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Home Stay Ahead of your Heads
DRUM CARE From Drum! Magazine Sept./Oct. 1991 By Gene
D'Amico
In this column we will be focusing on some of the basic fundamentals
involved in understanding a drum set, how it works, and the elements that contribute to
the sound quality of the drums. These basic fundamentals, which sometimes get overlooked,
can make a great set sound poor, or an entry-level set sound great. We'll discuss general
purpose information, give you some tips on tuning, tell you all about bearing edges,
discuss the influence of shell materials on the sound, and fill you in on options that
will help improve the overall performance of your kit. For the most part, you'll be able
to do a lot of the work yourself, although you'll probably need the help of a qualified
drum tech for some things. In any case, we'll turn your drum set inside out and help you
understand the basics.
This time around the topic is how to select a drumhead. The accepted
standard drumhead is made of Dupont Mylar, a specialized high-tech plastic that has many
different formulations and is used extensively in all kinds of industries. Several
companies manufacture drumheads, each with different sound characteristics. Most commonly
you'll find single- and double-ply heads, although there are some 4-ply snare drumheads,
including the top coating.
Start your selection by tapping the head right out of the box, and ask
yourself is this the sounds you want for your drum. You'll find that some heads are
stretched tightly in the hoop and already have a tone. Other heads sound flat, light the
sounds you would hear if you held up a piece of paper and struck it. Single-ply heads
provide more overtones and project the highs better than 2-ply heads. Even though
single-ply heads are thinner than 2-ply heads, they're only slightly less durable, and
will give you greater sustain and sensitivity. The 2-ply heads are made with heavier
weight Mylar. When struck, the two plies vibrate against each other to dampen the
overtones, and let the fundamental drum tone come through. Therefore, 2-ply heads are well
suited for rock and marching percussion due to the better durability and focused
fundamental tone.
You'll find that there are many variations available on the two basic
constructions that offer many sound choices. One technique is to add a "sound
center" reinforcement dot which can be applied to either single or double ply heads.
The dot will dampen the overtones of a single ply head and provide more dampening to a
2-ply head. Some 2-ply heads are bonded at the collar, which provides even more dampening.
The increased muffling gives you a wet sound when loosely tuned, which is good for
recording.
Another variation on the single-ply head is the lamination of a fibrous
material to the head. This adds controlled tonality and a good coated surface for brush
work. You also can get single and double ply heads in various colors, like black, chrome,
and gold. However, they're more cosmetic than durable, and most appropriate when used as
bottom heads.
The best thing you can do to improve the sound of your drums is to give
them new heads. If that doesn't make a noticeable difference then maybe you need to
inspect the hoops and the shells. But most likely, replacing the heads will add new life
to the sound of the kit. On snare drums, I recommend changing the bottom head at least
every third time the top head is replaced, if not sooner. Check the snare wires when you
change the bottom snare head, to be sure that the tape or string is not worn, and that
there are no sharp edges that could damage the head and cause it to break.
In general, your head selection should be based on your own personal
taste and the style of music that you play. For example, a rock player might choose a
2-ply head for its durability and focused sound, whereas a studio drummer might prefer a
single-ply head for a full sound -- but these are not hard and fast rules, and the reverse
can easily be true. The tuning of the head is 90 percent of the battle in getting a good
sound, so by applying proper tuning techniques wherever possible, you'll maximize the
sound of your drums.
Next time, we will take a step further, and discuss how the head reacts
to the bearing edge of the shell.
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