Why don't more drummers choose a more "standard" and proven head combo?

cdrums21

Gold Member
Let's pick a genre, say...pop/rock, and let's look at the head set ups of the most popular drummers from the bands that fall into these categories. 99% of these drummers use a clear single ply head on the resonant side of their toms, a clear ambassador or a clear G1. Top heads vary a little bit, but mostly I see clear or coated 2 ply heads. Now if you look at the drummers here on drummerworld that post threads about head choices and the replies they get, there is quite a difference in what people use and recommend compared to what seems to be "standard". I've seen Evans hydraulics mentioned for resos, 2 ply resos, thicker 1 ply resos, no resos....and the batter heads have quite a variance too. My point is, why do you think the successful mainstream drummers and recording artists use basically the same head types, and why don't most drummers follow suit? I would say the reason why these heads are chosen more often than not is due to the sound quality they produce and/or visuals. So why don't more drummers go with the more recognized head set ups? I know for me, when I first became knowledgable enough to start experimenting with heads to get different sounds, I first looked to the drummers whose sound I liked to see what they were using. I soon found that most drummers that I liked used basically the same head set up...I figured there was a good reason for that...so that's what I went with. After a little experimenting with heads, I see why they choose what they do. Have you done the same or do you have a different story?
 
A lot of it may have to do with the fact that less experienced drummers think they can get their drums to sound exactly like a recording, so they'll do things like that. Or even worse, when I first went to rehearse with my band I played on their former drummer's kit that was already set up (we practiced at the church they used to go to for awhile) and he had so much tape and towels and stuff that the drums had no tone whatsoever.

You talk about "standard" head combos, but some of those non traditional ones have been used before. Keep in mind that Ringo used no bottom heads and that this was a fad for awhile. Chad Wackerman also used to use Pinstripe resos under clear Ambassador batters in his Zappa days, so there's nothing wrong with being creative if that's the sound you like.

Basically I think more young drummers need to realize that the reason drums sound like they do on recordings is because the engineer EQs the hell out of the kit which you can't do in the practice room, and that beginner kits will never sound like a DW Collector's no matter how much you muffle them.
 
A lot of it may have to do with the fact that less experienced drummers think they can get their drums to sound exactly like a recording, so they'll do things like that. Or even worse, when I first went to rehearse with my band I played on their former drummer's kit that was already set up (we practiced at the church they used to go to for awhile) and he had so much tape and towels and stuff that the drums had no tone whatsoever.

Basically I think more young drummers need to realize that the reason drums sound like they do on recordings is because the engineer EQs the hell out of the kit which you can't do in the practice room, and that beginner kits will never sound like a DW Collector's no matter how much you muffle them.

That's a good point. That's probably true. So do you think it's solely because of the experience level of the drummer or do you think there are other reasons?
 
emporers over ambassadors ftw!!!
 
Burn4 said:
emporers over ambassadors ftw!!!

On this forum, for every emperor over ambassador or G2 over G1, I'll bet you get a dozen different suggestions.
 
Even if the drum manufacturers recommend a head setup for a type of shell, not everyone will like the sound that provides for their ear. There are more of us out there playing the heads we want than the pro drummers playing the combos they have if you go by body count, amatures out number pros.
 
I think a lot of successful mainstream drummers use what they get for free when in public but dont always use the same gear behind closed doors

just a couple quick examples

some years ago I was working on a project with Matt Cameron and at the time he was endorsing Ayotte drums and and Remo heads

when at his home studio there were DW drums with Evans heads on it

and in the mid to late 90s I was working for Velvet Hammer Management and working closely with System Of A Down ...it was right around the time John Dolmayan joined the band and he was endorsing Tama Starclassic but at his house was a beautiful Sonor kit
 
Even if the drum manufacturers recommend a head setup for a type of shell, not everyone will like the sound that provides for their ear. There are more of us out there playing the heads we want than the pro drummers playing the combos they have if you go by body count, amatures out number pros.

Ok, but even if you want to play something different than what a manufacturer recommends or a pro drummer uses, why would you choose a head combo that employed heads that are rarely used? Do you wonder why someone else or many others don't use what you use? Do you care? Just asking mind you, no opinion here......
 
I think a lot of successful mainstream drummers use what they get for free when in public but dont always use the same gear behind closed doors

just a couple quick examples

some years ago I was working on a project with Matt Cameron and at the time he was endorsing Ayotte drums and and Remo heads

when at his home studio there were DW drums with Evans heads on it

and in the mid to late 90s I was working for Velvet Hammer Management and working closely with System Of A Down ...it was right around the time John Dolmayan joined the band and he was endorsing Tama Starclassic but at his house was a beautiful Sonor kit

I can understand the endorsement thing, but I'll venture to say that he had similar types of heads on the drums from both companies and not a G2 as a resonant head or an Evans hydraulic as a batter for example.
 
Ok, but even if you want to play something different than what a manufacturer recommends or a pro drummer uses, why would you choose a head combo that employed heads that are rarely used? Do you wonder why someone else or many others don't use what you use? Do you care? Just asking mind you, no opinion here......

Yeah, you would think you should follow what they are doing/recommending. At least under the assumption that they know more about tuning, recording etc. than I do. I use studio x's because of the sound they bring out of my drums, i dont even know which pros use them on Pearl drums but i played remo's forever and made the swith because my brother in-law had one in the box and I thought the construction of the head just look so much better than the standard remo. Good question though,.
 
Personally, I think it has the most to do with experience level and trying to cop a sound off of a record, as pointed out by drummindan8484. When I started out, I had crap taped all over my heads to deaden them because I didn't know how to tune, plus that tom sound was in vogue in the 70's. It wasn't until I became more experienced and more intimate with the drum's sound that I understood why a 2 ply batter would work and why a single ply clear or coated resonant would sound best. How to tune, what the drums sound like other than behind the kit, what they sound like recorded, what other top drummers used.... all changed the way I though about heads, which falls under the experience level category I guess....
 
I can understand the endorsement thing, but I'll venture to say that he had similar types of heads on the drums from both companies and not a G2 as a resonant head or an Evans hydraulic as a batter for example.


most likely...didnt look at the reso heads

do you not match manufacturers from reso to batter?

the only drum I dont match on is the snare

all my reso and batter are Evans except for snare bottom is always Remo
 
I use studio x's because of the sound they bring out of my drums, i dont even know which pros use them on Pearl drums but i played remo's forever and made the swith because my brother in-law had one in the box and I thought the construction of the head just look so much better than the standard remo. Good question though,.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it works for you. I guess that's the bottom line, but for me, I would wonder to myself "Why don't the majority of guys use these and am I missing something?" Is it availability? Is it brand recognition? Is it the same thing as buying a pair of Levi's over a pair of generic jeans, because you want people to know you have the "better" stuff? I don't know......
 
most likely...didnt look at the reso heads

do you not match manufacturers from reso to batter?

the only drum I dont match on is the snare

all my reso and batter are Evans except for snare bottom is always Remo

I try to match heads with manufacturers. Sometimes I like a clear or coated G2 on the tops of my toms, but I like the way Remo's clear ambassador looks and sounds on the reso side compared to a G1 (The G1 for me looked more dimpled around the edge of the head). My snare batter is an Evans G2 because the coating doesn't wear off as much as an emperor, but the reso is a Remo. Normally, I run Remo heads all around, except for the snare batter. Currently, clear PS3 on kick, clear emps over clear ambassadors on toms, coated G2 over ambassador on snare.
 
I use EC2s on my batters and G1s for my reso. I choose the EC2 because I was mainly playing my kit at home, so the focus and control of the overtones was handy since I didn't need them to cut through a mix.

I use an EMAD2 kick head to eliminate the need for internal muffling (though I do have a VERY small hand towel to control the head/beater response).

I have used G2s (coated) over G1s when I used to gig more, and I will be changing to G2s (clear) again now that I'm in 2 gigging bands and will have other instruments to compete with.

I think the crux of it for me is that pro drummers play on pro level drums, and tune them to a pro level standard. Hence the prevelance of overtone control heads and thicker reso heads in amateur players - they are not always playing the quality of kit and tuning it to the same skill level. Also a lot of amateur drummers are more concerned with their driver seat sound, which is often improved with the more unusual combinations.

My thoughts anyway.
 
I use EC2s on my batters and G1s for my reso. I choose the EC2 because I was mainly playing my kit at home, so the focus and control of the overtones was handy since I didn't need them to cut through a mix.

I use an EMAD2 kick head to eliminate the need for internal muffling (though I do have a VERY small hand towel to control the head/beater response).

I have used G2s (coated) over G1s when I used to gig more, and I will be changing to G2s (clear) again now that I'm in 2 gigging bands and will have other instruments to compete with.

I think the crux of it for me is that pro drummers play on pro level drums, and tune them to a pro level standard. Hence the prevelance of overtone control heads and thicker reso heads in amateur players - they are not always playing the quality of kit and tuning it to the same skill level. Also a lot of amateur drummers are more concerned with their driver seat sound, which is often improved with the more unusual combinations.

My thoughts anyway.

Good points all of them. I agree. Those scenarios have alot to do with the head choices guys make. Nice comment!
 
I try to match heads with manufacturers. Sometimes I like a clear or coated G2 on the tops of my toms, but I like the way Remo's clear ambassador looks and sounds on the reso side compared to a G1 (The G1 for me looked more dimpled around the edge of the head). My snare batter is an Evans G2 because the coating doesn't wear off as much as an emperor, but the reso is a Remo. Normally, I run Remo heads all around, except for the snare batter. Currently, clear PS3 on kick, clear emps over clear ambassadors on toms, coated G2 over ambassador on snare.

you ever try the Evans super tough or st vented on the snare batter

the coating lasts forever

you may like it

I love them
 
Let's pick a genre, say...pop/rock, and let's look at the head set ups of the most popular drummers from the bands that fall into these categories. 99% of these drummers use a clear single ply head on the resonant side of their toms, a clear ambassador or a clear G1. Top heads vary a little bit, but mostly I see clear or coated 2 ply heads. Now if you look at the drummers here on drummerworld that post threads about head choices and the replies they get, there is quite a difference in what people use and recommend compared to what seems to be "standard". I've seen Evans hydraulics mentioned for resos, 2 ply resos, thicker 1 ply resos, no resos....and the batter heads have quite a variance too. My point is, why do you think the successful mainstream drummers and recording artists use basically the same head types, and why don't most drummers follow suit? I would say the reason why these heads are chosen more often than not is due to the sound quality they produce and/or visuals. So why don't more drummers go with the more recognized head set ups? I know for me, when I first became knowledgable enough to start experimenting with heads to get different sounds, I first looked to the drummers whose sound I liked to see what they were using. I soon found that most drummers that I liked used basically the same head set up...I figured there was a good reason for that...so that's what I went with. After a little experimenting with heads, I see why they choose what they do. Have you done the same or do you have a different story?

Honestly, I don't think there is enough data to support the basis of your initial suggestion. Even if you actually look at every post and every response and compare that to every known pro drummer, that is still a very small sample.

I agree that there are a going to be a lot more newb drummers searching for "their sound" or compensating for the lack of quality drums/tuning/production awareness where as experienced pros have likely settled on those issues.

That said, I've been playing for over 30 years and still haven't quite settled on batter side head choices. Honestly, until you start recording yourself in a serious way, I don't think it's really possible to resolve head choices. It's that shift from only experiencing your sound from behind the kit to experiencing it through mikes or from out front that drives people to their final choices. Now that I've gone some ways down that road, I feel that I'm closing in on "my sound" via Aquarian Studio-Xs for my toms. Just a touch of sustain control for close miking in my small studio seems to work the best... for now. :)
 
Honestly, I don't think there is enough data to support the basis of your initial suggestion. Even if you actually look at every post and every response and compare that to every known pro drummer, that is still a very small sample.

This is my thought too.

And has for the examples in the OP: Evans hydraulics mentioned for resos, 2 ply resos, etc, those posts have been a very small handful of posts out of the thousands of posts on here. I'd say those are more a few isolated exceptions than anything.

Back when I worked in drum shops, the vast majority of sales were pretty standard. Although the industry has changed a lot in the last 10 years with more varieties of heads being offered.

On the flip side, where you might be right in batter heads is pros on big tours, who have endorsements and are getting heads for free or super cheap. They can afford to change their heads often. If they destroy their single play heads, so be it. The vast majority of us who have to buy our heads can not afford to go through a single ply head all the time. Durability is a bigger factor for the working/gig-ing drummer than it is for the pro who has a tech change his heads for him.
 
This is my thought too.

And has for the examples in the OP: Evans hydraulics mentioned for resos, 2 ply resos, etc, those posts have been a very small handful of posts out of the thousands of posts on here. I'd say those are more a few isolated exceptions than anything.

Back when I worked in drum shops, the vast majority of sales were pretty standard. Although the industry has changed a lot in the last 10 years with more varieties of heads being offered.

On the flip side, where you might be right in batter heads is pros on big tours, who have endorsements and are getting heads for free or super cheap. They can afford to change their heads often. If they destroy their single play heads, so be it. The vast majority of us who have to buy our heads can not afford to go through a single ply head all the time. Durability is a bigger factor for the working/gig-ing drummer than it is for the pro who has a tech change his heads for him.

Well, I did an experiment and here's what I found....I went to Remo's site and picked the drummers I had heard of that played in rock/pop bands. Did the same with Evans site. The drummers all played either Remo clear or coated ambassadors and Evans clear or coated G1's on the reso side. Then I went to search on drummerworld and typed in resonant heads. Of the heads mentioned, about 2/3 used or recommended ambassadors or G1's, the others were EC 1's, G pluses, G2's, pinstripes and a hydraulic. Yes, the latter group is a minority, but none of those heads were mentioned on the Remo or Evans artist sites being used as resonant heads. So is it because people are looking for a different sound? Inexperienced and don't know any better? They just prefer these heads for whatever reason? Just wonder what the thought process is with the obscure picks for resos....
 
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