userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type There are many tools on the market that can help you tune your drums. Curved Bass Drum Spurs. adunit: 'drumforum_rosatf_728x90', This was pretty normal in a lot of records in the 60s to mid 70s. for (var i = 0, len = adUnits.length; i < len; i++) { As for the relative tuning of each drum, keep them a third apart, letting the size of the tom determine the tuning. i have a maple 6x14 Gretsch Catalina snare and a maple 18x22 Gretsch Catalina bass drum. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type This keeps the tension on the drum head even. Bonham used felt strips to round out the sound of his bass drum and used a Speed King pedal. if(device == 'mobile') googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_mobile_float_videoad', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_float_videoad').addService(googletag.pubads()); Included on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD, this concert is essential viewing for anyone. THE JOHN BONHAM SNARE DRUM SOUND TUNING - YouTube Tune this to medium pitch. One of the most overlooked and misunderstood aspects of drumming is drum tuning. He definitely played Ludalloy drums. Tight coated ambs on bottom, kind of tight coated emperors on top. Snare Drum Ludwig Supraphonic 14" - JohnBonham.co.uk High tension on the resonant side. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Also use a singleply resonant head with an inner plastic muffling ring. adUnits.push({ If you want to try with heads, one configuration he used was Ambassador reso heads tuned high and Emperor batter heads tuned lower. Ex. I play coated Ambassadors on the reso with coated Emps on top to get his sound. For the skins, put on a double-ply coated batter head and a standard snare-side head. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); 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. i do know that bonham used a felt strip. How to get my snare drum to sound like John Bonham's? Is it tuning or how could i replicate his tuning with the drum types and sizes that i have? When you place the new head on the shell, spin it around to make sure its centered on the drum. He did play an LM400 at one point and that might have been the snare on the first album, but I've seen very few pictures of it. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_desktop_midcontent_728x90', Amusingly, he introduces this massive statement with its own shorter, introductory fill. That being said: Head choice- Remo Emperors on the batter side of both kick and snare. device: ['tablet'], // display only on device I have Ocheltree's DVD. You want the drums to ring out clearly with an even tone. Tom Tuning A good way to tune your toms and your snare as well, if you like, is to use notes in musical The right hand, normally playing the hi-hat on a downbeat, occupies the first of the three notes, followed by two swift right feet, fulfilling the triplet, and then followed by a release with both hands in unison on the hi-hat and snare. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Based on your location, we've changed your settings: By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. The diameter of the drum will determine the pitch. Before you fit it, place a felt strip under the head near where the pedal will hit. What was John Bohnam's snare drum tuning? - Quora That being said: Head choice- Remo Emperors on the batter side of both kick and snare. Since the dawn of popular music, fat snare drum tones have been highly sought-after. How Do I Sound Like John Bonham? - FIX YOUR MIX | Official Blog If you find a recording of a snare that you want to emulate, try to match that pitch. }); For the resonant side, use a single-ply head with an inner plastic muffling ring if you want to save money you can cut up an old bass drum head for this, which is exactly what the great man himself did. Imagen 1 de 21 de 2 For the most accurate recreation of Bonhams sound, go with aluminum. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type The subliminal effect of every drummers influences can be enormous, and Bonham learned much of his initial technique by observing the styles of two early giants of swing, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. Now move on to the batter head and repeat the process you used for the bottom head. Ultimately, our best hope for attaining a bit of Bonhams sound is to take a look at the physical elements of his style. Ahead Snare Drum revisin | radarmusical. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. You must log in or register to reply here. The vents also improve the stick feel of the drum. head higher than the batter. John knew how to tune proficiently and also had a magnificent touch on the instrument. 1e, also taken from How The West Was Won, Bonham playfully takes an idea, plays it in triplet mode (x), waits a phrase, and then reinterprets it by straightening it out (y). Vintage drums often employed mufflers that were inside the drum that, when engaged, pushed a felt disc onto the underside of the head. This gives them a louder and brighter tone. Big kits and even bigger hits: Few drummers can match the enduring impact and appeal of JOHN BONHAM. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type This could also explain Bonhams preference for an unported front bass drumhead. Youll now need to fine-tune the drum. LUDWIG L8264LX47 VISTALITE JOHN BONHAM 5 PIECE ZEP DRUM KIT - Reverb Wood & Weather Drum Shop | Reverb These include devices that measure drum tension and torque, allowing you to quickly tune to equal tension across the drum. adUnits.push({ The shell is the wood body of the drum. I was just listening to the John Bonham site here, the guy talked about the way he tuned his drums, the batter heads were tuned high, but the reso heads were higher, same thing with the bass drum, does anyone know how they were tuned, and if you were using a drum dial, what would the settings be, i really like his sound, any help would be appreciated thks. We also see it serve a similar purpose on Misty Mountain Hop and Four Sticks (Exs. }); Youll need two crashes (one 18-inch and one 20-inch), with either a 22-inch or a 24-inch ride cymbal. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type He offered that he thought Bonham's tom resonants were tuned about 1/4 to 1/2 a turn tighter than his batters and his snare was tuned high with loose snares, but that was about all he went into tuning wise, besides citing it as a perpetual mystery that even Ochletree doesn't really address. Experiment with drum tuning ranges and find the sound you like. Jimmy Page ended up scrapping a track the one time he did use a double pedal, because the guitarist deemed it too busy. As much as Bonham enjoyed the funky syncopation of Good Times Bad Times and Over The Hills And Far Away, he would sometimes take the complete opposite approach, and the results were always stunning. googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_rosatf_468x60_sponsor', [468, 60], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosatf_468x60_sponsor').addService(googletag.pubads()); Bang It Like Bonzo: How to Get John Bonham's Sound For best results, wed recommend a pair of Shure PGA181s offering a super flat frequency response. This is only for start-up, NOT DRIVING! Once youve got your kit together, theres one more thing before you bang it like Bonzo go for the groove! Sell it. Tighten them until they are just finger tight. . 3d at the end of this fill. 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. The kick drum (also called the bass drum) provides the bottom end of your kit. There are little pieces of soft plastic called gels that can be stuck to drum heads, or sometimes small strips of gaff tape are used. Ludwig Vistalite Zep 5-piece Shell Pack with Snare Drum - Amber I'd assume his first 6.5 is keystone since he got it with the maple kit. 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). The final microphones are your two overheads. 7b, was also an exercise in self control. TL;DR. John played and tuned his drums in a way that only a professional can. var userType = 'guest'; // set the user type, available: guest, loggedin, paid pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Join NAOMI MELLOR from the Skylark Collective for the new Shure video series on starting your own podcast. From there, experiment with the pitch until you get a tone that you like. There are many types of heads, so what type of head should you use? He got a full drum set at age fifteen, a Premier set, about the same time when I got mine although mine were Ludwig. adUnits.push({ Kick - John tuned like a lot (not all) of the jazz players. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use For 13/16/18/24. 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. If you move your drum set frequently, make sure to check the tuning, since its easy to inadvertently adjust the tuning as youre moving the drums. Then you can use tune-bot to tune your set to those specific values. Drums produce a fundamental tone when struck in the center of the head. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Bonham relied on toms to create his iconic fills, so youll want to have at least two if not three in your setup. Video: How to Make Your Kit Sound Like John Bonham's. Keystone was likely either a '68 or '69 and the first B/O drum was likely a '70. Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks once recalled visiting Bonham at his home and seeing him sit down at a miniature drum kit he kept around the house. size: [[320, 50]], the notes play on any drum; that last one is slick. This indicates that while Bonham was known for using felt strips to dampen his kick, he only used one on the batter side while in the studio. 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. Firstly, using a drum key, tune the lugs between 10 and 2 o'clock to high tension. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Heads: Remo Coated Emperor on the batter head; Coated Ambassador on the resonant (he may have also used a Diplomat on the snare at some point) On his vistalites, he used a clear CS dot head on the batter and clear Ambassador on the resonant on the toms and bass drum (Bonham used the stock resonant head on all of his bass drums). for (var i = 0, len = adUnits.length; i < len; i++) { Superior Automotive quickly gained a well deserved reputation as one of the finest state-of-the . This kit was outfitted with Remo clear Controlled Sound heads, notable for their design featuring a black Mylar reinforcement dot in the center. The kit was a Super Classic: 22in x14in bass drum, 13x9 and 16x16 tom toms, with a 14x5 Supraphonic 400 metal-shell snare drum. Jazz drums are way more boingy and less "massive" than you expect when you sit behind the kit. Happy Birthday When The Levee Breaks - Drumhead Authority Also proper head selection is crucial. STUDIO RSR - 126 Photos & 104 Reviews - 1041 S Leslie St, La Habra, CA info@tune-bot.com That's how I got mine. size: [[728, 90]], X. Hey! You have all forgotten the MOST important and CRUCIAL part of this "Tone" equation. No youll never get that sound out of a 22 Gretsch. Its quite common to hear a line of sixteenth-notes and notice the bass drum playing in unison with the right hand on the downbeats (think Keith Moon). adunit: 'drumforum_tablet_sticky_728x90', Oh, I have a drum dial too. What is required of those interested in going the full distance is an awakening to the true subtleties of Bonhams playing. Timbales? Amber finish / Bass Drum hoops are Sable with Gold Sparkle Inlay. Ok, here's the deal. Startup tune $200+ HPT credits (This is only for a start-up tune. Drum Tuning Guide | How to Tune Drums As you begin tuning your drum, youll need to seat the head by pressing down on the drum head with both your palms together. adUnits[i].display = true; the drummer already has a Ludwig kit. Sep. 22, 2022 September 25th will mark 42 years since the passing of one of rock's all-time great and most influential drummers, Led Zeppelin 's John Bonham. John Bonhams Drumming Explained - Led Zeppelin Master Forum - Led How to Tune Your Drums - School of Rock 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. device: ['desktop','tablet'], // display only on device device: ['mobile'], // display only on device Have a look at Bonhams ability to sculpt a line of straight sixtuplets into a strikingly bold phrase in Ex. Bonham used Rogers hardware for his cymbal stands, and even custom mounted his rack tom with a Rogers mount and snare stand on his maple kit. adUnits.push({ 2b). Then, mixing singles and doubles, he ends the phrase by emphasizing the last note of each triplet on the kick, an orchestration that Bonham made frequent use of throughout his career. Some older vintage drums may have six lugs. Go for 14-inch and 16-inch rack toms married to an 18-inch floor tom. Vintage Mid 70s Ludwig Supraphonic Snare Drum Incredible Condition - eBay -- John Bonham A Thunder of Drums by Chris Welsh and Geoff Nicholls, Given Bonzo's affinity towards Ludwig kits, odds are Bonzo was using a Ludwig kit to record Led Zeppelin 1. How to Tune a Snare Drum - Zing Instruments When tuning your drums, be careful not to overtighten the heads. The first thing you'll need to tune your drums is a drum key. Bonham used 42 strand snares on his snare drums. The snare had an Emperor coated batter and an Ambassador (sometimes Diplomat) snare-side resonant head. adunit: 'drumforum_desktoptablet_1stguestpost_300x250', There are three ways to tune a drum: resonant (bottom) head higher than the batter (top) head, resonant head lower than the batter head, and both heads tuned to the same pitch. Press J to jump to the feed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMqHqADnREY, http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61252. John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham's Ludwig LM 402 - [DFO] Drum Forum It is RPM and speed limited. 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. The resonant pitch is dependent on the size of the drum and the type of wood used. if(adUnits[i].userType.indexOf(userType) === -1) {adUnits[i].display = false; continue;} yeah ive recorded my drums in that way but the room that im in isnt the greatest. adUnits.push({ i was over da moon! network: dfpNetwork, 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). From a physical standpoint, Ex. userType: ['guest'], // display only on user type John Bonham tuning | Page 3 | Drummerworld Forum Medium toms (12-14 inches) are tuned lower, and large toms (16-18 inches) are tuned even lower. 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. 3d, a number of stickings can be applied, resulting in virtually endless possibilities for orchestrating this around the kit. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use Touch - John Bonham was fucking good dude. Here is another interesting tidbit. Theres a common misconception that Bonham played with a double pedal how else could he play so fast? You cant go wrong with a versatile workhorse like the Shure SM57. THE JOHN BONHAM SNARE DRUM SOUND TUNING BONZOLEUM 63.1K subscribers Subscribe 756 Share Save 215K views 13 years ago The early era Zeppelin John Bonham snare sound (think Zep II. All Rights Reserved. He never REALLY reveals Bonhams "secret". Bonham provides similar subtleties in the stately grooves on Ten Years Gone, one album later (Ex. adunit: 'drumforum_atf_300x250', code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosatf_728x90', 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. Kick - John tuned like a lot (not all) of the jazz players.