Drum Questions

SenorPapaCabasa · 01-02-2002, 01:21 PM

Ok, my brother and i got a Mapex drum set for christmas. My best friend has a set of drums, and i go to his house almost everyday, so i know how to play drums fairly well, the basics inleast. But i dont know much about maintenance. Right now, our drums are out in the garage. The store we bought them from said that it would be ok.... but im not sure, our garage is usually below freezing in the winter.

The other day, the bass head broke. I wasnt sure if my brother had it tightned too tight(which i dont think he did, cuz i was playing them, and they sounded normal) or if it could be cuz of the cold weather??

Also, how much does a drum pad set cost?? Ones that cover the drums to mute the sound a little. Any tips or comments are much appreciated....thanks

Veda Leben · 01-02-2002, 05:40 PM

Sounds interesting. Often times you don't want to keep a wooden drumset in a damp area of the house, such as the Garage, specially if it's below freezing. The moisture would freeze and constant battering could effect the condition of the skins and the wood greatly. What kind of wood is it? Birch, Oak, Maple? What skins? Pin-stripe Remos or the other ****? What style of music you play?

Ok, I'm done.

Veda Leben

SenorPapaCabasa · 01-02-2002, 11:21 PM

Yea, thats what i was thinkin....we are working on arranging some room somewhere in our house for the set. I usually jam with cd's so i play mostly rock and a little punk stuff...

Veda Leben · 01-03-2002, 12:14 AM

Good deal. It's best to play along with CDs because normally the band you're listening to played along with a click track. This way, you'll be disciplined in the most important rule of drumming, Time keeping. Good path, that's how i started too. Cept, small, with Collective Soul and Led Zepplin. Course, 5 months later, I started playing Dream Theater. So don't take my route. Many may find it complicated.

Veda Leben

SenorPapaCabasa · 01-03-2002, 12:17 AM

haha.....k, thanks....

*note to self.....no dream theater*

Veda Leben · 01-03-2002, 12:18 AM

What bands in particular are you jamming to?

Veda Leben

**+Donny** · 01-03-2002, 09:24 AM

yeah, dream theater is progressive rock, stay away from that until you are pretty advanced. I probably can't play it either, i have never tried.

and I have a pearl export series set, with some platinum cymbals, and some normal cymbals. the heads are remo pinstripe, except the bass heads are Pearl, will these be okay in texas winter weather?(30's-40's is as low as it normally gets)

Veda Leben · 01-03-2002, 10:46 AM

Yeah, you're cool Donny. Is it humid there? That'd be the only problem. Water in the wood is a pain in the butt. If you'd notice if you had wood tip drumsticks instead of nylon, and you occasionally touch the top end with your fingers, sooner or later it'll start splitting due to finger oils. Also, keep cleaning those cymbals ;-) My set is poorly maintained, but then again, I haven't played it in a year.

You, Donny, should try the Dream Theater way. Might help the innovative/aggressive playing style in you. There's only so far I could go with John Bonham...Course, he's dead...

**+Donny** · 01-04-2002, 02:43 PM

who is Bonham?

i may get one of their cd's, but I doubt it

**+Donny** · 01-04-2002, 02:44 PM

and thanks for the advice

Veda Leben · 01-04-2002, 05:01 PM

Zuh?!?! U don't know the infamous John Bonham?! Ughers. The landmark, king of rock drumming Bonham from Led Zepplin. He's a very good person to learn from. Specially to speed up your right leg.

Veda Leben

**+Donny** · 01-04-2002, 07:31 PM

oh yeah!

sorry im horrible with names, i did know that Zep's drummer had a fast bass foot and was amazing, just not his name.

ywah, my foot is getting pretty fast, i normally play with heel down, but when i need a really fast part(since I have no double pedal) i use the tip of my toe and kinda twitch it, its quiet, but almost as fast as a double pass sometimes

Veda Leben · 01-04-2002, 08:11 PM

I always play heel up, for two reasons.

1) More power because you're using most of your leg.

2) Builds speed, a lot of speed.

You'll get the hang of the double hits with the one foot if you use heel up. A good practic tho, during school (the best time) just sit there and play snare rudiments with your feet, heels down, for as long as possible till it burns. This was the secret behind my speed.

Veda Leben

**+Donny** · 01-04-2002, 10:18 PM

you mean paradiddle stuff?

yes, i thought so, but im more interested in single pedal stuff, what about that?

i can understand the double speed moving up with the coordination required for the rudiments

and i noticed heel down, i like it better when the beat doesnt require speed as much, it feels mroe relaxed and lets me play more freely that way, but when I need speed, i pick it up, I actually get more volume out of heel down, the beater bounces back better too

Veda Leben · 01-05-2002, 10:51 AM

Paradiddle stuff, Flamaques, whatever you know, just do them constantly. And you say you're a single pedal player. All there is to learn is discipline and control with power. There is no downside, only further possibilities. Also, remember, if you get a double-pedal, yes, you need to do the same rudiments, but concentrate on left leg. I neglected to realize this a while back

.

Odd. You must be stiff with heel up. There's no reason at all you shouldn't be getting more volume from heel up. With heel down there's one process going on, your calf pushes on the pedal. Thus, allowing for easy retraction, and the pull-back of the pedal. This is true. But heel up, it's the calf, the quadriceps, and hamstrings. Allowing infinitely more volume if you're not just tossing the foot down from the quads. An equal collaboration between the quads, the hamstrings and the calf is highly necessary for strong, controlled volume, dominating heel down over both volume and control. It's such a slight variation, but the power of the quads and hams introduced to the control of the calfs is beautiful no matter what style. I play them all.

I began with heel down and also noticed that the pull back of the pedal was much easier. But I learned to control that with heel up, and the control had increased dramatically. Then again, maybe my leg is different from yours.

Veda Leben