Hip Hop bass head

[PremierDrummer]

hey, does anyone have a recomendation on a bass head for a 22" premier artist birch. I want a deep bassy sound that has defined tone instead of a thud but doesnt have that ring that thin heads have. I was thinking maybe something coated. I have the emad on right now which i know is a good head i just want something a little less clicky with a more defined bass note almost. thanks in advance.

[masonni]

Used a duble ply head on both the front and the back with nothing inside the drum. Deep and boomy!

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Well if we're talking about Hip Hop, a lot of the drummers that were sampled for Hip Hop grooves were the Motown drummers. The Motown drummers were known for heavily muffling their kits, sometimes even covering their drums with blankets. They also hit very softly. This was due to the fact that the 'Motown Sound' was achieved using very high levels of compression, and the compressor would clip the recording track if they hit any harder.

You might find that you're best off taking a 'basic' (I.e. non-muffled) style of head, like a Remo Ambassador or Emperor and working out how best to muffle the drum. I suggest trying a felt strip on the heads. I read a very interesting article in an old issue of Modern Drummer with Ahmir Thompson and he stated that the art of the 'Motown Sound' is working out the muffling more than anything else. Good luck.

[khanedeliac]

Well if we're talking about Hip Hop, a lot of the drummers that were sampled for Hip Hop grooves were the Motown drummers.


Very true, and well described MF.

However, a VAST number of the drums sampled in hip-hop come straight from funk and soul/funk as well as a plethora of jazz cymbals.

So the Motown sound is just one sound; and Questlove, as great as he is; is only one hip-hop drummer.

While MF's explanation was concise and accurate, its important to not forget the funk drums and the jazz cymbals.

In fact, one of the most famous hip hop breaks is the 'Impeach The President' break by rock supergroup The Honeydrippers; also not forgetting 'When The Levee Breaks' as sampled by people like the Beastie Boys.

What Im trying to say is that to really get that sound, you have to listen to a lot of these records, pick up any of he ones where famous breaks were sampled and listen to the drums.

Chocolate Milk
James Brown
The Meters
Skull Snaps

They have all had numerous breaks sampled, check out the drums and try to emulate that sound.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Listen to Khan. He knows what he's talking about.

[herbiefoster]

...one of the most famous hip hop breaks is the 'Impeach The President' break by rock supergroup The Honeydrippers...

Actually, the group that recorded "Impeach the President" in 1973 had no connection to the rock supergroup headed by Robert Plant in the 80's.

Here's an article about the group that recorded "Impeach the President":

http://formatmag.com/columns/the-breakdown/a-taste-of-honey/

And here's a brief bio of Robert Plant's group:

http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0ifpxqe5ldae~T1

Hope this clears up any confusion. This is one of my favorite breaks. Cheers!

[khanedeliac]

Actually, the group that recorded "Impeach the President" in 1973 had no connection to the rock supergroup headed by Robert Plant in the 80's.

Here's an article about the group that recorded "Impeach the President":

http://formatmag.com/columns/the-breakdown/a-taste-of-honey/

Hope this clears up any confusion. This is one of my favorite breaks. Cheers!


AHA!
I knew it, I knew there had to be a different Honeydrippers!

Thank you for that, now I can inform my university lecturer that he was in fact, mistaken as I had presumed!

I love the break too, but I kept thinking, "This doesnt sound like a rock break, oh well, maybe Im being narrow minded thinking that a rock break couldnt sound like this"

Thank you! I knew something was up....

Time to try and find some music by the FUNKY honeydrippers. Sweet.

PS : Seriously though, you caould have at least pointed out that the other things I said were true, seeing as you went out of your way to say I was wrong! :P

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

What type of beater are you using? A hard felt beater will not give you a clicky sound, but will have a little more punch than a soft felt.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

I'm actually quite tempted by one of those Vater 'Vintage Bomber' beaters. They look really excellent, I've been trying to locate one for a while.

[herbiefoster]

you could have at least pointed out that the other things I said were true, seeing as you went out of your way to say I was wrong! :P

My bad. You definitely made some good points. it's really important to listen to those old records. Here's a great website to help connect the dots:

http://the-breaks.com/

Also, it's important to pay attention to more than just the sound of those records and don't forget the feeling and vibe. A lot of times, nailing the vibe is more important than nailing the beat and the way you play can be more important than what you play.

Get up, get into it, get involved!

[herbiefoster]

FWIW, I like to use an EMAD 2 (I use the large dampener ring) with an EQ3 resonant head on the front along with a Remo Dave Weckl muffling system resting against the resonant head. Nice solid THUMP.

[khanedeliac]

My bad. You definitely made some good points. it's really important to listen to those old records. Here's a great website to help connect the dots:

http://the-breaks.com/


Haha, I love that website, I check it out a lot actually, because when my friend and I are making hip-hop, we often check to see if a sample we are going to use has already been done.
Dunno why it never occurred to me to check the Honeydrippers dispute there...hmm.


Also, it's important to pay attention to more than just the sound of those records and don't forget the feeling and vibe. A lot of times, nailing the vibe is more important than nailing the beat and the way you play can be more important than what you play.

Get up, get into it, get involved!


100 percent true, nailing the vibe/feel is often the thing people forget. Pour your soul into it and feel the bottom-end of the bass in your ass; it is sometimes the only way to jam that stuff out.