Vic Firth Steve Gadd Wire Brushes Review

Steve and Vic have solved the age-old problem of wire brushes snagging on new coated drumheads by slightly angling the wires in the top 3/4" of the playing end. The wires glide across the head, allowing a smoother sweep and a velvet swish sound. The angled wires also increase surface contact to generate increased volume.

Rating:
Steve Gadd is a master drummer who has mastered the backbeat groove. I haven’t had personal experience with this set of wire brushes, but I have had and currently own other Vic Firth drum brushes and their quality is top notch and second to none. The telescopic feature is great when putting the brushes into a drumstick bag. Protect the brushes at all cost to keep your playing sweeping sounds smooth.

A great tuning series from Evans drum head company.

Part 1 – Drum tuning introduction:

Part 2 – Snare drum tuning:

Part 3 – Tom tuning:

Part 4 – Bass drum tuning:

I hope you can glean some information from these videos. Careful drum tuning is the core of  a drummer’s arsenal to achieving a great sound that both listeners and the player will enjoy.  There are a lot of drum tuning videos out there and it’s up to each drummer to find his or her personal sound.

Don’t skimp on time when tuning your drums. Pay careful attention to each step in regards to seating the head and properly tightening the lugs. Anyone can achieve great sound with a little drum tuning practice.

I personally tune my drums and use these tuning techniques often to keep the sound in top shape. If my drums don’t sound good, I’m actually less excited to play. It’s a mental thing….I don’t know. There’s nothing like hearing a great ringing tone come out of a drum head when you’ve hit the “sweet spot” after a drum tuning session.

There are different drum tuning techniques for different styles of playing like rock, fusion, jazz, etc. Head choice will determine how you tune as well. There are lots of drum tuning techniques to choose from out there.

Good luck and enjoy the never-ending drum tuning journey.

Pearl BC-900 Boom Cymbal Stand

The BC-900 is a member of the award-winning 900 Series family, winner of the 2007 Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA) award for best new hardware.

* Uni-Lock Tilter The BC-900 features Pearl’s infinitely adjustable Uni-Lock tilter for ultra-precise and pinpoint cymbal positioning
* Hex Tilter Cymbal Post – Allows versatile mounting of cowbells or percussion effects to the Uni-Lock tilter
* Reversible Cymbal Seat Cup – The B-900′s tilter features Pearl’s patented Reversible Plastic Cymbal Seat Cup that floats for free movement or locks for rattle-free performance for recording
* UltraGrip Wingnuts and Wingbolts – Featuring an ingenious ergonomic handle with notches that allows your drumsticks to be used for loosening if needed
* Die Cast Pipe Joints Pearl’s extra-tall die-cast pipe joints provide greater surface area for unrelenting grip. Stop Locks assure rock solid performance and repeatable set-ups
* No Rattle Tubes – Industrial-designed nylon bushings inside the tubes prevent metal-to-metal contact for rattle free performance, making this stand ideal for recording session work
* Extra Large Non-Slip Feet – Keep your instruments firmly planted and absorb unwanted overtones and vibrations
* SureStruts Double-braced SureStruts provide the ultimate in structural integrity to prevent lateral wobble and the inherent squeaks that may result from it

Rating:
Pearl Cymbal stands are quality built stands. Adjusters are well built and give postive lock and, they give you a lot of adjustment angles. The double braced legs hold the cymbal steady with the heaviest of hits. I personally use Pearl cymbal stands with my set mixed with DW hardware. Peal has spent a lot of development time to ensure their stands are rigid, yet portable and to hold up the rigors of gigging drummers. I personally, highly recommend Pearl hardware. It’s never let me down.

Sabian HHX Evolution Ride Cymbal

Crisp attack and warm undertones combine in a shimmering ride with crash capability. 20″ diameter. Great for Fusion, Jazz or Rock drumming. Gives a crisp sound.

Rating:
I personally use this cymbal mainly for fusion and jazz drumming. Sabian makes great cymbals and when they paired up with Dave Weckl on this series they really made a winner. The entire line has a brilliant finish and beautiful tones. The bell has a nice crisp ring to it which almost sounds like an icebell when hit giving the drummer a nice tone for those heavier grooves.