My Drums in Octaves

dzarren

Senior Member
Hey, I was in the process of re heading my whole kit, and it is a rather large kit, so it really was a multi day project. Last night i had finished taking the old heads off everything and cleaning all the bearing edges of dust and debris, and a general dusting of the drums.

The resonant heads on my kit have not been changed for at the very least 8 years, and this would be if the person who sold it to me had replaced it right before he sold it to me, which i doubt.

So I took off all the heads, and i set this little cute 4-piece up. I took the bottom resonant head of the two toms, which was a clear ambassador, and put it on the top, and just left the drum with no bottom head.

After i got finished getting the toms tuned i noticed that the two toms were JUST about an octave apart, so i tweaked it to the point where they were just really about an octave apart. By luck of the draw, my metal snare just happened to be really close to one octave further above the rack tom, so i tweaked it so it was once again just about one octave.

I decided I wanted to record it, if you're interested, have a look, I really thought it was mighty fun and very interesting! In didn't stay in tune, but interestingly, both toms detuned the same relative amount and the intervalic relationship stayed very close to an octave. But the snare did not detune, so it was more than an octave above the high tom after all was done.

This is just a video of me playing the drums, feel free to let me know whatever irks you!
I'm just having a jam, no structure, almost free time, and some measures just have extra beats, and it's in 9/8 for a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ4vEAQHsUQ&feature=youtu.be

Please let me know what you think! Peace!!!

-Dzarren
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

How did you tell dude?

Not being funny but your toms sound dead. Make those baby's sing!
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

I hope this comes across the right way as I mean absolutely no offence.

Firstly, I think you have some cool beats going on and I like your playing. Somethings I will be trying to apply into my playing for sure.

However the actual concept is not something I'm sure I like. It would be like me posting a guitar video with all the strings tuned to E - the sound is compromised to the point where everything sounds sloppy and dead.

Definitely better to have as many options as possible with different notes.

Still, your experimenting has to be applauded as most will never aim to push the envelope like you tried to do.

Thanks for sharing :)
Baz
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

I hope this comes across the right way as I mean absolutely no offence.

Firstly, I think you have some cool beats going on and I like your playing. Somethings I will be trying to apply into my playing for sure.

However the actual concept is not something I'm sure I like. It would be like me posting a guitar video with all the strings tuned to E - the sound is compromised to the point where everything sounds sloppy and dead.

Definitely better to have as many options as possible with different notes.

Still, your experimenting has to be applauded as most will never aim to push the envelope like you tried to do.

Thanks for sharing :)
Baz




Hahahaha! dont worry about offence, I know, tis is just a fun little diddle! This kit usually has 6 toms. the kit in it's regular state usually goes 8,10,12,13,16,18, 20, and the 14 inch snare. its MASSIVE so like i said in the video im dismantling just to re head everything, so this was just a little mid way diddle on the drums for fun. 4-piece is just ridiculously limited with my style of playing.
And yes i know the tuning is very limited, and really it was just a major coincedence that they ended up being very near an octave, so i just tweaked it till it really was an octave, like i said, just for fun! and it sure was a great deal of fun.

BACK TO THE 8 PIECE KIT PLEASE. Maybe Ill put some pictures or videos of that up one day.
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Hahahaha! dont worry about offence, I know, tis is just a fun little diddle! This kit usually has 6 toms. the kit in it's regular state usually goes 8,10,12,13,16,18, 20, and the 14 inch snare. its MASSIVE so like i said in the video im dismantling just to re head everything, so this was just a little mid way diddle on the drums for fun. 4-piece is just ridiculously limited with my style of playing.
And yes i know the tuning is very limited, and really it was just a major coincedence that they ended up being very near an octave, so i just tweaked it till it really was an octave, like i said, just for fun! and it sure was a great deal of fun.

BACK TO THE 8 PIECE KIT PLEASE. Maybe Ill put some pictures or videos of that up one day.

One day? Hell, make it snappy, son!
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

How did you tell dude?

Not being funny but your toms sound dead. Make those baby's sing!

Part of that is likely the placement and type of camera mic that he has. Additionally, he has no resonant heads so there is no ringing of the drums at all.
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Part of that is likely the placement and type of camera mic that he has. Additionally, he has no resonant heads so there is no ringing of the drums at all.

Yes sir, no resonant head, just a pure attack really. The air escapes mighty quick.
My camera doesnt pic up low end very well, im not very satisfied with it. It might also be because the line of sight to the bass drum is blocked by the couch, so all "bass drum sounds" that the mic is getting is not directly from the drum, but actually reflections from the room. Ive only ever tried recording from that particular angle, just because I havnt found a better angle.

Ill try a new angle soon and see if i can pick up a little more low end.


Ill post a new thread when i finish setting up my 8 piece, with new heads and all! All new resonants and batters seriously set me back a bit.



One day? Hell, make it snappy, son!
Very well! Ill post a video when I have it all set up and ready to jam.
 
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Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Nice

What do they sound like tuned lower? That would be a cool vid too.

A friend of mine has a nested set of Pearls, all batters without resonant heads.

Sounds very similar.

Now.... my question is....

Did the drum heads lose bounce (rebound) without the resonant head in place?

Oh... and that splash sounds great! What model is that?

Thanks
 
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Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Nice

What do they sound like tuned lower? That would be a cool vid too.

A friend of mine has a nested set of Pearls, all batters without resonant heads.

Sounds very similar.

Now.... my question is....

Did the drum heads lose bounce (rebound) without the resonant head in place?

Oh... and that splash sounds great! What model is that?

Thanks



Would you believe me if i said the splash cost me 24.99 plus tax?
It's a wuhan 10 inch, and im surprised everytime i hit it.

I generally tune my drums fairly low, so im used to low rebound, so i noticed no decrease in rebound in comparison to the drums with the resonant heads as well.
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Ah right got ya, my bad. I listened rather than watched being at work and all. I didn't notice the lack of reso!
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

Would you believe me if i said the splash cost me 24.99 plus tax?
It's a wuhan 10 inch, and im surprised everytime i hit it.
QUOTE]

I believe it... and that is great news because I've been looking for a splash and have checked out Wuhan splashes on YouTube.

Thanks for the that info! I appreciate it.
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

First, whether you hit the resonant heads with a stick or not, they still wear from resonating from from the batter heads being hit. Secondly, reso heads are usually thin and not really made to be hit. When you tune them too low, as you have, they will sound terrible . I would suggest new reso an batter heads and google some YouTube drum timing videos and get that large kit where it belongs
 
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They sounded really thin and dead because you don't have bottom heads on there. No real definition, just a little attack.
 
Re: My drum kit tuned in octaves!

First, whether you hit the resonant heads with a stick or not, they still wear from resonating from from the batter heads being hit. Secondly, redo heads are usually thin and not really made to be hit. When you tune them too low, as you have, they will sound terrible . I would suggest new redo an batter heads and google some YouTube drum timing videos and get that large kit where it belongs

those are just regular clear ambassadors, designed to be either batter or resonant.
And Yes i know they wear, its just some fun while i wait for my last two heads, the 16 and 18, to be delivered so i can start heading everything!

Untill then I only have older heads to mess with, as i dont want to set up just 4 rack toms with no floor toms. so its just going to be crappy heads with strange tuning till then!

Hopefully you guys will like my full kit more, with resonant heads i may add! :p
 
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