Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with drum

Going to 11 not necessary.

cmoj — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:32:57 -0800

How best to stay on beat, then find out how I sound to an audience. After playing guitar and singing for years, feeling pretty pessimistic about my ability I set my laptop (MacBook Pro) to record on its built in mic while I played a set's worth of material. Hey! I'm not bad at all, except my rhythm isn't so solid here and there (which I already knew.) If I can work that out, I'd be considering performing, which I've always wanted to do.

The thing is, a metronome doesn't help me. The flat tick. tick. tick. tick. isn't groovy at all, and ends up confusing me. I want to be able to make drum tracks that I can pipe either into an earbud or through a PA or whatever I'm playing through. I might even want to put in a rudimentary bass line. I could do this in garage band or anything similar, but what are my other options? Are there solutions that would let me (I'm not sure how to say this) queue up another few measures if I wanna keep soloing or do an extended outro?

The other part: How can I record myself in such a way that I'd have the best idea of how I'd sound to an audience? Will a 4-track recorder and a mic across the room do it? Will a mic through adapters give me significantly better sound on my MBP?

Weeeee

frankly mister — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:20:00 -0800

What are the greatest drum fills ever...?! For a little project, I'm compiling a list of the greatest/most famous drum fills in pop/rock history. These are the few I've come up with on my own. What others are there? Thanks!

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love 3:02
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven 6:20
The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again 7:30
The Who - Baba O'Riley 2:20
Steppenwolf - Born to be Wild 2:07
Beatles - I Feel Fine 1:20
Neil Young - Rockin' in the Free World 2:35
Radiohead - There There 1:54
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run 2:45
Smashing Pumpkins - Zero 1:04
Weezer - Say It Ain't So 3:33
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight 3:40
Rush - Tom Sawyer 2:40

"I don't wanna work/I just wanna bang on the drums all day."

po822000 — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:05:57 -0800

What are the best electronic drum kits on the market not named "V-drums"? After playing lots of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, I'm pining to get a drum kit again. I used to have on through the first year of college, but ended up selling it because it became cumbersome in frequent moves and, frankly, didn't endear me to neighbors.

I used to be really deep into drumming culture - I used to have all 40 rudiments memorized, used to read my copies of Modern Drummer religiously...but life got in the way, and I'm simply not as "in the know" about gear as I used to be.

I'd love to buy some electronic drums, because they tend to take up a smaller footprint than an acoustic set, and because most have headphone jacks, they're suburban-friendly. I would obviously love to have a set a V-Drums, but alas - the economy is down, and so are my coffers.

What are some of the more budget-friendly electronic drum kits out there that won't sound like I'm trying out for an '80s New Wave band when I play them?

sure it's super 90's but I've never lost my wallet. Ever.

hector horace — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:53:58 -0800

Will I be allowed to get on the plane with my wallet chain? I'm flying to London, England this week on my way to Holland. This is my first international flight. Will I be allowed to get on the plane with my wallet chain? I've searched google but I can't find any specific mention of a wallet chain being prohibited. That said I imagine that it probably is.
Anyone have any experience with this?

Also will it be a problem to have a pair of drum sticks in my carry on? I'm not checking any luggage so that solution won't work. I really want to avoid any problems at customs.

thanks

Djembe Recommendations?

DMan — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 10:03:39 -0800

I want to learn to play the djembe. What should I buy, and where can I find some good learning resources? So I've been a drummer for a few years now, but up to this point all I've played is a standard drumset. I'm wanting to branch out and learn something new, and the djembe caught my eye because it'd give me something much more portable than the full drumset. The problem is, I don't have a clue what to buy, in terms of manufacturer, size, and price point. I also don't really know where to go to learn how to play the thing.

So, what would you guys recommend as far as what I should buy? I don't really want to spend too much (under $100 would be great) for now...if I really take a liking to it, I'll probably buy a more expensive one later. I just want to learn for now. And, I see there are several different sizes, so I don't really know what the difference is or which one I should go with. Specific product recommendations would be great.

And, where should I go to learn how to play it? I'm sure I can just beat on it for a while to figure out how to make the different sounds, but I definitely want to find some learning resources specific to the djembe. What would you all suggest?

Thanks for the help!

Do drummers count drum beats separate for each limb, or coordinated all together?

qvantamon — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:50:45 -0800

Do drummers count drum beats separate for each limb, or coordinated all together? How do drummers count the beats?

When I'm playing Rock Band drums, I tend to count them all together. For example, a standard rock beat would be something like chick-chick-chick-chtah-chick-chick-chick-chboom. It plays all together in my head, the hi-hat+snare or hi-hat+bass is a single coordinated movement. On more complex rhythms, I just think about the sequence, (say, hi-hat,wait,hi-hat,snare,hi-hat,ride+snare+bass, wait), with no regard to the interval between beats (I actually learn the coordinated movements to do the combinations). And in polyrhythms (say, the bass line in 3/4 and snares/hats in 4/4), I end up learning the entire sequence until the bass line and the snare join up again.

However, I see people making a big deal out of "limb independence" (forgot the actual word), and even some beginner hints seem to imply that the right way to go is to think about and time your limbs independently. I interpret this as meaning that you don't think about the sequence/coordinated movements, but just about the periods/displacements of the movements of each limb (for example, right hand goes hat *3, ride; left hand goes wait,half-wait, snare, half-wait, wait, wait; bass goes wait, wait, wait, hit),and thus when you hit the snare, bass and ride at the same time, it's not a single coordinated movement, but just 3 independent limb movements that happened to be at the same time for this beat.

For example, one of the hints is, when learning a hard song, start with the bass, then add the snare, and finally the hi-hat. For me it's the opposite - in complex beats I can't possibly time the snares without the hi-hats (I mean, I can by looking at the screen, but not in my head). So the way I go is hats, then snares, finally bass.

Can someone who drums for real explain how a beat works in your head?

My Control pad needs to be beat!

Asbestos McPinto — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:49:22 -0800

I recently purchased an Alesis Control pad off of Ebay, it works great but was missing the BFD-lite CD-ROM. I am looking for a free (shareware/donationware) program to use with this machine. I am running a Mac 10.3.9 with several different programs (Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Reason) and would prefer something VST based. After searching the archives, I looked at the Bluenoise site and My Drumset would be great but it's PC only.

Anybody have any suggestions/tips on programs?

I must hear more of those Mad Men drums.

COBRA! — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:58:11 -0800

The drums in the Mad Men theme drive me, um, mad! Where can I get more? My wife and I are making our way though the first season of Mad Men on DVD, and I've fallen really hard for the part of the theme music when the drums kick in. What recordings feature similar drum sounds/textures?

Teach me how to unce unce

nitsuj — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:13:51 -0800

I want to learn, from a teacher face-to-face, to use the various tools in an electronic (as in "dance," including hip-hop) music producer's arsenal. Do classes/lessons exist? How about in Chicago? Drum machines, synthesizers, sequencers, samplers, etc -- you know the drill. I want to learn how to learn how to use these tools properly to create music.

I've used a number of different pieces of software that mimic popular pieces of hardware (Reason, for instance), but I really want to work hands-on with hardware, from a musician who knows how to use these instruments.

Do classes or lessons exist, like they do for guitar and other instruments? How about in the Chicago area? The Google isn't being very helpful in this department.

Drummer Living In An Apartment

defben — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:18:07 -0800

I use to play the drums, really miss it, and want to get back into it. What are my options for living in an apartment complex? I've tried some of the cheaper electronic kits in stores. They seemed pretty lousy to me; didn't "respond" close enough to the real thing. Are there any cheap electronic kits people can recommend? What are my other options? What are my options when I want to get together with people and play?

Band at the Limelight

Shanachie — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:04:24 -0800

In the early 90's I saw a band at the Limelight in New York. The band was made up entirely of percussion instruments. There were maybe 10 people playing and they were all painted gold. I cannot for the life of me remember what they were called and it's driving me nuts. Does sound familiar to anyone?

Rollo's

Black_Umbrella — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:31:06 -0800

Why are corners cut on some rolling papers? I have been rolling cigarettes for a while now but never thought to ask why many rolling papers have cut corners. Some have the corners cut, some don't, the same brand will sell papers both ways. Whats the deal?

Drumline music?

inactivist — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:07:19 -0800

I need drumline music for my workouts! Outkast's "Bombs Over Baghdad" works like nothing else to get me pumped at the gym, the percussion is a big part of the reason why. It's kind of a marching band/drumline sound, and a good drumline gets me pumped when I happen to hear one. Where can I find more drumline music or hip hop with this sound?

East Bay Drum Sander Rental

zeoslap — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:54:32 -0800

Does anyone know of a place where I can get some time on a drum sander near Oakland, CA?

I'm buying a drum set for the first time. What advice would you offer me?

Afroblanco — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:01:11 -0800

AskMe Musicians - I'm buying a drum set for the first time. What advice would you offer me? Hey all,

I've been playing hand drums for the last 11 years, and a few months ago I decided to make the switch to playing a full drum kit. I've been practicing on a friend's set for the past five months, and am finally ready to buy my own. However, I don't really know where to begin!

I'm looking for a pretty basic kit - snare, bass, tom-tom, floor tom, big crash, small crash, hi-hat, ride, and throne. I don't need anything fancy, but I do want it to be durable and high-quality. Even though I'm a beginner, I don't want to buy another kit any time soon.

Although I would appreciate any help that you have to offer, a few big questions stick out in my mind :

1) How much should I spend, really? Some kits are ridiculously expensive, some cheap. How much should I expect to spend for a decent kit?

2) Does it make sense to buy a full kit at once, or does it make more sense to buy the kit piece-by-piece? I don't really know much about drum kits, so I'm a little hesitant to put it together myself.

3) What brands are good for the various pieces of a drum kit? Are there any particular models that you would recommend? Any that you would stay away from? I've noticed that some of the name brands have subsidiary "discount brands" - should I avoid these?

4) Where should I buy it? I live in NYC, and if I bought it locally I'd have to pay NYC sales tax, which is almost 9%. Plus, everything here is ridiculously overpriced. Are there local stores that would give me a good deal? What about online? Will I lose on shipping any gains that I would otherwise make from buying online?

5) This is more of a general question - what should I know about the various pieces of a kit before making this investment? As I said, I don't know much about drum kits, so I wouldn't know, say, the difference in sound between one type of crash cymbal and another. Are there any websites that you would recommend for this type information?

Thanks for the help.

drumsticks, mallets and brushes for a KISS fan

Marquis — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:51:51 -0800

I'd like to spend $100 buying my teenage cousin some drumsticks. He loves Green Day and KISS, and already asked for these. I'll get him some of those, but thought instead of just buying him tons it might be cool to pick up a pair of mallets/brushes as well? Can anyone recommend some higher-end brushes/mallets for a fan of that Eric Singer series? The other option is to pick up a couple pairs of the Eric Singer sticks and then to get some reeeally high-end sticks, because he's a kid and will think that's cool - but it doesn't look like they even sell drumsticks that cost more than $20 or so...

Any other suggestions welcome too.

Silent Drums for Kids?

asavage — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:56:33 -0800

My kid (8 years old) turns out to have a very good sense of rythm. I'd like to get him a drum set for xmas. A *silent* drum set. I've looked at some virtual drum kits online, but the array is dizzying.
Here's what I want.
I'd like him to be able to sit and play on a real sized set, (for him) that plays through headphones. It'd be great if it could also record his jams, and have the ability to play along with other songs. Is there such a product? Does anyone have personal experience with something like what I'm describing?
Oh-- budget is under $300.00

Where is this hide bound clay drum from?

singingfish — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 17:21:10 -0800

Can anyone identify this hide bound clay drum. Bought in an Australian charity shop if that helps.

Show Me the World of Drum and Bass

CrayDrygu — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:21:09 -0800

I can't get enough of Pendulum's release Hold Your Colour. What else might I like? Specifically, I keep playing the tracks Slam, Fasten Your Seatbelt, and Another Planet (as well as Blood Sugar, released seperately) over and over, though honestly there's not a single track on the release that I don't like. I like it so much, in fact, that Hold Your Colour was my first music purchase in over 3 years.

But I know my tendency to over-play newly found music, and I don't want to find myself getting sick of Pendulum 3-4 weeks from now. The other problem is that "drum and bass" is almost as vague as "jazz", in that it defines a style, but not a particular sound, so I'm having trouble finding similar artists.

What other artists, releases, and tracks should I look at if I want some of the same intense, high-energy drum and bass tracks?

Gift for a drumming PLF

mammary16 — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:39:35 -0800

Gift suggestions for a wanna-be drummer. My PLF (potential lady friend) recently bought a drum machine from Costco, and is planning on learning how to drum. What's a good gift to complement that habit?

Looking for something under thirty bucks.

(note - I play piano and the PLFILF and I will probably play together, if that helps)

Australian customs trouble

twirlypen — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:45:56 -0800

Australian customs- does anyone have any experience bringing a wooden drum with an animal skin into Australia? I'm in Kathmandu and want to buy two drums. One is made of clay and in a bowl shape with skin stretched over the open end, the other is a wooden tube with skin over both ends.

I know I have to declare them, and can't see any evidence of bug holes in the wood, but I'm worried that since you can't actually see inside the drum they wont let me bring it in.

Has anyone been through this before? Any advice?

Cheers.

drum machine/sampler for $150 and under?

defmute — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 14:17:37 -0800

I'm looking to buy a drum machine/sampler for general programming needs with an emphasis on hip-hop. I've worked extensively with Reason's Redrum and want something which can function as a hardware equivalent (and maybe even more). If I had to get an Electribe, which model would best suit my purposes? I'm looking to spend no more than $150 so if there are some good alternatives to an E-tribe I would love to hear what you all might reccommend. Bottom line, if it's a machine that will best allow me to produce hip-hop (everything from old school to dirty south), idm, and "Beck/Flaming Lips/Go! Team"ish crossover genres, then i really couldn't ask for more.

"Quick! Call Flammie!"

eleyna — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:39:51 -0800

I'd like to get my son a "Flammie Drum". Where can I find one? Recently, my 5-year-old and I have been playing Secret of Mana together on my SNES. He loves Flammie and he imagines that his toys are dragons, and he goes on pretend adventures. I want to get him a drum like the Flammie Drum (it's one where you twist the handle back and forth and the two bead-things bang on it at the same time) - but I don't know what this kind of drum is called, or where to find one. Help?

How to isolate drum hits for sampling?

defmute — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 05:12:01 -0800

how does one go about isolating drum tracks from a recording? i'm trying and have been trying to sample and isolate drum hits from recordings (as in no other instruments on the sample). i know it's possible (mostly cause hip hop reminds me so), i just don't know how. i've tried to avoid the problem by just sampling from drum solos, but that usually only get's me so far. please, if anyone with experience in sampling is out there in filterland, speak now!

How do I turn raw animal skin into a hand drum head?

davey_darling — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 10:11:04 -0800

How do I prepare animal hides for use as the skin of a hand drum such as a djembe? I am wanting to build some hand drums of various styles, starting with a djembe.
I have absolutely no problems with creating the drum shell start to finish and building a system to hold/tension the skin.

What I am having trouble wrapping my mind around is how to go from animal hide (raw, just sliced off of the deer) to something that I can mount on the drum?

Does the leather have to be "tanned"? Just dried? What stops it from rotting or turning gross when it gets moistened by sweat on the players hands?

I have googled around and have not come up with anything really satisfactory.