Nothing But Drums » Drum Guides http://nothingbutdrums.com Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:32:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Bass Drum Guide http://nothingbutdrums.com/bass-drum-guide http://nothingbutdrums.com/bass-drum-guide#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:47:12 +0000 Drums http://nothingbutdrums.com/?p=7 The bass drum (also known as the ‘kick’) is one of the essential parts of the drum kit, and in most music will be the lowest frequency instrument heard. It is the foundation of most popular music, and should be felt as the driving force behind a song, as it is linked closely with the bass line. The kick drum is struck with a beater which is attached via a chain to a pedal, enabling it to be struck with the foot alone. The beater is usually made of wood or plastic, and is often covered in some sort of cloth – similar to an orchestral mallet.

The standard size for a bass drum is 20” or 22”, both of which are suitable for most kinds of modern music. Drummers who play heavier music often enjoy the benefits of using lager bass drums, such as 24” or even 26” or 28” diameter kicks. Jazz players however are prone to using smaller 18” or 16” bass drums, which give more of an accent-type thud, and are quieter in acoustic situations. It is also possible to convert a tom or floor tom into a bass drum using special conversion tools, which can provide a unique sound for certain types of music. Bass drum depth is also important, as deeper kick drums produce ‘boomier’ tones, while shorter depths produce a more sudden, quicker sound. In recent years, the normal depth for most bass drums has increased from 14”, to 16”, with rock-style bass drums often being 18” deep. To stop bass drums from resonating too much and producing a ‘booming’ sound, some drummers put a pillow inside their bass drum to muffle the tone.

In heavier styles of rock music, two bass drums are often used to allow for faster and more complicated kick patterns. Most players use identical bass drums so that the difference between the two bass drums is inaudible, but some players experiment with different sized bass drums, or even three or more bass drums in a single kit. ‘Double pedals’ are a recent invention which simulate the effect of two bass drums by using two separate beaters on one bass drum, which is useful for live situations where there may be a lack of space. In the studio or at home though, most players use two actual bass drums so that notes can articulate more clearly through two dedicated kick drums.

The following bass drums are currently available through Ebay:

]]> http://nothingbutdrums.com/bass-drum-guide/feed 0 Types of Drumsticks http://nothingbutdrums.com/types-of-drumsticks http://nothingbutdrums.com/types-of-drumsticks#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:54:51 +0000 Drums http://nothingbutdrums.com/?p=9 Traditional wooden sticks are the tool of choice for most drummers, and are available in many varieties depending on the player’s preference. One of the most important factors in choosing a drumstick is the size; sticks can have different lengths and weights. The ‘5A’ stick is the most common, and should be used if you are a new player. Other stick sizes include the heavier ‘5B’, and the lighter ‘7A’. The other key element to creating a drumstick is the choice of wood. Hickory is the standard wood used in a stick, while Oak is usually more expensive but more durable. Beware of Maple sticks, as although cheap they can break easily and do not offer the same quality of sound as more expensive woods.

Conventional drumsticks are also available with nylon-tips, which protect the stick from damage when striking cymbals and drums, as well as increasing the brightness of cymbals when struck. In addition, some players prefer to use sticks which are created out of plastic, acrylic, or even aluminium, as they can produce an alternative sound which may suit a specific style of music better.

Brushes are a staple of jazz music, and are used to the present day to obtain a specific sound and style of playing. The brushes are used to create unique patterns on the snare drum in a circular motion, and because of their light weight they can be used to play much more quietly and delicately on cymbals. Because of the low volume of traditional jazz and blues music, the quiet nature of wire or nylon brushes are very useful, but they do not suit playing heavier styles of music. To simulate the effect of brushes at an even lower volume, some players use their bare hands on the drum kit.

Although primarily a percussionist’s tool, mallets can be used with the drum kit to create special effects. This can include complex cymbal crescendos, and the use of large/deep toms to create timpani-style sounds and textures. Mallets do not suit conventional playing styles, and those who use them for this purpose often end up breaking them.

‘Rods’ (also known as ‘hot-rods’) are somewhere in-between sticks and brushes, as they are of similar size to a wooden drumstick, but are comprised of approximately a dozen thin wooden rods bundled together. This gives them a unique bouncy feel as rods are not a solid object, which can make playing very fast difficult. Furthermore, when playing vigorously the small plastic holder that keeps the rods together can fly off. The advantage to using rods is that they are much quieter than normal sticks, making them especially useful for gigs when you need to keep it down. They are available everywhere through many manufacturers, including Pro-Mark who produce several versions of rods, such as the louder ‘Thunder Rods’ and the quieter ‘Cool Rods’.

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