Bass drum volume

Goreliscious

Goreliscious

Senior Member
Anyone got any tuning methods for getting decent volume outta a bass drum?

I have a 22 x 18 bass drum with an EMAD (2 ply?) batter skin with the bigger of the 2 muffle rings, a light pillow not touching either skin and i think a single ply resonant head with a 4 inch hole.

I also have some Evans patchs which supposedly are a good balance between click and thud but I'm considering a more drastic plastic patch/credit cards to get more attack. (Death metal drummer)

Cheers
 
I would go with the single ply head myself. I used the EMAD single ply with the small foam ring and an Evans EMAD pillow just touching the batter head. I also used the Remo flam slam patch.
 
Less muffling = more volume. Even if it sounds too boomy to you, it might be just the right punch for the crowd out front. A non-ported reso will give you more volume as well.
 
Doug Masters said:
Less muffling = more volume. Even if it sounds too boomy to you, it might be just the right punch for the crowd out front. A non-ported reso will give you more volume as well.
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This. That's why they call it "muffling."

For maximum volume, stick with single-ply heads (such as the EMAD1; the EMAD2 is 2-ply) or better yet, something more like a PS3 or EQ4--single ply with perimeter ring. No port and nothing in the drum. Tune for sustain. You'll hear the sustain from the driver's seat but the audience won't--they'll just hear a louder drum.

For unmiked playing I usually tune (PS3s front and rear) the reso up above JAW somewhat, just up to where it begins to have a little bottom end and sustain. Then I tune the batter a smidge higher. Sounds fat and loud from the audience.
 
Goreliscious said:
how do you mic a bass drum without a hole?
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Very easily.

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There are just so many in-perceptions nowadays.

Dennis
 
From recording bass drums, I found that if I mic the very center of an unported reso, bad frequencies, whereas if I miced the very edge, like in the pic, mmmm nice frequencies. Does anybody mic the center of an unported reso?
 
larryace said:
From recording bass drums, I found that if I mic the very center of an unported reso, bad frequencies, whereas if I miced the very edge, like in the pic, mmmm nice frequencies. Does anybody mic the center of an unported reso?
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Somewhat close to center, about a 12 to 14 inches away from the head, Sennheiser 602 that provides in at least in this mixer board's case, a very hot signal. I've padded the input and heard good things from near the edge and up closer as well. When my kick gets mic'ed up anyway, which is not too often. 24x18 Aquarian Full Force heads, no port, tuned for resonance = a loud drum = a very high percentage of small to mid size clubs where a mic is just not needed.
 
Best way to mic a bass drum w/o a hole☟



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larryace said:
From recording bass drums, I found that if I mic the very center of an unported reso, bad frequencies, whereas if I miced the very edge, like in the pic, mmmm nice frequencies. Does anybody mic the center of an unported reso?
Click to expand...

when I mic my bass drum the mic sits on a small desk top stand which puts it toward the bottom of the head and not the center.
 
would it be possible to get a deep bass thud out of a 20x16 bass drum? a thud suitable for pop and soft rock genres?
 
BFDrummer said:
would it be possible to get a deep bass thud out of a 20x16 bass drum? a thud suitable for pop and soft rock genres?
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Steve Gorman from The Black Crowes does it with a 20''...well.
His kick might even be 14'' deep, I'm not sure.
 
Hmm ok, i figured as much :p Did Ringo really use a 20x14?that's crazy i never knew that..

Another question, what do you think would be best for pop and rock genres:
20x16
or
24x18

or is it all preference?
 
BFDrummer said:
Hmm ok, i figured as much :p Did Ringo really use a 20x14?that's crazy i never knew that..

Another question, what do you think would be best for pop and rock genres:
20x16
or
24x18

or is it all preference?
Click to expand...

Pretty much anything 20 or larger will work for pop rock. 24 and 26 may be a bit harder to control boominess. The most common size that seems to work best for most is 18x22.
 
Thanks for your replies.

I think i'm going with the 20x16.

Besides it only matters for practice. If i'm playing a live show it will be miced and sound guys will take care of the rest!

Thanks guys
Brady
 
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