Drum heads?

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Drum heads?

Postby Chinagraf » Wed May 22, 2013 7:16 pm

I've got a little 60's Japanese kit at my place that I'm cleaning up and I want to get some new heads for it.
13" and 16" toms and a 22 Kick. Looking for something kinda middle of the road versatile sounding for a bit of rock, pop, country etc. Nothing specific, just a good generic sound for general use. I use session players with good kits for finished stuff. Any recco's on a good set of heads to get?
Also the resonant heads are kinda beat up, any suggestions for replacements there as well?
Thnkas for any advice.
Boom cha.

Cheers.
Last edited by Chinagraf on Wed May 22, 2013 10:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby seancook » Wed May 22, 2013 8:07 pm

I usually use remo, as I think they sound better than the comparative Evans heads.
Usually a coated top either emperor or ambassador and either a clear or coated bottom depends how warm sounding I want it/how bright the shells sound, and either an ambassador or even diplomats.

Tweak from there if the tone is too lively or what not. I don't go in for the power stroke headsuch but there are the occasion when it is just right.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Thu May 23, 2013 9:25 am

Probably the most versatile setup would be coated ambassador top skins and clear ambassador bottom skins. You could tune those for pretty much anything with a bit of damping here or there, or swap them over for a more plasticky sound or use either as single headed......

ps no brand loyalties - all the skins today are good - I have Remo on one kit, Evans on another and Hart on a 3rd,,,,
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Paul Maybury » Thu May 23, 2013 2:38 pm

I recording on old Rogers kit with fiber skins recently and they sounded fantastic. A little less volume then coated or clear but they seem to have a volume limit that no matter how hard you hit, they don't go above. I found this to be a good thing. The tone is warm but present and very natural. They wear quickly though.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Chinagraf » Thu May 23, 2013 3:22 pm

Thanks for the replies guys. I've been leaning towards coated ambassadors with clear reso's, that's what the session drummer I work with a lot uses, although his are on a beatiful Gretsch kit. Still unsure about the kick, thinking maybe powerstroke 3 or an ambassador.. I don't want any of the new fangled mega damped ones cause I'd like to be able to damp myself and remove it all if I want a sproingy old school type kick as well.
Thanks again.
Cheers.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby ChrisW » Thu May 23, 2013 6:26 pm

I'd go along with the consensus - coated Ambassadors or Emperors.
I'm a lapsed Evans endorser, and still mostly use their heads. My favourite bass drum batter is their EQ3, but I just recorded a bunch of different bass drums with Remo Powerstroke 3 and they were great. A good all purpose head, despite being somewhat pre-damped.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Chinagraf » Thu May 23, 2013 6:47 pm

HI Chris, I've seen you mention the eq3 somewhere, maybe GS? I'm hoping with no internal damping at all I can still get a bit of that old ringy kick sound from the PS3. I liked the look of the emad too, so it I'll probably have to just suck it and see. What reso head did you have on the kick with the powerstroke you were using?
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby ChrisW » Thu May 23, 2013 6:51 pm

Evans EQ again I think.
If you really want to go no damping you should get an Ambassador.
The PS3 is quite damped, but I still found it sounded alive on several different drums i was recording.
I like a controlled kick, so I usually shove a DW pillow in there too. With no pillow the PS3 sounded great, but not super, super ringy. Just right probably.
EQ3 is possibly less damped than the PS3.
I'm not a fan of Emad's myself.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Chinagraf » Thu May 23, 2013 7:10 pm

Thanks
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Fri May 24, 2013 8:18 am

Just checked my BD batters and they are Evans EMAD 2 - they come with a couple of removable damping rings that are handy.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Mazystar » Fri May 24, 2013 10:30 pm

Coated emperors get my vote, I just whacked on an emad 2 and am loving it!
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby jeffcripps » Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:18 am

Hi mate, I've been recording drums for 20 years and am a drummer myself, the BEST skins to get for all round are.

Toms.. Remo Emperors CLEAR
Snare-- Remo Ambassadors- coated
B/drum.. CS coated..

They'll try and sell you all sorts of stuff, stick with what works, I've recorded 1,000 drummers in my studio, take my word on this.

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Re: Drum heads?

Postby ChrisW » Mon Jul 01, 2013 1:38 pm

Jeff,
I think many of us have a lot of experience with drums.
It's a question of advice, 'opinion' if you like, not 'fact', based on all our experiences over the years, not my way or the highway.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby The Tasmanian » Wed Jul 03, 2013 12:08 am

...and may I add, (from a lifetime of recording experience/ though not being a much of a drummer) that drum skins, their coatings/designs are changing and mutating over time.
So are the sounds that come from them.
No way have we reached the point where only 3 drum skin types are the best for every drummer/ every drumming style/every hard hitting, soft hitting drummer/ every kit made in the last 90 or so years /every new kit design /every new rim advance & every recording project.

There are so many differing skin sounds that are now available that were not there even 5-10 years ago - let alone 20 years ago, and the evolution of the sound of skins, and designs of drumkit's has been remarkable.

Put the same question up here in 10 years and there will be a vast array of new designs and surfaces to choose from. Bring it on.
I hope they continue to change, advance in design & coatings.
It can only be a good thing...
Onwards!
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby rick » Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:40 pm

Somewhere I have been reading about kangaroo skin heads doing the rounds in somebodies local custom kit ?
mental blank as to where i saw it ..facebook .. dunno
but any way kangaroo skin was certainly not something mr kruper was hitting when he was hitting the skins .

I better call somebody in new zealand and see if their problem possums are big enough to be up for the challenge of what drum skins to try out next .
..possums being Australia's greatest ambassador to new zealand ever
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby The Tasmanian » Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:15 am

Ive got a frame drum that has Eastern Blue roo skins.
...they've got a nice bounce to the sound too...
There is a place in the Blue Mountains that makes them to order.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Wiz » Sat Jul 06, 2013 11:59 am

jeffcripps wrote:They'll try and sell you all sorts of stuff, stick with what works, I've recorded 1,000 drummers in my studio, take my word on this.

Jeff Cripps



wow!!

1000 drummers!!!!

you must have a big....................... studio
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby ChrisW » Sun Jul 07, 2013 2:07 pm

Kangaroos are cuddly.
I prefer to use 'heads', as in drum heads.
I do have a 1940's Radio King snare that came with 'skins', but I replaced them with Evans heads.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:56 am

Save our kangaroos - if you want real skin how about using feral animals instead - do Australia a favour B-)
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby ChrisW » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:13 am

How many rabbits does it take to re-skin a drum?
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:59 am

I'm sure we have enough..... and there's always goat for big toms or camel for BDs :-) I've heard that mylar stuff is ok too.....
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby waitup » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:25 pm

Late to the party I know... but I've been really digging the Aquarian Super 2 on toms. Nice woody/thick/vintage kind of tone. I'm into it. Also been getting into the Remo powerstoke 4 on snare... same sorta deal.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby andygriffiths » Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:50 pm

The kangaroo heads were on the metro custom snare drums. I'm
Not sure if he was doing whole kits with those heads as he had to make a special type of wooden rim to suit the kangaroo skin.
As for drumheads. For the older kits I go with something coated from remo. I tried to like Evans heads but they were just to wet sounding, but yet on a modern kit Evans sounds great. My favourite is the remo renassanice heads. Just my 2cents
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:21 pm

andygriffiths wrote:...... My favourite is the remo renassanice heads. Just my 2cents


Hey Andy - what is is that you like about the rennaisance? I've been thinking about some of them as an alternative to the clears I'm currently using, but don't get to try them out down heyar in deliv'rance :-)
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby andygriffiths » Thu Jul 18, 2013 2:37 pm

Ian, what I like is their warmth as it was designed to be like a calf head, but I also get good mileage out of them as well. They do sound not as bright as a standard coated ether. I think they make it sound a like more thudder than a coated as well. If I want a bright sounding drum I use clears but mainly I just go with the rennaisance heads. I also have the rennaisance snare side as well on my snare drum which I fantastic as well. For kick I use a rennaisance powerstoke3 on the front then ether a coated powerstoke3 or an Evans eq3 clear. It just depends on the sound I'm going for. Hope this helps.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby Drumstruck » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:46 pm

Thanks Andy,

All good info - I've used Fibreskyns in the past and find them a bit "papery" sounding - was hoping the rennaisance would be a bit errr ummm ahhh smoother - sounds like they will be. :-?
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby The Tasmanian » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:56 pm

Its great to read all the nuances you guys have discovered.
Really good info for drum recording, getting certain tonal outcomes, production etc.
I hope this post keeps going...
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby andygriffiths » Thu Jul 18, 2013 6:34 pm

Chris, wait till we start talking about drumsticks & the way different sizes affect the tone of the drum
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby The Tasmanian » Thu Jul 18, 2013 7:18 pm

Hey Andy - that's one of my big interests when recording drums, you would have no idea how many drummers I have converted to using Chinese cooking chopsticks when recording certain tracks - not kidding.
As well as super lightweight sticks.
More tone - less explosion.
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Re: Drum heads?

Postby andygriffiths » Thu Jul 18, 2013 7:51 pm

Chris,
When I do session work I carry a few different weights of sticks that way if something is not working I have options.
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