For years I adored the sound of a kick with the reso tuned an octave higher. So much presence in the kick drum! It's a very usable sound, you get the low end and attack of the batter head and bright resonance from the reso head, also the reso head becomes like a speaker for the batter head because they resonate with the same note, making it a very loud drum.
Ime, almost everybody has their front head too loose. That’s where all your tone lives, man. I generally tune the batter first, get it where it feels good and doesn’t sound clicky or anything. Then tighten the front head until I get the sound I’m looking for. The front head gets tightened way past JAW, and a good bit tighter than the batter certainly. I think popular tuning methods (like Gatzen) are responsible for a lot of frustration for a lot of people. Invariably, when someone just can’t get a good sound, the heads are too loose. Particularly the front, too loose and you get no fullness - instead you get a thin, flat sound with crunchy, flappy overtones. (Then you throw laundry in to clean up the sound, but you didn’t have a good sound to start!) It’s just a big drum, it’s not a different instrument altogether. It needs sufficient tension to produce a big sound and get the shell involved. If you’ve been doing the JAW thing for a while it seems counterintuitive - you think the big, powerful sound comes from the low end so hey, I better tune as low as I can. But the way to get a bigger, more powerful thump is to go higher - not lower. Lots of issues with bass drum sound can be addressed by tightening the front - not by loosening it. With loose heads, it’s all just attack. You’re not hearing the tone of the shell or the heads, just the collision of beater on floppy plastic. Ugh, that crinkly cellophane sound drives me nuts. Tune it UP, get a full, round, luscious tone and THEN dampen as needed to achieve your particular sound. End of novel.
I'm with you too, to an extent. I play in a metal band so I need that attack to overtake the overtones. I dont tune it past a wrinkle, but still fairly low and get a sound that works for what I'm doing. If I wanted to play a softer genre, I would definitely crank it up about a full turn though. Get the sound that you want/need for the circumstances.
Festering Carm Right on! You need the sound that’s right for the music. Metal and jazz always come to mind when I think of specialized tunings that defy the usual. And of course there aren’t any ‘rules’ in drumming, some of the greatest use(d) very unique tunings. But in a general sense, yeah, I think people struggle with bass drum tuning and end up buying more and more muffled heads, or using more pillows, or just giving up and saying “I guess that’s the best it can sound”. Less pillows/expensive muffled heads and a little experimentation with tuning can open up a lot of sounds that are just waiting to be discovered in your bass drum!
As a soundguy, I really love when you musicians in UA-cam videos, or in real life, offer me your perspective on the tech stuff. (Like that most soundguys would go for the batter head.) Keep it coming. ;-)
This video literally made my run to my kit and start messing with tunings in this way... Never thought I could get so many different sounds just by messing with only the reso
Not only an excellent video about tuning, there are some absolute gems in there about simply being a good musician, a good bandmate, and a good performer in not only how you play but how you conduct yourself. Read the room, respect your bandmates, sound as good as you're able to even under shitty conditions. Oh and ideally, show up on time and try not to bitch even if it sucks. Do that and you're going to stay busy.
When I was younger, having 2 heads and a parachute sized blanket in there meant it was in tune lol My 24 in kick (unported and empty) has taken up a considerable amount of my time. I refuse to put anything in my ludwigs, meaning I've been watching every tuning video I can find. This channel has helped significantly 👏
Great vid. I find myself adjusting the bass drum reso often, for the very reasons mentioned here. Trying to work onstage, with mics, without mics, etc. I’ve NEVER gotten it exactly right. But the info you share here (and in all your videos) helps me know I’m not as crazy as my band mates think I am!
Starting a session in the next couple days and I just rewatched this for at least the third time. Incredibly educational video about how incredibly much the reso head matters, and also a bit of a side lesson on muffling. Chances are you don't need as much as you think, and your drum will sound better. Definitely has its place and I'll likely use some myself on this session but it's really incredible to see what you can achieve with absolutely no muffling and just some attention to detail.
Ngl I have a sorts spot in my heart for all the 60s drum sounds (depending on the artists involved and the engineer most of all). I lovvve Hendrix’ drummers sound, Floyd’s, John Bonham? Come on!!
Not much. The recording techniques were still the same and it would still wind up on tape. I’d say the average drummer of the ‘60s understood tuning better than the average rock drummer of today, especially when it came to the bass drum.
I dabbled playing the drums on and (more) off for LONG periods in my life. Don't play anymore but I really enjoy listening to you ge through these "mini" classes. You are articulate and knowledgeable. You make it easy to understand your points. I have very little live performance experience but you raise a lot of questions I used to have - -how should I tune or muffle or play in whatever environment. No one to ask. Cody, you have provided some damn fine information in very cogent fashion. Thank you.....And to all you real drummers out there - listen up - this dude knows his shit!!!!
This channel is amazing, many drummers don't know too much about tuning, difference between batter head and resonant head, tuning to actual notes,and so on. ( pardon my spelling ) I have learned so much, these are a must for any drummer to watch. Thank-you
This was very interesting. I recently watched Ian Paice on DrumTribe [Ive always loved his style] He was saying over recent yrs bass drums got deeper to get a bigger sound. However he has gone back to using std 16'' depth b/d as opposed to 18'' because you get a better head to head resonance response . This actually makes a lot of sense to me.
Along the same lines, over the years I’ve found that those heavier plastic port hole protectors can dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the front head. I use the Aquarian port hole, which is just a thick Mylar with adhesive. Any of the fancy metal finish types that are a two piece snap in design have enough weight to them to make the head very stiff and the drum gets very boxy sounding. IMO. Great vids, thanks!
I am not a "full time drummer". 1st a guitar player. But I love playing drums. I have noticed that with proper tuning of my drums I don't use any dampening, or moongels. And I love it! My bass drum reso head is tuned higher than my batter head and I get a punch and still alot of low end boom. But you brought up a perfect point about "getting out of the way". I was playing bass for a band and I couldn't hear myself for nothing. I actually turned down the "low end" on my bass guitar then all of a sudden I heard every note I was playing! Anyways you got a new subscriber! Thanks man!
I read a Modern Drummer interview of Kingdom Come drummer, James Kottak. He said that he didn't use any muffling in his bass drum..just a remo PinStripe batter and Ebony Ambassador on the front. So I tried it, and liked it on that particular bass drum (14×20 60"' Slingerland).. I started using that 1" layer of fiam in the bottom of the bass drum. After that I stated using the Remo PowerStroke line and they've worked for me since the late 90's.
Awesome it sounds great, I tuned mine with the drum dial, and experimented allot with both batter head and reso head and found a sweet spot batter tuned to 90 and reso tuned the same at 90 on the dial and both pitches match great and it sounds real good.
@@normnashtynash8815 I like my bass drum to have a higher pitch and a tighter feel, when I tried it this way I really liked it even though it's basically tuned tight kinda like a snare drum, it's just a personal preference, sounds big and boomy and the front reso has a port hole
The drum kit on my avatar is my old WFL 28" kick and I put a Beta-52 in it with an XLR out to make life easier for sound guys... Coincidentally, the night I premiered the setup, I had one of my friends tech for us, so he told me "Yeah, we'll spend some time on that kick!!". So he suggested a few tweaks on mic placement and I fine tuned the setup based on some recordings we did with it and a few months later I was back onstage with said tech friend and he was sitting behind the board laughing... I asked why and he said "I've got some pretty clean 20hz coming in here... it's unbelievable!!" Now, that kick up close in a bare room sounded like a tom... Sitting behind it, it was like a cardboard box!! But anyone playing it and you'd stand 10-20ft away, you better brace yourself for BASS!! It had loads of everything, high-mid punch, great attack, awesome bottom end and some low subs for when clubs like to push 'em an make people shit their pants!! Always one of my favorite kits!!
Aw, gotta add... Batter head is Emperor coated with a felt strip 6" off the edge of the shell and reso is a Fiberskyn, no port, with a vintage WFL muffle set pretty tight as close to the edge to minimise the muffling and maximise the band logo space!!!
I love how you guys use the same kit in every video and get so many sounds and your point across! Makes me feel like I don’t need my 40+ snares and 5 kits 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️ to get my point across
Hey... watch you fussing language! Ha ha ha Seriously though, I’ve watched a few of your videos now and I’m impressed by your overall articulately provided and useful info. You are proof that the stereotypical “Drummer” is a myth. Well done... and thanks for the trouble and time you take to make all this happen! Right now, more than ever... many of us need this kind of smart content to help us through all the crazy this year contains. On top of all that... right now my dream is to get a nice little acoustic shell kit, with some singing tasty cymbals... and a place to play and learn everything about Drums and Drumming. From tuning to mic setups for recording, it’s all in my dream of this Guitarist/songwriter/recording Artist, making some Cool real Drum beats for his projects, in his mid 60s. It’s true... I do more dreaming than actual doing, but at this time, it’s not just me and my procrastination getting in the way.😷 Thanks again, man! It’s obvious you’re a Cool person... who I’d be honored to play an instrument next to! Chuk
Cool informative video. I normally tune my bd reso to the same pitch as the beater head. I really liked the sound when you tuned the reso a minor 3rd below the tonic. Going to give it a try........👍
Definitely need a center vs offset port (same size/small port) shootout. I wanna see if the volume is really changed or if it's just the decay/attack and evenness of the sound that's affected. I think a 4 or 5-inch port on a 20" kick would do it. Or a 6-inch port on a 24.
A center hole will kill your resonance and most of your low end. You'll get a lot more midrange, but you'll also lose high end. When this type of hole was more common (1970's-1980's) engineers would compensate for that by sticking a 2nd mic (like a Shure 57) way into the drum pointed at the point of beater contact. An offset hole leaves the center of your reso head intact and so it can still vibrate and project the low end, which lives in the center.
@@bergerdrum But in the 70s, they were BIG holes, AFAIK. I'm talking about a minimally sized hole. Just enough that you COULD stick a mic through. 4"-5" on a 20" drum, 5" only on a 22", or 5"-6" on a 24" drum. Or in terms of a ratio; 1/5 to 1/4 of the diameter of the drum is cut out of the center. Those big holes from the 70s are like 40%-75% of the diameter cut out of the center.
@@Drunken_Hamster I hear you. Yes, those holes back then were pretty monstrous. But I think any hole in the center is going to kill the low end. It's not just me saying it; Simon Phillips, for example, says that if you cut any hole in the center of the reso head, you might as well just take the thing off; that's how big an effect it has. One of these days I'm going to try it with a really old head.
@@bergerdrum Saying and thinking is definitely different from trying. Start with a 1/5 diameter hole, and if that turns out to still be too boxy/resonant sounding, ream it out bigger to a 1/4 diameter center hole. A LOT of people in various hobbies use hyperbole to enforce arrogant/ignorant dogma to push their own agenda. To that effect, I'm NOT making any declarations about Simon Phillips' character, but I'd be wary and skeptical of anyone making broad sweeping statements about anything in the manner that you quoted him doing. If I were a drummer, I'd have tried it already and reported my findings. AND I'd have given it an honest shake by doing it on a new reso head. But then again... Do resos really ever "wear out" or do they just literally decay from time-based aging? *EDIT:* OH, btw, if'n'when you DO try this, if it doesn't resonate well and you're the type to tune your batter loose and reso tight, try doing it in reverse with the batter tight and reso loose. Might allow the reso to, well, resonate more since it'll flap. Plus the batter should theoretically hold and transmit energy better since it'll have more potential energy to begin with due to tension and the actual batter pedal should be able to transfer more energy into it for the same reason. Hell, if the center hole lets the air escape faster, you might not even feel like the batter is too bouncy or buzzy despite being tighter, since you'll get less of a reflection from the reso back into your foot. But this is all just theoretical based on my observations of physics and whatnot.
I discovered through doing a little bit of reading. This idea and how it can change the tone of the drum. As mentioned in the video you need to figure out where the drums live. The great thing about a kick drum is all of the customization. Between beaters and heads and stuff to put in the drum. Even as it’s talked about here the way to tune the relationship of both heads. I’ve found that moving blankets are awesome for muffling. But also the DW pillows are awesome as well as the Evans EQ pad. With this drum it’s all about how far are you willing to go......
Do you ever have two complete heads on your basses? i.e. No front port? I came from a marching background (corps) and really got used to that type of bass drum sound. I wanted my basses to resonate and drove sound guys nuts, because of course, the drums would just ring thru the mic's. Prolly half my fault, prolly crappy sound guys.... And my heads were tuned as close together as I could hear them and pretty low - 80's thunderdrum stuff.
Yeah but you hear the corp bass drums from way yonder, and I dig the melodies and lines from the different sizes (I played in corp style marching band in high school, snare drum).
I get compliments on how well my drums sound especially my bass drum. I have a 22x20 deep bass drum and I don't put a hole in the front and I like the way it feels and responds . I don't know why people are set on putting a port hole in .
I have learned soooo much from you guys! Please keep it up! You have debunked so many pre-conceived ideas I had, and you have enabled me to get the sound out of my kit that I was looking for and struggling with before. Thanks!
Question: why do we all use coated reso heads and clear batter heads on the bass drum but all the other drums are generally the opposite? Is it just for aesthetics? Surely the sound is different too. Have you talked about this in one of your shows?
Ya know, that’s actually a good equation, though I do personally use coated batters on my kits at home and go back and forth between coated and smooth resos... I’m guessing it was a clarity of attack thing when bands started to get louder and louder over the past few decades? -Cody
Every video I watch from this channel is a gold mine. Really appreciate your open mind and creativity with drum sounds. I should have subbed 5 videos ago! (I have now.) Great stuff. (Btw I never thought about that playing in a corner thing.)
I literally can not seem to get enough low and slow decay. I play on the softer side Jazz/Modern Classical/Art Gallery performances. When you said 808, I said "MOAR SUSTAIN!", lol. I am on a quest right now on a 18" kick. I'm thinking thinner heads? It has a Grestch/remo fyberskin reso which looks very cool, but thinking going fyber diplo reso for more tone/sustain? It also has an emperor coated on batter, and I want to order a coated ambassador. I have Pratt mufflers so I can dial in the batters while playing, but new kit and stuff to learn. I hate being tucked deep in the corner (especially galleries), but I like being 6 feet out and with my hi-hat closer to the center of the corner, with my low side more in front of wall. And then I face diagonally and off center to the opposite corner/audience. Those reverberant box rooms can be managed, but it's like banking your sound sources off the rails of a pool table to turn the decay more into a natural reverb instead of slapback/comb filters.
Wondering if I have too many drums. I bought two identical used kits because I wanted two bass drums (Pearl Export). I have four rack toms and 3 floor toms... 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and another 16 with different heads by the hi hat. I play extreme metal, but I'm basically a beginner still.
The use of perfect fourths and fifths to sound in parallel with and to "thicken" the melodic line was prevalent in music prior to the European polyphonic music of the Middle Ages.
I want two bass drums, one tuned a bit higher than the other. I want to go smaller, like 20" and an 18", but I am not sure if the 18 would be over powered by the 20. Terry Bozzio uses two 20" with different pitches (along with 4 other different bass drums lol). I tune the batter head up on my 22 x 18 bass drum (I'd rather a 16 or 14 depth, but it sold as a shell pack) more for the action, and I play off the batter and don't bury the beater. Front head has no port, nothing inside. Which is really kinda nuts with an 18" depth. This vid is helpful in many ways, and also makes me want to try the two 20" drums even more.
I’d love to hear a sub kick in front of that bass! I bet it would bring out a lot more bottom end (even though I’m sure that’s not your style lol) but I’m a metal drummer and between this video, kickports FX Tom ports, and your super low tuning Toms and bass sounds I’ve modeled my kits sound from those videos lol. I’m just now getting into home recording and it’s opened my world up to fine tuning my kit.
This is SO TRUE. I play drums at home in a relatively small room and there's a particular tone of the reso head that makes my 18" kick sounds HUGE. I'm always tuning to that tension so I can get the best out of my drum in recording situations. It's so cool! I would like some tips though regarding playing in live shows with mics on everything. Do you think it's more efficient to shape the sound of, let's say, the bassdrum in a PA system through EQ on the console or actually with tuning the drum? I ask that because in a lot of situations when I'm playing live the bassdrum is not quite good when mic'ed
eric torres haahahhaah no way, man! That would be crazy! I play 4-5 times a week, don’t have a car and 99% of the stages are unbelievable small 😅 if I take a 22x18 drum the rest of the band will need to play outside of the stage
Hey there! No matter the size, I’m all about getting the best sound possible at the drum and giving that to the sound engineer. It’ll give them much more to work with 👍🏻 -Cody
Honestly I have the batter at a wrinkle with the lugs barely touched, and the batter just at the papery zone. I am using a 20 inch, and so far this has gotten me some pretty great results for hard rock/metal. I do wish I could have a little more sustain, but then I struggle getting the pitch low enough.
Can we know or is there a science to predict what pitch results from two different head pitches? I assume both heads tuned to the same pitch gives "the same pitch". but I've never seen this to be the case, and from what I recall, the result can be widely different depending on the volume of the entire drum. Any pointers would be appreciated.
How do you feel about both heads the same pitch. I liked the octave tuning because I thought it gave the most pure tone - but it lost some bottom. Wouldn’t matching the heads give the most clear fundamental?
It really just takes trial and error - I find that I gravitate toward different tuning schemes for different drums, but generally identical top/bottom doesn’t do it for me. Depending on the gig it’ll be higher batter or higher reso but I let each drum and situation dictate the choice 👍🏻 -Cody
Counter intuitive, but when you go really loose, it sounds higher than when you go up a bit. It was very apparent here. It applies to all the drums. I think it's because as you tighten a head, it starts a structural integrity with the main part of a drum, the shell. The combination of shell and head gives the most appealing resonance for me. Your results may vary
Still can't get my 22" by 16" birch kick to punch using this method. My maple punches and snaps great. Maybe it's the wood. I hate muffling but do I have to?
Do you find that with vintage drums (with original fat bearing edges) your hands are somewhat tied, as they don't really "get going" unless the batter head is pretty tight (which for me more or less necessitates going low on the reso side)?
K.C. McCloskey if you want the best of both worlds try a mapex Saturn kick.. ti has rounded exterior and 45 degree interior bearing edges... very wide tuning range and warmth...
Coated ambassador batterhead and low/medium tuned with a medium tuned non ported CS black dot reso sounds great on my 20 by16 vintage sonor beech basssdrum.
What about using a much heavier (weight) reso head? My band needed a logo printed on the bass drum reso heads but had access to only clear batters. So they painted it black with a spray can and put a sticky 20" logo onto the surfaces. And maaaan... I noticed that the sound became much more massive, with much more lower frequencies. Like a cannon.
I've watched many of your videos and enjoyed them. In this particular bass drum tuning video it would have been more informative if you mention what size bass drum you're currently working with. I mostly use a 24" bass drum because I like that nice Fat Sound suitable for mostly big band jazz using one felt strip all the way vertically down the front head. When using a much smaller base from let's say 18 or a 20" I know it would be impossible to mimic that type of sound but in your opinion what would be the best tuning options between the batter and the reso head, also should I use the same type of muffling procedure. Thank you. 😊
Thanks for watching! This is the 22x16" Pearl Masters Custom Maple Extra bass drum that we've used in the majority of our episodes. Regardless of size, the principles covered in this episode apply across the board. Still, you've got to experiment because there are SO many more factors that will affect how your drum sounds to you. As with any of our episodes, these are springboards for your own practice. Cheers!
Just curious what drum heads are you using ? I just recently bought the Yamaha stage custom Hip and going to change all the skins , honestly I’m pretty lost on what skins to get and the 20x8 bass drum I think it’s going to be a tricky skin choice !
I have an old Ludwig set same lug tensions both heads so can’t tune them differently, it sounds good to me…. No ports…anyway to improve it or suggestions?
So I followed the tried and true tuning method of pushing until you see wrinkles, tightening till flat, then backing off. And no matter how I tune the reso head, My kick drum sounds like a floor Tom?? The pitch is so high and it's all tone and no punch.
I hope i get a reply on this! How do you tune the drums with that one pitch? With a tuner? But what kind of tuner? Love to all your videos by the way! So so so Helpfull
It’s actually not all that obvious if you’ve never really experimented with it before. The same could be said for tuning aspects around the entirety of the drum set.
+soundslikeadrum *Earlier in the year at OMS Japanese Christian Church (Walnut Creek, CA, USA), I needed Classical sustain from the YAMAHA® RY2T4,* so I approached even the BD922Y kick as a tom using the tune-bot® frequency charts as a ballpark. The Classical-sustain kick was in fact needed covering the 1897 pop march: *COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS / Multiple artists* (Johnson Oatman Jr./Edwin Othello Excell) Biglow Main Excell, ASCAP which was written at the dawn of the record industry and would have been recorded with a concert band or an orchestra in the first two decades from publishment; a typical orchestration would start at Measure 13 (of 16) for Intro.
A respectfull drummer? What up with that! LOL! A brilliant video that will up my professionalism game! As a kid, I remember playing a gig at a dance club. Basically, a B circuit show that really could’ve helped the band. So here I am, 22 and a fucking clown! Rolling in with a nine piece Tama Imperial Star double bass kit with no front heads on each kicks! It was a two week engagement, and we got canned after the first week! Management complained, sound man did his best but, I refused to make any changes! I recall finishing a set and, no shit, someone threw a drink glass at me, didn’t hit me but I still couldn’t figure out… WTF? Decades later, I still chastise myself and feel guilty for the assault on clientele ears! One of the hottest clubs in town, we never got a gig there ever, ever again! The band eventually ended up on the A circuit but, it took much longer than it should have, my bad! You youngsters out there, stop trying to be a hero like me! Tips like this one will go along way one of the best so far cheers… Keith
Loved how musical each of those tuning schemes were. I tend to have big wide open bassdrums with unported resos tuned to pretty clear pitches, but a recent gig I have just gotten on needed a little less boom. I have settled with a 20x14 with a much tighter front head which seems to be working pretty well. But, following this vid, gonna have to experiment some more! As a side note, loving how the acrolite is sounding! Thanks for the top notch content!
For years I adored the sound of a kick with the reso tuned an octave higher. So much presence in the kick drum! It's a very usable sound, you get the low end and attack of the batter head and bright resonance from the reso head, also the reso head becomes like a speaker for the batter head because they resonate with the same note, making it a very loud drum.
Ime, almost everybody has their front head too loose. That’s where all your tone lives, man. I generally tune the batter first, get it where it feels good and doesn’t sound clicky or anything. Then tighten the front head until I get the sound I’m looking for. The front head gets tightened way past JAW, and a good bit tighter than the batter certainly.
I think popular tuning methods (like Gatzen) are responsible for a lot of frustration for a lot of people.
Invariably, when someone just can’t get a good sound, the heads are too loose. Particularly the front, too loose and you get no fullness - instead you get a thin, flat sound with crunchy, flappy overtones. (Then you throw laundry in to clean up the sound, but you didn’t have a good sound to start!)
It’s just a big drum, it’s not a different instrument altogether. It needs sufficient tension to produce a big sound and get the shell involved. If you’ve been doing the JAW thing for a while it seems counterintuitive - you think the big, powerful sound comes from the low end so hey, I better tune as low as I can. But the way to get a bigger, more powerful thump is to go higher - not lower. Lots of issues with bass drum sound can be addressed by tightening the front - not by loosening it. With loose heads, it’s all just attack. You’re not hearing the tone of the shell or the heads, just the collision of beater on floppy plastic. Ugh, that crinkly cellophane sound drives me nuts. Tune it UP, get a full, round, luscious tone and THEN dampen as needed to achieve your particular sound. End of novel.
Absolutely with you...
I'm with you too, to an extent. I play in a metal band so I need that attack to overtake the overtones. I dont tune it past a wrinkle, but still fairly low and get a sound that works for what I'm doing. If I wanted to play a softer genre, I would definitely crank it up about a full turn though. Get the sound that you want/need for the circumstances.
Festering Carm Right on! You need the sound that’s right for the music. Metal and jazz always come to mind when I think of specialized tunings that defy the usual. And of course there aren’t any ‘rules’ in drumming, some of the greatest use(d) very unique tunings. But in a general sense, yeah, I think people struggle with bass drum tuning and end up buying more and more muffled heads, or using more pillows, or just giving up and saying “I guess that’s the best it can sound”. Less pillows/expensive muffled heads and a little experimentation with tuning can open up a lot of sounds that are just waiting to be discovered in your bass drum!
@crummyy But you can definitely have all music styles covered with a "jazz kit"..
Super nice breakdown!
I really like the sound of the perfect 4th. It's got a nice attack but still has a little resonance.
... for rock. I would venture to go a bit lower on the batter. Maybe that will increase the attack and decrease the resonance.
Absolutely the fourth had some punch to it and maintained that nice slap
That also goes for the snare, in my experience!
As a soundguy, I really love when you musicians in UA-cam videos, or in real life, offer me your perspective on the tech stuff. (Like that most soundguys would go for the batter head.)
Keep it coming. ;-)
This video literally made my run to my kit and start messing with tunings in this way... Never thought I could get so many different sounds just by messing with only the reso
This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite channels!
Cody cannot in any way deny that he just said "drummatically" at 1:26
Not only an excellent video about tuning, there are some absolute gems in there about simply being a good musician, a good bandmate, and a good performer in not only how you play but how you conduct yourself. Read the room, respect your bandmates, sound as good as you're able to even under shitty conditions. Oh and ideally, show up on time and try not to bitch even if it sucks. Do that and you're going to stay busy.
This is true. This literally defined friendships with every bass player I played with. Haha.
When I was younger, having 2 heads and a parachute sized blanket in there meant it was in tune lol My 24 in kick (unported and empty) has taken up a considerable amount of my time. I refuse to put anything in my ludwigs, meaning I've been watching every tuning video I can find. This channel has helped significantly 👏
Great vid. I find myself adjusting the bass drum reso often, for the very reasons mentioned here. Trying to work onstage, with mics, without mics, etc. I’ve NEVER gotten it exactly right. But the info you share here (and in all your videos) helps me know I’m not as crazy as my band mates think I am!
Starting a session in the next couple days and I just rewatched this for at least the third time. Incredibly educational video about how incredibly much the reso head matters, and also a bit of a side lesson on muffling. Chances are you don't need as much as you think, and your drum will sound better. Definitely has its place and I'll likely use some myself on this session but it's really incredible to see what you can achieve with absolutely no muffling and just some attention to detail.
It’s embarrassing to admit, but ‘tuning to the room’ on a gig is something that never even occurred to me to do. ❤️
Same here 🤦🏼♂️
Haven't we all 😃
3:25...I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind There was something so pleasant about that place.
If this channel would have existed in the 60s, imagine how much better the records would have sounded.
Maybe. It would depend on the engineers. They didn't have the experience to deal with resonant drums so, they muffled everything.
Ngl I have a sorts spot in my heart for all the 60s drum sounds (depending on the artists involved and the engineer most of all). I lovvve Hendrix’ drummers sound, Floyd’s, John Bonham? Come on!!
Not much. The recording techniques were still the same and it would still wind up on tape. I’d say the average drummer of the ‘60s understood tuning better than the average rock drummer of today, especially when it came to the bass drum.
@@averyetvspecial1487 wrong
Whaaaat?!60s records sound amazing.🤖🛸
I dabbled playing the drums on and (more) off for LONG periods in my life. Don't play anymore but I really enjoy listening to you ge through these "mini" classes. You are articulate and knowledgeable. You make it easy to understand your points. I have very little live performance experience but you raise a lot of questions I used to have - -how should I tune or muffle or play in whatever environment. No one to ask. Cody, you have provided some damn fine information in very cogent fashion. Thank you.....And to all you real drummers out there - listen up - this dude knows his shit!!!!
Ah thanks for the kind words! Really appreciate it :) Lucky to get to share all this stuff! -Cody
This channel is amazing, many drummers don't know too much about tuning, difference between batter head and resonant head, tuning to actual notes,and so on. ( pardon my spelling )
I have learned so much, these are a must for any drummer to watch. Thank-you
This was very interesting. I recently watched Ian Paice on DrumTribe [Ive always loved his style] He was saying over recent yrs bass drums got deeper to get a bigger sound. However he has gone back to using std 16'' depth b/d as opposed to 18'' because you get a better head to head resonance response . This actually makes a lot of sense to me.
Along the same lines, over the years I’ve found that those heavier plastic port hole protectors can dramatically decrease the effectiveness of the front head. I use the Aquarian port hole, which is just a thick Mylar with adhesive. Any of the fancy metal finish types that are a two piece snap in design have enough weight to them to make the head very stiff and the drum gets very boxy sounding. IMO.
Great vids, thanks!
That's true!
This is the best tuning video I have ever seen. Really good video man. You have opened my eyes to the neglect of the reso head lol.
You guys make the best drum tuning videos, hands-down. Thank you so much for the excellent content!
Would have loved to see this with a closed reso. looks like have to get up from my desk and do it myself :D thanks for your amazing content!
I am not a "full time drummer". 1st a guitar player. But I love playing drums. I have noticed that with proper tuning of my drums I don't use any dampening, or moongels. And I love it! My bass drum reso head is tuned higher than my batter head and I get a punch and still alot of low end boom. But you brought up a perfect point about "getting out of the way". I was playing bass for a band and I couldn't hear myself for nothing. I actually turned down the "low end" on my bass guitar then all of a sudden I heard every note I was playing! Anyways you got a new subscriber! Thanks man!
I read a Modern Drummer interview of Kingdom Come drummer, James Kottak. He said that he didn't use any muffling in his bass drum..just a remo PinStripe batter and Ebony Ambassador on the front.
So I tried it, and liked it on that particular bass drum (14×20 60"' Slingerland)..
I started using that 1" layer of fiam in the bottom of the bass drum. After that I stated using the Remo PowerStroke line and they've worked for me since the late 90's.
Really helping us self taught drummer out here man thank you
Awesome it sounds great, I tuned mine with the drum dial, and experimented allot with both batter head and reso head and found a sweet spot batter tuned to 90 and reso tuned the same at 90 on the dial and both pitches match great and it sounds real good.
Interesting because the Drum Dial company says that the Bass drum dial should be between 70 and 72 for both batter and Reso. Way different than 90
@@normnashtynash8815 I like my bass drum to have a higher pitch and a tighter feel, when I tried it this way I really liked it even though it's basically tuned tight kinda like a snare drum, it's just a personal preference, sounds big and boomy and the front reso has a port hole
Thanks for this vid, it confirms that I’m headed the right direction in my concept
The drum kit on my avatar is my old WFL 28" kick and I put a Beta-52 in it with an XLR out to make life easier for sound guys... Coincidentally, the night I premiered the setup, I had one of my friends tech for us, so he told me "Yeah, we'll spend some time on that kick!!". So he suggested a few tweaks on mic placement and I fine tuned the setup based on some recordings we did with it and a few months later I was back onstage with said tech friend and he was sitting behind the board laughing... I asked why and he said "I've got some pretty clean 20hz coming in here... it's unbelievable!!" Now, that kick up close in a bare room sounded like a tom... Sitting behind it, it was like a cardboard box!! But anyone playing it and you'd stand 10-20ft away, you better brace yourself for BASS!! It had loads of everything, high-mid punch, great attack, awesome bottom end and some low subs for when clubs like to push 'em an make people shit their pants!! Always one of my favorite kits!!
Aw, gotta add... Batter head is Emperor coated with a felt strip 6" off the edge of the shell and reso is a Fiberskyn, no port, with a vintage WFL muffle set pretty tight as close to the edge to minimise the muffling and maximise the band logo space!!!
I love how you guys use the same kit in every video and get so many sounds and your point across! Makes me feel like I don’t need my 40+ snares and 5 kits 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️ to get my point across
That’s EXACTLY why we do it! Cheers!
Great video, thanks a lot for sharing!
I've been watching this channel for a while, and it seems like you've 'found your groove' with the presentations. It's a neat channel too. Keep it up!
What a fantastically useful video - thank you, man! The versatility that’s now available to me is just excellent!
Hey... watch you fussing language! Ha ha ha
Seriously though, I’ve watched a few of your videos now and I’m impressed by your overall articulately provided and useful info. You are proof that the stereotypical “Drummer” is a myth. Well done... and thanks for the trouble and time you take to make all this happen! Right now, more than ever... many of us need this kind of smart content to help us through all the crazy this year contains. On top of all that... right now my dream is to get a nice little acoustic shell kit, with some singing tasty cymbals... and a place to play and learn everything about Drums and Drumming. From tuning to mic setups for recording, it’s all in my dream of this Guitarist/songwriter/recording Artist, making some Cool real Drum beats for his projects, in his mid 60s. It’s true... I do more dreaming than actual doing, but at this time, it’s not just me and my procrastination getting in the way.😷
Thanks again, man! It’s obvious you’re a Cool person... who I’d be honored to play an instrument next to!
Chuk
Cool informative video. I normally tune my bd reso to the same pitch as the beater head. I really liked the sound when you tuned the reso a minor 3rd below the tonic. Going to give it a try........👍
Definitely need a center vs offset port (same size/small port) shootout. I wanna see if the volume is really changed or if it's just the decay/attack and evenness of the sound that's affected. I think a 4 or 5-inch port on a 20" kick would do it. Or a 6-inch port on a 24.
A center hole will kill your resonance and most of your low end. You'll get a lot more midrange, but you'll also lose high end. When this type of hole was more common (1970's-1980's) engineers would compensate for that by sticking a 2nd mic (like a Shure 57) way into the drum pointed at the point of beater contact.
An offset hole leaves the center of your reso head intact and so it can still vibrate and project the low end, which lives in the center.
@@bergerdrum But in the 70s, they were BIG holes, AFAIK. I'm talking about a minimally sized hole. Just enough that you COULD stick a mic through. 4"-5" on a 20" drum, 5" only on a 22", or 5"-6" on a 24" drum. Or in terms of a ratio; 1/5 to 1/4 of the diameter of the drum is cut out of the center. Those big holes from the 70s are like 40%-75% of the diameter cut out of the center.
@@Drunken_Hamster I hear you. Yes, those holes back then were pretty monstrous. But I think any hole in the center is going to kill the low end. It's not just me saying it; Simon Phillips, for example, says that if you cut any hole in the center of the reso head, you might as well just take the thing off; that's how big an effect it has. One of these days I'm going to try it with a really old head.
@@bergerdrum Saying and thinking is definitely different from trying. Start with a 1/5 diameter hole, and if that turns out to still be too boxy/resonant sounding, ream it out bigger to a 1/4 diameter center hole.
A LOT of people in various hobbies use hyperbole to enforce arrogant/ignorant dogma to push their own agenda. To that effect, I'm NOT making any declarations about Simon Phillips' character, but I'd be wary and skeptical of anyone making broad sweeping statements about anything in the manner that you quoted him doing.
If I were a drummer, I'd have tried it already and reported my findings. AND I'd have given it an honest shake by doing it on a new reso head. But then again... Do resos really ever "wear out" or do they just literally decay from time-based aging?
*EDIT:* OH, btw, if'n'when you DO try this, if it doesn't resonate well and you're the type to tune your batter loose and reso tight, try doing it in reverse with the batter tight and reso loose. Might allow the reso to, well, resonate more since it'll flap. Plus the batter should theoretically hold and transmit energy better since it'll have more potential energy to begin with due to tension and the actual batter pedal should be able to transfer more energy into it for the same reason.
Hell, if the center hole lets the air escape faster, you might not even feel like the batter is too bouncy or buzzy despite being tighter, since you'll get less of a reflection from the reso back into your foot. But this is all just theoretical based on my observations of physics and whatnot.
The opening groove at 0:20 sounds like Restin’ Bones by Primus
Wow! Very interesting information...thanks! This will help greatly..
I discovered through doing a little bit of reading. This idea and how it can change the tone of the drum. As mentioned in the video you need to figure out where the drums live. The great thing about a kick drum is all of the customization. Between beaters and heads and stuff to put in the drum. Even as it’s talked about here the way to tune the relationship of both heads. I’ve found that moving blankets are awesome for muffling. But also the DW pillows are awesome as well as the Evans EQ pad. With this drum it’s all about how far are you willing to go......
I'm sure a perfect fifth would have fit as well as the p 4th did, what a nice reference to know where to head when tunning is needed
Do you ever have two complete heads on your basses? i.e. No front port? I came from a marching background (corps) and really got used to that type of bass drum sound. I wanted my basses to resonate and drove sound guys nuts, because of course, the drums would just ring thru the mic's. Prolly half my fault, prolly crappy sound guys.... And my heads were tuned as close together as I could hear them and pretty low - 80's thunderdrum stuff.
Yeah but you hear the corp bass drums from way yonder, and I dig the melodies and lines from the different sizes (I played in corp style marching band in high school, snare drum).
So many good bits of advice here. Thanks for this video!
Just working on the last night. Thanks man.
I get compliments on how well my drums sound especially my bass drum. I have a 22x20 deep bass drum and I don't put a hole in the front and I like the way it feels and responds . I don't know why people are set on putting a port hole in .
I have learned soooo much from you guys! Please keep it up! You have debunked so many pre-conceived ideas I had, and you have enabled me to get the sound out of my kit that I was looking for and struggling with before. Thanks!
This hack went straight to my toolbelt! Want to try this now with small bop kit BD...
Awesome vid..Is that the groove from ''Restin' Bones" by Primus?
He had me hooked at the start. Primus . . . sucks!
One of my fav Brain beats!
Question: why do we all use coated reso heads and clear batter heads on the bass drum but all the other drums are generally the opposite? Is it just for aesthetics? Surely the sound is different too. Have you talked about this in one of your shows?
Ya know, that’s actually a good equation, though I do personally use coated batters on my kits at home and go back and forth between coated and smooth resos... I’m guessing it was a clarity of attack thing when bands started to get louder and louder over the past few decades? -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum I see, thanks Cody I take my hat off to you!
i just want to comment that i recognize intro groove - Restin' Bones by Primus (and if that's a coincidence... i'm shocked!)
awesome video as always!
Every video I watch from this channel is a gold mine. Really appreciate your open mind and creativity with drum sounds. I should have subbed 5 videos ago! (I have now.) Great stuff. (Btw I never thought about that playing in a corner thing.)
That smile while playing at the beginning of episode is priceless 😁
Holy shit... I really love the octave one!!
that snare in the intro is perfect
I literally can not seem to get enough low and slow decay. I play on the softer side Jazz/Modern Classical/Art Gallery performances. When you said 808, I said "MOAR SUSTAIN!", lol. I am on a quest right now on a 18" kick. I'm thinking thinner heads? It has a Grestch/remo fyberskin reso which looks very cool, but thinking going fyber diplo reso for more tone/sustain? It also has an emperor coated on batter, and I want to order a coated ambassador. I have Pratt mufflers so I can dial in the batters while playing, but new kit and stuff to learn.
I hate being tucked deep in the corner (especially galleries), but I like being 6 feet out and with my hi-hat closer to the center of the corner, with my low side more in front of wall. And then I face diagonally and off center to the opposite corner/audience. Those reverberant box rooms can be managed, but it's like banking your sound sources off the rails of a pool table to turn the decay more into a natural reverb instead of slapback/comb filters.
Wondering if I have too many drums. I bought two identical used kits because I wanted two bass drums (Pearl Export). I have four rack toms and 3 floor toms... 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and another 16 with different heads by the hi hat. I play extreme metal, but I'm basically a beginner still.
Thank you so much... drummers need this
Great information,could you possibly do a session on vintage 3 ply drums,Ludwig, or slingerland, or rogers,thanks
The use of perfect fourths and fifths to sound in parallel with and to "thicken" the melodic line was prevalent in music prior to the European polyphonic music of the Middle Ages.
That octave interval was impressive
The perfect 4th is …. Perfect. This is my sweet spot, personally.
I want two bass drums, one tuned a bit higher than the other. I want to go smaller, like 20" and an 18", but I am not sure if the 18 would be over powered by the 20. Terry Bozzio uses two 20" with different pitches (along with 4 other different bass drums lol). I tune the batter head up on my 22 x 18 bass drum (I'd rather a 16 or 14 depth, but it sold as a shell pack) more for the action, and I play off the batter and don't bury the beater. Front head has no port, nothing inside. Which is really kinda nuts with an 18" depth. This vid is helpful in many ways, and also makes me want to try the two 20" drums even more.
Thank you . You explain the best
That middle tuning perfectly resonated with my entirely living room, making my coffee mugs rattle.
3:30 nice playing! So even and consistent hits!
I’m just learning but your videos help me a lot
So glad to hear it! We’re all continuously learning so you’re in great company.
I own a 90s yamaha stage custom. And out of all the drums I've owned or played this bass drum sounds the best.
I got one! (20 inch)
Nice all those tests. Have Pearl Master Custom MMX and this seems like same type so ... thanks!
Great logic as always with this cool cat
Listen to him , understand his reasoning
If so
You will enter the soundly pleased world of love
I’d love to hear a sub kick in front of that bass! I bet it would bring out a lot more bottom end (even though I’m sure that’s not your style lol) but I’m a metal drummer and between this video, kickports FX Tom ports, and your super low tuning Toms and bass sounds I’ve modeled my kits sound from those videos lol. I’m just now getting into home recording and it’s opened my world up to fine tuning my kit.
Great work as always, really helpful and inspiring! Great sounding versions of the bassdrum, but MAAAN that snare sound as well!!!!
Thanks for watching! In case you didn't catch it, here's what's going on with the snare: ua-cam.com/video/1ByHreFq3H0/v-deo.html
Cody, You have wonderful videos! I can learn a lot through these, thank You very much! 💯🙏❤️
This is SO TRUE. I play drums at home in a relatively small room and there's a particular tone of the reso head that makes my 18" kick sounds HUGE. I'm always tuning to that tension so I can get the best out of my drum in recording situations. It's so cool!
I would like some tips though regarding playing in live shows with mics on everything. Do you think it's more efficient to shape the sound of, let's say, the bassdrum in a PA system through EQ on the console or actually with tuning the drum? I ask that because in a lot of situations when I'm playing live the bassdrum is not quite good when mic'ed
Arthur Azoubel 18 inch bass drums suck !!! Get a 22 by 18s and you will not be disappointed.
eric torres haahahhaah no way, man! That would be crazy! I play 4-5 times a week, don’t have a car and 99% of the stages are unbelievable small 😅 if I take a 22x18 drum the rest of the band will need to play outside of the stage
Arthur Azoubel I’ve played in small venues with 2 22 18 bass drums and with people still be able to play . Exuses excuses
eric torres ahhahahaaha ok, I gotta work on that then 😅
Hey there! No matter the size, I’m all about getting the best sound possible at the drum and giving that to the sound engineer. It’ll give them much more to work with 👍🏻 -Cody
Honestly I have the batter at a wrinkle with the lugs barely touched, and the batter just at the papery zone. I am using a 20 inch, and so far this has gotten me some pretty great results for hard rock/metal. I do wish I could have a little more sustain, but then I struggle getting the pitch low enough.
Can we know or is there a science to predict what pitch results from two different head pitches? I assume both heads tuned to the same pitch gives "the same pitch". but I've never seen this to be the case, and from what I recall, the result can be widely different depending on the volume of the entire drum. Any pointers would be appreciated.
Sorry, took much speech! Getting bored! Good informations anyway, but I can't wait so much for it! Thanks!
How do you feel about both heads the same pitch. I liked the octave tuning because I thought it gave the most pure tone - but it lost some bottom.
Wouldn’t matching the heads give the most clear fundamental?
It really just takes trial and error - I find that I gravitate toward different tuning schemes for different drums, but generally identical top/bottom doesn’t do it for me. Depending on the gig it’ll be higher batter or higher reso but I let each drum and situation dictate the choice 👍🏻 -Cody
Counter intuitive, but when you go really loose, it sounds higher than when you go up a bit. It was very apparent here. It applies to all the drums. I think it's because as you tighten a head, it starts a structural integrity with the main part of a drum, the shell. The combination of shell and head gives the most appealing resonance for me. Your results may vary
Thank you, your videos are always insightful.
Still can't get my 22" by 16" birch kick to punch using this method. My maple punches and snaps great. Maybe it's the wood. I hate muffling but do I have to?
Do you find that with vintage drums (with original fat bearing edges) your hands are somewhat tied, as they don't really "get going" unless the batter head is pretty tight (which for me more or less necessitates going low on the reso side)?
K.C. McCloskey if you want the best of both worlds try a mapex Saturn kick.. ti has rounded exterior and 45 degree interior bearing edges... very wide tuning range and warmth...
Coated ambassador batterhead and low/medium tuned with a medium tuned non ported CS black dot reso sounds great on my 20 by16 vintage sonor beech basssdrum.
What about using a much heavier (weight) reso head? My band needed a logo printed on the bass drum reso heads but had access to only clear batters. So they painted it black with a spray can and put a sticky 20" logo onto the surfaces. And maaaan... I noticed that the sound became much more massive, with much more lower frequencies. Like a cannon.
I've watched many of your videos and enjoyed them. In this particular bass drum tuning video it would have been more informative if you mention what size bass drum you're currently working with. I mostly use a 24" bass drum because I like that nice Fat Sound suitable for mostly big band jazz using one felt strip all the way vertically down the front head. When using a much smaller base from let's say 18 or a 20" I know it would be impossible to mimic that type of sound but in your opinion what would be the best tuning options between the batter and the reso head, also should I use the same type of muffling procedure. Thank you. 😊
Thanks for watching! This is the 22x16" Pearl Masters Custom Maple Extra bass drum that we've used in the majority of our episodes. Regardless of size, the principles covered in this episode apply across the board. Still, you've got to experiment because there are SO many more factors that will affect how your drum sounds to you. As with any of our episodes, these are springboards for your own practice. Cheers!
Great vid, some amazing tips in this one. Thanks bud!
Please, tell us more about intervals in the kit
Just curious what drum heads are you using ? I just recently bought the Yamaha stage custom Hip and going to change all the skins , honestly I’m pretty lost on what skins to get and the 20x8 bass drum I think it’s going to be a tricky skin choice !
I have an old Ludwig set same lug tensions both heads so can’t tune them differently, it sounds good to me…. No ports…anyway to improve it or suggestions?
This video is friggin awesome. Like for real, super awesome. Man. XD Thanks for this!
Very useful.... thanks
So I followed the tried and true tuning method of pushing until you see wrinkles, tightening till flat, then backing off. And no matter how I tune the reso head, My kick drum sounds like a floor Tom?? The pitch is so high and it's all tone and no punch.
Can you do a jazz bass drum tuning video. I want my bass drum to ring but not too much and i dont want it cranked up high. something inbetween
We’ve got a couple that cover this topic from different perspectives. Felt strip is key.
Best episode EVER
I hope i get a reply on this!
How do you tune the drums with that one pitch? With a tuner? But what kind of tuner?
Love to all your videos by the way! So so so Helpfull
Hey there! I just use a simple tuner app in my phone that listens to whatever instrument you play near it :) -Cody
Obvious things but probably you guys are the only one who cover it more precisely.
It’s actually not all that obvious if you’ve never really experimented with it before. The same could be said for tuning aspects around the entirety of the drum set.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Well, for some it might be obvious, for some other - not. Obvious... haha
+soundslikeadrum *Earlier in the year at OMS Japanese Christian Church (Walnut Creek, CA, USA), I needed Classical sustain from the YAMAHA® RY2T4,* so I approached even the BD922Y kick as a tom using the tune-bot® frequency charts as a ballpark. The Classical-sustain kick was in fact needed covering the 1897 pop march:
*COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS / Multiple artists*
(Johnson Oatman Jr./Edwin Othello Excell) Biglow Main Excell, ASCAP
which was written at the dawn of the record industry and would have been recorded with a concert band or an orchestra in the first two decades from publishment; a typical orchestration would start at Measure 13 (of 16) for Intro.
Another great video, thanks!
A respectfull drummer? What up with that! LOL! A brilliant video that will up my professionalism game! As a kid, I remember playing a gig at a dance club. Basically, a B circuit show that really could’ve helped the band. So here I am, 22 and a fucking clown! Rolling in with a nine piece Tama Imperial Star double bass kit with no front heads on each kicks! It was a two week engagement, and we got canned after the first week! Management complained, sound man did his best but, I refused to make any changes! I recall finishing a set and, no shit, someone threw a drink glass at me, didn’t hit me but I still couldn’t figure out… WTF? Decades later, I still chastise myself and feel guilty for the assault on clientele ears! One of the hottest clubs in town, we never got a gig there ever, ever again! The band eventually ended up on the A circuit but, it took much longer than it should have, my bad! You youngsters out there, stop trying to be a hero like me! Tips like this one will go along way one of the best so far cheers… Keith
Well done, gentlemen! ❤️
Loved how musical each of those tuning schemes were. I tend to have big wide open bassdrums with unported resos tuned to pretty clear pitches, but a recent gig I have just gotten on needed a little less boom. I have settled with a 20x14 with a much tighter front head which seems to be working pretty well. But, following this vid, gonna have to experiment some more! As a side note, loving how the acrolite is sounding! Thanks for the top notch content!
What about the beater itself? Bought a new one and it is 100% better than the stock one
Thanks!