I've seen pictures of two mounted drums near Bonham in 1970. i played a show Friday and i used the other drummers kit, i was only a bloody Ludwig vistalite! i do know that bonham used a felt strip. }); size: [[728, 90]], There are, of course, a number of variables to be accounted for. This tuning is neither original or secret, but has been used by jazz drummers for decades. Hey! The "big" drum sound is simply that. The fact of the matter is that the gear and how its tuned means next to nothing when taking into consideration the individual sitting behind it. Bonham also liked the sound of played-in heads: he'd only change them when he absolutely needed to. No youll never get that sound out of a 22 Gretsch. GLX-D+ Wireless First Look with MPNG and Martina Blazeska. As for the relative tuning of each drum, keep them a third apart, letting the size of the tom determine the tuning. function detectPage(loc) Work on jazz, playing using rebound, and you'll probably be able to figure out how to get a lot of JB's sound out of a lot of drums. Bonham also liked to explore the interplay between triplet and non-triplet rhythms. Most of us can recite it in our sleep by now: Ludwig drums 14 x 10 rack tom, 16 x 16 and 18 x 16 floor toms, 26 x 14 kick, and the legendary LM402 14 x 6.5 Supraphonic snare drum; Paiste cymbals, Giant Beat and 2002 combined 15 Sound Edge hi-hats, 16, 18, 20 crashes and crash/rides, 24 ride, and a 38 symphonic gong; all topped off with a squeaky Speed King pedal and a ching-ring tambourine mounted on his hi-hat stand. He never REALLY reveals Bonhams "secret". googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_Primis', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_Primis').addService(googletag.pubads()); device: ['desktop'], // display only on device userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Go with a double-ply batter head. Drum heads are generally made of different types of plastic: Generally speaking, if you play on a regular basis, its a good idea to change your batter heads every six months to a year. network: dfpNetwork, LS Swap tuning. return 'post'; The snares are attached to the bottom head and give the drum its signature sound. size: [[728, 90]], The demo of his green sparkle kit and the methods of tuning the 26" kick. What was John Bohnam's snare drum tuning? - Quora 45-degree inner bearing edge with slight outer bevel. Tightening the tension rods causes the pitch of the drum to go up; loosening the tension rods will lower the pitch. If your kick drum lacks definition, pitching the resonant kick drum head slightly higher than the batter head will tighten up the tone. Video: How to Make Your Kit Sound Like John Bonham's adUnits.push({ He said Bonham was to have a Black Sparkle kit for the American tour that never happened. var dfpSlots = []; Youll need two crashes (one 18-inch and one 20-inch), with either a 22-inch or a 24-inch ride cymbal. When it comes to toms, Bonham used two and threetom configurations, usually with a 14 rack and a 16 and/or 18 floor toms. -Thermo Gloss Maple (used from 1969-1970). The beater should hit just below center for the perfect balance of attack and tone. Watch the Ocheltree tree videos. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Professional drum techs (the people who set up and maintain drum sets for professional level bands) sometimes employ a turntable, which allows them to rotate the drums easily as they adjust the drums tuning. Here is another interesting tidbit. Joined Sep 4, 2006 . }); Now play the drum without muting either head and see if the tone is clear and even. adUnits.push({ pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Start by tuning the kick drum until the wrinkles disappear in the head. His TOUCH was what made the tone happen, he had his own way of playing that some can emulate, but no one can really duplicate as they are not HIM!!! As mentioned before, each drum has a range of pitch that it can accommodate. adUnits.push({ Ludwig Vistalite Zep 5-piece Shell Pack with Snare Drum - Amber adunit: 'drumforum_tablet_sticky_728x90', http://www.ledzeppelin.com/photos/led-zeppelin/1968-1969?page=16. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_300x250_3', There are many types of heads, so what type of head should you use? . The pitch of each area should be the same if the tension is even. Combine that with large drums, his unique feel, and boom, classic rock god. var userType = 'guest'; // set the user type, available: guest, loggedin, paid Youve got three snare drum options: aluminum, steel or brass. He knew that by moving back and forth between these two modes sometimes within a single phrase, as in Ex. Once mastered though, it has the potential to add considerable texture to a phrase, not to mention the unusual effect of making it sound like there are more drums playing than there really are. As you play across your drum kit, the pitch goes lower as you move from smaller toms to larger toms. Bonham preferred his coated heads to be pretty well worn for the ideal sound; notice, in any footage of him with a maple kit, that beautiful brown-gray patina in the center of his coated heads. Go for 14-inch and 16-inch rack toms married to an 18-inch floor tom. An often overlooked aspect of Bonhams considerable talents was his frequent use of ghost notes to accentuate his feel and add subtle texture to a groove. im using 2 mxr ribbon mics as the overheads, a shure beta 57a on the kick facing the beater about 2-3 inches in the porthole, and a pyle mic on the snare (the shure sm57 copy). His kick sound is very open lots with of ring and resonation without much dampening. This article was based on a tutorial from Reverb.com, which you can find on their YouTube channel here. New technology was able to take the 1976 Black Beauty to daring new heights. Batter heads can also be coated or uncoated. Bonham particularly relied on sixtuplets at the sixteenth note level six notes in the place of four to provide a basis for most fill material. Rock drums (especially heavy metal drums) generally have larger toms than kits designed for jazz. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Bonhams drum kit tuning.interesting info! - DRUMMERWORLD How Do I Sound Like John Bonham? - FIX YOUR MIX | Official Blog Snare drum shells can also be made of metal. how could i replicate his tuning with the drum types and sizes that i have? snare drum tuning with a tune bot(John Bonham sound) - YouTube One end of the tension rod is threaded; the other end has a square head. }); Not sure about the tuning, but also a big help with the "sound" of Bonzo was how the drums were recorded. The main groove from When The Levee Breaks, as seen in Ex. Single-ply heads are louder and brighter but have less durability than the double-ply heads. i was over da moon! His huge sound has been immortalized on classic tracks like 'When the Levee Breaks,' 'Moby Dick' and 'Immigrant Song.' Smashing his kit with such incredible power, he came to define what a rock drummer should be. Main takeaway for the 'Bonham' sound is everything is tuned tighter than you'd think. 1a (taken from the live performance of Kashmir, featured on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD). Pulling inspiration from the grooves and rhythms of classic rock 'n' roll - John Bonham in particular - and fusing it with his relentless hardcore punk technique, he became the most globally iconic rock drummer of the 1990's. In an interview with Spin, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins said of playing his band leader's drum parts: When he isn't touring with one of his several bands, you will find him hunched over his desk at home writing articles for the likes of Vice, The Guardian, Loud & Quiet and more. It should have a deep sound with a nice attack. adunit: 'drumforum_mobile_1stguestpost_300x250', if(adUnits){ device: ['mobile'], // display only on device Bass drums have drum claws. The number of lugs can affect the tuning stability and the sound of the drum. Then, playing a right then left hand (or vice versa) on the first and second notes of the triplet with your left foot still on the downbeat will create this versatile figure. Set this up Glyn John-style, with one directly over the snare and the other six inches above the floor tom and to the side. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use Applies especially to vintage emperor Tune the bottom head to top head in proportion approx 3turns bottom to 1 turn top Muffle slightly the ring Look for the sweet spot: between 6-7 o clock, 2-3" from the hoop. It is RPM and speed limited. Tune the batter head to a medium pitch and the resonant head up to a mediumhigh pitch. People have been playing drums for thousands of years, but what we think of as the modern drum set wasnt developed until around the 1920s. The diameter of the drum will determine the pitch. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_desktop_sticky_728x90', From beginner to advanced, School of Rock has taught thousands of students how to play drums and achieve their full potential. From a physical standpoint, Ex. 2a). code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_mobile_sticky_320x50', How to Tune Your Drums - School of Rock These acrylic shells and LM402 Supraphonic snare give you those same looks and sounds. It controls the attack and ring (the unwanted overtones) of the drum. There were no SuperkickEMADyaddayadda heads back then. There's no proof of him using a brass drum other than Jeff Ochiltree saying so. Bonhams setup is one of the most widely documented (and employed) configurations in the history of rock. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type As you might guess, the tension rods provide tension on the drum heads. In the context of anyone elses music these phrases might even be thought of almost along the lines of a literal quote. X. These drums were always outfitted with Remo coated Emperor heads on the batter side and coated Ambassadors on the resonant side. Make sure you have felt strips on plain coated heads with no porting for your kick drum. So much of Bonhams rhythmic vocabulary with Led Zeppelin referred back to the swinging triplet rhythms of the American big bands that he grew up listening to. Wood & Weather Drum Shop. You cant go wrong with a versatile workhorse like the Shure SM57. To be able to tune like John first you have to have the same identical drum kit and heads that he used and from there it is tweeting around till you find that John Bonham sound. Specialties: We install everything we sell at our 15,000 sq/ft facility in Garden Grove, CA. John Bonham tuning | Drummerworld Forum Here is another interesting tidbit. He played louder that many of his contemporaries, but he still had very well developed hand and foot technique. and I've never tried to copy "anyone's" particular snare sound . So in celebration of Bonzos greatness, we here at Reverb wanted to provide those lustful enthusiasts with more affordable alternatives. size: [[300, 250]], code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_desktoptablet_1stguestpost_300x250', Tighten them until they are just finger tight. if(device == 'tablet') googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_tablet_float_videoad', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_float_videoad').addService(googletag.pubads()); This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Medium high on the batter. On the steel-drum kit he changed the awesome 15 inch tom back to a 14 inch for the last 1980 tour. This is also dependent on the number of toms; drum kits with several toms may need to be tuned to closer intervals to allow all the drums to sound their best and not be tuned beyond their comfortable frequency range. After choosing the best drum set for you, and tuning your drums, the next most important thing for a beginner is learning how to play! Metal snares are usually louder and cut through a band more than a wood snare. The old heads wont hold tune as well, and eventually theyll wear out and break. i have a maple 6x14 Gretsch Catalina snare and a maple 18x22 Gretsch Catalina bass drum. Do not muffle these drums, and use double-ply coated batter heads and single-ply resonant heads. With the proper tuning, even a beginner drum kit can sound great. adUnits[i].display = true; Tuning your snare drum is mostly a matter of personal preference. This was pretty normal in a lot of records in the 60s to mid 70s. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The snare drum is hit the most often, so it may need replacing more often. Received maple thermogloss in early 1969 - Keystone, Sep 15, 2015 - MAGE MUSIC: 1968 Led Zeppelin - Goteborg, Sweden at Liseberg Amusement Park, Do you guys know if John Bonham ever used the Ludwig LM402's W/ Keystone Drum Badge in early days Or was his 6.5x14 snares always B/O badge. 3a, from How The West Was Won). Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. advises only the most creative and frugal application, so as not to be known as the drummer that always plays all those Bonham licks. Superior Automotive quickly gained a well deserved reputation as one of the finest state-of-the . What Makes the Ludwig Black Beauty So Great? - InSync Make sure you have felt strips on plain coated heads with no porting for your kick drum. Thats was i was thinking but i thought someone had a trick lol what about the snare and tuning and such? 5th album came out. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use John Bonhams drumming was as large as the lifestyle he led. The subdued sophistication of the groove at 1:02 could not be more understated, with its ghosted singles and doubles complements of the left hand. 93ZoSo93 This could also explain Bonhams preference for an unported front bass drumhead. All other. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Start with the same pitch for both heads and experiment with ranges by tuning the drums resonant head up and down. Bonham bulldozes through the first five minutes of this swampy blues workout with nary a drum fill, delivering a powerfully hypnotic groove with such a deep pocket that it has become one of the all-time staples of the hip-hop sampling repertoire. Bonham pioneered an iconically huge rock sound from behind his even larger drum kit. Custom Speed King Pedal In Red/Silver Finish Bonzoleum on Youtube is a very interesting guy and I think very knowledgable about Bonham in both playing and equipment. Its important to note that throughout the evolution of Bonhams various kits, he always remained unwaveringly faithful to his Supraphonic 402 snare drums in all performance settings. Resonant heads dont need to be replaced as often as batter heads; you can usually change them every second or third time you change your batter heads. Most beginners tend to tune their drums too high and choke the tone of the drum. The tension of the resonant head is particularly important for tuning your toms. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Then, recording .. Eddie Kramer refers to using Shure SM57s, Neumann U67s and U87s, AKG C12s and ElectroVoice RE20s .. are you using any of those mics? Regular drum maintenance is essential to keeping your drums in tune. device: ['desktop'], // display only on device Bonham was very jazz influenced, and he liked that sound. The legendary drummers time with Led Zeppelin ended all too soon with his premature death in 1980, but his legacy lives on through forever having changed how rock 'n' roll drums are played. Bonham used a rented Slingerland kit on the band's first European tour in the late 60's. He creates a similar effect in the live version of Since Ive Been Loving You (Ex. Large Classic Lugs. Placentia, CA 92870. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Let me know if I got anything wrong here. 5d). I still can't believe that John sold the maple set to his sisters boyfriend for five pounds! Be careful not to strike the resonant head too hard, as theyre very thin and not designed to be hit as hard as the batter head. Smaller drums have higher resonant frequencies, and larger drums have lower resonant frequencies. When tuning your drum heads, youll use a drum key to tighten the tension rods. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosbtf_300x250', Theres a common misconception that Bonham played with a double pedal how else could he play so fast? So how to replicate that big, fat, funky Bonzo sound yourself? }); Any wrinkles in the drum head should disappear once you start to get your drum head up to proper tension. For the skins, put on a double-ply coated batter head and a standard snare-side head. Since the resonant head isnt directly struck, they can last longer than the top heads, but eventually theyll wear out and need replacement. device: ['tablet'], // display only on device Match this with a 15-inch hi-hat, a ching ring for that groovy late-Zeppelin vibe and, of course, no Bonham kit would be complete without a cowbell. return window.screen.width || window.innerWidth || window.document.documentElement.clientWidth || Math.min(window.innerWidth, window.document.documentElement.clientWidth) || window.innerWidth || window.document.documentElement.clientWidth || window.document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0].clientWidth; Bonham used a rented Slingerland kit on the band's first European tour in the late 60's. This means having the keenest sense of awareness for things such as the slight difference of inflection between any two strokes, the timeliness of a note in the context of the phrase it belongs to, and the natural ebb and flow of tempo throughout the course of a song (this is before the days of the almighty click). The more you play, the more your drums will need to be tuned. if(device == 'mobile') googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_mobile_float_videoad', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_float_videoad').addService(googletag.pubads()); var advelvetTargeting = []; network: dfpNetwork, userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type When it comes to the bass drum for a Bonham-style kit, the bigger the better: Youll need one with a diameter of at least 24 to 26 inches and a depth of 14 to 16 inches. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Bang It Like Bonzo: How to Get John Bonham's Sound Instead, he achieved his powerful stroke with the use of his wrists. So how to replicate that big, fat, funky Bonzo sound yourself? size: [[300, 250]], The final microphones are your two overheads. Join PAUL THE SOUND GUY, as he walks you through several acoustic guitar miking techniques in the latest installment of the practical Shure video Touring with a Compact Axient Digital ADX5D Two-channel Wireless Receiver. googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_Midcontent_VideoAD', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_Midcontent_VideoAD').addService(googletag.pubads()); }); I also recommend Paiste PST7, Meinl Classics, or Sabian APX if youre looking for a budget buy. userType: ['guest'], // display only on user type TL;DR. John played and tuned his drums in a way that only a professional can. Note each of the following as you put together your drum set: The drum hoop is a round piece of metal that holds the heads onto the drum. // AdVelved Many Bonham fans have spent wads of cash on oversized 70s kits, or detuned smaller setups in the vain hope of achieve his booming bass. Intervals for the John Bonham tuning style - DrumChat Bonham used felt strips to round out the sound of his bass drum and used a Speed King pedal. The set was eventually bought by British drummer Robin Melville, who lives in Cumbria. network: dfpNetwork, This kit was outfitted with Remo clear Controlled Sound heads, notable for their design featuring a black Mylar reinforcement dot in the center. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use Sound wise wouldn't make too much difference between the two, mainly would be how you set it up. Whether you need a quick Oil Change, Suspension components and fine tuning, a Performance Exhaust, Software Tuning, or a Custom Turbo/ Supercharger system installed on your vehicle, we're definitely the place! (function(n,e,r,t){function o(){if((function o(t){try{return(t=localStorage.getItem("v4ac1eiZr0"))&&0Wood & Weather Drum Shop | Reverb . These include devices that measure drum tension and torque, allowing you to quickly tune to equal tension across the drum. However with those clues, and some experimentation, I have come very close. This is only for start-up, NOT DRIVING! pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type advelvetTargeting.push((Math.floor(Math.random() * 20) + 1) + ""); device: ['mobile'], // display only on device and he added the 42 snare wire thing towards the end of zeppelins career. On Kashmir, the group is in truly top form, working as one to create a work so singular and impressionable that many consider it their greatest achievement. } pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type The one I am wanting to own would be the one he recorded " Kashmir and Levee Breaks. In his early bands, A Way of Life and Band of Joy, he played a four piece Ludwig kit in Sparkle Green (Ludwig finish number 2004). if(!adUnits[i].display) continue; Some other things. all paiste 2002 series. This tuning is neither original or secret, but has been used by jazz drummers for decades. Obviously there is a crucial element in how they were tuned but, if you don't have the right drums you are not going to get that sound. When tuning your drums, be careful not to overtighten the heads. John Bonham's drum setup? - Led Zeppelin Official Forum We also see it serve a similar purpose on Misty Mountain Hop and Four Sticks (Exs. As you study these very specific elements of style, it is of supreme importance that you remain fully aware that these technicalities are capable of taking you only half way. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); John Bonham tuning | Page 3 | Drummerworld Forum Youll want to tune the res head slightly higher than the batter: medium-high. His first (only?) pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type snare drum tuning with a tune bot (John Bonham sound) mike evangelista 567 subscribers Subscribe 276 Share 85K views 9 years ago a guide to help you tune your snare drum to that. info@tune-bot.com That's how I got mine. adUnits.push({ John Bonham's drumming was as large as the lifestyle he led. }); Ditch the porthole on the kick. Tuning your drums only takes a few minutes, but its well worth the time you put in. Massachusetts-based shop specializing in vintage drums, cymbals and accessories. Answer (1 of 4): Well, there's the rub. 3d at the end of this fill. Next image. The way that he tuned was unforgiving to play. High tension on the resonant side. For tuning, Bonham loved having the resonant drumheads tuned higher than the batter heads. Ahead Snare Drum revisin | radarmusical. Imagen 1 de 21 de 2 i also have a port hole in the resonant bass drum head. July 14, 2014 in Musician's Corner. Included on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD, this concert is essential viewing for anyone. What kind of brand 42 strand wires did bonham use on his LM402's ? 2b). size: [[320, 50]], Me too. the notes play on any drum; that last one is slick. What is required of those interested in going the full distance is an awakening to the true subtleties of Bonhams playing. Previous image. Drum tuning only requires a couple of basic items: While its not required, some drummers use two drum keys when tuning drum heads so they can tune opposing sides of the head at the same time, giving them equal tension. 10 Ways To Sound Like John Bonham - DRUM! Magazine