John Bonham tuning

Hmm. In the words of the Famous Eccles...there's something funny going on here folks.
 
Without "posting" anything .... no picture of your kit, not to mention, no brand name ... or sizes ... and asking one of the most "generic" questions found on any drum forum .... you get what you get ...

I'm using emperor over ambass coated on all cept snare bottom isn't 12x14 rack, 16x16 floor, 16x18 floor, 26x14 kick, Custom built 5ply maple with round over outside/30 degree inside bearing edges, surpraphonic 6.5x14, giant beat 15" HH, gb 24"ride, gb 18,20 crashes and 2002 17,19 crashes that i'm layin off of. Kick and toms are there, the snare(new to me) has been the biggest pain, It was dropping tension rods out of the lugs, so went to the nylon locks. I hit hard, but with solid technique(not a basher, but rimshots all day long) It's a converted super sensitive....I wonder if the extra holes from removed center rod are giving me too much venting? or maybe when the lugs dropped out, my bottom head got weird....I think i'm gonna switch out the heads tmrw? anyway, let me know if you got any ideas...and thanx​

I don't know if you know but all of Bonzo's wood shelled Ludwigs were 3 ply with rerings.Pretty thin shells.His Maple kit was probably maple/mahogany/maple,and his green sparkle was all maple....but again...3 thin plys.And if your trying for the first Zep drum sound....better get some Slingerlands,because thats what he used till mid 69 when he got his maple Ludwig double bass set a la Carmine Appice.There is a photo of Bonzo behind his Slingys on the DFO forum.

Steve B​
 
IMHO - it's cool to go for a "bozo-ish" sound but to try to duplicate
every nuance as heard on Zep albums all the way down to 3ply this or that
c# snare sound etc....

well, it's just not that fruitful in the big picture....if you know what I mean.

in fact..unless you're music , gtr tone, style, arrangment etc...is total Zepplin knock-off
then it is a waste of time IMO.

I can get bonzo-ish tones from my entry level 5pc kit:
Coated emperors, wide open kick sound, similar tuning etc....
and with some of the mentioned recording techniques I can even get recorded sounds that resemble that tone
and with my giant beat cymbals - it's good enough for me

in my mind there's no need to get THAT obsessive it unless you're putting out a drum sample library intended to cop the "zep kit"

which, by the way Steven slate has done "SSD" Steven Slate drums" has a "zep kit"

he went all out in capturing those tones like renting a stone castle in the hollywood hills so he could place his room mics way up a stairwell, auditioning and finding a drummer that plays like Bonham all the way down to recording to 2" tape....

SSD - "Zep kit" look it up

with drum replacement software those tones could be yours!
 
I though we were done with that?
I am using great mics on the kit, Ev re20 on the kick, a single neumann overhead(yes 1 over) 414 and 57 on the snare(so far unused)and a telefunken in the room along with (so far unused)various safety mics. And what i meant in the last post was, after infinite tune tinkering and mic selection/ placement over a few days, I'm now happy with the kick and toms, the snare is hassling me, I think the reso is giving out. I'm not here to bicker, I have 1 week, and I'm trying to get it done the best i can. I stand by the statement no one has gotten his sound, that includes myself. I periodically check back here to see if anyone has thrown me a gem and all I get is pop shots and an inquisition? I mean, posting #57....Really? I don't know how many posts, and no one has mentioned the C# pitch that bonhams snare seems to emit? I'll check back again on the outside chance someone may have a helpful thought

This is very interesting, to say the least.

Dennis
 
I always find it hilarious when drummers come in critiquing "oh, why would you try to sound like Bonham, be original!" all the while they try to play, sound, and tune like Gavin Harrison, Purdie, Weckl, Vinnie, or any number of professional drummers out there! Learn who your paying audience is, here's a hint, it's not those close-minded drummers harping about originality. And if anyone ever gives you s--- about playing a "Bonham" kit, let them know that Jimmy Page wasn't the only legend who played a Les Paul (Sunburst either!)

As to the OP, like millions have already stated, only Bonham sounded like Bonham. Want proof? Listen to his playing using a wood kit, then his acrylic one. It's the same feel, groove, and fills he leaned towards. So, using two different kits with different heads and different tuning (only snare was the same), you get one guy who sounds the same. It really goes beyond what kit you use, your heads, your cymbals, etc. Bonham sounded like Bonham in SPITE of what kit he played! Recording techniques count even less in my book. He played in all sorts of different sized studios with different mic arrangements. In Led Zeppelin I he used a 13-16-24 kit, and what I honestly believe was a 14x5 supraphonic (not the 6.5" he's known for), and it's still sounded big! My favorite Zep song btw is the first track off the first record, "Good Times, Bad Times."

For the guys and gals who claimed to capture his sound on recordings, I'd love to hear those examples. Bonham was the sloppiest tight-player I've ever heard, and I'd love to hear / understand how you captured that.
 
The question is: What Would John Bonham Do? Can you match that Bonham Feel?

In terms of "technique" you might play like Bonham but in terms of "feel" - I doubt it!
His ringing true and heavy in addition of his swinging right arm on the ride, are awesome and something else...
 
I don't know if you know but all of Bonzo's wood shelled Ludwigs were 3 ply with rerings.Pretty thin shells.His Maple kit was probably maple/mahogany/maple,and his green sparkle was all maple...

Ludwig, from 63-68, shells were mahogany, poplar, maple ....​
Ludwig, from 68-75 (thereabouts), shells were, maple, poplar, maple...​
76 was when Ludwig switched to the 6 ply shell (but still maple-poplar mix)​
The first "all maple" shell, was the Rogers XP-8 shell, which came out in 1978.​
The Appice/Bonham hook-up happened during Zepps 1st tour, where they supported Vanilla Fudge.​
All the wood kits, were 3 ply, maple, poplar, maple shells.​
 
I've got a 70s Ludwig silver sparkle kit in 3ply&"Bonham sizes"",
I use Remo coated Emperors on batter/top side,
Coated Ambassadors on bottom/resonant side,
This applies to the toms only,
For the snare (Pearl free -floating aluminium 6.5),
I use coated Emperor over diplomat clear,
Snares loose.
Now here's my question:every article either in print or online forums have mentioned that he used felt strips on both the batter&resonant sides?.Should i too use felt strips OR use either Aquarian with felt strips built in OR Remo P3 with felt strip?.Btw/fyi it was his early drum roadies Glen Carlson&Mick Hinton that tuned Bonzo's drums &NOT the Ludwig factory,
This can be found on the excellent website:Johnbonham drums.
 
I use ps3 / fibrskyn reso combo on a Legacy kit & Vintage Emp's over Amb's. Should be fine.. What size bass drum do you have 26" ?
 
If you're using a PS3 there may not be any need for a felt strip given that it is already pre-muffled. It something you're gonna have to try for yourself and decide which method yields the best result

True. I use a PS3 on my 26" kick and a felt strip isn't necessary but I actually prefer it on both heads rather than not. Kinda' the same idea as the P3 FeltTone heads, IMO.

As far as the original topic goes, I don't have a drum dial... but, if you have the requisite drum sizes, coated Emperors and a Tune Bot, try these lug tunings and see how close they get you:

14" snare = 266 batter / 398 reso
24-26" kick = 65 batter / 86 reso
13-14" tom = 185 batter / 244 reso
16" floor = 131 batter / 172 reso
18" floor = 98 batter / 129 reso

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
14" snare = 266 batter / 398 reso
24-26" kick = 65 batter / 86 reso
13-14" tom = 185 batter / 244 reso
16" floor = 131 batter / 172 reso
18" floor = 98 batter / 129 reso

Dayyyum those toms are tuned higgggggggggh!

What is your fundamental note for each piece of the kit? I forget how to calculate it from the batter/reso numbers.

Also I use an app called Drumtune Pro which is like 5$ and its works like the tune bot.

I tune my snare and kick the same exact way but never tried my toms that high. I like my snare to sound Bonhmaesque but that is it.

You can also substitute on the snare
14" snare 298/398 with a Power Center Reverse Dot or CS sounds a lot like your tuning but with a little more ring and sensitivity.
 
Dayyyum those toms are tuned higgggggggggh!

What is your fundamental note for each piece of the kit? I forget how to calculate it from the batter/reso numbers.

Also I use an app called Drumtune Pro which is like 5$ and its works like the tune bot.

I tune my snare and kick the same exact way but never tried my toms that high. I like my snare to sound Bonhmaesque but that is it.

If the toms and kick seem a little high, try these settings for a little more punch while retaining the same pitch (fundamentals in parentheses):
24-26" kick = 70 batter / 81 reso (F1 / 43Hz)
13-14" tom = 164 batter / 275 reso (B2 / 123Hz)
16" floor = 116 batter / 194 reso (F2 / 86Hz)
18" floor = 87 batter / 145 reso (C2 / 66Hz)

I like the drum sound on the Ocheltree video so you could say these settings are "inspired" by that. Either way, seems to work pretty well for me.

DrumTune Pro looks pretty sweet - I'm gonna' check it out one of these days. I used to use iDrumTune and it works pretty well for snare and smaller toms. After comparing them, I think the Tune Bot is more accurate with the kicks and larger toms, though. Maybe pick one up for yourself and see what you think.

:)
 
I think there's possibly some confusion as to the OP.What i was asking advice about/for is this:SHOULD i fit either coated or vintage emperors with felt strips on either side (or one side only),
OR fit a pre-muffled head P3/Aquarian with felt strip built in OR P3 Felt tone (also with felt strip built in) ?.
 
I think the way he set up his bass drum most of the time was a coated Emperror batter tuned a bit higher than "normal" and a smooth white reso tuned quite a bit tighter than the batter with a felt strip on both heads and no port in the reso head. If you want to try for the most accurate, authentic reproduction, that was his formula.

That said, I've seen pictures where he used a Ritchie ring on the front head instead of a felt strip (like when he played the amber Vistalites), so he did change it up a bit from time to time. Use what ever you want, whether it be felt or rings on whichever heads you choose. The sound won't change drastically so long as you use similar heads and tuning as he did.

I play a 16×26 3-ply drum with a clear Ludwig Power Collar head (same as a Remo PS3) front and back, nothing in the drum, no hole in the reso head, and it really doesn't need any more muffling than that. In some rooms it actually sounds a little too muffled to me. I tune the batter a little higher than JAW and the reso almost as high as Bonham territory, but not quite. That gives me a really good, controlled low-end thump. If I wanted a more Bonhamesque sound, I would swap the batter for a coated PS4 and tension both heads a bit higher than I do now.

https://youtu.be/_mrNjz_U0ZM
 
SHOULD i fit either coated or vintage emperors with felt strips on either side (or one side only),
OR fit a pre-muffled head P3/Aquarian with felt strip built in OR P3 Felt tone (also with felt strip built in) ?.

I'm really curious about the Remo Felt Tone heads too. Has anyone here tried them or done any comparisons? I'm fine with the felt strips, but these might be a little easier to deal with... :)
 
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