www.drumdoctor.com http://www.drumdoctor.com Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 The “Key” To Tuning Your Own Drums http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/05/the-key-to-tuning-your-own-drums/ http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/05/the-key-to-tuning-your-own-drums/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.drumdoctor.com/&p=10 One of the most important pieces of gear for drummers is the drum key. The drum key is essential for any drummer that wants to have a good sounding drum set. This is because it is the tool responsible for tuning the drum heads on the set. It fits over the post around the edges of the set and tightens and loosens the drum head to change the pitch that it emits when it is struck with the drum sticks.

There are some important things to know when tuning drums. Make sure that when tuning the drums that you turn the posts in a crisscrossing pattern similar to changing a tire. This will ensure that the drum head is tightened evenly over the drum. An uneven drum head will resonate incorrectly and cause the pitch to be off.

Another thing to consider when tuning the drums is what pitch the individual drums should be tuned too. This is most important with the snare drum. The sound of the snare drum can dramatically change the overall sound of the band. Some drummers even choose to use two separate snare drums to widen the sonic palette that they have at their disposal during the gig.

Just having a great drums set is not enough. Drummers have to constantly make sure that it sounds good by tuning it. Drum keys are an inexpensive tool that make any drummers job much easier.

]]> http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/05/the-key-to-tuning-your-own-drums/feed/ 0 How To Determine The Size Sticks You Should Use http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/02/how-to-determine-the-size-sticks-you-should-use/ http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/02/how-to-determine-the-size-sticks-you-should-use/#comments Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.drumdoctor.com/&p=9 The style of music a drummer plays determines the size of the sticks he uses. There are three primary stick sizes to choose from, the 7a, the 5a and the 2b/5b.

The 7a is a shorter and thinner stick that is better suited for playing softer music, such as jazz. The 7a is also a great stick for beginner drummers and young drummers who are unable to play with heavier sticks.

The 5a is the most common and most versatile type of drumming stick. These sticks is thicker in diameter and one-half an inch longer than the 7a. Classic and soft rock drummers have popularized the 5a stick, but it’s suitable for playing any style or genre of music.

The 2b/5b sticks are larger, heavier sticks than the 7a or 5a that are best for playing heavier music. Playing aggressive, faster genres of music requires longer, thicker sticks that won’t break and can withstand abuse. The 2b stick is standard among drummers that play hard rock and heavy metal. The 5b is an even thicker version of the 2b that produces louder sounds and can withstand extreme levels of playing.

In some instances, drummers may find that the standard stick size for their genre or style of music does not produce their desired sound. Therefore, it is important that drummers try out various stick sizes to determine which one is right for them and their playing needs.

]]> http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/11/02/how-to-determine-the-size-sticks-you-should-use/feed/ 0 Snare Central: The Science Of Crack, Rattle, And Pop http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/10/31/snare-central-the-science-of-crack-rattle-and-pop/ http://www.drumdoctor.com/2011/10/31/snare-central-the-science-of-crack-rattle-and-pop/#comments Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000 admin http://www.drumdoctor.com/&p=8 Drummers know that there is a lot of counting that is required for what they do. The entire band depends on their efforts to keep the time. The guitar player in a rock or country band may get all the glory, but the drummer keeps everything together. The importance of math in music is well-known. The science of the art of drumming may be overlooked.

An important thing to all instruments is the timbre. There’s a reason a B flat played on a trumpet sounds different from a B flat played on a clarinet. The same note is being played, but the sound is echoing off different materials. The metal used int he trumpet produces a much louder sound than the wood or plastic used in the clarinet. Drummers know this. The snare drum is designed to produce loud sounds which accent the bass drum. The bass drum keeps the beat, of course. The cymbal’s clash will provide emphasis to a certain point in a song. Queen’s “We Will Rock You” would be a much different song if its famous rhythm did not end with a symbol clash. The science determines how loud the sound will be and what any given strike on a drum’s surface will sound like.

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