Recently I wrote about the wide range of configuration options that drum kits offer. This idea inspired me to think about another characteristic of our instrument that contributes to our amazing sound - our touch and approach.
I've had the incredible opportunity to jam with the world's most amazing drummers in my rehearsal studio. I play large kits with a lot of pedals and cymbals, and I love showing them off to visiting artists. Seeing the expression on their faces when they catch their first glimpse of them is a lot of fun.
Some of these artists are familiar with playing on large kits and others aren't. In many cases, my kits are totally different from what they normally use in terms of the sizes, number, and brand of drums, the drums' tuning, the type of drumheads, drumsticks, cymbals, and of course the overall configuration of all the components comprising each set-up. When they sit down behind one of my kits, each of these artists sound like themselves; their individual "vibe" can be heard. This is because of their unique touch and approach.
A fantastic example of how touch makes all the difference was back in 2005, when I was fortunate to help stage and promote Steve Gadd's first clinic tour in nineteen years. I had his drum kit set up exactly the way he likes it. Steve asked Zildjian's John DeChristopher to play the set-up first so he could hear it from the front of house.
The kit sounded like I thought it would: a bit flat, thuddy, and rattley. Johnny D. is a fine drummer, but I had the kit dialed in to Steve's liking: loose-tensioned snare drum and wires, muffled toms, a large center cut hole on the bass drum resonant head, etc.
Steve listened to Johnny D. play for a little bit and said it sounded fine. Then he took the stage to play and the kit sounded amazing: warm, fat, huge, and with plenty of nuance.
The secret was that it took Steve's personal touch to create his signature sound. He even made his Zildjian 18"K Custom Ride sound huge, as though it were a 22". This reminded me of watching him play brushes on a cardboard box on one of his instructional videos. He sounded amazing. It also made me think of the time I saw Adam Nussbaum play brushes on a stack of newspapers while whistling "Tea For Two". He made music!
Every drummer who sits behind my kits plays them differently. Charlie Benante does blast beats, Derek Roddy grooves while dancing on at least five pedals, Terry Bozzio plays ostinatos, John Riley and Jeff Hamilton swing like crazy, Nicko McBrain rocks out with one bass drum, and Stanton Moore gets funky. Because of each individual's distinctive APPROACH, you can always tell who's playing. They do that thing that they are known for that gives them their original sound. It is as though my kits are magically transformed into their kits.
You would be surprised how uncanny it really is. John Riley swinging on a 26 in gong and kicking the bottom head of a 14" floor tom with a remote pedal? Really??? John approaches the kit as a jazz drummer and his touch makes those instruments sound specially made for his style, even though inherently they are not.
Between our varied set-ups and the distinctive way that we play our instrument, we drummers are a particularly special group. I can't wait to hear how my next special guests will transform my kits with their very own incomparable touch and approach.
I've had the incredible opportunity to jam with the world's most amazing drummers in my rehearsal studio. I play large kits with a lot of pedals and cymbals, and I love showing them off to visiting artists. Seeing the expression on their faces when they catch their first glimpse of them is a lot of fun.
Some of these artists are familiar with playing on large kits and others aren't. In many cases, my kits are totally different from what they normally use in terms of the sizes, number, and brand of drums, the drums' tuning, the type of drumheads, drumsticks, cymbals, and of course the overall configuration of all the components comprising each set-up. When they sit down behind one of my kits, each of these artists sound like themselves; their individual "vibe" can be heard. This is because of their unique touch and approach.
A fantastic example of how touch makes all the difference was back in 2005, when I was fortunate to help stage and promote Steve Gadd's first clinic tour in nineteen years. I had his drum kit set up exactly the way he likes it. Steve asked Zildjian's John DeChristopher to play the set-up first so he could hear it from the front of house.
The kit sounded like I thought it would: a bit flat, thuddy, and rattley. Johnny D. is a fine drummer, but I had the kit dialed in to Steve's liking: loose-tensioned snare drum and wires, muffled toms, a large center cut hole on the bass drum resonant head, etc.
Steve listened to Johnny D. play for a little bit and said it sounded fine. Then he took the stage to play and the kit sounded amazing: warm, fat, huge, and with plenty of nuance.
The secret was that it took Steve's personal touch to create his signature sound. He even made his Zildjian 18"K Custom Ride sound huge, as though it were a 22". This reminded me of watching him play brushes on a cardboard box on one of his instructional videos. He sounded amazing. It also made me think of the time I saw Adam Nussbaum play brushes on a stack of newspapers while whistling "Tea For Two". He made music!
Every drummer who sits behind my kits plays them differently. Charlie Benante does blast beats, Derek Roddy grooves while dancing on at least five pedals, Terry Bozzio plays ostinatos, John Riley and Jeff Hamilton swing like crazy, Nicko McBrain rocks out with one bass drum, and Stanton Moore gets funky. Because of each individual's distinctive APPROACH, you can always tell who's playing. They do that thing that they are known for that gives them their original sound. It is as though my kits are magically transformed into their kits.
You would be surprised how uncanny it really is. John Riley swinging on a 26 in gong and kicking the bottom head of a 14" floor tom with a remote pedal? Really??? John approaches the kit as a jazz drummer and his touch makes those instruments sound specially made for his style, even though inherently they are not.
Between our varied set-ups and the distinctive way that we play our instrument, we drummers are a particularly special group. I can't wait to hear how my next special guests will transform my kits with their very own incomparable touch and approach.
About the Author:
Victor Salazar is with Vic's Drum Shop, an internationally famous drum and percussion retailer in Chicago, Illinois. The vast knowledge of drum gear that he has attained over his forty year career has made Vic a valuable resource. Vic's Drum Shop is a top shopping destination for beginning drummers,drumming hobbyists, professional drummers, and many of the world's premier drum icons.
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