Drum Tuning Guide | How to Tune Drums Do you know how many drummers have asked that exact question over the years? 1a (taken from the live performance of Kashmir, featured on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD). }); Use a doubleply coated batter head and a standard snareside reso head. This seat does not recline as per Federal Aviation Regulation 121.310 (f)(3). So how to replicate that big, fat, funky Bonzo sound yourself? For the resonant side, use a single-ply head with an inner plastic muffling ring if you want to save money you can cut up an old bass drum head for this, which is exactly what the great man himself did. You have to get into the "sweet spot", and that's gonna be different in a 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 (I've had all those sizes). Anybody selling a B/O Badge LM402 14x6.5 Supraphonic Aluminum??? Bonzoleumon Youtube is a very interesting guy and I think very knowledgable about Bonham in both playing and equipment. Do not add any additional muffling to the inside of the drum. In Ex. How to Tune Your Drums - School of Rock Amusingly, he introduces this massive statement with its own shorter, introductory fill. Big drums. Bonham pioneered an iconically huge rock sound from behind his even larger drum kit. in this months Modern Drummer magazine (december2008)someone asked the same JB tuning question which was answerd by Mr Ochletree himself. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Ex. Answer (1 of 4): Well, there's the rub. It may not display this or other websites correctly. When tuning your drums, be careful not to overtighten the heads. To clean up undertones, stretch a felt strip across the shell of the drum, under the head and near the pedal attachment point. He employed this setup live as well, until 1973 when he introduced the world to what remains the most iconic kit of the Bonham legacy, the amber-colored acrylic drums from Ludwigs burgeoning Vistalite series. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_tablet_sticky_728x90', Bass guitarist Dave Pegg says that when he played with John in the group A Way of Life. If this seems a little vague and over-intellectualized, let me clarify: Were pretty much talking the Golden Ratio of old-school, badass rock and roll swagger all but lost in much of todays quantized, digital assault that passes for rock music. This is also dependent on the number of toms; drum kits with several toms may need to be tuned to closer intervals to allow all the drums to sound their best and not be tuned beyond their comfortable frequency range. As Mr. Ocheltree says, "drum tuning is an art, not a science". code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_atf_300x250', Legal Beat: Do You Need Permission To Upload A Cover Song To Youtube. The snare drum is hit the most often, so it may need replacing more often. The tension of the resonant head is particularly important for tuning your toms. You want to center the new head to make sure it sits evenly on the drum so it can be tuned to equal tension across the drum. Youll hear a cracking sound: Thats just the glue in the head cracking and is totally normal. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_tablet_midcontent_728x90', assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use The right hand, normally playing the hi-hat on a downbeat, occupies the first of the three notes, followed by two swift right feet, fulfilling the triplet, and then followed by a release with both hands in unison on the hi-hat and snare. There is no question that Bonham helped write the book for hard-hitting rock 'n' roll stage presence and drumming. When its time to change heads, the old heads will need to be removed by loosening the tension rods and removing the hoops. size: [[728, 90]], // Sponsor Adunits Just make sure you dont fit it too tight youll lose all that lovely resonance if you do. When it comes to the snare, a 6.5x14 aluminum shell is the best, but steel or brass can still get you close. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Batter heads can also be coated or uncoated. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Here are some tuning basics by genre: Remember to use our drum tuning chart and experiment with different heads and tunings until you find your sound. That's why the Glyn John's method was effective. There was a lot of engineering done on the LZ albums. E-mail them directly. Match this with a 15-inch hi-hat, a ching ring for that groovy late-Zeppelin vibe and, of course, no Bonham kit would be complete without a cowbell. Powered by Invision Community. Need some infomation regarding the Snare John Bonham Played 10 Ways To Sound Like John Bonham - DRUM! Magazine googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_Primis', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_Primis').addService(googletag.pubads()); This feel, often referred to as behind the beat, can be thought of as existing halfway between the modes of straight and fully swung. Remo Ambassador on the kick resonant. Its quite common to hear a line of sixteenth-notes and notice the bass drum playing in unison with the right hand on the downbeats (think Keith Moon). He attributes this to the fact that, due to the drums behemoth 26 diameter, the large amount of air that needed to move through the shell had to travel very quickly to properly excite the resonant head. return window.screen.width || window.innerWidth || window.document.documentElement.clientWidth || Math.min(window.innerWidth, window.document.documentElement.clientWidth) || window.innerWidth || window.document.documentElement.clientWidth || window.document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0].clientWidth; This article was based on a tutorial from Reverb.com, which you can find on their YouTube channel here. any muffling for either drums? Never lifting the stick very high off the head, and keeping his hand level with the rims, he would snap his wrist, quickly whacking the drum with incredible force. } Kick drums are usually tuned lower than the low E on a bass guitar. When he isn't touring with one of his several bands, you will find him hunched over his desk at home writing articles for the likes of Vice, The Guardian, Loud & Quiet and more. An often overlooked aspect of Bonhams considerable talents was his frequent use of ghost notes to accentuate his feel and add subtle texture to a groove. Additional Media Dissecting the Phil Collins Drum Sound Choosing the Best Snare Drum on Any Budget There are little pieces of soft plastic called gels that can be stuck to drum heads, or sometimes small strips of gaff tape are used. network: dfpNetwork, but i know for sure a few things i could add. dfpSlots[i] = googletag.defineSlot('/'+adUnits[i].network+'/'+adUnits[i].adunit, adUnits[i].size, adUnits[i].code).addService(googletag.pubads()); At the age of ten his mother bought him a real snare drum, which according to Mick Bonham (John's brother) was a white, Pearl snare drum. if(detectWidth() < 768) device = "mobile"; }); I dont think I can play like John Bonham but the drum sound. any qualified recording engineer can achieve. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use How Do I Sound Like John Bonham? - FIX YOUR MIX | Official Blog Place the hoop over the head and then insert the rods into the hole in the hoop and thread them into the lugs. The subdued sophistication of the groove at 1:02 could not be more understated, with its ghosted singles and doubles complements of the left hand. advelvetTargeting.push((Math.floor(Math.random() * 20) + 1) + ""); how could i replicate his tuning with the drum types and sizes that i have? Its only healthy for us to admit that no matter what kit we buy, and no matter how we tune it, we will never quite be able to achieve the same exact sound as our heroes. }); adUnits.push({ size: [[320, 50]], Generally, this was Bonham's complete set up (even though it can be found on the internet widely): 6.5"x14" Ludwig LM402 Supraphonic Snare Drum, 10x14" (or 12"x14" [on his Maple drums] or 12"x15" [on his Stainless Steel drums] Rack Tom, 14"x26" Bass Drum (he used two of these for a few shows), Paiste Giant Beat Multipurpose 18" Cymbal, Paiste Giant Beat Multipurpose 20" Cymbal, Paiste Giant Beat Multipurpose 24" Cymbal, [He used another 18" {I think} for when he occasionally used 2 bass drums], Paiste 2002 18" Medium Crash (He used a second one from 1979-1980), Cowbell (made by Paiste according to Bonham's drum tech). The main concept behind Bonhams tuning strategy was that he tensioned the resonant heads tighter than the batter heads. As you study these very specific elements of style, it is of supreme importance that you remain fully aware that these technicalities are capable of taking you only half way. From beginner to advanced, School of Rock has taught thousands of students how to play drums and achieve their full potential. Bonham though, tricky as he was, often enjoyed playing his kick on the upbeats of a phrase while his left foot held the downbeat. While theres no standard note that the snare drum is typically tuned to, most drummers pitch their snare somewhere between E3 and B3 (the third octave is the octave below whats called middle C on the piano). Youll want to close mic this drum. Unless of course that is your explicit goal, in which case, you should have a field day with these. The "not so secret secret" JB used was tuning his reso. If your kick drum lacks definition, pitching the resonant kick drum head slightly higher than the batter head will tighten up the tone. When tuning drum heads, youll need to adjust this tension evenly across all the tension rods. High tension on the resonant side. STUDIO RSR - 126 Photos & 104 Reviews - 1041 S Leslie St, La Habra, CA Cheaper, would be buy the DVD, "Trust Your Ears", by Jeff Ocheltree. There are many tools on the market that can help you tune your drums. Yeah, his huge sound is just compression from a mic on the other side of the room. adUnits.push({ If youre happy with the fundamental pitch of the batter head, fine-tune the resonant head to maximize the resonance of the drum. Also proper head selection is crucial. There are even drum tuners that show pitch just like guitar tuners. Look for 15 hihats, two 1820 crashes, and a 2224 ride cymbal. Be careful to keep track of all the tension rods and claws. Like really good. network: dfpNetwork, if(adUnits[i].assignToVariableName && (adUnits[i].assignToVariableName !== null)) window[adUnits[i].assignToVariableName] = dfpSlots[i]; I'm curious about his full setup, and the sticks he used Bonham had 4 main Ludwig kits that he used live. THE JOHN BONHAM SNARE DRUM SOUND TUNING BONZOLEUM 63.1K subscribers Subscribe 756 Share Save 215K views 13 years ago The early era Zeppelin John Bonham snare sound (think Zep II. Vintage Mid 70s Ludwig Supraphonic Snare Drum Incredible Condition - eBay Now move on to the batter head and repeat the process you used for the bottom head. The drums themselves evolved from animal skin heads attached with rope to a modern system that uses multiple parts. No youll never get that sound out of a 22 Gretsch. Thread the tension rods and tighten them until finger tight. device: ['tablet'], // display only on device Obviously there is a crucial element in how they were tuned but, if you don't have the right drums you are not going to get that sound. This tuning is neither original or secret, but has been used by jazz drummers for decades. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type adUnits.push({ Verified purchase: Yes . Drums are a percussion instrument. . Tune the drums so theyre roughly a third apart, but dont be too focused on pitch. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Touch - John Bonham was fucking good dude. network: dfpNetwork, Bonham brilliantly used this phrase to construct one of his mightiest fills of all (Ex. size: [[300, 250]], The "big" drum sound is simply that. Bonham relied on toms to create his iconic fills, so youll want to have at least two if not three in your setup. device: ['desktop','tablet'], // display only on device Bonham also liked to explore the interplay between triplet and non-triplet rhythms. For the kick drum, you might consider the Shure Beta 52. This setup should allow you to get those flowing tom flurries just right. Their sound is produced when a drum head is struck either by hand or with a stick or mallet. 1b illustrates how Bonham would sometimes highlight the flipside of an eighth-note triplet by emphasizing only the left-hand notes in a sixtuplet. Those guys tuned their kicks up so that there was a resonant note. DYNO TUNING - DBR High Performance John Bonham's drum setup? - Led Zeppelin Official Forum device: ['desktop'], // display only on device var dfpNetwork = '143039214'; adUnits.push({ So much of Bonhams rhythmic vocabulary with Led Zeppelin referred back to the swinging triplet rhythms of the American big bands that he grew up listening to. Dear Prudence, was it Ringo or McCartney? You cant go wrong with a versatile workhorse like the Shure SM57. Youll want to tune the res head slightly higher than the batter: medium-high. July 14, 2014 in Musician's Corner. What kind of brand 42 strand wires did bonham use on his LM402's ? Most memorably, Bonham employed this trick during many an evenings performance of the legendary drum solo Moby Dick, where it was used as a metronomic current for the flurry of notes happening above (Ex. Let the size of the drum not the tuning determine its pitch. 714-503-1880. Keep the depth relatively shallow either 14 or 16 with a ideal diameter of either 24 or 26 and use a doubleply coated batter head. 110 Main Street. Dyno Tuning Los Angeles - Superior Automotive Engineering In the first installment, she walks Streamers Loserfruit and Loeya Go Full Cringe During Fortnite Bingo. For 13/16/18/24. Bonhams setup is one of the most widely documented (and employed) configurations in the history of rock. device: ['mobile'], // display only on device Blue and Olive Badges throughout the kit. Wireless microphones give you unparalleled onstage freedom to connect better with your audience. if(adUnits[i].pageType.indexOf(pageType) === -1) {adUnits[i].display = false; continue;} Perhaps even more associated with the man is the figure seen in Ex. Right now I've a 22x14 Rogers and a 26x14 Ludwig. device: ['desktop'], // display only on device The old heads wont hold tune as well, and eventually theyll wear out and break. Small toms (8-10 inches) are usually tuned somewhere between E3 and B3. (Black or Green Sparkle). adUnits.push({ Bonham was very jazz influenced, and he liked that sound. There are, of course, a number of variables to be accounted for. 5th album came out. People have been playing drums for thousands of years, but what we think of as the modern drum set wasnt developed until around the 1920s. They are worthless, and will drive you mad. He said Bonham was to have a Black Sparkle kit for the American tour that never happened. Tuning your drums only takes a few minutes, but its well worth the time you put in. Its important to note that throughout the evolution of Bonhams various kits, he always remained unwaveringly faithful to his Supraphonic 402 snare drums in all performance settings. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type network: dfpNetwork, On Kashmir, the group is in truly top form, working as one to create a work so singular and impressionable that many consider it their greatest achievement. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. More often than not, the kick drum is felt as much as its heard, so consider the bounce and feel of the drum when deciding how to tune your kick drum. This kit was outfitted with Remo clear Controlled Sound heads, notable for their design featuring a black Mylar reinforcement dot in the center. if(detectWidth() <= 1024) device = "tablet"; i have a maple 6x14 Gretsch Catalina snare and a maple 18x22 Gretsch Catalina bass drum. I play coated Ambassadors on the reso with coated Emps on top to get his sound. Bonhams massive performance on When The Levee Breaks hits a pinnacle when he unleashes this fill at 5:25 in all its majestic glory (Ex. New technology was able to take the 1976 Black Beauty to daring new heights. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type You want the drums to ring out clearly with an even tone. Theres no single, standard method for how to tune a drum set. Tuning your snare drum is mostly a matter of personal preference. Very "old school". I'm 12, 16, 22 but looking for some settings to try. As with the toms and the bass drum, tune the resonant head up to a mediumhigh pitch and the batter to medium. Jazz drums are way more boingy and less "massive" than you expect when you sit behind the kit. Bonham pretty much always played with Paiste B8 alloy cymbals, so to sound legit, stick with these when you can. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Open Friday & Saturday 10am-5pm. If you go to the Jeff Ocheltree video on the tuning of Bonham's drums, at one point he goes around each drum and strikes the top and bottom heads with a mallet. Any one got some Bonham tunebot settings? : r/drums Toms are usually tuned a fourth apart (the first two notes of Here Comes the Bride). pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Happy Birthday When The Levee Breaks - Drumhead Authority If your snare head has a lot of dents and is difficult to tune, swap it out for a fresh head. } adunit: 'drumforum_mobile_sticky_320x50', Joined Sep 4, 2006 . adunit: 'drumforum_desktop_sticky_728x90', I think that this gets you about 80% of the way, but there's a sweet spot on every drum. The batter heads need to be double-ply, tuned to medium. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Keystone was likely either a '68 or '69 and the first B/O drum was likely a '70. network: dfpNetwork, var mainpage = [ '/', 'index.html', 'index.htm', 'index.php', 'main.html', 'main.htm', 'homepage.html', 'index2.htm', '/forums/', '/board/index.php' ]; For best results, wed recommend a pair of Shure PGA181s offering a super flat frequency response. Maple, birch, oak, cherry, and mahogany are common woods used for drums. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); The shell is the wood body of the drum. In a sense, this idea further manifests itself in another of Bonhams signature moves from Moby Dick. If we open up the two notes left foot and kick they reach a point where they occupy the first and third notes of a triplet. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use As mentioned before, each drum has a range of pitch that it can accommodate. TL;DR. John played and tuned his drums in a way that only a professional can. The diameter of the drum will determine the pitch. googletag.cmd.push(function () { the drummer already has a Ludwig kit. He played both Keystone and B/O badges. }); 45-degree inner bearing edge with slight outer bevel. 1d it made more of an impact on the listener than either one could have had on its own. If customer returns within 90 days of dated invoice the startup tune price will be deducted from the full tune price) Street tune $450+ HPT credits. The snare had an Emperor coated batter and an Ambassador (sometimes Diplomat) snare-side resonant head. John knew how to tune proficiently and also had a magnificent touch on the instrument. By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to our cookies policy. There can be a lot of variety in how the toms are tuned. You are using an out of date browser. Also use a singleply resonant head with an inner plastic muffling ring. }); That being said: Head choice- Remo Emperors on the batter side of both kick and snare. Here is another interesting tidbit. "It wasn't a hugekit, but it was phenomenally loud. B8 alloy is the way to go. 2a). Custom Speed King Pedal In Red/Silver Finish Bonzoleum on Youtube is a very interesting guy and I think very knowledgable about Bonham in both playing and equipment. Be careful not to strike the resonant head too hard, as theyre very thin and not designed to be hit as hard as the batter head. userType: ['guest'], // display only on user type { Mattacks was astounded when Bonham played the little 18 kick and it sounded just like a Led Zeppelin record! Please check the fields highlighted in red. PDF Drum-Set Tuning Guide - Tune-Bot You are using an out of date browser. advises only the most creative and frugal application, so as not to be known as the drummer that always plays all those Bonham licks. How to get my snare drum to sound like John Bonham's? Is it tuning or adunit: 'drumforum_mobile_midcontent_320x50', device: ['desktop'], // display only on device Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks once recalled visiting Bonham at his home and seeing him sit down at a miniature drum kit he kept around the house.
