Owens
Junior Member
This is my first post here and like to start by saying hello to everyone. I am 17 and have been drumming for about 4 months. I have been researching different woods and factors that affect the shell. Here is what I have found so far:
EDIT: This section will updated as I find more information.
I have tried to keep every thing as accurate as possible, please let me know if anything is not dead on accurate or if you have anything to add.
IMORTANT TERMS
Punch- A lot of attack.
Bottom End- A deep sound.
Bright- Cuts through the mix, sounds focused, thought as high-pitch, but doesn't mean it is high-pitch.
Dark- Blends into the mix, sounds warm, thought as low-pitch, but doesn't mean it is low-pitch.
Cut- The ability to be noticed amongst other sounds.
Dry- Reduced tone.
Glassy- Clean and smooth.
Fundamental- The primary or most present pitch.
Overtones (Partials)- Pitches produced in addition to the fundamental.
Sustain- The length of the sound before it decays.
SHELL SPECS
Thin Shell: Resonant, a "open" sound and presents more lows.
Thick Shell: Reduced resonance, a "dry" sound and presents more highs.
Counter Hoops: Tend to have warm and controlled resonance due to a lot of head to shell contact.
Angled Bearing Edge: Sharper angle=less resonance, increased highs, and stimulates attack.
Round Bearing Edge: Rounder angle= more resonance, increased lows, and stimulates bottom end
Shallow Depth: Punchy tone with fast response and tends to sound brighter.
Deep Depth: Bottom end with slow response and tends to sound darker.
Shell Diameter: Has a huge affect on pitch, small diameter=high pitch, big diameter=low pitch
WOOD SPECS
Yellow=High Pitch
Green=Low Pitch
Cheap Woods
Poplar
-Sound: Mimics birch, but lower pitch.
Basswood
-Sound: Mimics maple and mahogany, closer to maple.
Philippine Mahogany (Lauan, Luaan or Lauan)
-Sound: Very similar to basswood.
Albasian Falkata
-Sound: Mimics Maple, but brighter attack.
Quality and Exotic Woods
Canadian Hard Maple
-Sound: Smooth, warm, well rounded tone. Good high-end punch and low bottom-end.
Canadian Birdseye Maple
-Sound: Same as hard maple. Known for its unique grain.
North American Birch
-Sound: Increased crispness, bottom-end, and higher pitch compared to maple.
African Mahogany
-Sound: Very low pitch, with a ton of bottom-end.
Honduras Mahogany
-Sound: Very Similar to African Mahogany.
South American Santos Mahogany (Cabriuva)
-Sound: Bright and powerful attack.
Bubinga (African Rosewood)
-Sound: Rich, warm, very low-pitch, and surprisingly has a ton of punch.
American Walnut (Black Walnut)
-Sound: Has a drier tone than maple, increased bottom-end when compared to birch.
North American Red Oak
-Sound: Bright and Punchy, with good sustain.
North American Ash
-Sound: Warm and controlled tone, similar to maple but decreased sustain.
North American Beech
-Sound: Between Maple and Birch, drier tone than maple.
North American Cherry (Black Cherry)
-Sound: Good attack with warm tone
African Padauk
-Sound: Crisp and clean sound, similar to ash.
Australian Lacewood (European Plane)
-Sound: Similar to maple.
African Zebrawood (Zebrano)
-Sound: Lower pitch and more punch than maple.
African Wenge
-Sound: Warm, clear, and punchy.
This info could be extremely useful to anybody that's thinking about a new set. I'll keep on updating this post as I get info, once it is complete and very accurate we could probably post it somewhere as a reference for wood and shell differences.
EDIT: This section will updated as I find more information.
I have tried to keep every thing as accurate as possible, please let me know if anything is not dead on accurate or if you have anything to add.
IMORTANT TERMS
Punch- A lot of attack.
Bottom End- A deep sound.
Bright- Cuts through the mix, sounds focused, thought as high-pitch, but doesn't mean it is high-pitch.
Dark- Blends into the mix, sounds warm, thought as low-pitch, but doesn't mean it is low-pitch.
Cut- The ability to be noticed amongst other sounds.
Dry- Reduced tone.
Glassy- Clean and smooth.
Fundamental- The primary or most present pitch.
Overtones (Partials)- Pitches produced in addition to the fundamental.
Sustain- The length of the sound before it decays.
SHELL SPECS
Thin Shell: Resonant, a "open" sound and presents more lows.
Thick Shell: Reduced resonance, a "dry" sound and presents more highs.
Counter Hoops: Tend to have warm and controlled resonance due to a lot of head to shell contact.
Angled Bearing Edge: Sharper angle=less resonance, increased highs, and stimulates attack.
Round Bearing Edge: Rounder angle= more resonance, increased lows, and stimulates bottom end
Shallow Depth: Punchy tone with fast response and tends to sound brighter.
Deep Depth: Bottom end with slow response and tends to sound darker.
Shell Diameter: Has a huge affect on pitch, small diameter=high pitch, big diameter=low pitch
WOOD SPECS
Yellow=High Pitch
Green=Low Pitch
Cheap Woods
Poplar
-Sound: Mimics birch, but lower pitch.
Basswood
-Sound: Mimics maple and mahogany, closer to maple.
Philippine Mahogany (Lauan, Luaan or Lauan)
-Sound: Very similar to basswood.
Albasian Falkata
-Sound: Mimics Maple, but brighter attack.
Quality and Exotic Woods
Canadian Hard Maple
-Sound: Smooth, warm, well rounded tone. Good high-end punch and low bottom-end.
Canadian Birdseye Maple
-Sound: Same as hard maple. Known for its unique grain.
North American Birch
-Sound: Increased crispness, bottom-end, and higher pitch compared to maple.
African Mahogany
-Sound: Very low pitch, with a ton of bottom-end.
Honduras Mahogany
-Sound: Very Similar to African Mahogany.
South American Santos Mahogany (Cabriuva)
-Sound: Bright and powerful attack.
Bubinga (African Rosewood)
-Sound: Rich, warm, very low-pitch, and surprisingly has a ton of punch.
American Walnut (Black Walnut)
-Sound: Has a drier tone than maple, increased bottom-end when compared to birch.
North American Red Oak
-Sound: Bright and Punchy, with good sustain.
North American Ash
-Sound: Warm and controlled tone, similar to maple but decreased sustain.
North American Beech
-Sound: Between Maple and Birch, drier tone than maple.
North American Cherry (Black Cherry)
-Sound: Good attack with warm tone
African Padauk
-Sound: Crisp and clean sound, similar to ash.
Australian Lacewood (European Plane)
-Sound: Similar to maple.
African Zebrawood (Zebrano)
-Sound: Lower pitch and more punch than maple.
African Wenge
-Sound: Warm, clear, and punchy.
This info could be extremely useful to anybody that's thinking about a new set. I'll keep on updating this post as I get info, once it is complete and very accurate we could probably post it somewhere as a reference for wood and shell differences.
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