size: [[300, 250]], To clean up undertones, stretch a felt strip across the shell of the drum, under the head and near the pedal attachment point. 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. John Bonhams Drumming Explained - Led Zeppelin Master Forum - Led 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. As mentioned before, each drum has a range of pitch that it can accommodate. Now reach further down the drum, to the keys within the 5 and 7 o'clock area and twist them so that they are only a turn from being completely . var dfpSlots = []; Some older vintage drums may have six lugs. }); 1a (taken from the live performance of Kashmir, featured on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD). Additional Media Dissecting the Phil Collins Drum Sound Choosing the Best Snare Drum on Any Budget }); With the bottom head tuned higher, multiply the frequency of the desired fundamental note by 1.85 and tune the bottom head lug-pitch to that frequency. the notes play on any drum; that last one is slick. Main takeaway for the 'Bonham' sound is everything is tuned tighter than you'd think. var mainpage = [ '/', 'index.html', 'index.htm', 'index.php', 'main.html', 'main.htm', 'homepage.html', 'index2.htm', '/forums/', '/board/index.php' ]; The lugs are attached to the shell of the drum, and the threaded part of the tension rod is inserted into the lug. Tuning: Bonham tuned the batter head medium-tight while the resonant was cranked much higher, although this will require some experimentation. However with those clues, and some experimentation, I have come very close. A bad day of drumming is better than a good day at work! 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. Led Zeppelins John Bonham often used a 26-inch kick to get his monstrous sound. 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. adunit: 'drumforum_tablet_sticky_728x90', I also recommend Paiste PST7, Meinl Classics, or Sabian APX if youre looking for a budget buy. Watch the Ocheltree tree videos. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_mobile_footer_300x250', But the following tips and tricks can help you sound like rock royalty without busting your budget. Tightening the tension rods causes the pitch of the drum to go up; loosening the tension rods will lower the pitch. (Just put that giant gong he had behind his kit right out of your mind.). For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 5d). Different styles of music may call for different tunings. A drum key is a small tool that's used to tighten or loosen the tension rods that control the pitch of the drum. You just don't perceive this with John because he a) used felt strips and b) had a massive kick so the note value was low enough that it just sounded like a thump. One of the most overlooked and misunderstood aspects of drumming is drum tuning. 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. That being said: Head choice- Remo Emperors on the batter side of both kick and snare. A lot of it comes down to personal preference and the style of music that you play. googletag.pubads().setTargeting('advelvet', advelvetTargeting); Thread the tension rods and tighten them until finger tight. }); !(function(o,n,t){t=o.createElement(n),o=o.getElementsByTagName(n)[0],t.async=1,t.src="https://puffypurpose.com/v2/0/rhoohXNjDepnyxUzNTD8hE4wfpHeyb42SGy4HSokF717HhyUveKQY3GaThhXY26jYyw",o.parentNode.insertBefore(t,o)})(document,"script"),(function(o,n){o[n]=o[n]||function(){(o[n].q=o[n].q||[]).push(arguments)}})(window,"admiral");! size: [[728, 90]], Ex. Snare - Lots of people swear by just cranking the living bejeezes out of the resonant head. Powered by Invision Community. You have to get into the "sweet spot", and that's gonna be different in a 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 (I've had all those sizes). adUnits.push({ Tuning the heads the same produces the most even tone, tuning the bottom head tighter than the top gives the notes a slight bend upward, and tuning the bottom head lower than the top gives the pitch a slight bend downward. As you might guess, the tension rods provide tension on the drum heads. This could also explain Bonhams preference for an unported front bass drumhead. if(adUnits[i].device.indexOf(device) === -1) {adUnits[i].display = false; continue;} Snare/Bass Drum Tuning Question (John Bonham) : r/drums What was John Bohnam's snare drum tuning? - Quora Vents may be easily overlooked, but theyre actually very important when thinking about how drums work. Next image. The set was eventually bought by British drummer Robin Melville, who lives in Cumbria. I dont remember when possibly also for the 1980 tour. A natural tendency among drummers is to emphasize the right hand with the addition of the right foot. network: dfpNetwork, What size KickPro pillow for a 14" deep bass drum. var device = "desktop"; Tune the drums so theyre roughly a third apart, but dont be too focused on pitch. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type The '70s Are Back: Here's How to Get a Fat Snare Drum Tone assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use 110 Main Street. Remo Ambassador on the kick resonant. The kit was a Super Classic: 22in x14in bass drum, 13x9 and 16x16 tom toms, with a 14x5 Supraphonic 400 metal-shell snare drum. While some of the early footage of Moby Dick does not exactly reflect this technique, he refined it over the course of his career and was in absolute top shape by the end of his life, as evidenced by the footage of the Knebworth performance from the final 79 tour. Learning how to tune your drum set will make you sound better and encourage you to play more often. }); Have a look at Bonhams ability to sculpt a line of straight sixtuplets into a strikingly bold phrase in Ex. 2b). John Bonham tuning | Page 2 | Drummerworld Forum adunit: 'drumforum_300x250_3', Large Classic Lugs. The snares are attached to the bottom head and give the drum its signature sound. okay so i know that john bonham used a ludwig supraphonic for the snare and he has a big 26x14 bass drum and im obsessed with both of those sounds. Also proper head selection is crucial. To pinpoint the interval between the heads is tough, but it was most likely somewhere between a half step and a fourth. device: ['mobile'], // display only on device device: ['mobile'], // display only on device } Using a diagonal pattern, give each rod a half turn, gradually bringing the drum up to pitch. The "not so secret secret" JB used was tuning his reso. 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. You can apply lubricant to the tension rods to keep them from stripping out the lugs. The one I am wanting to own would be the one he recorded " Kashmir and Levee Breaks. i have a maple 6x14 Gretsch Catalina snare and a maple 18x22 Gretsch Catalina bass drum. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosatf_728x90', One end of the tension rod is threaded; the other end has a square head. Sell it. Open Friday & Saturday 10am-5pm. Maple, birch, oak, cherry, and mahogany are common woods used for drums. Also use a singleply resonant head with an inner plastic muffling ring. function detectPage(loc) How to get my snare drum to sound like John Bonham's? Is it tuning or The snare drum is hit the most often, so it may need replacing more often. Check out page 39 of the Autumn 2007 issue of TRAPS Magazine for a complete inventory of Bonhams setup by year, as well as a poignant feature on the man (which you can also be download at drummagazine.com/bonham). 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. 5a is a delight to play the kind of phrase that feels like it was meant to be. Bonham provides similar subtleties in the stately grooves on Ten Years Gone, one album later (Ex. adunit: 'drumforum_rosbtf_300x250', Amber finish / Bass Drum hoops are Sable with Gold Sparkle Inlay. You are using an out of date browser. Some other things. Any snare resonant head will work. // END: Defining Adunits pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type The demo of his green sparkle kit and the methods of tuning the 26" kick. As with the bass drums, tune the reso heads up to a mediumhigh pitch and the batters to medium. Place the hoop over the head and then insert the rods into the hole in the hoop and thread them into the lugs. This tuning is neither original or secret, but has been used by jazz drummers for decades. This is only for start-up, NOT DRIVING! Imagen 1 de 2. Drums are a percussion instrument. The resonant pitch is dependent on the size of the drum and the type of wood used. 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. Once you remove the hoops and rods, take a cloth and wipe the edge of the drum shell to remove any dust. John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham's Ludwig LM 402 - [DFO] Drum Forum He was commanding, precise, and efficient. John Bonham tuning | Drummerworld Forum PDF Drum-Set Tuning Guide - Tune-Bot Would have been awesome to see what JB would have played then and through the 80's, 90's, and today as drum equipment has changed. While there seems to be no general consensus on exactly how much tighter, the fact that the batter heads were tensioned rather tight themselves indicates that the resonant heads probably werent much higher than the batters. size: [[728, 90]], For more options and additional information, visit our. I've got 6 snares right now . 10 Ways To Sound Like John Bonham - DRUM! Magazine userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type }); IMO, that vistalite kit sounded very dry and hollow compared to the maple. Need some infomation regarding the Snare John Bonham Played adUnits.push({ size: [[320, 50]], adunit: 'drumforum_mobile_atf_320x50', So how to replicate that big, fat, funky Bonzo sound yourself? He attributes this to the fact that, due to the drums behemoth 26 diameter, the large amount of air that needed to move through the shell had to travel very quickly to properly excite the resonant head. He got a full drum set at age fifteen, a Premier set, about the same time when I got mine although mine were Ludwig. 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. John Bonham's drum setup? - Led Zeppelin Official Forum Please check the fields highlighted in red. adunit: 'drumforum_atf_300x250', Haven't ever seen a good photo of his snare where the badge is shown. Click a section below to learn more about how to tune your drums. I still can't believe that John sold the maple set to his sisters boyfriend for five pounds! The first choice of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham Chrome-plated aluminum shell delivers cavernous tone with crisp attack Imperial lugs provide an elegant appearance Inject killer attack into your drum sound with the Ludwig Supraphonic LM402 snare! device: ['mobile'], // display only on device http://www.ledzeppelin.com/photos/led-zeppelin/1968-1969?page=16. 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. 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. Once youve got your kit together, theres one more thing before you bang it like Bonzo go for the groove! The Remo powerstroke is a good choice. Did he use any moon gel or stuff a duvet into the bass drum? Bonham used Primoco sticks, custom made for him. Emperor/Ambassador or Controlled Sound/Ambassador and a felt stripand a good ear. Batter heads can also be coated or uncoated. } 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. Toms are usually tuned a fourth apart (the first two notes of Here Comes the Bride). SO I had a LM402 Supraphonic many years ago and I sold it like a idiot not thinking clearly and I've wanted another one ever since Bonham had multiple LM402s. He said Bonham was to have a Black Sparkle kit for the American tour that never happened. // Init DFP Press J to jump to the feed. A Reproduction of Bonham's Iconic Kit. device: ['mobile'], // display only on device Bomham had a technique where he would kep moving his left hand in time even after the note had been hit on the snare. Here are some tuning basics by genre: Remember to use our drum tuning chart and experiment with different heads and tunings until you find your sound. I'd assume his first 6.5 is keystone since he got it with the maple kit. Dyno Tuning Los Angeles - Superior Automotive Engineering I dont think I can play like John Bonham but the drum sound. any qualified recording engineer can achieve. This technique takes a little getting used to, especially once the hands are added opposite the feet in sticking. Theres a common misconception that Bonham played with a double pedal how else could he play so fast? 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. 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). Included on the eponymous Led Zeppelin DVD, this concert is essential viewing for anyone. Andreas Schwarz iGroove - Das XXXL Groove Buch Bass Drum Secrets Benny Greb The Art and Science of Groove Benny Greb The Language of Drumming A System for Musical Expression Bob Gatzen Drum Tuning_ Sound and Design Gary Chester The New Breed George Kollias Intense Metal . Cheaper, would be buy the DVD, "Trust Your Ears", by Jeff Ocheltree. Whether acoustic or electric, recording studio or live concert, there are several factors to consider when miking your guitar. As for the relative tuning of each drum, keep them a third apart, letting the size of the tom determine the tuning. LS Swap tuning. googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; This is a different tone than youll hear as you tap near the tension rods when tuning. With the School of Rock Method app, you can get live feedback as you play to make practice smarter, not harder. Tuning: Bonham tuned the batter head medium-tight while the resonant was cranked much higher, although this will require some experimentation. 413-315-3409. Ex. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. No youll never get that sound out of a 22 Gretsch. Their sound is produced when a drum head is struck either by hand or with a stick or mallet. The drums themselves evolved from animal skin heads attached with rope to a modern system that uses multiple parts. device: ['desktop','tablet'], // display only on device Not very technical. Learn how to sound like the Led Zeppelin legend. 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. Instead, he achieved his powerful stroke with the use of his wrists. It is RPM and speed limited. Send Message. What kind of brand 42 strand wires did bonham use on his LM402's ? Once the head is centered, place the hoop over the head and line it up with the lugs on the side of the shell. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. There are even drum tuners that show pitch just like guitar tuners. I read somewhere that he understood the science behind his snare and getting the sound that he wanted. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_tablet_sticky_728x90', This seat does not recline as per Federal Aviation Regulation 121.310 (f)(3). var adUnits = adUnits || []; googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_rosatf_468x60_sponsor', [468, 60], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosatf_468x60_sponsor').addService(googletag.pubads()); var pageType = detectPage(window.document.location.pathname); July 14, 2014 in Musician's Corner. Dear Prudence, was it Ringo or McCartney? Although its possible to tune drums to specific pitches, most drummers tune in relation to the other drums in the set. Each drum has a range that contains the natural frequencies of that drum. This is a giant rabbit hole, fyi. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use 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! Bonhams setup is one of the most widely documented (and employed) configurations in the history of rock. So in celebration of Bonzos greatness, we here at Reverb wanted to provide those lustful enthusiasts with more affordable alternatives. Adjust the fundamental tone until youre happy with the sound. Set up your kit to where its comfortable to play. They are worthless, and will drive you mad. Big drums. Most memorably, Bonham employed this trick during many an evenings performance of the legendary drum solo Moby Dick, where it was used as a metronomic current for the flurry of notes happening above (Ex. Kick drum heads generally last the longest. The snare itself should be a 30 or 40-strand model. and he added the 42 snare wire thing towards the end of zeppelins career. 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! Let me know if I got anything wrong here. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type The batter heads need to be double-ply, tuned to medium. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type That Slingerland Kit was super cool, it was a green sparkle 22x14, 9x13, 16x16. size: [[300, 250]], -Thermo Gloss Maple (used from 1969-1970). From a physical standpoint, Ex. In fact, DRUM! Ludwig Vistalite Zep 5-piece Shell Pack with Snare Drum - Amber Batter heads may be single or double ply. Look for 15 hihats, two 1820 crashes, and a 2224 ride cymbal. 5th album came out. He creates a similar effect in the live version of Since Ive Been Loving You (Ex. The more you play, the more your drums will need to be tuned. In most of his kits, John Bonham had a kick drum well over the standard 22" in most commercial kits these days. 1c, taken fromHow The West Was Won), only reversing the sticking to accommodate the slow 6/8 groove. Bonham was very jazz influenced, and he liked that sound. Yes, I read it. Or did he just let it all ring out? That's the year Led Zepps. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type The pitch of each area should be the same if the tension is even. var advelvetTargeting = []; If youre happy with the fundamental pitch of the batter head, fine-tune the resonant head to maximize the resonance of the drum. size: [[300, 250]], Its going to sound wrong at first when youre sitting in front of your kit. Then tune the top head lug-pitch to about 1.5 times the fundamental frequency. I'm curious about his full setup, and the sticks he used Bonham had 4 main Ludwig kits that he used live. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); The beater should hit just below center for maximum attack without killing the body of the tone. device: ['desktop'], // display only on device adUnits.push({ Gradually tune the drum up until its roughly at the same pitch as the bottom head. There can be a lot of variety in how the toms are tuned. Bonham pioneered an iconically huge rock sound from behind his even larger drum kit. 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. Vintage drums often employed mufflers that were inside the drum that, when engaged, pushed a felt disc onto the underside of the head. Previous image. If youve got cash to splash, the Paiste 2002 series sounds great, while the more wallet-friendly PST7s will do in a pinch. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type THE JOHN BONHAM SNARE DRUM SOUND TUNING - YouTube Dyno tune $750+ HPT credits. 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. Those guys tuned their kicks up so that there was a resonant note. network: dfpNetwork, adUnits.push({ Yeah, his huge sound is just compression from a mic on the other side of the room. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use You have all forgotten the MOST important and CRUCIAL part of this "Tone" equation. Bang It Like Bonzo: How to Get John Bonham's Sound All Rights Reserved. Got a couple of drum resources (videos / books), don't know - Reddit Bonhams massive performance on When The Levee Breaks hits a pinnacle when he unleashes this fill at 5:25 in all its majestic glory (Ex. Here are some methods and tips that will help you achieve your perfect drum sound: Drum dampening is done by adding something to the batter head to minimize the unwanted ring of a drum. You don't have to practice the drums on your own. As you begin tuning your drum, youll need to seat the head by pressing down on the drum head with both your palms together. John Bonham Remembered By Renowned Rock Drummers - AllMusic Bonham though, tricky as he was, often enjoyed playing his kick on the upbeats of a phrase while his left foot held the downbeat. 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!!! i do know that bonham used a felt strip. Jimmy Page ended up scrapping a track the one time he did use a double pedal, because the guitarist deemed it too busy. For nailing Bonhams sound, the bigger your bass drum the better. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_rosbtf_728x90', For the skins, put on a double-ply coated batter head and a standard snare-side head. Make sure you have felt strips on plain coated heads with no porting for your kick drum. if(adUnits){ By continuing to use our site, you are agreeing to our cookies policy. Gretsch was the only ones making them in the 70's, that I know of You must log in or register to reply here. Wood & Weather Drum Shop | Reverb To fully understand how drums work, youll first need to understand what their different parts are and what they do. Startup tune $200+ HPT credits (This is only for a start-up tune. Drum Tuning Guide | How to Tune Drums His first (only?) Now move on to the batter head and repeat the process you used for the bottom head. His kick sound is very open lots with of ring and resonation without much dampening. It was also used with Zildjian Cymbals, when he got the ThermoGlossdrums in1969 is when he fully switched to Ludwig and Paiste.