Bo Eder
Platinum Member
OK. You know what I've just realized? I will probably never be one of those artists that will ever get along with the marketing side of said art. You won't be able to use me to sell anything new because I'll always question if having anything new (or more expensive) is the way to go.
This thread is going to be an extension of the "The expensive drumset stigma..." thread that ruffled a few feathers (some of which is even my own), and I've provided a YouTube clip to boot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovSx1Q54CJw
The question is (you guessed it), what do you need an expensive snare drum for?
The video provided is of me playing a New Orleans kinda' groove with my Sonor Mystery Maple Force 3007 snare drum. Other than having re-fitted it with a Remo Vintage Emperor on top and an Ambassador snare side on the bottom, the drum is completely stock. Oh wait, I also replaced the plastic tape strips that hold the snares with that blue aircraft cable so popular these days (I swore by those things 20 years ago when Stan at Pro drum in Hollywood forced them on me when he replaced my snares back then).
When I listened back to the video (done on my Zoom Q3, about two feet and slightly up from the drum), I thought the drum sounded wonderful. In fact, it just went head-to-head with a Sonor Phil Rudd snare earlier today and convinced me not to get the Phil just yet. Do give it a listen, critique my playing if you must, but try and tell me that that snare wouldn't work for a majority of gigs.
It's sacrilege, really. The drum can probably be had for less than $100 new, it's got that funny Sonor plastic strainer, it's really light. And even though Sonor says it's Canadian Maple sandwiching plies of Asian Maple, who can tell? After hearing it, who cares?
You can make the argument that well, 'how do you know it'll last a night of pounding by Taylor Hawkins?' Maybe it won't. Maybe it will. Are you hired to play like Taylor Hawkins all the time? I'm just saying, be objective. Look at the drum for 90% of the playing situations we non-famous folks might get a call for, and decide if the drum won't cut it.
I will probably pick up a nice solid pro-level snare by the end of this new week anyway, but since we're at the beginning of a new week, let's start it off with another controversy! Let the arguing commence!
This thread is going to be an extension of the "The expensive drumset stigma..." thread that ruffled a few feathers (some of which is even my own), and I've provided a YouTube clip to boot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovSx1Q54CJw
The question is (you guessed it), what do you need an expensive snare drum for?
The video provided is of me playing a New Orleans kinda' groove with my Sonor Mystery Maple Force 3007 snare drum. Other than having re-fitted it with a Remo Vintage Emperor on top and an Ambassador snare side on the bottom, the drum is completely stock. Oh wait, I also replaced the plastic tape strips that hold the snares with that blue aircraft cable so popular these days (I swore by those things 20 years ago when Stan at Pro drum in Hollywood forced them on me when he replaced my snares back then).
When I listened back to the video (done on my Zoom Q3, about two feet and slightly up from the drum), I thought the drum sounded wonderful. In fact, it just went head-to-head with a Sonor Phil Rudd snare earlier today and convinced me not to get the Phil just yet. Do give it a listen, critique my playing if you must, but try and tell me that that snare wouldn't work for a majority of gigs.
It's sacrilege, really. The drum can probably be had for less than $100 new, it's got that funny Sonor plastic strainer, it's really light. And even though Sonor says it's Canadian Maple sandwiching plies of Asian Maple, who can tell? After hearing it, who cares?
You can make the argument that well, 'how do you know it'll last a night of pounding by Taylor Hawkins?' Maybe it won't. Maybe it will. Are you hired to play like Taylor Hawkins all the time? I'm just saying, be objective. Look at the drum for 90% of the playing situations we non-famous folks might get a call for, and decide if the drum won't cut it.
I will probably pick up a nice solid pro-level snare by the end of this new week anyway, but since we're at the beginning of a new week, let's start it off with another controversy! Let the arguing commence!