John Bonham

Re: Bonham tuning

Old studio joke,"can you make my drums sound like John Bonhams? Sure, I'll call him and see if he can come down!"Translation-it's the drummer, not the drums.:eek:)
 
Re: Bonham tuning

pcmckay said:
Thanks for responding to my question. When I say the 16" sounds horrible it just has to much sustain, the 14" and 18" have very short sustain. They sound very big and full, but the sustain fades very nicely. Sometimes I have to put my hand on the 16" top head to get it to stop ringing. I'm using Remo Coated Emperors on the top, Remo Coated Ambassadors on the bottom. In the Ocheltree video he says that the "bottom head on the 14" sounds like a snare getting tuned and hence the other drums go down from there." I have tried that and I think the 16" bottom head is too tight and I think that is why it has too much sustain. But I loosen it up and then it just sounds completely different then the other two toms. It sounds very flat and dead, it just doesn't fit with the very round sound I am getting out of the other two toms.

The only other thing I can think of is to try to find a pitch and feel on the top head of the 16" tom that you are happy with, then tune the bottom head up 3 to 4 notes higher than that to see if that works, rather than get too scientific with the pitch relationships and all that. You should be able to shorten the sustain with the bottom head tighter, it just may be a bit more sensitive than the other two, or possibly a bad batter head.
 
Re: Bonham tuning

Once you do find the problem and get the drum happening, please let us know. I would be very interested to find out what the solution ends up being. I know the dilemna you have in that you want to have all of the toms exhibit the same characteristics (punchy, round, equal sustain, etc.). If you go messing with muffling or a different tuning on the 16" tom, it will stick out like a sore thumb and won't sound like it's part of the kit. If it was me, I would start over by cranking up the top head and then slowly de-tune it until I found a pitch and feel that fit in with the top heads of the other drums you tuned. Then I would tune the bottom head up 3 to 4 notes higher, like I said in the prior post, to see if that did the trick. If that still doesn't reduce the sustain, then I would probably try replacing the batter head and try again. How much tighter do you have the bottom heads on the other two toms? The same amount? You probably have already done this, but if there is say 4 notes seperating the top and bottom heads on the other two toms, that should give you an idea that the 16" tom heads should be seperated by 4 notes as well. Do you know what I mean? I'm all out of suggestions and possible solutions, good luck and please let us know how you make out.
 
Re: Bonham tuning

cdrums21 said:
The only other thing I can think of is to try to find a pitch and feel on the top head of the 16" tom that you are happy with, then tune the bottom head up 3 to 4 notes higher than that to see if that works, rather than get too scientific with the pitch relationships and all that. You should be able to shorten the sustain with the bottom head tighter, it just may be a bit more sensitive than the other two, or possibly a bad batter head.

How can he really know how much is 3 or 4 notes higher . i never understood notes in drums .
 
Re: Bonham tuning

As you tune a drum head, the lug points on the head will produce a certain pitch/note. To get the head in tune with itself, all the lug points should be tuned to the same pitch/note. Once you know what the pitch/note is, you can tune in intervals and know how to tune the bottom head three to four notes higher. It makes all the difference in really fine tuning your sound to eliminate unwanted overtones and sympathetic vibration.
 
Re: For all you Bonham fans...

Ah, I love Bonzo. His Moby Dick solo was what made me want to start drumming.

Thanks for the tracks.
 
Re: For all you Bonham fans...

Way to go!! Very nice story and clips, and my favorite studio joke"Can you make my drums sound like John Bonhams? Sure I'll call and see if he can come down!"-It's the drummer, not the drums!
 
Re: For all you Bonham fans...

that was awesome thanks so much, i loved Bonham's work so much, one of my all time fav drummers
 
Re: For all you Bonham fans...

How can anyone not love Bonham? I imagine most of us were amazed by the simple power of "When the Levee Breaks" or the complexity of "Good Times Bad Times" before we even thought about picking up the sticks ourselves.

The two drummers who have been the best guidance for me are Bonham and Stewart Copeland. Different kinds of drummers, both excellent for different reasons.
 
John Bonham is awesome. He is my favorite drummer. The grooves he came up with just fit the song perfectly. He truely is the greatest rock drummer ever.
 
joooooohn booooooonahm.

there was always something about his drumming. everyone knows he wasnt as good as peart or bozzio, but he had so much power and feel. i enjoy the drumming from kashmir more than the drumming of peart in YYZ . when i wtch the zeppelin concert dvds im just overwhemled. its a certain feeling i get everytime he starts playing. Every single note he played will be the only notes you should play if you play a zeppelin song. The outro of " the rain song" is a great example of his power. His drumsound is something that will never ever be reproduced. Even if you get a oringal JB drumkit he played, you still cant. HES JOHN BONHAM! im sure he can get a 18' bass drum and a piccolo snare and make that kick sound like a 24' and that snare sound like a 14inch snare. The only drummer ive seen come close to bohnam is danny carey. his drumsound is phenomonal and the way he plays has just as much power and bonhams. like that triplet beat he was doing in the middle of aneima. i know this isnt a danny carey forum but if a drummer is powerful, then you can feel it

john bonahm is a legend and he has my ulimate respect

long live bonzo!
 
John Bonham talks to himself...

i was watching the song remains the same movie the other day and i noticed during one of the songs bonzo was talking to himself?? has anyone else noticed this?? also you can hear it on the in through the out door outtakes..
 
Re: John Bonham talks to himself...

watch on the zep dvd and watch black dog...ull see bonham doin it alot
 
Re: John Bonham talks to himself...

Yeah I know the feeling, my wife does the same thing.

She says she talks to angels, says they all know her name.. Wacky!
 
Re: John Bonham talks to himself...

come on now that's just cheezy! black crows are pretty groovin tho
 
Re: John Bonham talks to himself...

He makes sounds in the same way you can count...and also i think there is the fact he was once quoted as saying he like to shout like a bear when playing because it gave it a 'boost'...
 
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