It is very hard to describe the sound of the drum, because it is such a subjective thing. There are quite a few parameters that contribute to the sound of a drum. Our shells are made exclusivly of solid staves and segments, so let’s focus on this type, but as far as sound is concerened this more or less applies to all types of shells. Let’s take a look at some atributes that have a major impact on sound.
Solid stave shells can be made using any type of wood, but each has its own characteristics. Hardness and density are the main factors that affect the drum’s sound. The denser the wood the less it resonantes or let’s say it resonates at higher frequences, therfore the sound is brighter. While the softer wood acts the opposite. In general the denser the wood type the higher its fundamental pitch and vice versa.
Wood Types:
Our shells are made exclusivly of solid staves or segments, so let’s focus on this type. But as far as sound is concerened, this more or less applies to all types of shells.
1. Diameter: Shell drum diameter is more responsible for pitch than any other element. So logicaly the greater diameter means lower in pitch and vice versa.
2. Depth: Depth is responsible for the duration of the note and aids in resonance. So by depth extension the distance between heads also extends. Therfore the sound becomes fatter…deeper…warmer and less articulated. Greater depth increases volume and power by having an impact on resonance of the fundamental note of the shell. A shallower shell creates a shorter burst of tone and makes a drum more articulated and sensitive, but drops in volume.
3.Thickness: Shell thickness also has great impact on sound. In general the thinner the shell the more it will resonate, which leads to a very open sounding drum. On the other hand the thicker shell sounds dryer while also increasing attack and projection.
These were the main factors related to the drum’s shell, but there are many others that define a drum sound.
Wood drum shells are made in many diffrent ways.The constructuin of the shell greatly affects the sound. Let’s use some outlines to see how shell construction affects the sound the drum will produce.
There are many ways and materials that drum shells can be made OUT of:
All these shell types and building technics have their unique sounds. Our shells are made out of staves and(or) segments. They are made out of 24 solid wood peices that are glued together in a barrel manner. The amount of glue between staves is negligable.
The bearing edge is a part of a shell that the drum head rests against. It is literally the edge of a drum shell. It is cut or curved in a way to let the drum head sit evenly on the shell so the drum produces an even sound. Here are some general guidelines on how the bearing edge can affect the sound:
1.)The more contact there is between the head and the shell, the drier the sound will be, with a clearer pitch.
2.)The further from the outside edge of the shell the bearing edge makes contact with the head, the longer the drum will ring.
This kind of bearing edge is the most common in modern drums, cut at a clean, sharp 45-degree angle so that the head makes contact at a single point, close to the collar (the point at which the head starts angling down away from the playing surface).This creates a wide surface area and allows the head to vibrate as much as possible. This will generally get a brighter tone with a focused, slightly shorter sustain.
This design differs from a standard 45-degree edge in that the peak is moved to the center of the shell and has equal 45-degree cuts made from the inner and outer sides. The difference in sound comes from where the drumhead film contacts the bearing edge. Rather than contacting the head at the collar, which is the part of the head that curves down toward the hoop, a dual edge will meet the head further toward the center, where the film is flat. This results in longer sustain and a wider tuning range.
This type of bearing edge is rounded off at the peak, resulting in more head-to-shell contact. Roundover bearing edges were the standard cut until the trend shifted toward sharper edges in the 1980s. Still utilized on many jazz and vintage-style drums today, roundovers tend to provide sharp stick impact and a mellower and warmer overall sound. A drum will generally sustain a bit less with this type of bearing edge. There are also fewer harmonic overtones present, making for a meatier sound that features more of the fundamental pitch.
This type of fully rounded edge is typically used on larger drums. The edge produces the fewest overtones and a fat, punchy sound. While certainly not for every drummer or every musical situation, this style of edge can create some beautiful, vintage-type sounds.It speaks beautifully in mid to low tuning ranges.
The concept of combining different edges on the batter and resonant sides of drums is a new development in manufacturing. A common pairing would be a roundover edge on the batter side and a standard or dual 45-degree edge on the resonant side. This combination is often used on snare drums to harness the advantages of both types of edges in the same instrument.
1.Lugs:
Less lugs means fatter tuning and more complex overtones, the longer the intervals between lugs the less likely you are to get the head tuned evenly between lugs.
2.Snare wire:
Choice of snare also determines the balance between the snare buzz and sound of the shell. If you use 16 wires you get approximatley 50% drum sound and 50% snare sound. By using 20 or 24 or more snare wires, you can increase the snare sound.
3.Hoops:
Die cast hoops
Triple flanged hoops
Wood hoops
They can be made of diffrent materials(aluminum,brass etc.) each of them has its own characteristics.
TUNING
Drumheads:
When it comes to picking out new drumheads you have to consider what sound you’re looking for and what type of music you play. There is quite a choice:
Of course there are many others, but the bottomline is, if you are a heavy hitter you may choose a double ply for extra durability, while a drummer with a lighter touch could get plenty of enjoyment out of single ply model.
