^ I have experience with all of those--and you can't go wrong with the 57 as a snare and tom mic--it works well for vocals, too, for that matter. Hell, I've used these same Shure mics on the bass drum, too.

The AKG D 112 was the absolute standard for decades. But for some reason, the Shure Beta has been gaining in popularity. I can tell you this: I recommended the D 112 to a friend based on personal experience--I mean, it used to be a great mic. They tried it but had to return it due to some noise in the mic and a generally shitty sound. Now, this was probably some sort of mic malfunction, but I've been hearing more stories like this recently and these problems may help explain the shift to the Beta. Anyway, the friend bought a Beta and he and the band love it.

One more thing: I was at Sam Ash in Raleigh a few weeks ago with a friend who was buying a mixing board and power amp. I just happened to discuss mics--among other things--with the guy who was selling us the equipment, and he told me AKG D 112 and Shure Beta are still their two top-selling bass drum mics.



Shure Beta 52A



AKG D 112



Shure SM57

8/5/2008 3:45:49 PM

thanks a lot man, i was leaning towards the beta 52a before your post. i had read other places online that a lot of akg's were malfunctioning, especially around 3 or 4 years. and if you tried to get it fixed it was almost impossible because akg's service is so bad.

so yeah i think i'm going to go with the 57 and the 52.

any ideas for a good overhead condenser mic? i'm trying not to spend over $150.

thanks again

8/5/2008 4:48:41 PM

^ You trying to pick up cymbals in a live setting or what?

8/5/2008 5:12:45 PM

yeah cymbals mainly. possibly toms too. i was thinkin about taking the easy way out instead of buying sm 57s for all my toms too. but it might have to come down to that..

8/5/2008 7:30:39 PM

^ If you want to go that route, try the Sennheiser e614--you may need more than one, though. Try different mic placements and see what you can get.

8/7/2008 1:05:47 PM

Drummers to be obso1337 by 2009
http://www.toontrack.com/s20.asp

I'm walls1441 and i approved this message.

9/22/2008 8:20:44 PM

If your band doesn't have a drummer then who is going to buy the van? I know you don't think those lazy guitarists or singers have any money.

9/22/2008 10:10:46 PM

Quote :

"One Man ... Band"

I'm walls1441 and i approved this message.

9/23/2008 5:53:50 PM

after seeing mars volta live tuesday, I am even more of a fan of thomas pridgen than I was before

9/25/2008 10:59:28 PM

I traded in two shitty steel shell snares and an old Paiste 2002 China the other day for a new Black Panther snare. Well worth it. I'm loving it, although the 13" diameter feels much smaller than 14". Sounds great.

10/9/2008 8:43:19 PM

^ Do you feel like you've got more space between your legs? [no homo]

10/9/2008 10:51:36 PM

RIP Mitch Mitchell

11/13/2008 7:27:04 AM

RIP indeed.

11/13/2008 7:32:57 AM

Damn.

RIP

11/13/2008 8:03:07 AM

bttt

2/9/2009 8:13:50 AM

recently bought a set of soft cases for my kit...for $120 at guitar center it was a worthy investment in protecting the shells from dirt/humidity/random damage. even though they are soft cases, the Roadrunner drumpack is a high durability woven case with great insulation and padding on the inside.

i recommend to any of you out there that are playin shows but dont wanna drop the $600-700 on hard cases.



and these are now on sale at GC for $70. cant beat it.

2/11/2009 8:44:16 AM

Picked up a Drum Dial tuner a few weeks ago. This thing is awesome. I wish I had bought it 10 years ago.

[Edited on February 11, 2009 at 9:00 AM. Reason : l]

2/11/2009 8:58:50 AM

^ i dont know how i feel about those...

i think all good drummers should be able to tune without that stuff, (by no means am i sayign you aren't good)

maybe ill try it though and see how i like it.

2/13/2009 12:41:15 PM

Damn I miss my drums like crazy.....not the particular set, just having them around.

Older Tama Rockstar w/ starcast mounts and a Porkpie Snare. The snare was what made the kit for me.

Now, I only have a few djembes until space will allow for a full kit, at which time I'd like to get something with maple shells.....that DW set in the OP looks pretty solid for the money.

2/13/2009 12:49:51 PM

guitar center is now selling custom Orange County drum kits...

i've fallen in love with this one:



(except i want the 5 piece with center tom mounting)

shell pack includes a 22" x 20" bass drum, 10" x 8" tom, 12" x 9" tom, and a 16" x 14" floor tom

9 ply bass and 6 ply toms, and offset lugs

[Edited on February 13, 2009 at 12:53 PM. Reason : .]

2/13/2009 12:53:35 PM

So my snare head finally tore up and I need another one. I play on a Pearl Export select and have a 14" snare. What kind of head (is it called a head on a snare?) do you guys recommend I get? I've never replaced a drum head before so don't know what to look for at all.

Also maybe you guys can recommend a good online store to buy stuff like this from?

2/16/2009 8:25:55 AM

Quote :

"^ i dont know how i feel about those... i think all good drummers should be able to tune without that stuff, (by no means am i sayign you aren't good) maybe ill try it though and see how i like it."

I've been tuning by ear for close to 15 years now, so no worries there.

My drums need frequent tuning because they are in a room that gets a decent temperature swing from day to night. It takes a little while the first time you use it because you have to figure out what is a good tension for each of your heads. After that you just go back to your known good tension each time you tune. Very quick and very easy. Cuts tuning time down to a fraction of what it would be otherwise.

It would be great for people who frequently play out too. I used to hate moving my drums on a humid/rainy day or a super hot day because they would be in terrible tune by the time I was ready to play.

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 10:40 AM. Reason : l]

2/16/2009 10:39:43 AM

Quote :

"So my snare head finally tore up and I need another one. I play on a Pearl Export select and have a 14" snare. What kind of head (is it called a head on a snare?) do you guys recommend I get? I've never replaced a drum head before so don't know what to look for at all."

if you're looking for a good head replacement, the Remo coated ambassadors are good and will last a long time.

2/16/2009 1:57:29 PM

Yeah, I play a coated Ambassador on top and an Ambassador snare on the bottom. I do recommend replacing that bottom head at the same time. I know it will look brand new, but every time you hit the top head the bottom head is getting hit by the sonic wave traveling through the snare. It's definitely in need of replacing if you played long enough to tear the top head. Your snare will have much better playability with a new head on both the top and the bottom.

Hit up Youtube for drum tuning instructions. You'll need to crank it down to break the glue ring and then tune it up. There are lots of good videos out there.

2/16/2009 2:09:46 PM

Thanks for the tips guys. Sounds like a pain in the ass but I definitely need to do it. hard to practice without a snare. I look into getting the head and snare you recommended.

2/16/2009 2:15:02 PM

you can change the top head in 3 mins, the bottom head in 10.

and definitely worth it for the bottom head as well.

2/16/2009 2:26:35 PM

RIP Louis Bellson

Quote :

"Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni (born July 6, 1924; died February 14, 2009, better known by the stage name Louie Bellson (his own preferred spelling, although he is often seen in sources as Louis Bellson), was an Italian-American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums. Bellson was an internationally-acclaimed artist who has performed in most of the major capitals around the world. With the exception of Bob Hope, Bellson held, along with his late wife 1952-1990, actress and singer Pearl Bailey, the second highest number of White House appearances. Among Bellson's numerous accolades, he had been voted into the Halls of Fame for both Modern Drummer magazine and the Percussive Arts Society[1]. Yale University named him a Duke Ellington Fellow in 1977. He received an honorary Doctorate from Northern Illinois University in 1985. He performed his original concert — Tomus I, II, III — with the Washington Civic Symphony in historic Constitution Hall in 1993. A combination of full symphony orchestra, big-band ensemble and 80-voice choir, "Tomus" had been a collaboration of music by Bellson and lyrics by his late wife, Pearl Bailey. Bellson was a six-time Grammy Award nominee. Between 1943 and 1952, Bellson performed with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Duke Ellington (for whom he wrote "Skin Deep" and "The Hawk Talks"). In 1952 he married Pearl Bailey (their marriage would last until her death in 1990) and left Ellington to be her musical director. Later in the 1950s and 1960s he performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic or J.A.T.P., Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Count Basie, Duke Ellington again, and Harry James again, as well as appearing on several Ella Fitzgerald studio albums. In January 1994, Bellson received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, a U.S. federal agency. As one of three recipients, Bellson was lauded by NEA chair Jane Alexander who said, "These colossal talents have helped write the history of jazz in America." "

2/16/2009 2:29:06 PM

bttt because i finally got a practice unit! cant wait to sound proof it and play all night every night


btw- the DW X7 kit that i posted on page 1 is on massive sale at guitar center now. like $800 now...you really cant beat that for the amount of drums you get. mmmm

3/18/2009 2:12:38 PM

Pacific Drums are fine instruments, but calling that kit a "DW X7 Kit" is just plain misleading. I don't know why every PDP player insists on prefacing it with "DW" like they're one in the same. Look at their website...Nowhere on the first page do they even mention being made by DW anymore:
http://www.pacificdrums.com/

Not surprisingly, DW intentionally distances itself from PDP as well. About the only places that confuse PDP and DW are Craigslist and eBay. They're manufactured in two different locations (CA vs Mexico) with different techniques (by hand vs machines). According to some people the quality of materials is also quite different between the brands. Just because one is a parent company to the other is no reason to apply a brand that they won't even apply themselves. It's like saying you can get a good deal on a Lexus Corolla.

[Edited on March 18, 2009 at 3:41 PM. Reason : l]

3/18/2009 3:37:58 PM

LOL

Where is your practice space Kevin? I'm jealous. I've been in a 2br duplex with my gf so haven't got to play my set at all. The only playing I get is at my buddy's house on his shitty old Yamaha Stage Custom.

I cannot fucking wait to move back to Raleigh, to not live in a duplex, and to be able to play my drums. Maybe by then I'll have new drums.

3/18/2009 6:34:51 PM

^^ i disagree. they are more affordable and offer nearly the same quality (well, the newer kits at least...post 2006).

i've seen some of the older pacific kits that are just absolute shit. what they've got goin on with DW now is great. i dont know if they were a part of DW earlier, but i think DW pumped in a huge investment into PDP to create a solid brother brand that is a viable option for experienced drummers that want bang for the buck. obviously there are going to be differences in the products or else they would simply be selling DW kits for crazy cheap and eliminating the clout they've gained.

with that said, i'm still looking to eventually get a set of OC (the ones up a few posts).

my practice space is off W Wendover. it's a storage unit that i went in on with 6 other friends. i'm sound proofing it this weekend with grade A multidirectional 2" foam



[Edited on March 20, 2009 at 11:47 AM. Reason : .]

3/20/2009 11:37:18 AM

bttt

5/10/2009 12:11:08 AM

Pearl's Eliminator Demon Drive pedal:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-gLBmxM1yg

http://www.pearldrum.com/DemonDriveLIVE/

Do want.

5/10/2009 1:47:43 AM

Yeah, they are pretty fucking sick.

$texas, though.

5/10/2009 1:59:59 AM

5/10/2009 9:41:28 PM

i have never ever been a fan of anything pearl...

but my god this pedal blows away every pedal i've ever seen before. it's remarkable. i got my feet on it one time at guitar center for a brief time but not on a kit, and the thing that i noticed was

1) smoothest feel
2) quickest reaction- it's a fixed link so response is immediate
3) i love how you can adjust it from shortboard to longboard
4) it costs $texas.

5/11/2009 8:54:41 AM

The posts in this thread about mics have helped, but what does anyone have any recommendations for mixers, amps, etc.?

5/20/2009 11:52:06 AM

I sold my old Gibraltar pedal about four years ago and switched to the Pearl with interchangeable cams. It isn't the most heavy duty pedal in the world, but I liked the tunability of it.

5/20/2009 12:00:02 PM

I'm a little late to the discussion but my drummer uses a beta 52a on his kick. We also use it sometimes on the bass cabinet for overdubs and it sounds great in both applications. We use 57s on the snare and toms.

I'm pretty sure he ended up with the 52a after walking into guitar center and choosing between their limited in store selection of 1-2 options in the kick mic dept, but truth be told he walked out with a pretty decent mic.

5/20/2009 12:17:38 PM

just went into Guitar Center.

i bought one of those drum dial tuners to try out. i've been too curious about them to not own one, so i'll try it out and report back what i find!

7/9/2009 1:32:47 PM

we got a proper drum tuner for my friend's drums and it made a world of difference. I'd highly recommend one.

But now we're in a Boston apartment where we rock a Roland electronic kit.

Its actually quite fun.

7/9/2009 2:00:54 PM

im goin over to my space later today to put the tuner to use and hopefully play for 2 hours or so. just got a set of keyboards and a PA.

been writing some material with a few friends of mine and its sounding pretty good. hopefully we will be laying down some tracks soon! its some downright dirtttyy sounding rock n roll.

i'm gonna go pick up a set of SM57's for recording hopefully within the next week or so. I didn't know this but evidently Sufjan Stevens recorded everything on his "Come on Feel the Illinois" album with SM57's. pretty interesting.

7/10/2009 12:48:27 PM

an SM57 can do just about anything quite decently. I've used on everything from vox to kick drums w/ decent results. they're really excellent on snares and of course guitar cabs.

7/11/2009 1:33:55 AM

Anyone care to buy a Tama Iron Cobra double pedal? Perfect condition, and I rarely (read: only a few times) had the left pedal hooked up. It stayed in the carrying case, mostly. It was an impulse buy, and while it is a RAD pedal, I decided I'd rather have a single.

7/11/2009 12:20:17 PM

i'm not a drummer. but this is what my friend evan plays (or at least did a couple years ago):
http://www.indyweek.com/music/070908/instrumentalists.jpg

[Edited on July 11, 2009 at 6:30 PM. Reason : (jpg is pretty wide, so i won't kill the thread)]

[Edited on July 11, 2009 at 6:33 PM. Reason : .]

7/11/2009 6:30:36 PM

the drum tuner is amazing and i recommend it to everyone.

took me like 3 minutes to perfectly tune everything to even tension across all the heads, and they all resonate at the same frequency. great stuff

7/13/2009 4:39:42 PM

^ Told ya.

7/14/2009 10:22:58 AM

To dannydigtl et al: Speaking of Boston, Boston Drum Center has a helpful channel on YouTube. You can get some good cymbal sound demos all in one place, among other things:

http://www.youtube.com/bostondrum

Memphis Drum Shop has some good demos, too (NB: Most of the videos I'm referring to aren't meant to highlight drumming prowess, but rather to give a good indication of various cymbal sounds):

Two of my favorite cymbals:

Zildjian 22" A Custom Ping Ride:

http://tinyurl.com/knd5vd

Zildjian 18" A Custom Projection Crash:

http://tinyurl.com/n5xdgg

This video highlights drumming prowess--just a little marching snare thrown in for fun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkqsXWg9Gao

7/17/2009 4:58:02 AM

just came across this an it has me laughing my ass off..



SIGNED IN BLOOOOOD!!

8/6/2009 2:47:42 PM

I found this pic of my old DW kit:



The finish was called Electric Blue. It really was a beautiful kit.

8/27/2009 5:41:42 AM