Kick drum: port hole or not?

[burn]

Hi,

I just acquired a nice 3-ply Ludwig from the 70s for my band and recording. Right now there is no port hole on the reso head, and I'm wondering if I should cut one or not. I know it can change the sound a lot and not sure about what I should do. Any advices/experiences?

Thx

[MoreSpaceEcho]

Keep that head as is and just get another one with a hole in it. Then you have options.

For recording either way can be great, just depends on what sound you're after. For live, go with the hole, your soundpeople will appreciate it.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

The only answer is both. Plus no reso head at all some times.

[digitaldrummer]

which sound do you prefer? Will you be playing shows where the soundperson expects a port? There's really no right or wrong as both ways of doing it have been around for a long time and an experienced sound engineer will know how to deal with both scenarios.

I have a similar kit and I have a port in mine as well as a towel for a bit of muffling - but that's the sound I want/like/prefer.

figure out what you want and do it.

[burn]

I guess I'll have to cut the hole and experiment ! But in your experimence, is a drum head without a port hole can still give a focused and tight sound?

[drumsound]

I guess I'll have to cut the hole and experiment ! But in your experimence, is a drum head without a port hole can still give a focused and tight sound?

It's a different thing in sound and feel, and things you might have to do in a mixing context. I'd describe the sound as wider if there is little to nothing in the drum, but can get a similar pinpoint if there's a lot inside the drum. The 'pushback' on the pedal is quite different if there's only a tiny vent hole in the shell for air to escape (or maybe not even that). There will be more bleed from the rest of the set into the mic(s) than you may be used to as well. A good way to counter that (and I'll sometimes even do this with a port) is to build a tunnel with a packing blanket.

[burn]

As an exemple, do you think the kick sound on this Weezer song (Tired of sex, Pinkerton) was with a port hole or not? We still hear the resonance from the head but we also get the attack from the beater. If I can achieve this type of sound with the port hole, then I do not worry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu2Dsnvk6M0

[burn]

And as a counter example, on Little Fury (Breeders, Title Tk), to me it was recorded with a port hole, or maybe even no reso head at all. No resonance at all. Am I right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqYI3IAbwoQ

[digitaldrummer]

there's probably a lot more going on in those recordings than port or no port. room mics, inside/outside kick mics, muffling, head type, drum shell type and size, beater type. in my experience the port or no port will probably be a minor detail compared to the whole of the parts. As Tony pointed out, the feel for the drummer can change a lot though. The kick drum can feel totally different if it's wide open (or damped with felt strips) with both heads compared to the ported head. heck, don't forget the player can make a big difference too

[The Scum]

The size and location of the port also make a difference.

A big hole, dead center on the front head, lets the air rush right out, more like not having a front head. If the hole's big enough, about the only use of such a head is to retain the hoop & claws, to help prevent damage to the front bearing edge.

It seems like the usual configuration these days is a smaller hole, off center. This keeps more of the resonance, but allows you to get inside the drum, whether it's with a microphone, or to manipulate dampening material.

[Nick Sevilla]

The real question is:

What is YOUR sound?

Get that.

[mjau]

I love the sound of a well-tuned non-ported bass drum. There’s something about the way the note kind of swells that’s just perfect to me. Think John Convertino.

That said, in my limited and humble experience, it’s easier to make a ported drum sound non-ported than vice versa, given dampening, tuning, mic placement, and how the drummer plays.

[burn]

Obviously I know I have to find my "prefered sound". I just wanted some tips before cutting a hole in a "not quite cheap" kick drum head to experiment But I guess there is no such way around if I want to find out for real... !

thx

[roscoenyc]

I love the non port sound. The drum acts so much more like a 'drum'. The action you get from the pedal is really different too.

I've got internal mics on some of my non ported kick drums. Mounted with the simple Gibraltor L bracket using existing lug screws.

Mine have internal pads but a buddy I play with recently set up a non-ported kick for live use and put a bunch of long strips of newspaper inside the drum for a little muffling. That sounded really good. We toured all summer with that drum and had no sound person trouble with it.

If you are recording drums in a room without a true suspended floor and all the extra resonance from that front head can be a really big plus.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

But I guess there is no such way around if I want to find out for real... !

Just buy another head with a port in it.