Bass drum sizes and sound.

Would a large diameter bass drum like 24" or even 26" be right for you? Judging by the way large bass drums have been selling lately, many drummers will answer yes to this question. But what if your musical needs are better served by the sound of a deeper drum than the standard 16" x 22"? And what about those 18-inch bass drums that are so plentiful these days? Are they capable of doing their job to the best of their ability?

To find the answers to these questions, we consulted experts who design, build, and prepare drums for musical life. And guess what? Despite the unanimity, even experts do not always agree with each other on some issues. To this day, drum making remains more of an art than a science. But first, a little history.

Let's go back to the beginning of the 20th century. At the time, "bass drum" meant either an orchestra drum or a marching drum, both of which were of modest depth but much larger in diameter than modern bass drums. When the first truly practical bass drum pedal was invented in 1909, it was fitted to the bass drums of the day. Bass drums in drum kits remained large and shallow for the next 40 years for a number of reasons. First, in the first half of the 20th century, musical styles did not experience the frequent and radical changes that followed in the second half of the century. Therefore, achieving different sounds was not the main driver of drum design. Secondly, miking drums with microphones did not yet exist in nature, and large drums were simply needed for a high volume level.

But everything changed in the decades after World War II, when the previously popular big dance bands gave way to small musical groups. The need to be heard as part of a large orchestra is no longer paramount. At the same time, drummers, especially those who loved to experiment and play in bebop bands, were looking for a new sound. They found this sound in smaller diameter bass drums (18" and 20"), tuned for a tight and punchy sound.

When rock began to dominate the musical Olympus, all drum sets were equipped with these small bass drums. But drummers soon began to strive for more variety in sound and perhaps a more attractive look for their bass drums. So diameters 22" and 24" became the standard. Interestingly, during all these changes, bass drum depth was not given much importance. Regardless of diameter, most bass drums until the mid-70s were 14" deep, with only a small number being 12" deep. Some time later, 16" deep drums became standard, and this standard remained for the next twenty years.

So where does this lead us in the end? Apparently, evolution is now going in two directions at the same time: both double bass drums and small bass drum risers used in bebop bands are popular. But the ubiquitous 16"x22" size is still used in most "beginner" level setups.

Although small or large bass drum sizes reflect current trends in the music world, experienced drummers understand that there is no longer a standard—and that's a great thing! Now drums use whatever suits the music being played and matches the drummer's specific playing style.

Now the range of bass drums is very wide: diameter can be from 16" to 26", and depth - from 14" to 20". Highly specialized manufacturers have an even wider range of models. In light of such almost inexhaustible possibilities, the question arises: what should a drummer do, what should he choose? Let's take a look at the physics of the bass drum.

First you need to study some scientific calculations. It's important to become familiar with them because they help you understand how the bass drum creates the sound that comes from it.

The bass drum is cylindrical, covered on both sides with a resonating membrane (plastic). Hitting a head sends a column of air towards another head, which begins to vibrate after a very short period of time (usually one to two milliseconds). These heads are tunable, and when struck they vibrate at a fixed frequency depending on the tension. If the tension of the heads and their weight are the same, their pitch will be the same. The same tuning of the heads makes it possible to extract the fullest sound from the drum. If the heads are not tuned the same, they will sound at different pitches, which usually gives a mixed sound.

However, in reality everything is not so simple. Impact heads have a much greater effect on sound than resonant ones. The proportion of the influence of the heads depends on the depth of the drum, the type of head and the blow itself. The vibration of a percussion head after impact is sharper (fast attack), while a resonating head has a slightly slower attack and a “wider” sound.

Also, plastics can have different weights. These may include damper rings that attenuate certain overtones and change the pitch of the fundamental musical tone. These damper rings can be different for impact and resonating heads. Also, one or both plastics may have a hole. And finally, there remains the third element of the “system”, which determines the sound - the drum body itself.

As you can see, there are many possibilities to change the sound of a drum. This explains why each drummer's bass drum has a unique sound. We will even leave aside why the same drum can sound completely different when the environment or room changes.

To take these variables out of the equation and give you a feel for all the possible drum characteristics that can be measured, we decided to limit our consideration to diameter and depth. We will look at how these factors affect things close to our hearts, such as pitch, sound attenuation, tone, sensitivity, pedal stroke, and such an elusive but very important point as “pumping” the sound.

We will be assisted by a group of real drum industry gurus: Bob Gatzen, Gene Okamoto and Ross Garfield. Gatzin is a drum designer, recording engineer and producer, and the creator of, among his other drum inventions, the DrumFrame. Okamoto is Pearl's resident drum wizard and technical expert. Garfield is a Drum Doctor enthusiast, studio drum rental estimator, technical, tuning and drum servicing expert.

You would think that a large diameter bass drum would always produce a deeper fundamental musical tone. From a physical point of view, the larger the diameter, the greater the likelihood of achieving lower tones, but this is only if other factors are not taken into account. “The obvious observation about pitch,” says Ros Garfield, “is that as the diameter increases, the sound is produced lower. But to a large extent it also depends on the drum tuning. I can tune a 22" drum lower than a 24" drum. But 24" will be much easier to tune to low frequencies.”

Bob Gatzin agrees, but notes the differences between the pitch of a fundamental musical tone and its strength. "A large diameter drum will produce low tones," says Bob. “But you can get more fundamental tone on a smaller head. The larger the diameter—the larger the surface area of ​​the head—the less you hear the fundamental musical tone of the drum. If you compare 10" and 16" diameters, the underlying musical tone will be more obvious on the smaller drum. This is also important for the bass drum: with a larger diameter, you lose fundamental tone.”

So, we have established that, all other factors being equal, large drums will produce low tones, and smaller ones will have a better ratio of the main musical tone and overtones. But is high sound volume also a reason for using larger diameters? For the most part, yes.

"From a physical standpoint, hitting a bass drum moves a larger column of air," says Bob Gatzin. “Think of a 30-inch symphonic drum and how loud it sounds. The drummers behind the first drum kits also used big drums. But with the advent of microphones, they were no longer needed because the microphone was located inside the bass drum.”

Ros Garfield adds that projection also depends on the depth of the drum. “The acoustic projection is proportional to the length of the shell. But this becomes unimportant if the bass drum is backed up.”

Can a bass drum be too big to function effectively? Certainly. The bass drum requires more energy to transmit the impact to the resonating head, and the beater may not have enough energy. This problem is the same for both overly large and overly deep drums, but for different reasons.

“By increasing both the depth and diameter of the drum, the recoil decreases,” says Gene Okamoto. “If the drum is too deep, it will be very difficult, even almost impossible, to get air to move from one membrane to another. If the drum is too large in diameter, the sound may be subsonic, the response will be slow, and it will take a strong drummer and a long beater pedal to get the sound out. So bass drums are made in sizes that serve practical purposes.”

Bob Gatzin is not a fan of “standard” drum sizes. “Over time, 22" bass drums became the standard. This is an example of how things have gone wrong. I find 22" heads to be inert and difficult to tune. This brings us back to physics: you can't make plastic vibrate quickly because air isn't pumped quickly. If you leave the head loose when tuning, you will get a slapping (popping) sound. You can probably fix this by changing the tuning to a quarter and getting some resonance, but changing the tuning a little higher will make the drum sound overly boomy. Because of this, I'm unlikely to ever use 22" drums anymore. I currently use drums between 16" and 20". Recently attended a Phil Collins concert - his 18" bass drum sounds incredible!" .

Let's move on to the depth of our “cylindrical resonant body”. Is depth really important to pitch? Yes, but to some extent. But the effect is not as significant for the frequency of the sound as for the overall sound. Listen to a recording of a bass drum or bass guitar on your tape recorder, adjusting the bass on the equalizer - the sound is richer and deeper, but the actual pitch of the sound remains the same. Low overtones are enhanced, adding weight to the sound. The same thing happens when you increase the depth of the bass drum. But even in this situation, there is still a choice, as Jin Okamoto explains. “If you take 22" bass drums with 14", 16" and 18" depths, the deeper drum will sound lower than the rest. However, the air column has to travel a longer distance to reach the diaphragm, so the recoil will be relatively slower compared to shallower drums. Also, it will take more energy to move the air to the membrane in order to achieve full sound. Shallower depth drums will respond to a light strike and will therefore be more sensitive.”

What about sensitivity, in terms of how quickly the drum responds? Let's remember what Jin Okamoto said about deep drums being less sensitive.

Bob Gatzin elaborates: “The shallower the drum, the more sensitive it is, because there is less delay between the moment the beater hits the head and the sound that follows the strike. Think about the snare drum. What's the difference between a 14" piccolo and a 7" x 14" snare? It's all about the delay time. So my usual advice to people playing deep bass drums is to hit the drum harder."

If shallow drums have such remarkable sensitivity, what is the use of using deep drums? It is possible to get a dense, rich sound from a deep drum body. “Greater cabinet depth will make you feel like you're adding more weight and breadth to the sound,” says Gatzin.

“Don't be afraid to buy a 20" bass drum, but not a 14" x 20" - that size won't have enough air force. It's better to buy a 16" x 20".

How does all of the above relate to the inner comfort that we feel when we sit down to play a new bass drum? When answering this question, our experts agreed on one thing: You'll get faster kickback from a smaller diameter drum. But is it really the best choice? There are also several answers to this question.

Ros Garfield says that an 18" drum will produce more kickback than a 20", 22" or 24". “This means you can play faster, with more shots. But that doesn't mean you'll feel any better than playing "When the leevee breaks" behind a 26" drum.

Jin Okamoto also values ​​sensation over sound itself. “I always loved the feel of '70s bass drums muffled by a blanket. The rebound was fast and clear - almost like from a pad. Of course, the drum sounded almost like a pad. Today's bass drums, with specially damped heads with damper rings and accessible tuning, have a very different feel than the pad-like counterparts of the 70s. However, drummers are playing faster, thanks in large part to improvements in pedal design and modern playing techniques.”

The “feel” aspect depends on each drummer’s personal performance. There are times when, for example, a quick rebound simply does not suit the style of play. Bob Gatzen believes that sensation is a subjective domain. “Some drummers like 22-inch bass drums with a head that's loosely tensioned so the beater doesn't bounce well. On smaller bass drums they will not be able to play this way as effectively. The plastic area is small, the slap is not the same. So you have a choice depending on the feel, sound and playing style of the drummer. I think the feeling is still more important than the sound.”

We're back to the question: what bass drum configuration will suit your music and your playing style? We assessed the structure of bass drums from a physical point of view and heard some valuable opinions. Take a look around and decide for yourself if you can put the sonic and mechanical attributes together that you can add to the idea of ​​your dream bass drum. But when it comes to “feeling,” remember that this is part of the equation that only your heart (and your feet) can decide.

Tuning drums is difficult. But there is no need to be afraid. These 7 tips will help you tune your kick drum.

1. Do I need a hole in the plastic?

Many drummers discuss why and why a resonant head needs a hole. The hole is necessary if you want to get an accentuated sound from the beater, but many people make a hole just because “that’s how I do everything.” With good tuning and the right head selection, it is very possible and often very desirable to avoid making a hole in the front head. If you do make a hole, don't make more than one and it should be no more than 5 inches in diameter. More than one hole or a hole larger than 5 inches in diameter will have the same effect as no front head. And yet, a lower sound is achieved with a resonant head without holes.

2. Consider jamming the plastic. Do you really need this?

Now we move on to cushioning - pillows, blankets, tape, etc. Top tip, try to think about the environment you're playing in before you grab the nearest duvet! In most cases, in a live performance, damping will not be needed, and if it is needed, it will be very light. If you are in a studio then some kind of muting (especially on larger bass drums - 24" or 26") may well be useful. Damped bass drums may sound great to you, but to the listener the bass frequencies may get lost in the mix.

3. The choice of plastic is very important.

If you choose the right head for your drum based on your sonic needs, it will be an effective combination no matter what situation you're performing in. You will, of course, have to fine-tune your drum before each performance, but it won't take much time. Place the head on the drum and hand tighten all the bolts in pairs until you can turn them. Then press down on the center of the plastic and check that none of the bolts are loose. If the plastic is new, then you will almost certainly find that one or two bolts have loosened a little.

4. Let's start setting up (finally!)

Ideally you should tune the striker head first with the resonant head removed. Start tightening the bolts in pairs with your fingers until all wrinkles are removed. After this, using a wrench, achieve the same tone in the area of ​​​​each bolt.

5. Damping (if necessary).

If you really need it, now is the time to do it. A small rolled up towel placed against the resonant head will suffice.

6. Fine tuning.

Now carry out all the operations that were performed with the impact head and with the resonant head in order to remove wrinkles from the head and even out the tone. Now place the drum in the playing position and install the pedal. You can now ask your bass player to play the drum while you tune it, but if this is not possible, then do the following: lie on the floor in front of the drum and play a slow and steady pulse on the pedal with your hand, and at the same time pull the head with your other hand and look for the desired tuning . This will give you a chance to hear the pitch, tone, and overall resonance of the drum.

7. Presentation, clarity and focus.

When tuning the resonant head, you will notice two things. Initially, not surprisingly, the flow will begin to improve, but perhaps more importantly, clarity and focus will improve. With both heads tuned the same, you will most likely get rumble in the low end, but very little. Some people love this, and that's fine, but if you prefer a more focused or shorter, thicker sound, then increase the tension on the resonant head.

The Bible for drum kit tuning. Bass drum tuning Published on the web portal

Bass Drum Heads - Impact Side

The coatings and types of materials are the same as in the section “Tom Heads - Impact Side”. Bass drum heads have a lot in common with tom heads, but there are also significant differences, such as the EVANS EQ or Aquarian Regulator series.

1. Single-layer, without damping elements. Any plastic like REMO Ambassador, Ebony series, FiberSkyn 3FA, Aquarian Signature Jack DeJonnette series, EVANS EQ 1, EVANS EQ 4
2. Muffled single-layer heads, such as REMO Ambassador, Ebony series, FiberSkyn 3FA, Aquarian Classic, Aquarian Signature series Carmine or Vinny Appice, Studio-X, Impact I, SuperKick I, EVANS EQ 1, EVANS EQ 4, etc.
3. Damped two-layer: any like REMO PinStripe, EVANS EQ2, EVANS EQ3, or hydraulic, such as Aquarian SuperKick II. See the Sound section. Typical selection of pairs of heads for a bass drum."

Bass drum. Resonant side heads

1. Single-layer, without damping elements. Any head like REMO Ambassador, Ebony series, FiberSkyn 3FA, Aquarian Classic Ported Bass Drum Head, EVANS EQ1, UNO 58 1000, etc.
2. Muffled single-ply heads, such as REMO PowerStroke 3, Aquarian Regulator, EVANS EQ 2, EVANS EQ 3, etc. Please note that most of these heads come in no-hole, 4 1/2", 5" and 7" hole versions.

Bass drum. Plastics with a hole or without?

1. If the hole in the plastic is larger than 7 inches in diameter, it is the same as playing without the plastic.
2. The 7" hole gives the impression of sounding without a resonant head, sends more attack from the beater into the audience, and slightly colors the sound with the timbre of the resonant side. In addition, it is easier to install microphones and change internal dampers.
3. A 4.5 or 5 inch or even two offset holes of this size makes the beater easier to control (reduces the chance of unwanted rehearsal), the drum resonates more powerfully, and the resonant side has a stronger effect on the tuning of the drum. The 4.5-inch hole makes it more difficult to install the microphone inside the kick drum and change the position of the dampers.
4. Plastic without a hole gives a very boomy sound and greater bounce of the beater. It can be difficult to get both the clap of the beater and the resonance of the drum with one microphone. All dampers remain inside. Resonant head has a huge impact on the overall sound.

Bass drum. Cushions and/or pads

1. One spacer or cushion covering 15-20% of the calculated area of ​​the drum head: the attack is emphasized, the tone and after-sound “hang”.
2. One pad or pad covering 15-20% of the resonant head area: the attack of the beater is reduced, the tone and after-sound appear as if bright overtones appear behind it.
3. One pad or cushion covering 15-20% of the area of ​​the drum and resonant heads: the attack is emphasized, the overall volume is slightly reduced, the tone and after-sound are more collected, the overtones are muted.
4. One spacer or cushion covering 25-30% of the area of ​​the drum head and 15-20% of the resonant head: the attack is very hard and emphasized, the overall volume is almost the same as in the previous version, the tone and after-sound are even more concentrated, there are almost no overtones.
5. One pad or pad covering 25-30% of both the drum and resonant heads: a very focused sound, ideal for close-micking. The attack becomes very emphasized, the overall volume is almost the same as in the previous version, the tone and follow-up become short bursts of energy that seem lifeless without a microphone. Distinct “percussive” sound.

Sound. Typical selection of bass drum head pairs

Please note that all characteristics of the muted heads described below can be changed using pads/spacers as described in the “Bass Drum” section. Cushions and/or pads,” or selecting a head with a hole, as described in the section “Bass drum. Plastics with a hole or without? The coatings and types of materials are the same as in the section “Tom Heads - Impact Side.”. Kick heads have a lot in common with tom heads, but there are significantly different series, such as EVANS EQ and Aquarian Regulator.

1. Single-layer, without damping elements on both sides: - open, strongly resonating ringing sound, elastic feel.
2. Single-layer muted drum, single-layer non-muffled resonant: the attack of the beater “pops up”, the sound is open, strongly resonating, at the moment of attack the overtones are muted, but “hang” on the aftersound.
3. Single-layer muted on both sides: the attack is heard more clearly, the sound is dense but somewhat vague, the overtones are muted but audible. Typical combinations: REMO PowerStroke 3 on both sides, to enhance the low frequencies you can put an EVANS EQ 4 drum head, and a resonant head - REMO PowerStroke 3, EVANS EQ 2 or Aquarian Regulator Resonant.
4. Single-layer muted drum and double-layer muted resonant: the attack of the beater “pops out”, the sound is wide, focused, and the overtones are damped. Typical combination: kick side - REMO PowerStroke 3, resonant side - REMO PinStripe, EVANS EQ 3, or Aquarian SuperKick II Resonant.
5. Dual-layer muted on both sides: very focused and elastic attack, narrow focused sound, overtones highly muted (pads/cushions may not be needed). A typical combination on both sides is REMO PinStripe, EVANS EQ 3, or Aquarian SuperKick II.

Bass drum. Setup and tricks

1. For the bass drum, the procedure is the same. Follow the steps in the “Tuning and seating any drum heads” section, but take into account the following:
2. In a typical setup, the impact head controls the attack and the resonant head controls the follow-up.
3. For a more elastic sound, raise the tuning of the resonant head 1-2 notes up, or tune the entire drum higher.
4. To get a “plastic” sound, you need to place a single-layer head on the striking side, tuned to the lowest note, and loosen each screw a little. A solid, unlined felt beater sounds good. If you use wood or plastic, put a gasket.
5. The “fat” sound on the bass drum is done in the same way as on the tom. You need to adjust the resonant head to the lowest note, then slightly (1/16 - 1/8 of a turn) loosen each screw. The result will be a “bold”, “loose” or “dark” sound. In this case, the tuning is changed using a shock head. Keep in mind that with a "fat" sound, the pitch range of the tuning may be somewhat limited.
6. To get a short, open, resonant burst of sound followed by muted overtones, try using the EQ damper. Press it lightly against one of the heads, so that when you hit the beater, the top ("hinge") part bounces off the head, but quickly returns back. The duration of the sound can be influenced by changing the location of the damper. This technique also works with two dampers, when one of them is pressed tightly, and the other, located on top of the same or on the opposite plastic, gives a “hinged” sound.
7. Don't have a pillow or pad? Try using strips of felt or cotton fabric of varying widths. Place them under the plastic approximately in the middle, pulling them tightly so that the plastic presses them. As a guide, try making a stripe that is 4.5" wide on a 20" barrel, 5" on a 22" barrel, 5.5" on a 24" barrel. A stripe on one head is equivalent to damping 25-30% of the head's area, or two EQ dampers per head. A towel rolled up and taped to the bottom of the plastic (or both) also works. An old feather pillow or rolled up blanket works just as well. Improvise! Anything that lightly touches the surface of the plastic will work as long as you follow the damping proportions given in the Cushions and/or Spacers section. For a "hinged" sound, try taping a towel or piece of fabric to the top of the head so that it bounces back when hit.
8. To improve resonance, try raising the bass drum as high off the floor as possible - as much as the stops and pedal design will allow.

Hi all! Friends, today I want to tell you about what a bass drum is, in addition, you will learn what a bass drum is and why it is often called Turkish =)

What is the difference between a Bass Drum and a Bass Drum? Many people consider them to be one and the same thing, but it is worth separating these concepts, and then I will explain why.

Big Drum.

Big drum- this is a wide metal or wooden cylinder covered with leather on both sides (sometimes only on one side).

Sounds are produced by striking a beater with a massive head, which is usually wrapped in dense material. Africa is considered the birthplace of the bass drum; a little later it appeared in Europe.

The big drum also has the name “ bass drum" In Turkey, this drum was extremely popular; all military campaigns of the Turkish army were accompanied by the sounds of a large drum; in addition, it was an integral attribute in various celebrations and rituals. This is where the name comes from.

The bass drum is the most important part of a symphony and brass orchestra.

In a brass band, the bass drum usually includes cymbals, one of which is attached directly to the drum itself, and the second is in the drummer’s hand.

In orchestral music, the bass drum often plays the role of a “metronome,” beating the strong beats of the bar.

Bass drum.

The question is very often asked: “ What is the name of the bass drum used in a drum kit that sits underneath?»

So: in modern musical styles, such as jazz, funk, rock, metal, etc., a lower-sounding variety of the big drum, called the bass drum, is used. The musicians themselves simply call it “ barrel “But there really are similarities!? Round and oblong =)

Bass drum- cylindrical shape, covered on both sides with a membrane (plastic).

The bass drum is part of the drum kit; sound is extracted from it using a special pedal connected to a beater. Modern metal styles such as; thrash, power, death, black metal and even current heavy metal universally use a cardan (two pedals connected by a shaft with 2 beaters on board, respectively), which allows you to hit the bass drum much faster than a single pedal.

Listen to the sound of the kick drum (online).

Designation of the bass drum in musical notation.

What, you are not yet familiar with musical notation for drummers? Then be sure to read!

We’ll end here, I also wanted to add the sound of a large single orchestral drum, but I couldn’t find a good recording, if you have one, please send it in the comments, I’ll definitely add it to the article! =)