Upgrading my drumset

[5Austin5]

Pretty much, I am looking at getting upgrades for my drumset. I have Taye 5 piece drumset, gibraltar double bass pedal, 16" crash, hihat, and a ride (I dunno the measurements, does 22" sound right?). I've been playing on this drumset for a while and I'm looking for a different sound.

I know that most of the time this depends on what kind of music I would be playing, but I play everything. All of my friends and I keep our instruments at one house, so we have a few basses, guitars, amps, mics, and my drumset. Since I am the only drummer in our 'group' of friends, I really do play everything. I play with some of my friends that play keyboard-death metal kind of music, another blink-182 style punk rock, and then some classic/southern rock people.

I'm looking for something well rounded I 'spose...so...a cowbell? 18" crash? Maybe even save up for a completely different drum.

Thanks, Austin

[blade123]

Best thing you can do is tuning, new heads, cleaning and tweaking the set-up. Are your toms facing each other? Or they so flat that you get a rimshot every time? Can you maneuver around your kit with ease? If you think that you have a decent set-up, play with the tuning. Do you like your drums to sound tight and "fast" or deep and boomy? Do your drums ring too much? Too little? If the heads you have just suck (if you're a decent tuner, but you need ten pounds of moongel to tame your drums) get new heads. One thing that will help, is simply sitting down with a terry cloth (NOT anything other then something 100% cotton, anything else will scratch) and a bottle of cleaner (or even luke-warm water) and wiping down your drums. If you MUST buy something, get new heads and a few percussion effects and save up for new cymbals. Remember, drums can be tuned, but cymbals will always sound the same.

[5Austin5]

My drum heads are pretty new right now, but yeah, you are right about tuning. I really haven't messed with it too much because it seems so difficult. I never know what is going to sound good or if I want a low boomy tone or what.

The only reason I really want to get something new is that for the past few years, I've had the same things on my drums...not to mention I looove drums...so I try to have any spare money that I don't spend on gas going towards drumming =]

[blade123]

My drum heads are pretty new right now, but yeah, you are right about tuning. I really haven't messed with it too much because it seems so difficult. I never know what is going to sound good or if I want a low boomy tone or what.

The only reason I really want to get something new is that for the past few years, I've had the same things on my drums...not to mention I looove drums...so I try to have any spare money that I don't spend on gas going towards drumming =]

Same with everyone. My money goes to drum lessons or drums. If you must buy something, get some percussion or save for some cymbals.Go to Guitar Center and play every cymbal there and buy what one sounds the best.

[Guillermo]

It is wise to get comfortable with what you have.. explore the possibilities.

Even so, if I were at that point, the most obvious choice would be cymbals... like another crash, maybe an effect cymbal like a china.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I have a Taye set also, that is now sitting by getting bored while I play my Gretsch set, and I will tell you from experience that you will not be happy with your Taye drums, or any other drums until you learn to properly tune them. It took me quite a while to get mine where I wanted them, and it was my lack of experience and not the drums that was the main cause.. My advice would be to practice tuning the Tayes and get them where you want them, to where they sound good, and they can sound good, in fact better than good, before spending any more money on another set. Best of luck.

[5Austin5]

Thanks guys...

Yeah, I'm trying to work with tuning =/...I just can't get it 'right'. I've been looking everywhere on how other people tune theirs...and they all say "Tune it to a sound you like! =] =] =]". But I'm having a hard time finding that. Probably my favorite sounding drums are a mix between bonham and alex van halen (just throwing that out there)

[Wavelength]

Read this very carefully: http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/index.html

Seriously. Owning a Taye set and not knowing how to tune them is a crime against humanity.

[5Austin5]

Read this very carefully: http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/index.html

Seriously. Owning a Taye set and not knowing how to tune them is a crime against humanity.

Well lol, not like I haven't been trying. I've tuned them tons of times to where they at least sound decent. I'm just looking for that right sound...

[slingerland755]

I really like my torque drum key. It will at least get you close to having an even tension across the head and you can go from there.