DENNIS CHAMBERS STUDIO DRUMS SOLO *LATEST*

I love watching and listening to Dennis!

Another thing. This is the way drums are
supposed to sing! Such beautiful tones
from these shells. I could never figure
out why players would buy these very
expensive kits with these exotic woods
and then stifle the sound with muted
drumheads, Richy rings and tape.

That's a really interesting overhead mic set up. I sent this link to a recording guy and he thought there would be lots of phase problems with such a set up.

I have been pondering a mic set up for recording and was thinking of a set up like this, but my friend explained the phasing issue, which made sense. Then I saw this video and asked him about the phasing issue. He didn't see how it could not develop, but apparently it works okay.

exactly, Don! I also love the open sound of the drums and that's why engineers hate working with me :-))) When i happen to work with an engineer who doesn't ask me to "do something with your drums" i feel so lucky!
Dennis' sound is great and Billy's too.

Well it is a personal thing as far as the head thing goes. Some like dark sounding drums and some don't. I like mine a little dark but not much. And when it comes to the snare I don't like a ringing snare.

I have to agree with D on the aspect of purchasing top of the line drums and then muting them. I don't see the logic there. One could purchase less expensive drums and get the same sound.

Of course, after making and renovating drums for 20 years I've become convinced it's a cylinder with two membranes and the hype in the drum industry is ridiculous.

I think for getting the sound you want right out of the box, DW is tops. I don't have a real expensive set of TAMA's but I do have them sounding great, and I do have rings on my heads, because that is the sound that I like, and you can still hear the wood tone. One day if I live and can afford it, I want a set of DW's those guy's really know what they are doing. I remember Billy telling me that he does not like dark sounding drums so that is his preference, I have seen him play drums with rings on them though in the past. You can still have ringed heads and have great sounding drums. Now the drummer at my church plays with Evans Oynx heads, they are okay but I really am not to sure about them. I would have to play around with the tuning.

I think it also has to do with style of music. Sometimes i really enjoy that thuddy sound for funk, reggae etc.. it's kind of a signature sound and has a power all it's own. Normally I play a more wide open sound I associate with jazz. the overtones tend to blend in when the whole band is going and doesn't sound as ringy in context. I've never really liked the way some jazzers tune the rack tom kind of high pitched. i guess i do like to play on that set up too as i like more full range of pitches and use it more like a timbale. i think it would be interesting to have a mixture on a set where one section could have a lower thud and others high pitches. I have one pearl 10" tom with clear ambassador heads on it that really sings. Other musicians often remark about it "ooh that drum sounds really good". i will add some duct tape to a drum to give it an earthier primitive calf skin sound for certain music.

That Dennis clip i hear billy playin! really shows his influence although i hear it more as a scattershot show of chops rather than a piece of music.

The "thuddy" sound is cool, though I feel it's
actually more retro these days. Steve Gadd
really made it work for him and the music he
played during the early 70's to the late 80's.

That was a time period where drum heads
were the main items focused on that gave
the drums their character of sound.

Today, the shell plays a much larger role in
terms of deliberate approach and concept
regarding tone and resonance. Woods being
used are now considerably more exotic and are
much more injected into the sound developing
process than in years gone by.

Thus, I have trouble understanding why anyone would
spend that kind of money on these elaborate shells
and then choke them off with some of these heads
and after-market devices.

Buy a cheap(er) set of drums and get the same basic
effect in sound you want with these additional products.

I do see your point Don, here is a old video of Billy using muffled heads and his TAMAS's sound great.

Yes, remember single headed toms?

Hey, rare......... They're baaaaaaaaack!!!!!!

That Dennis Chambers video is from a DVD called, "Surrounded by Drums".
It was put out by the SPL Electronics Company to demonstrate drums recorded in
5.1 surround sound.

It also features Simon Phillips, Kenny Aronoff, and Mel Gaynor.
It is from 2001, you may still be able to get it from the company.
The clip from YouTube really doesn't do it justice, if you have the DVD the sound is really awesome.


http://spl.info/options-accessories/dvd-surrounded-by-drums/in-short.html

Ah. That explains the mic set up.