Isn't It Really All In Your Head?

I was reading an article about a round-up of exotic wood snare drums. The shells were gorgeous, and the mechanicals first rate. But I have to ask, are such fancy appointments really necessary, especially when many experts are telling us that the sound comes mostly from the drum head?

A Level Playing Field
I always assess a drum using my ‘standard’ heads and tuning. Yet, despite identical heads and set-up, the range of results I get from different drums is pretty broad. If it were simply a matter of choosing the right heads, then even a problem drum should work out with just a head change.

There's also the issue of similar drums requiring different set-up and tuning. I've found that most drums have a range of possible tunings, and also a 'sweet spot' -- a point in their tessitura where they just come alive. For example, I have two models of the same drum, built about ten years apart. When I tune them the same, the newer drum doesn't work because its ideal spot is about a two tones higher than the older one's.

Sum of Its Parts
A drum's sound is a complex interplay of support structure and vibrating membranes, and rattling bits in the case of snare drums. If we stick with the same heads, we can then turn our attention to the shell 'system' -- shell plus lugs, rims, etc. -- and what it all contributes to the mix. Some aspects are fairly obvious: cast hoops sound boxy compared to flanged hoops; wide snare sets are dryer than narrower sets. Other contributors to the whole are harder to pin down. Does a 10-ply shell sound significantly different from an 8-ply shell? How does bubinga compare to beech? Or brass?

Yes, it's possible that the head is the sole factor in some cases (single-headed drums for sure) but I think we can all agree that the shell and all the other components have a big impact on what the drum can do and, ultimately, on whether it's a keeper or if joins the others on the reject pile.

Note: If you have your heart set on a $2000 designer snare drum, don't let me stop you. Either you just have to have it, or you've been searching for that sound all your drumming life. I can relate to both. After all, the goal is to get the 'right' sound. It’s also nice to look and feel cool.   

How Much is Enough - A personal Story

There are many different opinions about how much you should practice. My teacher was very specific about what a practice routine entailed. Each exercise was to be played slowly (60 bpm) for a full 5 minutes daily -- without variation --  for 4 weeks. A bit of a slog, actually.

Looking back, I sometimes wonder about that 5-minute criterion. You see, I sometimes found it almost painful to put in the time. The main issue was maintaining focus, which can be a struggle for some of us. So in the end, how much of that 5 minutes was spent really focusing on the job at hand?

5-4-3-2-1
For me there is an odd consistency to the 5-minute formula. Once I get something going, I can usually keep it together for about a minute (see Beginner's Luck). Then it becomes awkward, and I have to spend some time getting it back under control. All goes well until around the 4-minute mark when again I begin to stumble. But I soldier on until the final bell.

OK, let’s sum up
I spent one minute practicing well. I lost it twice. I spent a notable amount of time trying to get it together again. Twice. On top of that, I practiced poorly for 3 or 4 minutes out of the five. Plus I felt like crap. It didn’t always go this way, but it happened often enough that I had to wonder. So I tried lowering the goal post to 3 minutes, which I find is a good length of time for sticking exercises. It’s also about the length of a typical tune (and commercial break), and being able to play something for three minutes without variation will come in handy on the band stand.

Just a Minute
I now find that I can apply what I consider to be proper focus for a lot less than 5 minutes. So I lowered it to three minutes, and then to one, and it seems to be providing good results. For me, one minute a day of focused practice really helps things sink in.

There’s a Caveat
While it’s important that you practice enough, it’s equally important that you not practice too much. Excessive practice or incorrect practice can become too ingrained, often crowding out more creative stuff. It’s also true that beyond a certain point, additional practice achieves very little and it can even do harm to your body.

“I have never believed in practicing too much; it is just as bad as practicing too little!”  - Ascham Heifer

A Rough Guide-line
So, the question is, how much practice is reasonable. Only the individual can decide. Professional players practice for 1 to 2 hours  a day. For youngster, you may be challenged to get them to practice 5 minutes. Still, a 5 minute commitment is better than none and it might lead to a greater interest in practicing. And music lessons and the discipline of practice will yield significant rewards throughout life. 

Plastic Fantastic

So, I have an invention. I wanted to get a prototype made from my sketches and got a quote of $250 to have a one 3D printed. I thought that was pretty good and I was all set to commission the work. Then I got talking to a friend who is a designer and mentioned the prototype and the cost. He said he’d just bought a 3D printer for $300. Well that was enough to send me off in a totally different direction.

I purchased an entry level-3D printer and quickly got down to experimenting. The learning curve was quite steep (still is some days) but I was soon able to print things reliably. I made a mock-up of my design in a simple 3D program and printed it. It showed that I had a long way to go design-wise. So I engaged a designer to make it pretty, and it was a total success. And the cost? The printer was $300 and I printed dozens of models as I fine-tuned the design … so maybe $40 worth of plastic filament. Pretty good deal, I'd say.

In my research to learn more about 3D printing and prototyping, I came across a lot of websites with reams of 3D projects available free for the downloading. I discovered lots of drum oriented projects: drum keys, wing nuts, stick holders, and more. There are also replacement parts -- for all kinds of things, not just drums. I broke a fitting on my electronic set and was able to download and print a very effective replacement.

With my very modest skills on the CAD software, I decided I could make a spacer-slash-adapter to fit a new snare release to an old drum. It worked great and the drum looks like it was made that way. When I decided I needed my toms a bit closer than the tom holder would allow, I made colour-matching spacers to go between the drum and the tom bracket. These actually improved the tone of the drum as well!

I suppose you could call me a 3D hobbyist. It’s fun to create things and I often download and print toys and nick-knacks for family members (my favourite is a bunny that dispenses chocolate Easter eggs). But my most rewarding projects have been the custom parts and solutions I’ve been able to design and make for my drums.

Things I’ve created

• Bracket adapters and extenders
• Snare release adapters
• Hi-hat adjustment wheel
• Snare rash bumper
• Snare basket adapter
• Lug locks

Places to download

There are lots of web sites that offer downloadable printer-ready files. Many are free and there are paid services as well. Here are a few to get you started.

https://www.thingiverse.com/ 
https://cults3d.com/
https://www.myminifactory.com/   
https://www.printables.com/

Rudiments That Work Overtime

I have a habit of ranting against the rudiments. Of course I'm referring to the classic rudiments of military origin. The point I usually try to press home is that many of the ‘standard’ rudiments are rather hard to apply to the drum set and others rarely fit modern music. But that doesn't mean that I'm totally against rudiments. Some of my favourite stickings can be found in the Standard 40 (see below). So here are my picks from the classics.

Single-stroke Roll/Double-stroke roll/Multi-stroke Roll
I covered these a while back (you can review them online here: On a Roll). Let me just say that these techniques are very important, especially the double stroke roll. Even though it’s rarely needed, the required hand control is essential in much of what we do.

Single paradiddle
I play paradiddles any way I can think of: R on a cymbal, L on the snare; R on the BD, L on the snare; R on the HH, L on the snare; BD plays the R strokes, both hands play the L on snare and floor tom; add a rock bass drum pattern; play singles on toms … there are so many possibilities.

The permutated versions are also useful (see Stick Control page 5, lines 5-8). BTW, paradiddles are a great way to convey a sense of speed with less effort.

Paradiddle-diddle
This is definitely one of my favourites. In its basic form -- RLR RLL -- and played as triplets it's a great way to get a fast roll going as it's more efficient than single strokes. Permutations that I use a lot are RRL RLL and RLL RRL. I also like to play the single strokes as accents or on toms. Played ‘inside out’ (RLL RLR) it gives you a swing ride with the Right strokes playing the cymbal line and snare 'outlining' with the Left (See It's Just an Outline).

Flam
The Flam (rL / lR) is one of the most decisive sounds available to a drummer. It's a great way to start or stop anything. They're a lot of fun if you split your hands between two drums. They can also be used to create Dilla beats. Don't forget to try both closed and open varieties.

Swiss Triplets
This one is just plain fun. The sticking is a bit odd, but couldn't be simpler: fRRL / fRRL or fLLR / fLLR. The resulting sound is something like 'bluh-duh-duh / bluh-duh-duh'. No matter where you play it on the set, it sounds pretty awesome.

Four-stroke Ruff (rlr_L / lrl_R)
The usual way to play this one is to end it on the beat: d-d-d-BAP. Another way is to begin on the beat and finish on the half beat. I especially like playing them within quarter note triplets (A). The so-called Bucket o’ Fish (B) is a four-stroke ruff played SN/ST/FT/BD. And there other stickings that you can explore.

Singles rlr_L  lrl_R
Doubles llr_R rrl_L
“French Roll” rrr_L lll_R
Hmm... rll_R lrr_L 

Want to learn more about rudiments? Here are some sites to check out.

NARD - http://nard.us.com/Home.html
PAS - https://www.pas.org/resources/rudiments
Vic Firth - https://vicfirth.zildjian.com/education/40-essential-rudiments.html
Ninja Drummist - http://www.ninjadrummist.com/drum-rudiments/pas-rudiments/

Jazz Jam Rules!

When I volunteered to co-ordinate a jazz open-stage night at a local club, I sat down and drew up some guidelines to help me organize and execute this rather challenging assignment. I also set down some guidelines for my guest players as well as myself.  I titled it “Jazz Jam Rules!” which is more palatable than “Rules for Jazz Jam Sessions”. And let’s be honest, jazz jams definitely rule.

A jam session is a two-way street, or maybe three-way. While the onus is on the musicians to play and play well, the hosts of the jam also have obligations to the venue, to the guests, and to each other. And always remember that, as the host, you are working.

Always say Hi
People like to be acknowledged. More importantly, some of your jammers may be a bit shy, and your welcome will help them loosen up and reassure them that they're in the right place.

Don't rely on sign-up sheets
Jam sessions often have sign-up sheets, usually announced at the beginning of the night and then rarely mentioned again. Some people will leave in frustration because they didn't know about the list. Others may be uncertain or are just undecided. Encourage them to get involved and get them on your list. They can always say ‘No thanks’ later.

Take smarter breaks
Take five minutes for personal TCB, then get the jammers organized. Once you’ve lined up the next set, then you can relax and mingle. 

Work the room
It doesn’t take long to spot the people sporting instrument cases and stick bags. They are your supporters, and without them your jam will fail. Learn their names and find out their skill levels. Seek them out during the breaks. You can then begin to combine people with similar abilities, but be sure to also mix it up from time to time.

Ask your jammers to prepare
It seems like a basic thing to do, but too often jammers climb on stage with no agenda whatsoever. Ask them what they plan to play to get them thinking about their set before they get on stage. And now would be a good time to tune.

Be kind, but be firm
Some people may not suit the music style or skill level of the room. Give these brave souls a fair shot -- perhaps two tunes -- then you can suggest that they're not ready yet or that this is not the best venue for their 'gift '.

Same with show-boaters and stage-hogs. Be polite, but move them along efficiently. And never  allow anyone to dictate on the stage. Make sure your event is a positive experience for everyone.

And remember that a good host is always kind, tolerant, and supportive.

All About Sticks

Expensive, breakable, liable to fly out of your hand at the worst time … love ‘em or hate ‘em, drum sticks are a fact of life. While the leg of a chair or a stick picked up on a walk would work, modern drumsticks are high-performance tools that are tailored down to the finest detail to do the job required. The vast majority of sticks are made from wood -- most often hickory -- but there are other options to try. For a real dive into the details, check out the websites of a few drum stick makers.

Wooden sticks
Hickory is by far the most commonly used wood to make sticks. Hickory is very strong and has a good balance of weight and flexibility. Maple is often favoured by drummers who are looking for a lighter stick, softer attack or both. Oak is heavier and more rigid than hickory and is a good fit for heavy players who like the feel of a more solid stick.

A recent innovation is torrified wood ... wood that has been baked in an oven. This process hardens the wood, making it stronger and more rigid. It also results in a distinctive dark hue to the wood.

Engineered wood sticks appear occasionally. Think plywood. The theory is that a sandwich of wooden plies will yield more consistent sticks that will be stronger and less prone to the variances of natural wood. There doesn't seem to be anyone making these right now, but somebody's probably working on one.

Metal sticks
These have been around in various forms since the ‘60s. The most successful are usually made from aluminum tubing with some sort of nylon tip and shoulder added. Metal sticks are extremely consistent and some drummers just love them. There are also sticks made from solid aluminum and even steel. These are very heavy and are generally intended for “weight training” on the practice pad.

Other
Nylon and other plastics and synthetics have been tried and mostly ignored by drummers, though there have been a few successes.

Profile
A taper in the stick can enhance its rebound, articulation and feel. The majority of sticks have a taper that begins a few inches from the tip, some sticks have a longer taper, and some specialty sticks have a taper that runs the length of the stick. Some sticks have a second taper starting in the grip area and running to the butt, which enhances the stick’s power.

What about the tip?
Every type of wood has its own sound. This is further enhanced by the size, shape  and profile of the tip. The other choice is nylon. This stuff is strong (Kevlar is a type of nylon) and it combines hard-wearing qualities with excellent sound quality.

Signature models
Occasionally a drummer and stick-maker will work together to create a unique model. Mostly the mods consist of tweaks to existing models, but the changes can make a noticeable difference to how the sticks feel and behave. As well as the artist's signature, the sticks sometimes feature cool graphics. By the way, the majority of sticks these days are tweaks to the 5A and 5B models.

Drum Stick Sizing
Originally, different models were given a number to signify the stick’s thickness, and a letter to represent its application: A = Orchestra, B = Band, S = Street. Sizing runs from large to small, so a 1A stick is thicker than a 7A. There is little correlation between classes of stick; e.g. a 5A and a 5B are different in length and thickness, and have different profiles. Note that some companies have created their own codes for different models, e.g. RK, HD, etc.

There’s lots to choose from, so the stick of your dreams is likely out there, although it may take some time to discover it. 

The Forgotten Head

I'm happy to see that single-headed drums have been mostly relegated to the used equipment ads, and that double-headed drums have regained their spot at the top of the food chain. But with more membranes comes more responsibly. Tuning a two-headed drum means tuning two heads and getting them to play nicely together.

Before we delve into the methods of tuning bottom (or 'reso') heads, we need to understand a bit of the theory and mechanics behind them. First, bottom heads trap sound inside the drum, and when we hit the top head, some of the sound bounces off the bottom head and back into the drum and out the top. This interaction brings more of the drum shell into the picture. The bottom head also influences tone, pitch, resonance, decay, and even stick response.

So let’s look at the three standard bottom heads: snare, bass and toms.

Snare
The thinness and tightness of the bottom snare head controls tone and pitch, and also determines how quickly the snares respond. Tune the snare head low and your snares will respond slowly. This gives the drum a more "throaty" sound.  Tightening the head yields more of the shell sound, improves stick feel, and allows the snares to respond more quickly. I keep my snare head “as tight as a board”. Anything less and the snare drum, to me, sounds flat and sluggish, and it likely won’t project well.

Bass Drum
These days the majority of bass drums have a fair amount of damping, often with a hole in the front head. Still, having even 80-90% of a front head will give you more resonance, more boom, and more beater response. That's important for feel as well as sound. The audience can feel a boom, whereas a sub-sonic 'blat' will go almost unnoticed. Drummers who want a full, round sound will keep both heads intact and cut back on the damping. They also tune the drum higher … in the 'boom' territory.

Toms
The old rule of thumb was, tune the top head for feel and the bottom head for tone. It works, although you'll end up with a fairly high “jazz” pitch. A better starting point is to tune both heads to the same pitch. I like to go for as much resonance and possible, which is usually found around the middle of a drum's range. From there I tweak the bottom head to fine tune. Tightening the head will reduce resonance and sustain, and usually increases overtones. Loosening the head can add resonance, sustain and a sense of fullness.

So take some time to experiment with those forgotten heads to make sure you're getting the most from the top heads.