Tuning unported kick

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AudioWonderland

Silver Member
Started working with the unported 24". I am using a DW muffling device shaped like an I firmly against both heads. It still sounds a little "slappy" even though it's tuned up a bit higher.

Is this typical of an unported drum, or do I need to do more work on tuning?
 
Unported definitely doesn’t mean slappy. I get my warmest, boomiest tones from an unported bass. It’s all about the tuning. Try pulling back a little on those pillow ends, too. Just lightly touching.
 
Head combination is a key factor along with tuning. On my 24-inch bass drum I use an Aquarian Modern Vintage with a single glued on felt strip (from the factory) for the reso head. Batter head is an Aquarian Clear Force I. Evans EQ pillow inside just touching both heads. Danmar Zoro square felt beater. Adjust tuning in increments on both heads until you get the tone you want.
 
get a pre-muffled PS3 coated Ambassador or Fiberskyn Ps 3 on Batter side. A Coated Ambassador on the front. oR another Fiberskyn Or a
Give the "pillows" to the cat 😁 he'll appreciate them
it's slaps cause the pillows are sucking resonance and tone

I don't know about a 24 but either both heads even or front a little higher
then put your mic somewhere
like 4ft away and wait for the explosion
 
Most of my bass drums are unported. I use an Evans EMAD and a single ply head on the front. I tried the various pillows and hated the way they made the bass drums sound, so I went back to the good old felt strip under the front head, which gives me enough muffling to keep the leader happy and gives me a little resonance and a definite note, instead of a dead thud that sounds like a cardboard box. .

I bumped into a drummer I know who also has a sound company. He did sound for us on a municipal concert last summer, and mentioned that he had a hard time miking my unported bass drum that night. He said it was the first time he'd ever worked with a drummer who didn't have a ported head. I found that hard to believe, but whatever.

As he's a nice guy, I told him in a gentle way that I'm sure he could figure out how to EQ an unported head if he tried. Actually, I'm afraid he probably won't.
 
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I love my unported 24. Keep working with it until you are satisfied, because it can definitely produce a great sound without being flappy. For me, that means a batter head tuned up until it just produces a good round tone, and a reso tuned higher. How much higher depends on what I want to achieve. I've had good luck with a variety of head and muffling combinations, and you've gotten some good suggestions here.

IIRC, you're using this in your home studio. Like @BobC I've had sound techs struggle with my unported drum, but it's only because they aren't trying the right things. Live, a mic in the center of the reso, close to the head, works just fine. A mic on the batter head near the beater impact point sounds great, but you'll get some bleed from the snare and FT. I finally mounted the D6 inside on a Kelly Shu, and suddenly sound guys love it. In the studio, a mic several feet in front of the reso can sound great.

As I said to start, I love my unported 24. 😁
 
PS - back to the sound techs. The error they seem to make, in my experience, is wanting to mic the BD reso off center, in that spot where we usually put a port. That's the most overtone-rich part of the head, and that's why it sounds muddy. There's no way to get a really tight punch from that spot. Move the mic to the middle, and it's much better.

Disclosure - I am in no way a trained sound technician, but I am a very curious tinkerer, so I've tried about every mic position you can think of. Lol
 
As mentioned above - try losing the pillow and try a PS3, Emad, EQ4, etc., for the batter.

Also try not burying the beater, if you don't already.
 
cornelius said:
As mentioned above - try losing the pillow and try a PS3, Emad, EQ4, etc., for the batter.

Also try not burying the beater, if you don't already.
Click to expand...
It's not a pillow. It's this. I can try other stuff but I think some of you are not clear on what I am using

www.sweetwater.com

DW Bass Drum Pro-Cushion Pillow - 18"

Drum Muffling Pad with Hook-and-loop Adhesive for Bass Drums 18" Deep
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com

I am not clear why I need to switch to all these other heads. I am using the equivalent of what Bonham used. That was the whole goal to begin with

I don't bury the beater
 
You didn’t say what heads you were using, so how was anyone to know? And the DW thing is a pillow, just in a fancy shape. I don’t think Bonham used that DW.
 
AudioWonderland said:
It's not a pillow. It's this. I can try other stuff but I think some of you are not clear on what I am using

www.sweetwater.com

DW Bass Drum Pro-Cushion Pillow - 18"

Drum Muffling Pad with Hook-and-loop Adhesive for Bass Drums 18" Deep
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com

I am not clear why I need to switch to all these other heads. I am using the equivalent of what Bonham used. That was the whole goal to begin with

I don't bury the beater
Click to expand...
If you're going for the Bonham sound, felt strips are the go-to. Although, to be fair, in The Song Remains the Same, he uses a pillow or blanket.

I think if you try the tuning I mentioned, and go quite high on the reso, you'll get a decent result, pillow or not.
 
Like @Stroman said felt strips crank it up. Everything I've seen, heard or read on that Bonham sound confirmed that. I went for different heads on my 26 because I can't pull it off. (I'm a stupid guitar player.) I have been able to make it work on a 22 for some reason. That DW device might not quite be doing what those felt strips are. There is a lot more surface area in contact between the heads and felt AND in a different location (different harmonics?) than the DW. When you nail it tell us what worked.
 
BobC said:
Most of my bass drums are unported. I use an Evans EMAD and a single ply head on the front. I tried the various pillows and hated the way they made the bass drums sound, so I went back to the good old felt strip under the front head, which gives me enough muffling to keep the leader happy and gives me a little resonance and a definite note, instead of a dead thud that sounds like a cardboard box. .

I bumped into a drummer I know who also has a sound company. He did sound for us on a municipal concert last summer, and mentioned that he had a hard time miking my unported bass drum that night. He said it was the first time he'd ever worked with a drummer who didn't have a ported head. I found that hard to believe, but whatever.

As he's a nice guy, I told him in a gentle way that I'm sure he could figure out how to EQ an unported head if he tried. Actually, I'm afraid he probably won't.
Click to expand...
While I feel like most professional sound guys should have the skill and knowledge to mic an unported bass drum I do try to keep in mind that the ported heads in a live setting are the norm these days and most sounds guys have a "one size fits all, set it and forget it" approach especially with bass drums. While it's not that difficult to mic an unported head and get a great sound, they also usually are concerned about running the set up for the entire rest of the stage so that extra five minutes is going to be a pain to them. Time is money and if they aren't used to it they are going to just live with a poor sound quality and not tell you until after.
 
Had a minute to follow up this. Flipping to felt strips didn't make any difference. I started looking closer and found a wrinkle in the head between to lugs. I need to pull the head and see what the issue is

EDIT

I don't see any issue on the bearing edge but there is definitely a flaw in the head. I bought this head some time ago so I doubt there is any claim to be made at this point. I have had more than my share of bad luck with 2 ply heads.
 
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AudioWonderland said:
Had a minute to follow up this. Flipping to felt strips didn't make any difference. I started looking closer and found a wrinkle in the head between to lugs. I need to pull the head and see what the issue is

EDIT

I don't see any issue on the bearing edge but there is definitely a flaw in the head. I bought this head some time ago so I doubt there is any claim to be made at this point. I have had more than my share of bad luck with 2 ply heads.
Click to expand...
UPDATE!

Aquarian is sending out a replacement, no questions asked!!! How cool is that? Kuddos and big thanks to the team at Aquarian for being such stand up people!
 
Wide open tuning is so much fun! with unported heads, I go wide open no muffling, let it rumble or if tuned high let it ring. If I have to do anything, I’ll shove a lititle towel under the pedal up against the batter head
 
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AudioWonderland said:
UPDATE!

Aquarian is sending out a replacement, no questions asked!!! How cool is that? Kuddos and big thanks to the team at Aquarian for being such stand up people!
Click to expand...
Was the issue that the collar was uneven? I had that on a couple of Aquarian heads. They quickly replaced mine as well. They really stand behind their products.
 
AudioWonderland said:
I don't see any issue on the bearing edge but there is definitely a flaw in the head. I bought this head some time ago so I doubt there is any claim to be made at this point. I have had more than my share of bad luck with 2 ply heads.
Click to expand...
Any chance you could post a pic of the flaw so we can see what it looks like? Thx!
 
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