all 4 of my basses are 60’s styled Fenders, so in the spirit of my heroes all are strung with La Bella flats. I’ve experimented with others, but for the true Motown or Beach Boys tone La Bella’s are the way. They also sound great with classic rock and alternative. Some say flats are a one trick pony, I use them for everything. I can’t play rounds cause the finger feel and also the loss of low end makes it sound anemic to me.
My dad is a guitarist and I gotta say it’s a bit of work maintaining a six string, especially if you have a Floyd Rose tremolo.
My drum heads last me 2 years at least on the toms and kick. But I usually play 7A’s and rarely go all out Bonzo on the kit haha. I need more time playing in a band context, but I’m almost always called in for bass. Hate to say it, drummers are more readily available than a bass player so that’s the determining factor for me.
@@ianisaacs2340 I play punk and alternative on flats. I play a Mustang that I have Dunlop Flats on. Those are the ones you have to change every year or so. I have some LaBellas that I can try on it when it's time to change them again, but I'm quite attached to the Dunlops. I also have a Jazz bass that has GHS flats. Those I never need to change.
For Drums, I do everything idiosyncratic because I'm self-taught and drums are weird. But I also don't play super hard. I use fat but light maple sticks. I put an Ambassador on the snare (except I just put a black dot on it because I had one and looked cool), and Pinstripes on the toms because I realized that it's be easier to sound normal if I just did what everyone else does. I'm lukewarm about playing drums in a band. Generally, I prefer to be in a band that has a better drummer than I am. I use my drums for fun and recording.
for me it's strictly sound. If my snare doesn't sound right, I change the head. Even on sessions. I always keep extra heads with me in the event that an engineer asks, but that's never happened.
I change heads everytime I form a new group. Been eight years now.
I'm always worried that I can't justify spending over $100 replacing all my heads when the drumset itself isn't even worth that much haha, am I being silly? Should I just upgrade all my heads and hope it makes my crappy kit sound good, or should I just save that money and put it towards buying a new drumset altogether?
Depends, what kind of kit do you have?
i was in your position once, when i had a beginner drum set i was trying out all kinds of heads before and had mismatched heads for a while and it didn't really bother me cause the drums were cheap westburys , but when i bought my maple sonor drums i bought all new reso heads and batter heads for all toms and snare, when you buy something at a higher price you want good heads to be on there. it's kind of like getting a great guitar and a great amp. why pay for a great guitar and play it with a cheap bad amp. IMO sorry for the long rant
Buy really good drum-kit which is really worth of best heads investment. Otherwise: I don't see any reason to spend big money on the heads and put them on rubbish kit.
Good heads, the right muffling for your sound, and good tuning on a low-mid tier kit can really help them sound good. In some cases you can get exactly the sound you want with cheap drums, just depends what sound youre going for.
People out here changing heads in one or two years? Bro I haven't changed my heads in 10 years. Maybe that's why I'm getting absolutely no rebound off then at all
I like to use my heads until they break. Even if i bought a year ago, it still works so I use it.
Do you also put a date on your tom reso heads? you gave me a great idea writing the date for the snare side head, cause i had a snare reso head split on me for the first time in 17 years playing drums, i've had and purchased different drum sets and snare drums over the years but i was shocked when i first saw that. now i'm thinking i may have to change my tom reso heads. sorry long rant on that question i'd love to hear your opinion
I have 3 easy rules to follow. #3 Is most important.
1. Is it sounding bad after I tuned it?
Yes, change head
No, it sounds good leave alone
2. Does it have holes?
Yes, change head
No, sounds good leave alone
3. Is the rim too close, flush, or below bearing edge of shell? Basically low enough for stick to cause damage to shell like when I perform a rim shot.
Yes! change head immediately! Don’t let someone ruin your precious!
No, leave alone
I replace heads only if they meet these requirements. I’ve had heads on bass and toms the longest two years and snare a year at most. Sometimes I change heads after three months if they pop out of collar or lose that nice sound. Toms sometimes as little as a month because they just get used more or just a bad apple. But those three rules help me a lot.
Heads are too expensive to replace every month or some other reason. As long as they sound good and don’t damage the shell I keep playing.
Man, yet another great and useful video! Been following you guys for a few years now and i really enjoy your content! Thanks for all the amazing information and tips, keep it up!! :DD
I try to listen to the sound of the drums and if they are still producing the sound i want then i leave the heads on. Once they start to give me trouble in tuning or not giving me the consistency they used to I change them. I'm performing eat least once but usually about three times every week and my drums are always mic'd so if the mix changes, I know the heads need to be changed.
You won't believe how long I've been with my drumheads. When I told to the guys of Sounds Like a Drum on Instagram that I'm with some drumheads for 22 years, they were surprised. Well, I didn't tell the whole story. I play at church, and I saw the old drummer put those drumheads: Remo Weather King Pinstripe on toms and kick, and Ambassador on snare. I replace the snare head for a Evans 360, and the kick head for a Evans G2, but just because they were ripped. Good drumheads are expensive here in Brazil, so this explains why I don't change my drumheads often. But the good news is I've been purchasing (sloooowly) the heads. I'm with all reso heads, and I will purchase all the batter heads - now all coated. I'm excited. The sound of my drums, I know, it will change dramatically.
I mean, after a certain point, they probably don't get much worse until they break, right?
@@toomdog that's right!
Oh man. You are going to enjoy playing with those new heads my boy. I just swapped both heads on my toms a few months ago and it DRAMATICALLY changed the sound with different heads.
And today, in fact that’s how I came across this video, I changed both the snare and batter heads on my snare and let me tell you, after playing foe at least an hour every day since I bought the snare a year ago, I wasn’t expecting there to be such a huge change in sound and feel.
I have a question: Is it possible that without any tension on the bottom, shells can warp and become unround? i am talking about concert toms or toms without resonant head.
I change heads when I want to change the sound.
A clever video I was about to suggest actually! You should rename your channel as "Drumpedia".
@sounds like a dum - is there a reason the snare had the internal muffler removed?
Maybe- not sure. It was like this when I got it. -Ben
Aquarian's coating takes about a year to wear off for me. And I play rock/metal!
So what do you use as a gauge for when to change heads?
@@SoundsLikeADrum I usually go by feel and sound. If I have to tighten up the head to get it back to the tension for the correct amount of rebound then I usually will get a new head. Or if the head is starting to sound overly dead and dry.
So are you trying to tell me that the stock Premier logo resos on my 90s kit might not be up to snuff? Blasphemer!
😂
When you get paid enough to make it worth it after all sweet home Alabama doesn't deserve anything new.
what on earth is a 'back line kit'? I keep hearing you refer to this in your videos and I do not know what you are talking about...
Hey Sean! Sorry about the confusion- “back line” or “house” gear is provided by the venue or a rental house rather than belonging to the player. Here in New York City this is the standard for most smaller venues (capacity of less than 1000 people). Happy to answer any other questions you may have and we’ll be sure to clarify in the future.
Cheers!
Ben
@@SoundsLikeADrum oh ok, thanks Ben, sure appreciate it.
I love the concept of your channel and how you delve into and deconstruct the intricacies of each part of the drum. Would y’all ever be interested in applying that same focus to sensory percussion? Would be really interested to get your perspective on it.
Just use your brain when it comes to these things. You don't need a video for everything in your life. It's a sheet of Dupont plastic film. There's not much else to say. Use common sense and you should be good. If you don't understand, just put the drumsticks away, you shouldn't be anywhere near a drum kit.
For what it’s worth, not everyone thinks of these things and we’re happy to share our experience and expertise on the topics. These aren’t always intuitive concepts. As for your dismissal of anyone who doesn’t understand, this is a really shortsighted mindset that I hope you learn to keep to yourself.
And no, for what it’s worth, that’s not DuPont polyester film.
-Ben