Hip Hop Kit Questions

C

croctopus

Member
Hi,

I am pretty new to drums and I am interested in getting that hip hop sound. What do I need to look for in drums? Like wood types and sizes? What about drum heads? what about sticks and bass drum beater types? It seems like this info might be out there but google has failed me! Thanks!
 
I would look for a jungle set. Sonor makes a good one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Z0nZUZSuA) and theyre pretty cheap for how good they sound. for hip hop i tend to like smaller sizes for drums and cymbals and stuff used for drum and bass music. for cymbals check out jojo mayer's signature "fierce" line or the meinl byzance dry (especially for hi hats). for sticks, whatever your comfortable with, maybe with nylon for a more articulate kind of sound. wood type is another preference thing, see if you can play some sets with different wood types and see what you like. for a bass drum beater, i would go for felt or a vater bomber beater. for a snare head, i like the genera dry by evans, for bass drum i like an eq2 i thinks its called by evans both tuned relatively high. but play some different ones and see what you like. check out what some hip hop drummers are using. I know ?uestlove plays yamaha absolute drums, chris dave plays a bunch of different snares that are all pretty cool for a hip hop sound. look around (youtube more than google) and see what you like. hope that helps
 
Let me ask, what is your idea of the hip hop sound? It's a very subjective thing, what kind of stuff are you listening to? Also, a rough estimate of a price range might be a good idea.
 
thanks JMalriat! good starting point.

RollingStone000, I guess what i'm talking about is like the Roots, Jurassic 5, Pharcyde, ect ect. Not too electronic sounding but a nice low bass, clean hats and crispy crack of a snare. something that would sound good live with a rapper.
 
For snare heads with a nice dry crack a Evans Generia HD batter and a hazy 300 rezo head, tuned higher sounds like a whiplash on some drums. you will want thinner ply shells for less sustain, but much thicker for the bass for a real meaty sound, 8 or 10 ply.

You will LOVE the Sabian vault Nano hats, a real drum and bass sound hats, I would go for 12 or 13 inch hats otherwise for more of a chick cutting sound. You will also want some smaller sized cymbals for higher tone that are piercing, maybe some A customs that are bright sounding.

Kit wise i agree with JMalriat, go for a jungle size bop kit with a 18x14(16) bass, Sonor make great kits, with the Safari with a 16x16 kick, and the force 3007 with a 18x14 kick, nicely tuned will bring the thunder to any RnB event.

AD
 
I play a lot of hip hop (mostly on the jazzier, more experimental side of things). I use a 5x14 Pearl Morgan Rose Sig Snare and a Pearl 10x4 wood M-4 snare, both cranked up to the point of ear-splitting goodness. I also use a 20x22" kick and 16x15 floor tom from my Ludwig centennial kit. I would go for, if I were you, very muffled kick sounds and very high, poppy snare sounds. I use dry, dark cymbals, but sometimes a bright hi hat sound sounds great in hip hop. I've never found a huge use for toms in this genre, but whatever sounds good to you should work. It's pretty subjective. Good luck!
 
I use brighter hats, darker ride. I play a low tuned, long ringing bass drum and a very tight 13" steel piccolo snare. I don't particularly care what heads I use.
 
I prefer a small jungle kit for hip hop situations. Dry cymbals, like Jojo Mayer's or some from Meinl's Dry- and Dark-series. The snare should crack! :)
 
Zildjian 10" Special Recording Hats, 18" Breakbeat Ride, and 14" A Custom Crashes​
The kit is a Yamaha Recording Custom, 22, 12, 14​
 

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Cameo said:
That's one cool setup, Harry.
I've never liked the Breakbeat ride, but it looks so cool! :D
Click to expand...
Thanx. The Breakbeat certainly ain't for everyone ... but it works well, with this cymbal set...
​
I have two other cymbal sets, one contains a 20" Paiste Red Colorsound 5 ride ... and then I have my handmade turk set ... with a 20" Istanbul Mehmet Turk ride ... I feel that diversity ... never hurts ...​
 
so it seems like people tend to go for a small bass drum and a fairly shallow steel or aluminum snare for this? I'd like to set up a kit with just a bass drum, hihats, snare and ride for this type of playing.
 
Update on my hip hop kit:

I almost got a Sonor Safari but I was tempted by a good deal on a Catalina Club Mini Mod in the Yellow Jacket flavor. It has a 20"x20" bass drum with EMAD2 and REMAD that just sound beefy and awesome. On the 13"x6" snare I put the Evans Generia HD batter and a Hazy 300 rezo head. Getting a good CRACK. On the toms, I have Evans EC Rezos and and Evans Black Hydraulics. Got a great deal on Meinl Byzance Extra Dry High Hats and Ride and I really dig their sound. Definitely have their own flavor. I am told these cymbals match my personality. Now I'm on the hunt for crashes and a splash!

Obviously, this kit works well for more than just hip hop. I am pretty happy with it.
 
Most Hip-Hop kits don't have to be top of the line....sometimes most hip hop kits are the most garbage gear.

So most of the time it's used and super old drumheads and cymbals that get you that Chris Dave/J Dilla/Dwele/Roots sound....
 
i wouldnt go with the jungle bass drum. 16 inch bass drums are bit too niche. you get a good sound out of an 18 or a 20 and it will give you more musical options and allow you to also play other styles.
 
You probably want dry or fast crashes. I have a 14" A fast crash similar to Harry's. Works great. Or even something like the Sabian Ozones. Lot of hip-hop folks use stacks as well. I played guitar on a neo-soul gig recently and the drummer used a stack on the ride.

Then there's the old trick of putting a thin splash cymbal on the snare (from the money beat thread): View attachment Modern Money Beat.mp3
 
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