The subject of porting

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
Been thinking of this lately. I recently started playing an unmuffled, wide open bass drum, with a full front head. First time in my LIFE. Generally, it rocks. However, there are times I like a shorter less big tone. I wish there was a head that could go from ported to unported and back....and since I'm wishing, operated at the throne would be nice too lol. Is there already a head that does this? (I'm assuming not operated at the throne)

Which also raises the question: If you somehow designed a captive lid that could open and seal shut, that covered a 4" hole right in the bass drum shell, while keeping a full front head on it at all times..... would that be an equivalent tone compared to a standard ported bass drum reso head? Hmmmm, not sure. Wavelength might know, His Kumu's shells are ported I think.

Since I'm on the subject of porting, on my hi hats, I drilled 3 holes in the bottom hat for air escape. Once in a great while, it still air locks up, which baffles me. I was thinking of drilling some holes in the top cymbal too. Anyone ever do this before? I would think hi hats would come vented as a standard thing. Those scalloped edges don't do diddley for venting, if 3 drilled holes didn't completely solve it. The scalloped edges could very well make for a good chick though. What was their primary reason for being? Venting or chicking?

Also if my toms didn't have vents, could I hear the difference? Would I notice a difference in feel? What is the primary purpose of a drum vent?

SO in conclusion,

1. Does any company make a switchable ported/non ported bass drum reso head?
2. If not, why not? Lol
3. A 4" diameter bass drum shell vent... same tone as a 4" ported BD reso head?
4. Ever wanna drill your top hat?
5. Scalloped bottom hi hat edges. For venting or chicking?
6. How come they vent toms again?

Thanks again.
 
1. Any contraption that let you add/remove the port would add mass to the head, which would change the tone and muffle it somewhat. Best you could do would probably to have a patch you taped on with clear packing tape (which is pretty light and thin) to cover the port.

4. Wouldn't drill either of them. Can't say I've really had an issue with air lock.

6. Why don't you plug the vent on a tom and tell us? Just jam a pinky in there or something, or whittle down a cork until it fits.

I've got a toy kid's drum which I refitted with real hoops, heads, cut better bearing edges, and some primitive rope tensioning, and it has no vent, and has the strangest ring and tone to it. Sounds somewhat normal at a light tap, but as you hit it harder it gets a wierdass howl going. Not sure how much is from the fact that the shell is crap and not particularly round, so my bearing edge is a bit uneven, but one of these days I will drill a vent in it just to see the difference.
 
In all my years of playing, I don't think I've ever had a hi hat get an air lock. You mean they sort of stick together right? Also, you know that you can adjust the angle of the bottom hat to prevent that, right?

Tom vents - quick enough to check. Un-mount one of your toms, stick your finger over the vent, and give it a whack. I'm sure you'll get lots more rebound on the stick, because the air can't vent, it will build up pressure, and push back. Not sure how much the sound will change.

I just recently tried a ported bass drum head, and didn't care for it. Back to normal with my non-ported bass drum heads now.
Never heard of an on/off port, but the patch idea sounds like a reasonable solution.

No idea about #3.
 
Air lock, where you close the hats and they make hardly any sound, they feel funny too, like you're compressing air. Usually increasing the angle of the tilter solves it. Looking for a better solution.

I did some experiments by plugging the hole. I can't hear any difference. I couldn't feel any difference either, but I was only hitting the drum with one hand and the drum on my lap. I even tried looking at the reflection in the bottom reso head...to see if I could see a difference in the distorted reflection while plugged and unplugged. Nada. I tried really really hard hits, to try and choke it, and softer hits.... and I can't tell a difference. Maybe if you played fast singles on it you could tell. But single hits? Not really. I rebound off the head immediately so what's to feel anyway? The quality of the rebound? My stick tip doesn't hang around long enough for me to feel any difference, it still rebounds.
 
1. Does any company make a switchable ported/non ported bass drum reso head?
2. If not, why not? Lol
3. A 4" diameter bass drum shell vent... same tone as a 4" ported BD reso head?
4. Ever wanna drill your top hat?
5. Scalloped bottom hi hat edges. For venting or chicking?
6. How come they vent toms again?


1. Never heard of it. But soem design ;ike those external mufflers you see on really old Slingerland or WFL bass drums could maybe be shifted into place to cover a port. But then they would muffle as well.
2. maybe no demand? Seems like a good idea, lots of debate on hear which sounds better in which applications...and all the sound guys will be happy. I prefer feel and sound of unported but this would be the best of 2 worlds.
3. The 'feel' you get on your foot would be the same. I'd guess the sound is not. Maybe somebody has drilled their bass drum shell to prove this, or not, lol.
4. Nope. I find airlock is most common with some cymbals but not others.
5. ...for style, or mojo? lol I like them, and wish more hats were made that way.
6. I read it was to do with moisture, air needs to access inside the drum. Like putting a tight jar on a window sill, moisture will buildup inside if no air access.


Tuning my drums the other day, with the airhole facing me, i realize a heck of a lot of air exits those things on impact.
 
Air lock, where you close the hats and they make hardly any sound, they feel funny too, like you're compressing air...


OK - I was thinking of it the opposite way, like after you close the hats, they don't open, because too tight of a seal makes them stick together.

Never experienced either one.
 
1. Does any company make a switchable ported/non ported bass drum reso head?

Never heard, or have ever seen one. Did it once myself, worked kind of OK.

2. If not, why not? Lol

Cost, no one asked, easier not to fool with something like that, people may not like the look of the overlap you'd have to have.

3. A 4" diameter bass drum shell vent... same tone as a 4" ported BD reso head?

Probably not, but there isn't much sound difference (to our ears) between a virgin and a bass drum with a mount you could stick a mic in...
Impact drums had a shell hole in their design that was for micing. Premier had a snare that had a side hole for a mic too.
A shell hole probably wouldn't catch on because people would say "Oh my God, the loss of resonance bluster, bluster..." then proceed to put stuff inside the shell, or use muffled heads of course.
Then again, if some studio guy's started doing it, and said "it's great..." "we love it....", we'd see holes in the sides of bass drums....

4. Ever wanna drill your top hat?

No.
My Sabian hats are Sizzle hats, which have 2 holes in the bell, along with whatever air escapes for the holes the sizzle rivets are in.


5. Scalloped bottom hi hat edges. For venting or chicking?

Probably both.

6. How come they vent toms again?

To let air escape, but maybe it was because of the moisture factor with a closed up shell having more possibility of warping. Good place for the badge.

Thank you for playing.

You're welcome.
 
I have never had my hats airlock but I have noticed a set of fusion hats that had holes in the bottom hat for some reason.

I remember reading somewhere on here before that most likely drum builders dont even know why they put the air vents in they just do it because most builders always did it.

For the record my radials have no air vents or holes of any kind in the drums themselves at all, toms, snare or bass drum (I do use a ported front head tho).

I have had a couple guys comment on the great stick rebound on the toms and im thinking that might be part of the reason but its hard to believe that a hole that small would actually make that much of a difference in rebound, now a 4" port on a bass drum head, sure.

BTW its not so much the hole itself that makes the difference in sound between a virgin bass as it is the weight of the toms on the shell reducing the resonance but how many of us actually want a super resonant kick? (same reason you dont usually see suspension mounts on snares, an abundance of resonance is not needed). If you put a single ply on both sides and ran it wide open the difference between virgin bass or not would be more noticeable.


EDIT:
I wish there was a head that could go from ported to unported and back....and since I'm wishing, operated at the throne would be nice too lol. Is there already a head that does this? (I'm assuming not operated at the throne)

Just got an idea: How bout one of those kick ports, put a butterfly valve inside it, put it in the head backwards so you can control it with a choke type cable from the outside and mount the bracket for the push/pull handle on one of the top tension screws on the batter side for easy access. If anyone patents this remember it was my idea...lol. Maybe I should call kick port Monday morning and pitch them my idea...lol
 
Last edited:
I remember reading somewhere on here before that most likely drum builders dont even know why they put the air vents in they just do it because most builders always did it.
I think that was me, referring mostly to mass market builders who weren't making drums in the 60's.

In our new drum series, we're venting our Performance range, but not our Classic range. Venting slightly reduces creation of overtones in the sustain fundamental, & also reduces choking at higher tunings. Conversely, it reduces richness of tone at very low dynamics.

how many of us actually want a super resonant kick? (same reason you dont usually see suspension mounts on snares, an abundance of resonance is not needed).
Resonance & sustain are two different things, although interrelated. Increased resonance gives you increased tone to your drum, especially highlighting the fundamental, but it doesn't necessarily have to equate to sustain, as that is often checked by bearing edge design, tuning, hoop & head selection.

Who want's a super resonant kick = me!!!!, but one with a fairly short note.
 
1. Does any company make a switchable ported/non ported bass drum reso head?
2. If not, why not? Lol
3. A 4" diameter bass drum shell vent... same tone as a 4" ported BD reso head?
4. Ever wanna drill your top hat?
5. Scalloped bottom hi hat edges. For venting or chicking?
6. How come they vent toms again?

1. Not that I have come across, but that would be really cool. So far the only head I've seen that can be adjusted in any way would be the Remo Powersonic [batter head], which has a padded muffler that can be buttoned on to the bottom of the head for even more muffling.
2. Great question. They should make one with a nice throw-off at the top of the kick drum.
3. I would think different tone. Probably more attack with less whole tone. The reso head, even if ported, would still resonate to some degree. A 4" vent in the drum itself would probably affect tone, punch and decay.
4. ....only when it talks back to me.
4. I'd drill it if I thought it would help matters. I haven't come across that problem yet. Right now I play Zildjian A Mastersounds [scalloped]. They get great chick and have a great range of "almost-closed". And since I haven't come across any airlock problems, I'd say they vent pretty great too.
5. I always thought they vent toms so the heads can more freely resonate, since the air pressure would be relaxed. I know that if I hold my finger over the vent hole of a drum the tone sounds different. I can only imagine that the harder it's hit, the more I'd notice.

That was fun, thanks.
 
Is your hihat clutch too tight and squeezing down on your top cymbal? if yes maybe if you loosen it, your top cymbal will meet the bottom cymbal with less rigidity and thus avoid air lock.
Just a suggestion.
I had a pair of a custom mastersounds with scalloped edges once, and from what I can remember they were for venting and chick sound. But maybe thats just marketing hype.
I use sabian aa 14's and I never get air lock and as you know they are not vented.
However I do tilt the top very slightly and don't over squeeze the tiop cymbal.
 
Just got an idea: How bout one of those kick ports, put a butterfly valve inside it, put it in the head backwards so you can control it with a choke type cable from the outside and mount the bracket for the push/pull handle on one of the top tension screws on the batter side for easy access. If anyone patents this remember it was my idea...lol. Maybe I should call kick port Monday morning and pitch them my idea...lol

Hold on there Bucko, if anyone is going to profit from this idea it's me lol.

JK. See that's a great idea IMO. I played in a really loud room the other night, meaning I merely tap the drums and the room fills up with too much drum sound. No soft surfaces anywhere. Yea I really wanted a ported bass drum that night.

I was thinking something as simple as this: a 4" hole in the reso. A 6" circular patch, on the inside of the reso head, that is attached at one pivot point on the reso head and held in place by velcro on the inside of the head circling the port. To make it unported, you would simply press on the 6" patch, undoing it from the velcro, the pivot point would keep it from falling inside the drum, and you simply rotate it out of the way, and it it is held in that position by more velcro. When it is in position and covering the port, the air pressure created by the beater stroke would tend to "seal the hole" because the patch is on the inside pushing out.

But a kickport with a cable actuated butterfly valve is a really boss idea Tard, much cooler.
 
Is your hihat clutch too tight and squeezing down on your top cymbal?

I never really considered that. My top hat is more tight than loose, but not super tight. I suppose I could stand to loosen it a little more. Good tip. I don't experience air lock all that much, but it happens a few times a year. It should happen no times per year.
 
I never really considered that. My top hat is more tight than loose, but not super tight. I suppose I could stand to loosen it a little more. Good tip. I don't experience air lock all that much, but it happens a few times a year. It should happen no times per year.

How bout the screw under the bottom hat that will make it tilt, I use it to give about a 1/4" tilt to my bottom hat I have never had it air lock.
 
Your 4" hole, 6" patch with the pivot is a good idea, but what about getting the mic in the hole.
I don't personally put the mic through the hole (just at it), but you know how some sound guy's are about shovin' the whole dang thing in there....

If you had it internally mic'd that's a different story, but how many drummers would buy a mic, and use the Full-O'- Port TM © ® Head in order to make it worth while to manufacture?

As an accessory, it could work I suppose.
 
....Just got an idea: How bout one of those kick ports, put a butterfly valve inside it, put it in the head backwards so you can control it with a choke type cable from the outside and mount the bracket for the push/pull handle on one of the top tension screws on the batter side for easy access. If anyone patents this remember it was my idea...lol. Maybe I should call kick port Monday morning and pitch them my idea...lol

....

....I was thinking something as simple as this: a 4" hole in the reso. A 6" circular patch, on the inside of the reso head, that is attached at one pivot point on the reso head and held in place by velcro on the inside of the head circling the port. To make it unported, you would simply press on the 6" patch, undoing it from the velcro, the pivot point would keep it from falling inside the drum, and you simply rotate it out of the way, and it it is held in that position by more velcro. When it is in position and covering the port, the air pressure created by the beater stroke would tend to "seal the hole" because the patch is on the inside pushing out.

....


You guys are coming up with some great ideas - LOL. I think I might try one of them.

About the venting thing. If I give a floor tom a good whack, and hold my other hand an inch or two from the air vent, I can feel a real strong push of air escaping - lots of pressure and velocity.

I suppose some drums don't seal as well, or air escapes from defects in bearing edges or mount/lugs holes or what-not. But I think on a drum with real tight tolerances that's 'sealed up like a drum', not having a vent could make a significant difference.
 
Larry, just a thought for you on the bass drum note.

I'm currently playing a vintage (3-ply, re-rings, 20") bass drum totally unported and wide open. I play with a Vater 'Vintage Bomber' beater. If I want my kick to 'muffle' I simply bury the beater - if not, I play it wide open and don't let the beater muffle. It's quite a profound and pronounced effect on the note.

I assume you use a normal-type beater. Perhaps you could modify a beater to have a hard front but with some softness to the side of the beater so that when you do bury, it'll muffle the sound more.
 
Good tip Duncan. I just have to learn how to bury a beater on a 2 headed drum without multiple bounce backs. I guess that's why you recommended the lambswool beater. TTTT I don't like burying the beater all night. Too much work. Plus I like a hard beater for attack. But thanks for a good tip, I never thought of controlling it myself. I could see where it would be useful.
 
Larry,

I believe I heard or saw somewhere that Zildjian did the scalloped edges for the air release. The chick was just a good added benefit. Kind of like Gordon Murray and the Mclaren F1. He built it for raw handling, saving weight, aerodynamics, perfect driving position. The fact that it is drop dead gorgeous is just one of those deals. Like the discussion of the 18" bass drum being considered the "jazz bass" . Nobody is positive whether it was for portability in big city cabs, the not quite so low sound so as not to interfere with the string bass, and so on, but I highly doubt the were ALL planned. It was likely used for one particular purpose, and just so happened to fit the others.

I have to say Larry, you've got guts. No way most of us on the entire forum would have tried ANY of the stuff you have with drums and cymbals. It takes some pretty good preparation for failure and the possibility of having to buy a new cymbal or drum to.do what you have done. It also sets you up for greatness. The majority here are also less likely to introduce something new into the drumming world. Without people like you, a lot of the stuff we take for granted never would have come about. Back in the day, it was the players that came up with the cool innovations. There was no such thing as R&D in drum companies. Like Ron Bushy from Iron Butterfly as a prime example. http://www.drumheadmag.com/web/feature.php?id=14 You may be the one to come up with the next big thing.
 
I have to say Larry, you've got guts. No way most of us on the entire forum would have tried ANY of the stuff you have with drums and cymbals. It takes some pretty good preparation for failure and the possibility of having to buy a new cymbal or drum to.do what you have done. It also sets you up for greatness. The majority here are also less likely to introduce something new into the drumming world. Without people like you, a lot of the stuff we take for granted never would have come about. Back in the day, it was the players that came up with the cool innovations. There was no such thing as R&D in drum companies. Like Ron Bushy from Iron Butterfly as a prime example. http://www.drumheadmag.com/web/feature.php?id=14 You may be the one to come up with the next big thing.

Wow thanks man. I think you overstate it but I'll take it! Really made my day man! Thanks! But I have to give credit where credit is due. Tards butterfly valve on a kick port is a seriously fantastic idea, better than my lame 6" patch w/ velcro. Great link as well man. Very enlightening, thanks for that. Ron Bushy could be the drummer that really lit a fire under my 10 year old pants. Not literally lol.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top