The Gretsch Brooklyn has arrived

yammyfan said:
Sounds like the kind of weekend many can only dream about. Wonderful!

Looking forward to hearing and seeing the results :)
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Thanks man - I think I've had maybe 10 hours of sleep total since Thursday so I'm a little fried - but I would go another week if I could!

It was a blast - the whole top floor of the studio is sleeping accommodations for the band and crew - so it was music and interviews 24/7. We'd wake up and get going and be on film or listening to tracks until like 2 or 3 am every night. Can't wait to hear it either - looks like our CD will be released sometime in January - same with Phil's! We'll have videos and stuff before!
 
Had a chance to play this weekend on stage with a PA: I never knew how much I missed sound check haha.

(It was a recording for a live stream - so no audience, but it was nice traveling for a show and setting up the full rig, etc.)

We also had to film two educational videos for a college in Clovis and one in Sonoma: So had to film at a second location and got to set up and talk about drums again! Fun day!
 

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yammyfan said:
Very nice! How did the kit sound, all mic'd up?
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Oh man...that kick was absolutely subsonic: The first couple hits shook the entire venue like I'd never heard. Everyone was like "Whoaaaa" haha.

It sounded awesome: Funny story...the floor tom had so much sustain that I had to put a wallet on it to keep it from overwhelming everything.

SO much tone coming from these.
 
NouveauCliche said:
Oh man...that kick was absolutely subsonic: The first couple hits shook the entire venue like I'd never heard. Everyone was like "Whoaaaa" haha.

It sounded awesome: Funny story...the floor tom had so much sustain that I had to put a wallet on it to keep it from overwhelming everything.

SO much tone coming from these.
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I hear nothing but good things about Gretsch kick drums. Mine lives in a room where it can't breathe properly but I'm positive that it will sound great when moved to a more drum friendly space. That room you recorded in looks like such a space.

I use e-rings on all my toms in my practice studio. I like the way they cut sustain and enhance the fundamental note. I never use them live but I might with the Renowns, under the mic at least. That should make the sound guy happy.
 
yammyfan said:
I hear nothing but good things about Gretsch kick drums. Mine lives in a room where it can't breathe properly but I'm positive that it will sound great when moved to a more drum friendly space. That room you recorded in looks like such a space.

I use e-rings on all my toms in my practice studio. I like the way they cut sustain and enhance the fundamental note. I never use them live but I might with the Renowns, under the mic at least. That should make the sound guy happy.
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I had just switched from EC2s to UV2s and tuned my toms all a lot higher than previously...so I that whole general sound of the kit changed for me....I'm thinking that I night try to split the difference and do some higher tunings on the rack toms because I loveee how they sound and maybe keep the deeeeep punchy thunder on the floor tom and when I get my second floor tom.

I know some guys that do that with pretty good results....I'm a big fan of sustain because my band's instrumentation is drum, bass and trumpet: so there's a lot of mid range that I need to fill up...but man these Brooklyns carry on for days hahaha.
 
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yammyfan said:
I tune my kit nearly identically to Mark Shulman's kit in the video below. Would you say you tune higher, lower, or about the same?

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Right now definitely higher - with the EC2s maybe slightly lower - but it's a little hard to tell because the attack is so different with coated heads vs. clear.

75 on a drum dial then the heads usually drop a little in pitch after settling in.
 
Man that Brooklyn is a fine kit-Gretsch was smart to come out with those. I was looking at the Brooklyn bop but for the money I'd just as soon as get a 20 in bass etc. Glad you mentioned your drum dial settings-not many do though many use-as the tune-bot which you do hear about their pitches. But yep my toms generally run 70-75 drum dial-plus or minus. I use a iPhone free app to get my pitch-so it falls in the range between batter and reso. I generally tune my reso first to pitch then tune my batter to feel but close to pitch I want, then readjust reso to final pitch so can keep my feel like I like on batter head and fine tune it some more. So generally the batter not as high drum dial. I can't believe how long I really paid the reso head no never mind tuning drums-I was all focused on batter head. I think I've mentioned what an idiot I can be-more evidence (just call me Dick Tracy).
 
GetAgrippa said:
Man that Brooklyn is a fine kit-Gretsch was smart to come out with those. I was looking at the Brooklyn bop but for the money I'd just as soon as get a 20 in bass etc. Glad you mentioned your drum dial settings-not many do though many use-as the tune-bot which you do hear about their pitches. But yep my toms generally run 70-75 drum dial-plus or minus. I use a iPhone free app to get my pitch-so it falls in the range between batter and reso. I generally tune my reso first to pitch then tune my batter to feel but close to pitch I want, then readjust reso to final pitch so can keep my feel like I like on batter head and fine tune it some more. So generally the batter not as high drum dial. I can't believe how long I really paid the reso head no never mind tuning drums-I was all focused on batter head. I think I've mentioned what an idiot I can be-more evidence (just call me Dick Tracy).
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Yea I wish I knew someone that owned a 20" brooklyn - I keep wanting to try one - the 22" is the craziest kick I've ever owned though - it's a total cannon.

I like the drum dial as a starting point then using my ears - plus my bass player went to high school with Steve - the owner/inventor so he's been a huge fan and help and I'm always glad to talk drumdial when I can haha.

I have two ply heads - so even if the tension is the same it lowers the pitch of the top head - so it tends to fall into a nice lower batter head slightly higher resonant type tuning.

I want to do the perfect third thing I keep seeing - but I haven't had time to sit down in that depth. I might this week though: clean up the kit and try to dial in thirds.
 
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Few new shots - we've been lots of live streams and recording for various things lately so they've been piling up.

Almost feels like the gigging days: But all virtual or recordings!!

Did a Christmas set for a town tree lighting ceremony - a showcase for Chamber Music America with my jazz trio - and a live set for a College in New Mexico.

This week we are doing a day of virtual classes and performances for Sonoma State University! Talking music and then reviewing their projects.
 

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NouveauCliche said:
Few new shots - we've been lots of live streams and recording for various things lately so they've been piling up.

Almost feels like the gigging days: But all virtual or recordings!!

Did a Christmas set for a town tree lighting ceremony - a showcase for Chamber Music America with my jazz trio - and a live set for a College in New Mexico.

This week we are doing a day of virtual classes and performances for Sonoma State University! TalkN
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Very nice looking kit NouveauCliche ;)
 
Recorded a TV spot for NM Living On KRQE with my band last night!
 

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Love your bass drum reso head. Kit looks great.
 
I like Marks tuning right where it is. All three toms sing and the separation between toms is great. Since most bass drums sort of thump, it's nice to have a good low floor tom with some resonance.
 
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