Instrument differences and relearning what I thought I already knew

Dat grrrrrrreat Grrrrrrrrrretsch zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzound.
 
I think there is something that needs to be said here. Over the many years that I have played the drums, I have found a few individual drums that did not sound good. No matter what I did with tuning and different drum heads I could never get those drums to sound good. Usually this happened with an individual drum and not a whole drum set. But I know it can also happen with a whole drum set.

And of course on the other side of the coin I have found a few drum sets that sounded great when,
because of the particular model and cost, should not have sounded as good as they did.

I'll bet 3000 years ago when they were hollowing out logs to make drums, they found a few logs that just never sounded the way they wanted them to sound.


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So, I periodically check in on drummerschoice.co.uk to see and hear what gear they have up for review. In case you’re not familiar, they take an “honest capture” approach to recording the instruments they review (i.e., no enhancing EQ, effects, etc.) The aim is to let the listener hear what people in the room are hearing.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying, maybe most of it actually, but I have to take issue with the method you're using to experience different drums. I think the intentions are good with these sorts of audio/video captures, but the reality is not necessarily helpful. Please read on.

Relearning #1: Without significant signal processing, the differences in sound between drums made by various manufacturers, various materials, various shell structures, etc., is much less than I previously thought. Of course, there are difference that can be important to consider, but over all, they seem to be of a lesser percentage than I’d previously noticed. I thought I knew this, but this has really clarified it for me in a much more “embodied” way.

I don't care how level a playing ground you establish, the use of any sort of recording and reproducing of an instrument's sound is flawed as far as getting a fair understanding of the instrument. Microphones introduce another element, as do amplification and speakers. Why do these drums sound similar to you? Maybe because the sound is not coming through amps and speakers that have the frequency range and response that your ears do. Maybe because it takes really high-end sound gear to project accurate and complete reproduction of the instrument's original sound. There is honestly no substitute for experiencing a kit in person, whether as listener in an acoustic situation or as an actual player. Make your judgments based on the raw information before the electronics get to it. It's like seeing an original painting in a museum vs. looking at a reproduction in a book or on your computer screen -- there's really no comparison to the clarity, color, detail, and subtleties of the original, ever. I've had any number of drummers come by the shop and spend some time hitting a bunch of different snares -- I've never run into any visitor who couldn't easily hear substantial differences, even if only based on wood species.

Also, individual kits or drums drums can sound different depending on the room they're in and where they're placed, for example, and environments are generally more favorable to some drums than others; it's not unusual for players to choose what kits, snares, cymbals they might use for a gig depending on where they're going to play, and with what type of group/music. It's really not a question of "what sounds better", it's a question of "what works better for the intended use." A bad matchup can make a great drum sound "blah", and a good matchup can make a mediocre drum sound ideal.

Relearning #2: Drummers are going to sound like themselves on whatever drums they happen to be playing. Not exactly the same of course but in a general sense, yes.

Here I pretty much agree. Tuning, heads, and players are huge, huge factors in the way drums sound. Musicality, mastery of the instrument, taste, and technique all combine to produce a player's signature sound. I like to take snare drums to jam sessions sometimes, and there's no question that 8 different players taking turns playing a snare will bring out 8 different personalities to that drum. The point of higher grade instruments is that they will help bring out your best by responding to your nuances better; they will not make you sound like you're a better player than you are.

There are Kias and there are Ferraris, and on the computer screen they look the same size and appear equally shiny. The Ferrari will be more fun to drive and will give you many more capabilities, but on your daily commute you won't call on that extra speed and handling, and it will cost you a bundle of money to own it and drive it. However, if you find yourself on a road that challenges it, that Ferrari can give you a very different experience and let you be the very best driver you can be. For the guy who never gets off the commuter route, the Ferrari isn't going to make much difference in how easily and efficiently he gets to work; it would be money wasted, unless the way it feels to sit in it every day makes him enjoy the drive more.

The culture of consumerism is an insidious thing and, while this may not be their intention, the videos by Drummers Review, Sounds Like A Drum, and the like, have done a lot to help me step out from under its influence. And that's a good thing!

Yes, and the culture of consumerism is everywhere, unfortunately. The videos that talk about how to own and use a drum -- any drum -- are really helpful in showing people how to be informed consumers, i.e. how to know what the instrument can or can't do for them, as opposed to what they themselves are responsible for in setup, tuning, maintenance, and even technique. Those videos also really help performers understand how their instrument works, which is a big part of understanding how to control the sounds they are producing.

Some good thinking being expressed in this thread. Thanks for getting it rolling!
 
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