memory locks affect resonance at all?

Drum Guy

Member
just before I put them on all 3 floor toms (DW maple), wondered if anyone knew if using the memory locks on floor toms technically adds or takes away resonance from the toms or is it basically irrelevant?
 
just before I put them on all 3 floor toms (DW maple), wondered if anyone knew if using the memory locks on floor toms technically adds or takes away resonance from the toms or is it basically irrelevant?

In 99% of cases, they do nothing. In super low mass shells with low mass hardware, there's a smidge of a chance that the sound will change.... iff the locks contribute a significant portion of the total mass. So the kit would either need to be super light, or the locks super heavy.

Andy might have a more in-depth explanation.

We're talking about these, right?

71HPtgWVUHL._SX425_.jpg
 
thanks for your thoughts - yes this is what we're talking about...they are kind of heavy and solid but the DW floor toms are well-built and slightly heavy too.

Maybe I'm making too much of all this but was just wondering as I favor very resonant toms
 

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In 99% of cases, they do nothing. In super low mass shells with low mass hardware, there's a smidge of a chance that the sound will change.... iff the locks contribute a significant portion of the total mass. So the kit would either need to be super light, or the locks super heavy.

Andy might have a more in-depth explanation.

We're talking about these, right?
100% correct :)

Add mass to any acoustic instrument, & it will affect how the instrument responds, but by how much depends on how much mass, & what instrument.

DWs are generally not a very resonant constructions, so any difference will be pretty much inaudible.
 
yeah, my maple dw's seem to me to have a GREAT resonance in the floor toms - if you tune them even top/bottom...beautiful low end me thinks

but I'll use the memory locks based on what Andy and others have said...makes setting up easier obviously
 
Gents, there's resonance (heads resonating) and theirs resonance (drum resonating). Andy and I were speaking of the latter. The former is fairly static for any given bearing edge.
The latter becomes more meaningful as the mass of the instrument decreases.

We're not dissing DW as not being resonant, we're simply saying "it's not that type of drum" in the same manner that an electric guitar is not an acoustic guitar.
 
I have those memory locks on my 14" and 16" DW floor toms, and they still resonate much longer than I actually want them to ;) Also, if you gig regularly, even if they do reduce sustain, it's worth it!
 
Both of the drum sets I play have memory locks on the legs, and they both sound great. Peace and goodwill.
 
the discussion reminds me of some audio geeks who place their cables on rubber blocks to improve the sound ;)

You're kidding.

Anyway, I think the benefit of memory locks making setup that much easier FAR outweighs any perceived loss in resonance.

And if you need more resonance, Pearl air feet are the ticket...
 
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