I'd love to see your take on a "ultimate versatility kit". Say an open jam when you need to go one genre to the next, unsure what the next song could be, taking requests, etc. A set up "good enough" to jump from blues, jazz, country, rock, motown, soul, funk, and more and still fit okay. Your personal thoughts on sizes, tunings, tricks and tips in those circumstances. Just an idea. So far most vids have been one piece or one aspect at a time. Extremely helpful. Outstanding content. But it's somewhat another thing to put it all together. The thinking behind those choices. What you like, or might avoid. Zero qualms about this awesome channel. Very glad you're back for another season.
To me the quintessential open bass sound is the beginning to Radriohead’s “High and Dry.” Great vid as I recent got a Broadkaster kit with a 20x14 bass and think I’ll try the felts.
yes I have played on a wide open 22" drum with the right engineer and it was phenomenal. Sound comes from both sides of the drum (i.e. back towards you, the drummer). We did the same drum with a pillow a week later and hated it
With few exceptions this is the muffling technique I always use. Good info on not putting too much tension on the felt strip. Also some manufacturers now have heads with the felt strip pre-installed.
Good video. The felt strip method offers a great sound, in my opinion. I have found that the width and placement of the felt impacts the muffling, and so drummers should experiment with those factors. For example, the width of the strip can be proportional to the size of the drum: a 1.5 inch strip on an 18" bass drum might give the same length of resonance as a 2" strip on a 22", and help jeep a similar resonance. One can buy a yard of felt at a fabric store and experiment on the cheap. Finally, I have found it best to draw the felt snug (not tight, just in the way this video explains) after the head and hoop are on the drum but before the head is tightened, as I have had the strip loosen when the hoop is placed on the drum from the movement of the head.
Thank you for this! I have a single-ply Gretsch Broadkaster logo head which could use some muffling and this tutorial really helped me. Seeing the felt strip behind the head looks real classy and it was just the right amount of muffling for an open yet controlled sound.
I like the felt strip dampening on the kick. I use the Fiberskyn Felt Tone heads that Ronn Dunnett initially designed and got Remo to make. It's a killer head since the felt strip is built into the head and kinda floating. Plus, the felt strip is only on the head, and not also on the collar so that it doesn't sit on the bearing edge.
Man I have been waiting on you to do this..... one more option I like and I saw done in the 50's and 60's was this ... same thing as far as felt on front, back or both but we'd make a pad of tissue, or paper towels about 4" square and tape it on the batter head where the beater hits. we would kind of dig out a little pocket in the pad at the impact spot, or just wait for it to develop over time. Some used moleskin patches, (never seen one) , or a square self adhesive bandage. Any ways it it kind of like what you said you get with a fluffy beater, but we'd use a hard felt beater on that pad and the resonance that came out of that drum was unbelievable!!!! and it had a tone that would carry across the room and people across the room could feel it in their chest. It also helps with the bouncy-ness of a two headed drum with no hole. Mine was so resonant, it would rattle the wall studs in our house in New Orleans. It was so bad my mom said "BOY!!! I can handle the snare, I can handle the other drums, I can handle the cymbals but that darned bass drum makes me want to get my kitchen knife and cut a hole in it. Great video, thanks
Letting your ear decide or tuning your ear in to the sound based on the room and who else you share the stage with is a real art developed over time. I think it's fantastic that drums challenge you to pursue that sound, boom, tone and feel especially bop sizes. I've done open bass drum with felt strips for years, it's so unique and always a conversation starter with other drummers/musicians. The two Evans G12's produce a lovely sound indeed! Great tuitional 👍
Really good stuff here. Looking forward to the video on this topic with larger bass drums, since I have a 18x22 birch and I'm curious to know if something approaching this type of sound is possible.
Always loved a wide open bass drum sound and I try to muffle as little as possible. I got a calftone emad recently and have been playing that with no interior muffling just a little towel against the reso sometimes. I should try a felt strip on the reso. Thanks for the info!
I cant thank you enough for the felt strip dampening suggestion. Tried that first time ever on my 22 inch saturn and it sounds absolute killer. Gives me such a punch I wasnt even aware of. Perfect for live playing. Was using kicker before, but I guess I will never go back to it 😃
I agree! Felt strips are the perfect muffling tool for live playing where you need to reduce sustain a lot, especially when you’re in a metal band and you need some extra attack to cut through the band very well.
Great video! Just recently started using a felt strip on my 18 x 12 kick on reso with P3 on batter. After watching this, I think I'll use a felt on a single ply head and see how it sounds. Also, I'm using the 18 x 12 for all genres of music and have cut a port hole in the reso because the mic seems to like it just inside the head. Do you have any thoughts on a port hole on an 18" kick? Finally, regarding putting on felts.....I use a small piece of gaffer tape to hold each end of the felt in place to the outside of the drum without stretching it tight, then put the head and hoop on and then remove the gaffer tape. That's worked pretty good for me. Appreciate your videos!
I have an 18' kick drum and love playing it wide open but I have an Onyx Emad and sometimes have to use the muffling rings of the two I prefer the larger ring
I really like how you record the sound with no processing. I tuned my snare and got loads of ring and as a noob I don't know what's good or not so hearing the similar ring of the snare in the early bit of the vid is very helpful.
Yeah I hear ya, that amount of ring can be disorienting for sure. Nothing wrong with a little of that and super easy to tame with a little tape :) - Cody
Great video, I might mix up my system next time I change bass drum heads to try some of this out (normally just a superkick-II + regulator guy with no additional muffling).
My 14x20 Ludwig club date IS ALWAYS EQUIPPED WITH A FELT STRIP ON THE BATTER, and most of the time on the reso side as well. For a 20” drum it’s a F***ing cannon!
Felt strips are the perfect muffling tool for live playing where you need to reduce sustain a lot, especially when you’re in a metal band and you need some extra attack to cut through the band very well.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Absolutely… I have a 16” bass drum with Kentville or Remo Ambassador Vintage (depending on the time of the year) and no muffling and a 20” with Evans Hydrolic for a more rock sound. Thanks and best! P.S. but your 18” black bass drum sounds incredible!
Yes i use felt strip in orchestra and i like it better than having heavy pillows or other heavy stuff to carry in the bass drum. On my 18" Pearl Session birch bass drum i use 1 or 2 very thin and light cotton blankets as external damping. Bij changing the contact area and pressure i can regulate the sound as i like in that room, in that genre/style and in that combo or orchestra. The blanket on the reso side is easiest to control, at the batter side there is the pedal but .... i always manage to get the desired sound. In small room, in big room, low ceiling, high ceiling, curtains and carpets or none, In resonating church or outside. With blankets i always have the option not to use them to have a big deep (i tune low like a pop bass drum) slightly dampened resonating sound (Remo Powerstroke 3 batter and matching reso head). Can use the blankets also to cover my drumkit when it is in the car. Perhaps some external dampener would also be nice; never experimented with that. Remo has a new 2019 dampener: theukdrumshow.com/product-news/new-products-from-remo-for-2019/ The new Adjustable Bass Drum Dampener, designed in conjunction with Dave Weckl, is an accessory product that provides drummers the ability to add tone and feel control on any size bass drum at all tuning ranges. The dampener is clamped to the bass hoop and can be adjusted around the circumference of the bass drum without interfering with the bass drum pedal and beater. It can be used on the batter or resonant heads of the bass drum. Ideal for all drumming applications. It gives pressure so it may influence the tuning and the rebound. It probably needs 2: batter and reso side. The contact area seems small to me: i expect a bigger and than near the outside would have more influence. Did see those things in the 60's, 70's.
This channel is the best. I know this is about using felt strips, but it made me wonder if using Calftone EQ4's on both sides of a 14x18 BD with nothing inside the drum would be a good combination? I had originally planned on using a Calftone on the batter side and the EQ4 on the resonant side...what is your take?
Certainly worth a try! I like the CT EQ4 a lot and as long as you’re playing off the head you’ll end up with a huge sound with either of those combinations. EQ4 on both sides will definitely be tighter with more lows fwiw 👍🏻
Any risk to a bearing edge over time? I get a fabulous controlled boom with a pre-muffled Powerstroke3 coated batter with a coated Ambassador + felt strip on reso side.(no other muffling). My felt strip came with a Pearl kit and feels higher quality than others I have seen/used in the past - the fabric seems a little denser and thicker. This consistency probably contributes to the great sound, but I’m nervous about that thickness of felt potentially damaging the bearing edge long term…? Damage to the head I can live with but not the edge. I’m guessing risks would be lower on the reso side as the head is only sustaining indirect vibration, not direct impact. So any legitimate cause for concern?
love it! the best felt strips i've found are made by stagg, its old-school style and thick, works super well for muffling and give a very old-school sound :) but thats also what i love about aquarians super-kick, regulator and impact series bass drum heads, their muffling rings that are built into the heads are all felt unlike the others which are foam :)
What do you guys think about using external bass drum mufflers (old school Rogers clamp-on, etc.)? Maybe just that on the reso and, if necessary, a small cloth tucked near the pedal on the batter head? Haven't used felt, gonna try an external muffler, so wondering about comparisons. Great video.
Used them and love them! As long as they don't rattle of course :) I'm actually on the hunt for one right now. The modern Gary Chafee one is pretty cool too. Maybe we'll get into those in the future! - Cody
There'll be some super deep dives into beaters in the near future for sure! We're in research mode right now to get the broadest possible span of options and sounds :) - Cody
Hi there! I've heard some facts about Felt Strips that they could provoke damages at bearing edges. It's true, an overstatement of a real problem or just a false myth? Thanks a lot for the wonderful work you do on this channel, the dedication and the precious informations you give at the drummers community. Stay Safe PS I'm from Italy, please forgive my bad english.
Hey there! I don’t know of a real-life instance where a drum was damaged by a felt strip in this way but I suppose it’s possible under the right circumstances? I’ll have to look into it but it certainly hasn’t happened to me and I’ve had felts on bass drums for years at a time. -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum I have doubt too about this kind of damage. Maybe I should think that overtighting the felt strip, (or install It in a wrong way) in the long term, could wreck the edges. Thanks again!
Cody,as usual great content. Got a question? I'm struggling with my new Tama iron cobra pedal and my 14x18 gretsch Brooklyn bass drum. It looks like your not using a riser.These things are a royal pain.I don't want to cut the shaft of the beater any idea's?? Thanks,david
Hey there! You’re right, I don’t use a riser with 18” drums. If I had a 16 I might look into one. Are you having trouble getting a good sound with normal beater length?
@@SoundsLikeADrum Cody,If I don't use a riser,the bottom post of the beater will hit the drum head.If I raise the beater I loose a lot of sound from the drum,because it's hitting the head to high.I am not a fan of cranking down the riser on the hoop.I probably should have stuck with the Tama pedal I had the one that you can adjust the post to be lowered for 18" drums.Oh well back to the drawing board the iron cobra is a great pedal I'll just have to adapt some how.Thank you.
@@rodneyvandenoever probably going to try it out.Im thinking about getting a DW riser down the line.They bolt direct to the bass drum,not the hoop. Thanks.
There is yet another way to do this. But it means altering a head permanently. I cut the felt strip to the width of the head...basically the inside diameter of the drum. Then I use Gorilla Glue to affix the strip to the inside of the head. I do this on both batter and reso heads. This gives the same level of dampening as a pillow...but with a bit more warmth. Not quite as dry and thuddy. Aquarian makes bass drum heads which use this same technique. Works great.
Yep! That's another cool approach though the effect is different as you're now adding mass rather than providing a pressure to serve as a stopping force. This also removes the option of adjusting based on the tuning/circumstances but can be great if the drum is always in the same space and tuned the same way. Remo has a product that offers this as well called the Felt Tone. Cheers! -Ben
I often will put a strip of painters tape across the top of a drum head (off center, like a felt strip) if i need just a touch of muffling/overtone control. Very handy for reigning in that one tom or taking the edge off a steel snare. I use it a bunch when I use a modified "recorder-man" microphone set up on my kit to help the blend since you cant really rely on the sound tech to fix balance issues with that mic set up
can you guys please recommend me a place to fix my 60's ludwig shells in brooklyn? Main drag? I can't get them to tune right and I think it's cause the edges are beat up! :D thanks!!
Hey there! I haven't had any edges re-cut in BK personally (not sure if that's a service that Main Drag offers TBH) though I know a friend is taking a drum or two into Manhattan to Maxwell's for this in the near future. I know that you can also hit up smaller drum builders (Maelo for instance in Queens) and see if they can help since they'll have the tools and know-how as well. Hope that helps! -Cody
gonna try it myself on my 18'! which felt strips did you use? should i buy something that is especially for bass or i could just visit the local fabric store down my street?
Where do you get your g12 bass drum heads? They don't seem to be available anywhere and they don't appear on evans' website. Is it a sponsorship thing?
@@SoundsLikeADrum but I can only see 3 links in the description - Evans G12, your IG and FB. That's it. If I'm dumb, please, guide me to the correct link. 😬😬😬
We’ve added the link below but there’s a bar directly below the video player that shows our mercy store on both mobile and desktop versions. You can visit the store at teespring.com/stores/sounds-like-a-drum-store
You're correct, but I didn't bother because it's just that - a preference. All of these sounds totally work, it's really just the sound that I like to hear when i'm using an 18" drum. My preference for that particular sound is mostly because I generally use 18"s in lower-volume/small-room situations and thinning the overtones out on both heads results in a sound that is easily controllable and fits in sonically with those situations. There ya go! - Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks for responding. Maybe I misunderstood what you were referring to in the video. What I think was missing from this part of the video is how the positioning of the felt strip affects the sound. Examples would be across the center point, off center (and different distances from the center point), directly behind the impact point of the beater (only applicable on the batter head) or not. I've never used felt strips so maybe I'm asking questions that would be obvious to someone who uses them regularly, but as with tuning I'm sure that there are things that objectively don't work well, and then a range within which it's possible to fine tune the sound to ones preference.
@@Fred_P Oh sorry, now I understand. Basically in my experience the closer to the center of the head you get with the strip, the more muffled the drum becomes. Additionally, the closer to the center you get the more the head moves when you play the drum, so you might have a higher likelihood of noise from the strip flapping against the head if you go dead center. I wouldn't go so far as to say that there's a positioning that 100% doesn't work/isn't good, it's really player preference. And again, the larger the drum the less of an effect positioning has because of how much more air/surface area is moving. - Cody
Have you watched our recent videos? Our format has evolved quite a bit (though the results are still secondary to the narrative context) in the four years and hundreds of videos since this episode was released
Your attention to details, like pointing out the importance of the tension of the felt, is the reason you guys are the best.
this tip helps me a lot!
Because he’s right! I found out that by just barely pulling on the strips after inserting the head on the drum is too tight. Cause it did buzz!
I'd love to see your take on a "ultimate versatility kit". Say an open jam when you need to go one genre to the next, unsure what the next song could be, taking requests, etc. A set up "good enough" to jump from blues, jazz, country, rock, motown, soul, funk, and more and still fit okay. Your personal thoughts on sizes, tunings, tricks and tips in those circumstances.
Just an idea. So far most vids have been one piece or one aspect at a time. Extremely helpful. Outstanding content. But it's somewhat another thing to put it all together. The thinking behind those choices. What you like, or might avoid.
Zero qualms about this awesome channel. Very glad you're back for another season.
Solid idea! I can actually picture exactly what I’d bring if I was in that situation :) will look into it! -Cody
"Bloom & Boom" Love those descriptors!
Felt strips on both heads! Sounds really good. focused but warm and open.
To me the quintessential open bass sound is the beginning to Radriohead’s “High and Dry.”
Great vid as I recent got a Broadkaster kit with a 20x14 bass and think I’ll try the felts.
i love that bass drum sound. I wonder what he was using on the recording.
man , that wide open drum sounds phenomenal
Thanks man! Gonna trot it out for a couple shows this weekend and see how it lays :) - Cody
yes I have played on a wide open 22" drum with the right engineer and it was phenomenal. Sound comes from both sides of the drum (i.e. back towards you, the drummer). We did the same drum with a pillow a week later and hated it
Hey man, I didn't think anyone else did this anymore. Pillow stuffing really hurts my psyche. My felt strip is on the batter. Cheers!
I love how John Bonham Sound is one category by itself
You guys are awesome, I almost feel bad that I don't watch this channel more often
With few exceptions this is the muffling technique I always use. Good info on not putting too much tension on the felt strip. Also some manufacturers now have heads with the felt strip pre-installed.
Sounds like a drum!!! Literally! So tired of everyone muffling their drums to death. I love the sound of open drums.
Good video. The felt strip method offers a great sound, in my opinion. I have found that the width and placement of the felt impacts the muffling, and so drummers should experiment with those factors. For example, the width of the strip can be proportional to the size of the drum: a 1.5 inch strip on an 18" bass drum might give the same length of resonance as a 2" strip on a 22", and help jeep a similar resonance. One can buy a yard of felt at a fabric store and experiment on the cheap. Finally, I have found it best to draw the felt snug (not tight, just in the way this video explains) after the head and hoop are on the drum but before the head is tightened, as I have had the strip loosen when the hoop is placed on the drum from the movement of the head.
Thanks for this I have a new kit with a 20” drum and I can’t wait to get back to my studio to try a felt strip on the Reso head:)
Yes! Felt strips.. Gonna try on my un-ported 22x18
I really felt this
Thank you for this! I have a single-ply Gretsch Broadkaster logo head which could use some muffling and this tutorial really helped me. Seeing the felt strip behind the head looks real classy and it was just the right amount of muffling for an open yet controlled sound.
His mic sounds amazing!
I like the felt strip dampening on the kick. I use the Fiberskyn Felt Tone heads that Ronn Dunnett initially designed and got Remo to make. It's a killer head since the felt strip is built into the head and kinda floating. Plus, the felt strip is only on the head, and not also on the collar so that it doesn't sit on the bearing edge.
Man I have been waiting on you to do this..... one more option I like and I saw done in the 50's and 60's was this ... same thing as far as felt on front, back or both but we'd make a pad of tissue, or paper towels about 4" square and tape it on the batter head where the beater hits. we would kind of dig out a little pocket in the pad at the impact spot, or just wait for it to develop over time. Some used moleskin patches, (never seen one) , or a square self adhesive bandage. Any ways it it kind of like what you said you get with a fluffy beater, but we'd use a hard felt beater on that pad and the resonance that came out of that drum was unbelievable!!!! and it had a tone that would carry across the room and people across the room could feel it in their chest. It also helps with the bouncy-ness of a two headed drum with no hole. Mine was so resonant, it would rattle the wall studs in our house in New Orleans. It was so bad my mom said "BOY!!! I can handle the snare, I can handle the other drums, I can handle the cymbals but that darned bass drum makes me want to get my kitchen knife and cut a hole in it. Great video, thanks
Letting your ear decide or tuning your ear in to the sound based on the room and who else you share the stage with is a real art developed over time. I think it's fantastic that drums challenge you to pursue that sound, boom, tone and feel especially bop sizes. I've done open bass drum with felt strips for years, it's so unique and always a conversation starter with other drummers/musicians. The two Evans G12's produce a lovely sound indeed! Great tuitional 👍
Really good stuff here. Looking forward to the video on this topic with larger bass drums, since I have a 18x22 birch and I'm curious to know if something approaching this type of sound is possible.
Great to the point and insightful vid👍
can you guys do a deep dive into shell thickness? Thank you for the fantastic content this year guys!
GREAT advice
Always loved a wide open bass drum sound and I try to muffle as little as possible. I got a calftone emad recently and have been playing that with no interior muffling just a little towel against the reso sometimes. I should try a felt strip on the reso. Thanks for the info!
LOVE THE SHIRT! Oh yeah... great video too!
I cant thank you enough for the felt strip dampening suggestion. Tried that first time ever on my 22 inch saturn and it sounds absolute killer. Gives me such a punch I wasnt even aware of. Perfect for live playing. Was using kicker before, but I guess I will never go back to it 😃
I agree! Felt strips are the perfect muffling tool for live playing where you need to reduce sustain a lot, especially when you’re in a metal band and you need some extra attack to cut through the band very well.
Great video! Just recently started using a felt strip on my 18 x 12 kick on reso with P3 on batter. After watching this, I think I'll use a felt on a single ply head and see how it sounds. Also, I'm using the 18 x 12 for all genres of music and have cut a port hole in the reso because the mic seems to like it just inside the head. Do you have any thoughts on a port hole on an 18" kick? Finally, regarding putting on felts.....I use a small piece of gaffer tape to hold each end of the felt in place to the outside of the drum without stretching it tight, then put the head and hoop on and then remove the gaffer tape. That's worked pretty good for me. Appreciate your videos!
Wow this helped me out so
much
Wonderful and hypnotic. Great info and drumming. TYNY!
The vintage thumb clamp bass drums I have I just put the felt strips on outside of head. Easiest to adjust without taking apart the drum
As usual yet another very informative video. Thankyou chaps. 🥁😘🌻
Yea, Keith Carlock 😀. Great video as always! 🔥🔥🔥
I have an 18' kick drum and love playing it wide open but I have an Onyx Emad and sometimes have to use the muffling rings of the two I prefer the larger ring
Thank you
I love Precision Drum Co. ! I get all of my reinforcing ring material from them!
Yeah! They're amazing.
I really like how you record the sound with no processing. I tuned my snare and got loads of ring and as a noob I don't know what's good or not so hearing the similar ring of the snare in the early bit of the vid is very helpful.
Yeah I hear ya, that amount of ring can be disorienting for sure. Nothing wrong with a little of that and super easy to tame with a little tape :) - Cody
Can you do a video on tuning cocktail kick/floor combos?
You guys are the best!
Will see if we can find one :) -Cody
Like the breakbeats?
I’ve always used felt strips. I liked wide open and felt on the beater head best.
I use them running vertical, on both sides on a Ludwig Centennial Zep set (26")
Ka-boom!
great episode again!
Great video, I might mix up my system next time I change bass drum heads to try some of this out (normally just a superkick-II + regulator guy with no additional muffling).
My 14x20 Ludwig club date IS ALWAYS EQUIPPED WITH A FELT STRIP ON THE BATTER, and most of the time on the reso side as well. For a 20” drum it’s a F***ing cannon!
Very good episode. Thanks
This inspired me to try it out again. It choked my 22" bassdrum, even though I have not stretched it to tight...
If it feels chokes you can always move the strip closer to the edge. I like to start the strip a little outside 11 oclock to 7 oclock on my 22".
My two favourite were: felt on the reso side and felt on both sides.
Felt strips are the perfect muffling tool for live playing where you need to reduce sustain a lot, especially when you’re in a metal band and you need some extra attack to cut through the band very well.
I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!! THANKYOU!!!!!!
Great videos 👍👍
Great video!
In old days, the felt strip produced a muffled, soft, punchy sound which fit for jazz….today some prefer the opposite open sound.
John Bonham used them on his
26" bass drum, enuff said!
i've said it before: Guy is sharp - Trust the man!!
Open, no-muffling 18” bass drum rocks!…
It certainly does! But that won't always work for every scenario and that's why we made this video. Cheers!
@@SoundsLikeADrum Absolutely… I have a 16” bass drum with Kentville or Remo Ambassador Vintage (depending on the time of the year) and no muffling and a 20” with Evans Hydrolic for a more rock sound. Thanks and best! P.S. but your 18” black bass drum sounds incredible!
No Castlevania shirt today? Great episode as usual!
Yes i use felt strip in orchestra and i like it better than having heavy pillows or other heavy stuff to carry in the bass drum. On my 18" Pearl Session birch bass drum i use 1 or 2 very thin and light cotton blankets as external damping. Bij changing the contact area and pressure i can regulate the sound as i like in that room, in that genre/style and in that combo or orchestra. The blanket on the reso side is easiest to control, at the batter side there is the pedal but .... i always manage to get the desired sound. In small room, in big room, low ceiling, high ceiling, curtains and carpets or none, In resonating church or outside. With blankets i always have the option not to use them to have a big deep (i tune low like a pop bass drum) slightly dampened resonating sound (Remo Powerstroke 3 batter and matching reso head). Can use the blankets also to cover my drumkit when it is in the car. Perhaps some external dampener would also be nice; never experimented with that. Remo has a new 2019 dampener: theukdrumshow.com/product-news/new-products-from-remo-for-2019/ The new Adjustable Bass Drum Dampener, designed in conjunction with Dave Weckl, is an accessory product that provides drummers the ability to add tone and feel control on any size bass drum at all tuning ranges. The dampener is clamped to the bass hoop and can be adjusted around the circumference of the bass drum without interfering with the bass drum pedal and beater. It can be used on the batter or resonant heads of the bass drum. Ideal for all drumming applications. It gives pressure so it may influence the tuning and the rebound. It probably needs 2: batter and reso side. The contact area seems small to me: i expect a bigger and than near the outside would have more influence. Did see those things in the 60's, 70's.
This channel is the best. I know this is about using felt strips, but it made me wonder if using Calftone EQ4's on both sides of a 14x18 BD with nothing inside the drum would be a good combination? I had originally planned on using a Calftone on the batter side and the EQ4 on the resonant side...what is your take?
Certainly worth a try! I like the
CT EQ4 a lot and as long as you’re playing off the head you’ll end up with a huge sound with either of those combinations. EQ4 on both sides will definitely be tighter with more lows fwiw 👍🏻
Any risk to a bearing edge over time? I get a fabulous controlled boom with a pre-muffled Powerstroke3 coated batter with a coated Ambassador + felt strip on reso side.(no other muffling). My felt strip came with a Pearl kit and feels higher quality than others I have seen/used in the past - the fabric seems a little denser and thicker. This consistency probably contributes to the great sound, but I’m nervous about that thickness of felt potentially damaging the bearing edge long term…? Damage to the head I can live with but not the edge. I’m guessing risks would be lower on the reso side as the head is only sustaining indirect vibration, not direct impact. So any legitimate cause for concern?
love it!
the best felt strips i've found are made by stagg, its old-school style and thick, works super well for muffling and give a very old-school sound :)
but thats also what i love about aquarians super-kick, regulator and impact series bass drum heads, their muffling rings that are built into the heads are all felt unlike the others which are foam :)
What do you guys think about using external bass drum mufflers (old school Rogers clamp-on, etc.)? Maybe just that on the reso and, if necessary, a small cloth tucked near the pedal on the batter head? Haven't used felt, gonna try an external muffler, so wondering about comparisons. Great video.
Used them and love them! As long as they don't rattle of course :) I'm actually on the hunt for one right now. The modern Gary Chafee one is pretty cool too. Maybe we'll get into those in the future! - Cody
I use a old towel and pre cut it seams to work
Can you do a demonstration on how different types of bass drum beaters can affect the sound? Like wood compared to plastic or felt?
There'll be some super deep dives into beaters in the near future for sure! We're in research mode right now to get the broadest possible span of options and sounds :) - Cody
and the big gigantic fluffy jazz beater
Hmm. Surprised to find that the felt strip on batter sounded better to me than than on the reso.
Hi there! I've heard some facts about Felt Strips that they could provoke damages at bearing edges. It's true, an overstatement of a real problem or just a false myth?
Thanks a lot for the wonderful work you do on this channel, the dedication and the precious informations you give at the drummers community. Stay Safe
PS I'm from Italy, please forgive my bad english.
Hey there! I don’t know of a real-life instance where a drum was damaged by a felt strip in this way but I suppose it’s possible under the right circumstances? I’ll have to look into it but it certainly hasn’t happened to me and I’ve had felts on bass drums for years at a time. -Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum I have doubt too about this kind of damage. Maybe I should think that overtighting the felt strip, (or install It in a wrong way) in the long term, could wreck the edges.
Thanks again!
Oh, I forgot! With the felt strip on the batter side, that kick sounds big and amazing!
Cody,as usual great content. Got a question? I'm struggling with my new Tama iron cobra pedal and my 14x18 gretsch Brooklyn bass drum. It looks like your not using a riser.These things are a royal pain.I don't want to cut the shaft of the beater any idea's?? Thanks,david
Hey there! You’re right, I don’t use a riser with 18” drums. If I had a 16 I might look into one. Are you having trouble getting a good sound with normal beater length?
@@SoundsLikeADrum Cody,If I don't use a riser,the bottom post of the beater will hit the drum head.If I raise the beater I loose a lot of sound from the drum,because it's hitting the head to high.I am not a fan of cranking down the riser on the hoop.I probably should have stuck with the Tama pedal I had the one that you can adjust the post to be lowered for 18" drums.Oh well back to the drawing board the iron cobra is a great pedal I'll just have to adapt some how.Thank you.
You could always get a beater with a shorter shaft length that you can switch to when playing the smaller bass drum.
Nothing wrong with cutting an inch of the beater shaft.
@@rodneyvandenoever probably going to try it out.Im thinking about getting a DW riser down the line.They bolt direct to the bass drum,not the hoop. Thanks.
There is yet another way to do this. But it means altering a head permanently. I cut the felt strip to the width of the head...basically the inside diameter of the drum. Then I use Gorilla Glue to affix the strip to the inside of the head. I do this on both batter and reso heads. This gives the same level of dampening as a pillow...but with a bit more warmth. Not quite as dry and thuddy. Aquarian makes bass drum heads which use this same technique. Works great.
Yep! That's another cool approach though the effect is different as you're now adding mass rather than providing a pressure to serve as a stopping force. This also removes the option of adjusting based on the tuning/circumstances but can be great if the drum is always in the same space and tuned the same way. Remo has a product that offers this as well called the Felt Tone. Cheers! -Ben
What do you recommend for a pdp concept maple with a pillow in it it’s kinda boomy on my side of it
Would you consider using adhesive felt strips? Similar to how some people use moleskin to soften the beater impact
Certainly an option!
I use self adhesive automotive weather stripping, 1", 2" or longer on the underside of toms if needed sometime.......especially a floor tom
Btw, have you heard about gluing/taping the strip? Someone argued you don't want anything between the head and the bearing edge...
@Barren Savant I didn't realize they made a head pre glued
I think Nate Smith uses these on his floor Tom and snare
Have you tried the Kat elec beater on your acoustic bass?
Did you also experiment with two felt strips on one side?
Not for this particular shoot but we have in the past.
What about felt strips on floor toms?
Gotta try that some time! I saw Nick D'Virgilio put something I thought was packing beans inside floor toms.
I often will put a strip of painters tape across the top of a drum head (off center, like a felt strip) if i need just a touch of muffling/overtone control. Very handy for reigning in that one tom or taking the edge off a steel snare. I use it a bunch when I use a modified "recorder-man" microphone set up on my kit to help the blend since you cant really rely on the sound tech to fix balance issues with that mic set up
How thick is the felt you are using?
Hi , can you tell me which microphones did you use for this recording. I just saw the d112 on the reso head. thanks
Prolly worth getting a bass riser for the little ones
can you guys please recommend me a place to fix my 60's ludwig shells in brooklyn? Main drag? I can't get them to tune right and I think it's cause the edges are beat up! :D thanks!!
Hey there! I haven't had any edges re-cut in BK personally (not sure if that's a service that Main Drag offers TBH) though I know a friend is taking a drum or two into Manhattan to Maxwell's for this in the near future. I know that you can also hit up smaller drum builders (Maelo for instance in Queens) and see if they can help since they'll have the tools and know-how as well. Hope that helps! -Cody
Does it have to be a Felt strip? Or will other cloth material do?
You can certainly experiment though a felt strip has long been the standard.
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks.
gonna try it myself on my 18'!
which felt strips did you use? should i buy something that is especially for bass or i could just visit the local fabric store down my street?
Fabric store for sure! These are Gibraltar brand but even pieces of torn up T-shirt can work ;) -Cody
How is the bass drum tuned here? Batter and reso tension
Doesnt Aquarian make heads with the felt attached?
I believe so? I think there are a few heads out that feature that. Haven't had any personal experience with them really :) - Cody
It's a foam ring glued to the head.
Yes, it is
It's Aquarian Deep Vintage Series ;)
Remo makes Felt tone heads with a strip of felt attached to the inside of the head. Haven't tried them myself...pretty expensive
Where do you get your g12 bass drum heads? They don't seem to be available anywhere and they don't appear on evans' website. Is it a sponsorship thing?
Hey there! These were a special order to experiment with, normally I use UV1's for this same sound with great success :) - Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thank you! I also use a UV1 batter with a calftone reso, and i guess i'll keep using that!
Gonna try this at a local church I play at. The room is very boomy and easily carriers sound. Would it be better forfelt on batter and reso?
We recommend starting out with both if you usually have a pillow or similar for internal muffling. -Ben
You will have to get in the room and check it out. Drums sound different in different rooms
I prefer muffling on batter head
felt strips on reso sounded bad to me
Im back
No one talks about the other great rock drummer of the 70s, Ian Paice. Why?
Where y'all getting your felt strips?
Drum Factory Direct often has them, I get the Gibraltar brand ones online :) -Cody
You can get them at arts and crafts and fabric stores much cheaper.
What snare head do you have on?
Evans G1 coated! 👍🏻 -Cody
But... where's the merch? 🤔🤨
Check directly under the video, shirts and hoodies with more to come! 👍🏻
@@SoundsLikeADrum but I can only see 3 links in the description - Evans G12, your IG and FB. That's it. If I'm dumb, please, guide me to the correct link. 😬😬😬
We’ve added the link below but there’s a bar directly below the video player that shows our mercy store on both mobile and desktop versions. You can visit the store at teespring.com/stores/sounds-like-a-drum-store
6:37 You never explained your preference and why you prefer it.
You're correct, but I didn't bother because it's just that - a preference. All of these sounds totally work, it's really just the sound that I like to hear when i'm using an 18" drum. My preference for that particular sound is mostly because I generally use 18"s in lower-volume/small-room situations and thinning the overtones out on both heads results in a sound that is easily controllable and fits in sonically with those situations. There ya go! - Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks for responding. Maybe I misunderstood what you were referring to in the video. What I think was missing from this part of the video is how the positioning of the felt strip affects the sound. Examples would be across the center point, off center (and different distances from the center point), directly behind the impact point of the beater (only applicable on the batter head) or not. I've never used felt strips so maybe I'm asking questions that would be obvious to someone who uses them regularly, but as with tuning I'm sure that there are things that objectively don't work well, and then a range within which it's possible to fine tune the sound to ones preference.
@@Fred_P Oh sorry, now I understand. Basically in my experience the closer to the center of the head you get with the strip, the more muffled the drum becomes. Additionally, the closer to the center you get the more the head moves when you play the drum, so you might have a higher likelihood of noise from the strip flapping against the head if you go dead center. I wouldn't go so far as to say that there's a positioning that 100% doesn't work/isn't good, it's really player preference. And again, the larger the drum the less of an effect positioning has because of how much more air/surface area is moving. - Cody
@@SoundsLikeADrum Thanks, I appreciate your explanation!
F... y... UA-cam for putting the adds right in the middle of almost every sound sample!!!!
We’ll see if we can tweak that. Thanks for the feedback.
Bass drum tunneling!!!
Actually your videos can be much shorter and brief but you're talking too much. I always fast forward to the results.
Have you watched our recent videos? Our format has evolved quite a bit (though the results are still secondary to the narrative context) in the four years and hundreds of videos since this episode was released