Harmony Head wrote:Funnily... i used to be a very hard hitter. Carpal tunnel has taken care of that now, but most people i play with still say i'm the loudest drummer they've ever played with. I know for a fact that i'm playing at about 40% what i used to, but i guess there's a way to tune and hit a drum to maximise it's projection. Plus i AM a big guy.. i guess that has something to do with it. But i ain't no basher anymore..jeddypoo wrote:it's weird to me how so many drummers hit so goddamn hard. I've been playing drums for 16 years and have yet to even break a head from playing, much less a cymbal. I mean Moony is one thing, but does EVERYONE need to play so loud,
Yeah.. lately i've had my hats up as high as i can. I studied Roger Taylor a lot recently, and Mickey Curry as well. And they seem to have a lot of distance. These days i rarely do any two hands on the hats stuff, so placing up high feel good, and there's no denying that the extra few inches between hats and snare help with bleed tremendously. What i don't get is right handers who have their hats so low. Firstly, how can they play them like that? And secondly, i get more hats in the snare mic than anything else. plus mic placement is a nightmare.jeddypoo wrote:Another thing: a lot of drummers seem to have to have the hihat and toms like <i>right in front of them</i>. This might be a height issue, but I know whenever I record myself, I try to get that hi hat as far up and away from the snare as possible. Not only does this help bleed into the top snare mic, but I honestly feel like I play better with some distance. But I'm fairly tall and have long arms, so that may just be my luxury.
this i'll have to disagree with i'm afraid. I find the hi hat incredibly expressive. opening up a little as you lean into the chorus, or opening a little during the middle 8 can open up the groove without washing things out. And sometimes, when rocking is necessary, the open hi hats has a sweeter, more forceful presence than a ride.. especially over rock guitars. YMMV of course. But i'll take your 'She Loves You' and raise you a 'Hard Days Night'Oh, and another thing: the open hi hat sound. I feel like I've heard a million songs where the drummer is suddenly whacking an open hi hat to change up dynamics, but it almost never benefits the song, in my mind. One of the only things where I think that sound really works is "She Loves You". But he's just bashing those open hats the whole time. It sounds boss. I dunno. I wish more drummers would listen to records from before either 1991, or other than John Bonham.
and good they are!Hi, I have opinions.
HH
Don't get me wrong on the open hi hat- opening it a little is one thing- that's subtle. I'm talking about opening it way up- not necessarily when the song gets louder, but just different. I've heard a number of great pop songs where you don't notice the drums- I mean in the sense that they are working WITH the song- and then the open hi hat comes in and it's like seeing the zipper in the back of the rubber monster suit, and suddenly, you're like "oh, the drummer is there" and it breaks the spell. But it's weird, because sometimes, against all logic, it DOES work.
I personally play with a lot of very slight hi hat dynamics, but sort of within the range of tightly closed to really loosely closed, you know? Not that I'm the paragon of drummer wisdom.
Yeah, the only trouble with having the hats way up is if you're doing a song with all 16ths. But it's still doable. In general, though, I find it a lot more comfy. And my snare tracks sound a thousand times better now. Could be because I finally modded my 57's and 58's, though.
I'm a big guy too, 6'2" and maybe 195, so I probably ain't SUPER quiet, but I always feel like people who break heads and cymbals constantly are doing something wrong, because it doesn't seem necessary.