- Oct 2, 2016
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When I play the drums, they sound like they would on a record; a larger than life sound. I think that a lot of attack on the drums and minimal overtones are essential to them sounding the best. I prefer to have cymbals sound clear and glossy, with the exception of a china cymbal, being sharp and “trashy”. Nothing beats having a drum kit all “mic’d” up in the studio when everything is fine-tuned and dialed in. When you’re playing a big show, with a great PA, you should be able to feel an “all-encompassing” sound. I try to add onto my kit, and other applications, things that will allow me to achieve these simple qualities, which I deem suitable for drumming. These are my preferences:
The first thing I look for is the type of shell. Currently I use an all Ludwig, maple, 7-piece kit, circa 1990, excluding the snare, which is a Tama Rock star series 14x6.5. I use a 24x18” bass drum, 10, 12, and 13 in. rack toms, and 16x16” and 18x16” floor tom, one each. I find that the maple shells resonate very well to help create a warm deep sound, which is the prime reason I prefer to use them. Secondly, I use Evans heads. I prefer their sound because “A”, I feel that their level of attack is best suited for rock and metal music, due to their “punchy” response. And “B”, I’ve always used them, and every time I’ve tried different brands they’ve failed to match, or better that of Evans, in my genre. The sound of the Evans “EMAD Heavyweight” kick-batter head is my “go-to” kick head, mostly because of its ability to cut through a heavy mix, while preserving the bass overtones. For snare, I'll typically use an Evans “EC Reverse Dot” batter head. It does well for minimizing excessive midrange overtones. The “EC2” series heads perform the best for the toms, due to their deliverance and attack of punching low frequencies, while minimizing mid overtones. My sticks are all by Vic Firth, and that’s mostly because I’m a very heavy-hitting percussionist, and they’ve been holding up the best from show to show. I select my cymbals based on clarity and brightness. I have a wide variety of cymbals, mostly from Sabian, that have met my preferences. The Sabian “AAX 22” Metal Ride” definitely out-performs any other ride cymbal, in my experience as a heavy hitting percussionist. It delivers a piercing ping-like tone which no other cymbal being comparable between the rock and metal genres. The “AAX 14” Stage Hats” cut very well through any mix. The crash cymbals on my current kit consist of the “AAX 18” X-plosion Fast Crash”, “AAX 16” Xplosion Crash”, “HHX 16” Xplosion Crash”, “AAX 16” Bright Crash” and the “AAX 18” Freq Crash”. I’ve selected all of these because of their inter-tonal differences and general ability to stand out in any mix above any other brand of cymbal. My current “china” and splash cymbals are the “HHX Evolution 14” Mini Chinese” and the “AAX Air Splash”. These two cymbals I’ve chosen because of their unique ability to break up the monotony of a song or performance by changing the sheer decibel level of the moment. I also have a few custom modified cymbals as well that I like to use due to the dulled nature of their tones, compared to the other cymbals in my line-up. And I can’t forget about the monstrous, 27” china by Wuhan! All these cymbals have become a part of my personal acquired taste for a clear, and a larger-than-life sound.
After drumming for 18 years, I've settled on some of the best companies that offer quality gear, for the time being. Brands such as Ludwig shells, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth drumsticks, and Evans drumheads have all made my roster at this point in my career. I will never be completely settled on any specific company for any part of my playing because I have not been able to try and experience for myself every single brand of every little component of drum-ware. That being said, these are my opinions, and they should be treated as such. I am not endorsed by any of these companies, and am doing at my own discretion. If you find my opinions to be relatable, please use them. Please share them with your friends and other musicians, and above all, keep on rocking!!
