Any Drummers out there

[old school]

Not only did I spend many hours in a band in jr n high school, I worked at OCIR, (Orange County International Raceway) from 1967 thru 1971 on the starting line. Add to that 30 plus years of production sound recording and somehow I still have good hearing for someone my age. I get tested every year when I have my physical. Just lucky or good genes I guess.

CrewC

[taylormadeaudio]

I have 3 sets of Etymotic Research plugs - one I keep on my drumset with my lug key, one on my keychain, and another set in my audio connectors case that I take on every gig. When I first started playing drums, I learned within a few days that if I wanted to have any hearing left by the time I was [my current age] I'd better protect my hearing. My first band was called Cerebral Hemorrhage -- we were LOUD. One good snare rimshot (upwards of 120 decibels) at close range can cause permanent damage. Add to that the high-end and overtones that cymbals create -- yeah... earplugs... religiously.

a nice chart:

also, here's a great link:

http://www.soundadvi...estory/san1.htm

Crew,

My dad used to be on a team called The Green Machine -- Chrysler enthusiasts (I say Chrysler, but they were all Keith Black motors)... I remember this 440 he built up to 630 HP -- first time he fired it up was without headers... I was about 6 yrs. old. Still remember it like it was yesterday. I think the only bigger shock to my hearing up to that day was the intro to Star Wars at Man's Chinese. Am I dating myself?

~tt

[Toy Robot]

Hey guys and gals. I remembered this thread and figured I'd post a music video my band just released. Yep, I'm the drummer.

Please forgive the organic nature of the recording (although I think it's kind of cool). We cranked it out in a day of tracking at a non-studio (dude's basement, with very minimal equipment). Anyway, I cleaned it up in Logic Pro and mixed it on the old NS-10Ms and here's the end result:

I Don't Know Yet

Enjoy.

[taylormadeaudio]

Very nice work Alex -- I thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the minimalistic approach to the kit as well. I started out with a huge 14-piece double-bass set when I was a kid, and have whittled it down to a 4-piece. I think it encourages creativity (and it's way easier to travel and gig with a smaller set too!)

~tt

[old school]

I really like your group and the song. Post more Alex.

CrewC

[Toy Robot]

Thanks gentlemen. I'll keep you all posted when we record our full album in a real studio this summer. For now though, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. And Tom, I know exactly what you mean regarding a small kit. It absolutely increased my creativity, and forced me to play for the songs, not the drums!

Also, in NYC it's almost impossible to travel with anything else unless you have a car, and even then parking is a burden. Most of the guys I know just bring a snare, BD pedal and cymbals and use the 'house kit'. They're usually rubbish, but if you can play on a house kit and sound decent, you are in the game.

Glad you enjoyed it Crew. I'll post again when there is more to share.

[Rich Reilly]

How do you tell if the stage is level?

The drummer is drooling from both sides of his mouth.

How can you tell a drummer's at the door?

The knocking speeds up.

What's the last thing a drummer says in a band?

"Hey, how about we try one of my songs?"

An Indian chief and a cavalry captain climb to the top of a tall hill and look out upon the entire Indian tribe. The captain says worriedly, "I don't like the sound of those drums." The chief says, "I know. It's not our regular drummer."

What do you call a drummer that breaks up with his girlfriend?

Homeless.

What do Ginger Baker and black coffee have in common?

They both suck without Cream.

How many drummers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Five: One to screw the bulb in, and four to talk about how much better

Neil Peart could've done it.

An amateur drummer died and went to heaven. He was waiting outside the pearly gates when he heard the most incredible fast and furious drumming coming from within. Immediately he recognized the playing and rushed to ask St. Peter if that was Buddy Rich playing drums inside the gates. St. Peter responded: "No, that's God. He just thinks he's Buddy Rich."

How do you get a drummer off of your porch?

Pay him 10 bucks for the pizza. (note: some prefer Subway tuna)

Why didn't the Little Drummer Boy get into heaven?

Because he woke up the baby, for Christ's sake!

What do you call a drummer with half a brain?

Gifted.

What does a drummer use for contraception?

His personality.

What do you say to a drummer in a three-piece suit?

"Will the defendant please rise?"

"Hey buddy, how late does the band play?"

"Oh, about half a beat behind the drummer."

Hey, did you hear about the drummer who finished high school?

Me neither.

Why do guitarists put drumsticks on the dash of their car?

So they can park in the handicapped spot.

How is a drum solo like a sneeze?

You know it's coming, but there's nothing you can do about it.

What's the first thing a drummer says when he moves to LA?

"Would you like fries with that, sir?

What is the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?

One will mature and make money.

Why do drummers have lots of kids?

They're not too good at the Rhythm Method.

What do you do if you accidentally run over a drummer?

Back up.

What did the drummer say to the band leader?

"Do you want me to play too fast or too slow?"

Deep in the African jungle, a safari was camped for the night. In the darkness, distant drums began a relentless throbbing that continued until dawn. The safari members were disturbed, but the guide reassured them: "Drums good. When drums stop, very bad." Every night the drumming continued, and every night the guide reiterated, "Drums good. When drums stop, VERY bad." This continues for several days until one morning the drumming suddenly stops and all the natives panic and run screaming. The man asks the guide what's the matter? The guide looking very frightened says: "When drums stop, VERY, VERY bad," he said. "Why is it bad?" asked a member of the safari. "Because when drums stop, bass solo begin!"

http://www.musicrada...kes-ever-169967

[OmahaAudio]

Why do you think they invented drum machines? I haven't (yet) heard of anyone coming up with a Guitarist Machine or a Keyboardist Machine...

Bassist Machine? That's next.

[Dave Rainey]

Hi All,

I am drummer. Have played (and still play) for about 24 yrs. Started classical percussion with a guy in the Phila. Orchestra when I was about 12 years old. Did all the high school band stuff. Played in college. And have played in all kinds of working bands over the years.

But the sound career actually paid the bills. Right?!

Anyway, I own a nice '64 Slingerland 4-piece, silver sparkle. An 80's Premiere kit; natural wood finish. And still have my crappy Tama swingstar kit from the mid 80's that was my garage kit for quite a while.

I don't post much on the boards, but I find them a tremendous source of information and entertainment. Thanks guys!!

Dave

audiorain.com

[old school]

Hey Dave, welcome to the drum circle and jwsound. I'm jealous of your 64 Slingerland. I had a 65 4 piece set that I really miss.

CrewC

[Toy Robot]

Hello as well Dave. I started on a '67 Slingerland kit and loved it. What a great time in history for drum manufacturing. Most of the kits from about '55-'75 are really nice. It was a golden era for quality drum manufacturing in my opinion. Many of the new drums are superbly constructed and sound great, but they do not have that classic resonance that is so indescribable until you hear it in person. I own a brand new Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute kit, which is high-end, but there's nothing like the sound of a '55 round-badge Gretsch kit, no matter how much you pay for a new kit.

Nice to have another drummer here.

[Toddsound]

Another drummer here. Have been playing since elementary school circa 1977. Was in the marching band 6th through

12th grades even though it wasn't cool. From first seeing Keith Moon on tv in the mid '70s I said to my folks "that's what

I want to do." Eventually I convinced them I was serious and they bought me a small Pearl kit and some cymbals. My first

teacher was a fantastic drummer named Joe Ascione, Got the opportunity to study with some great teachers over the years.

Kenwood Dennard(awesome) and the great Dom Famularo all in the New York area. Being near NY City is great for being able

to check out drummers. You could literally see a great Jazz show every night.

Some favorite drummers I got to meet and see play: Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, Buddy Rich, Dennis Chambers,

Dafnis Prieto, Horacio "el negro" Hernandez, Simon Phillips, Peter Erskine, Will Calhoun. The list goes on and on. I try to get out to

Clinics whenever I am not working, which is too often lately.

I have a couple sets. A Tama Artstar 2 from the mid nineties and a small Gretch Jazz kit with an 18" bass drum. Have too many cymbals to count. Favorites lately are the K Constantinoples. Got to meet Leon the Zildjian cymbal tester for last 40 years at my

local Drum shop and pick up some new prototypes for a great price. Awesome guys.

Back in the early '90s I attended Berklee College of music for a summer program and it was a great experience. Originally I

was going to become a studio recording engineer. Instead I finished college with a Degree in Broadcasting and from my

Internship i learned location sound and never looked back. Been freelancing for last 20 years.

Nice to see some drummers here!

Todd

[AndyB]

While touring, I stripped my kit down to a kick, two snares (piccolo3x13 and regular 5.5x14), hi-hats, two crashes and a ride. Playing without toms was the biggest learning experience for me, as a drummer. Played sans toms for over two years, and learned a lot from it. Now I stick to a four piece at most.

[AndyB]

Toddsound, Kenwood Dennard is one of my heroes, and you studied with him? Dom Famularo, made me go home and practice hard after I saw him at a clinic in Jersey back in the mid 80's when I was in HS. Funny story...When I was touring around the East Coast with my (alt rock) band, got word at our set break that Dom Famularo was in the club. Freaked me out! Guy inspired me to go home and practice all those years ago, and now he's watching ME play? Upshot was that after the show, the report I got from Dom (second hand, of course) was "Decent band, for what they do. Drummer's solid, though." That made me very happy.

[Toddsound]

Hey Andy, yeah Kenwood is an awesome guy and an amazing drummer. Played keyboards and sang as well as

played the drums all at the same time. A very positive guy. He used to do this thing in in apartment where each

Saturday he would have a group lesson with drummersand bassists and he would invite drummers who were playing

in town to come hang out and jam. I got to meet and play with Dennis Chambers because he had 2 sets set up next to each other.

What a great time I had. Dom is a great teacher for technique and tweaking your style. Amazing stuff man. Changed in a good way how I play the drums. Less effort and better mechanics. Kenwood is the head of the drum Dept. at Berklee in Boston now. If

you get a chance do a search on Joe Ascione. He was my first teacher and is amazing man. when he was young he was a roadie for Buddy Rich. He was a student of Jim Chapin and Charlie Perry. 2 well known drum teachers. Joe has some fast hands and can play any style. I Love talking about drums man. I like the idea of no toms, focusing on the groove instead of showing how many tricks you can pull off. I never understood when people would say to me " I just don't like music." I can't imagine my life without music and especially the drums.

[Jerry B]

How do you know when there's a drummer and a bass player at the door?

The knocking speeds up, and you can hear hear someone yelling, "Hey! your speeding up!"

Jerry

[ccsnd]

I started off in music. I have played guitar for 12 years and spent 4 of them on a major label until I finished college. I'm mostly a metal guy and am always looking for someone to jam with (drums especially)

[Toy Robot]

Every drummer needs this!

Every now and then something peaks my interest due to its ingenuity that I just have to tell the world about. I recently discovered THE new way to mount cymbals on stands. This gadget eliminates the following:

• Felts
  
• Washers
  
• Wing nuts
  
• Plastic sleeves of all kinds
  

You pop it in the cymbal hole, leave it there forever, and every time you play, you just set the cymbal on the stand. No washers, no felts, no sleeves. Any cymbal stand, any time. Shitty hardware, or no hardware, you won't care anymore! Your cymbals are protected excellently, they sound just like they do with felts and it saves a significant amount of time in dark clubs while setting up. I just used them for the first time ever to play a show here in the city and I am sold. I will never go back to felts and washers again.

The Grombal!

[taylormadeaudio]

Every drummer needs this!

Every now and then something peaks my interest due to its ingenuity that I just have to tell the world about. I recently discovered THE new way to mount cymbals on stands. This gadget eliminates the following:

• Felts
  
• Washers
  
• Wing nuts
  
• Plastic sleeves of all kinds
  

You pop it in the cymbal hole, leave it there forever, and every time you play, you just set the cymbal on the stand. No washers, no felts, no sleeves. Any cymbal stand, any time. Shitty hardware, or no hardware, you won't care anymore! Your cymbals are protected excellently, they sound just like they do with felts and it saves a significant amount of time in dark clubs while setting up. I just used them for the first time ever to play a show here in the city and I am sold. I will never go back to felts and washers again.

The Grombal!

I don't know about you guys, but I occasionally (frequently) hit the cymbals pretty hard -- I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable without something threaded keeping the cymbal in place... how well do the Grombals handle that? Personally, I use the Cannon nylon cymbal tops:

...but would definitely consider the Grombals after some vigorous testing (or testimony thereof.)...

Actually looked at the site a little more extensively... the Grombals are pretty cool... the motion of the cymbal actually serves to "tighten" it against the stand, making it virtually unnecessary for wing-nuts on top. Pretty cool innovation. Alex, let us know how they stand the test of time (do they wear out quickly, or are they pretty robust material-wise?)

~tt

[taylormadeaudio]

This is priceless:

@ 2:07: "... and I even licked it..." Yeah, he's a drummer. I did notice he left the metal washer as a support for the Grombal... but assuming you can just as easily use them without?

~tt

[Peter Deutscher]

Every drummer needs this!

Every now and then something peaks my interest due to its ingenuity that I just have to tell the world about. I recently discovered THE new way to mount cymbals on stands. This gadget eliminates the following:

• Felts
  
• Washers
  
• Wing nuts
  
• Plastic sleeves of all kinds
  

You pop it in the cymbal hole, leave it there forever, and every time you play, you just set the cymbal on the stand. No washers, no felts, no sleeves. Any cymbal stand, any time. Shitty hardware, or no hardware, you won't care anymore! Your cymbals are protected excellently, they sound just like they do with felts and it saves a significant amount of time in dark clubs while setting up. I just used them for the first time ever to play a show here in the city and I am sold. I will never go back to felts and washers again.

The Grombal!

How does the sustain of the cymbal sound? Does the rubber washer choke the cymbal at all? I used the Vater Slick Nuts a lot but ate through a lot of plastic sleeves.

[Toy Robot]

... the motion of the cymbal actually serves to "tighten" it against the stand, making it virtually unnecessary for wing-nuts on top...

Exactly. I was skeptical at first, particularly since I use two 18" crashes as my only cymbals and do lots of riding on a crash for the music I play. When the cymbal is struck, the Grombal grips the stand. So much so that to test it I tilted the cymbal at a 45 degree angle, and then lifted the cymbal stand off the ground. Nothing except the G. It held the stand tight in mid air.

@ 2:07: "... and I even licked it..." Yeah, he's a drummer. I did notice he left the metal washer as a support for the Grombal... but assuming you can just as easily use them without?

First of all, that's hilarious. Second, you can absolutely use them without any other support whatsoever. For me, that was the entire point of excitement, and no offense to the guy who made the video, but I think he missed that point as well. You only need the Grombal. When I play out with my band here in the city, cymbal stands are always trashed. All that crap is missing anyway, and I was tired of worrying about leaving my stuff (fetls, washers, etc.), tired of sometimes encountering threaded stands that my stuff didn't fit on, and sometimes old stuff that was odd sizes, etc. With this deally I just take my cymbals out of the bag and set them on the stand. For me, it's amazing.

How does the sustain of the cymbal sound? Does the rubber washer choke the cymbal at all? I used the Vater Slick Nuts a lot but ate through a lot of plastic sleeves.

I am hyper aware of sustain. I only play very high quality brass (all pro lines of each brand, nothing less). I studied percussion in college a while and I am picky, to boot. All that is to say that the Grombal allows complete freedom of movement and excellent sustain. I would venture to say that for the average drummer who isn't hyper-aware of felt tension, the Grombal will actually improve their sustain, by virtue of the fact that you cannot accidentally over-tighten the cymbal to the stand, thereby 'choking' it out. With the G, you just set it on the stand and play. Also, look in the video the guy shows that the cymbal actually rests on a small inner-circle of G material. It is not resting on material the entire size of the base of the G. This is good. Less friction = greater sustain.

The guy who made the video that ~tt linked us to did a hilarious and pretty good job of showing the material of the G. It's really cool. Almost silicon based material. Highly flexible, yet extremely durable from what I can tell. I have only played on them three practices (about 8 hours total) and a show, so less than 10 hours so far, but I will keep you posted. Honestly though, even if they wore out, I would happily purchase new ones due to the ease of use.

I'll play the next few weeks and will try to post pics of the Grombals after use. Remind me if I forget.

[taylormadeaudio]

cool, thanks Alex : )

~tt

[soundslikejustin]

What is this magical device and where can I get one? Seems similar to a steel drum, but not.

[soundslikejustin]

Thanks. Beautiful.