Very "old school". 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. 5b), played identically in both Stairway To Heaven and Night Flight. Also notice the inclusion of the figure in Ex. Only time Bonham ever used a snare that wasn't a 6.5" aluminum LM402 was for the recording of LZI, which was a 5" aluminum LM400, like . Then, playing a right then left hand (or vice versa) on the first and second notes of the triplet with your left foot still on the downbeat will create this versatile figure. Let the size of the drum not the tuning determine its pitch. how could i replicate his tuning with the drum types and sizes that i have? if(device == 'mobile') googletag.defineSlot('/143039214/drumforum_mobile_float_videoad', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_float_videoad').addService(googletag.pubads()); So in celebration of Bonzos greatness, we here at Reverb wanted to provide those lustful enthusiasts with more affordable alternatives. To hear Bonham at his most behind the beat, listen to Black Dog, When The Levee Breaks, and the impossibly groove-laden Whole Lotta Love (Ex. Most kick drums are 22 inches in diameter, but smaller kicks are sometimes used for jazz or quieter gigs. Make sure the distance between the center of the snare is the same for both mics and youre good to go. The first thing you'll need to tune your drums is a drum key. network: dfpNetwork, code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_mobile_midcontent_320x50', On Kashmir, the group is in truly top form, working as one to create a work so singular and impressionable that many consider it their greatest achievement. Kick - John tuned like a lot (not all) of the jazz players. In the second installment, she talks Pitcher Perfect Vocals: The Perks and Perils of Auto-Tune. 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. Most drum sets have two or three toms, but some drummers, such as the late Neil Peart of Rush, had eight or more toms (including the floor toms). There was a lot of engineering done on the LZ albums. Then, measure the fundamental pitch of the drum and adjust the pitch of the top head until it equals the desired . device: ['desktop','tablet'], // display only on device With the advent of the kick drum pedal and the development of the hi-hat, drummers finally had everything they needed to drive a band. pageType: ['mainpage','post'], // display only on page type Im not the biggest expert. No matter if youre addressing an important shareholder meeting, spreading the How to Choose the Best Mics for the Guitar. adunit: 'drumforum_rosatf_728x90', Also, there's this misconception that he was a crazy hard hitter. The resonant pitch is dependent on the size of the drum and the type of wood used. }); }); info@tune-bot.com That's how I got mine. The one I am wanting to own would be the one he recorded " Kashmir and Levee Breaks. The Ludwig Zep Set 5-piece shell pack is a re-creation of John Bonham's legendary acrylic set. Ultimately, our best hope for attaining a bit of Bonhams sound is to take a look at the physical elements of his style. i also have a port hole in the resonant bass drum head. Bonham relied on toms to create his iconic fills, so youll want to have at least two if not three in your setup. I'm 12, 16, 22 but looking for some settings to try. network: dfpNetwork, Now move on to the batter head and repeat the process you used for the bottom head. Led Zeppelins John Bonham often used a 26-inch kick to get his monstrous sound. As you might guess, the tension rods provide tension on the drum heads. device: ['desktop'], // display only on device Apart from the bands collective love of James Brown, it was Bonhams joyfully busy grooving and penchant for syncopating bass drumming that infused an element of funk into the groups sound. But Jeff Ocheltree has a bunch of YouTube videos talking about his kits and tuning. Seriously, listen to footage of Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Max Roach, and the likes of those types. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. Have a look into the Glyn John's recording method , many many albums and bands from this era sound like they do due to Glyn and his brother Andy. Its only healthy for us to admit that no matter what kit we buy, and no matter how we tune it, we will never quite be able to achieve the same exact sound as our heroes. size: [[320, 50]], The elegantly crafted fill in the second bar is unique to even view on paper, mixing crisp singles with gently executed doubles, telling a story with its accents and ghost notes. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use 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. John Bonham's drumming was as large as the lifestyle he led. Since the dawn of popular music, fat snare drum tones have been highly sought-after. 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. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Instead, he says thinks like; "he tuned the bottom head WAY up", and "the bottom head would be tuned the way you would hear a snare drum being tuned". It is RPM and speed limited. Yes, I read it. Massachusetts-based shop specializing in vintage drums, cymbals and accessories. Bonham particularly relied on sixtuplets at the sixteenth note level six notes in the place of four to provide a basis for most fill material. No youll never get that sound out of a 22 Gretsch. 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. Those guys tuned their kicks up so that there was a resonant note. Find out what the new Shure GLX-D+ Dual Band Wireless can do for vocalists and guitarists when MPNG and MARTINA BLAZESKA put the new How to Choose the Right Wireless Microphone System. A Reproduction of Bonham's Iconic Kit. dfpSlots[i] = googletag.defineSlot('/'+adUnits[i].network+'/'+adUnits[i].adunit, adUnits[i].size, adUnits[i].code).addService(googletag.pubads()); As youre tuning, tap the drum head lightly with a stick close to the edge of the head, using the rods as a guide. By Use a doubleply coated batter head and a standard snareside reso head. To locate it, try playing a single-stroke roll at a slow to moderate tempo perhaps around the kit and concentrate on playing your left hand late, but only ever so slightly. Bonham also liked to explore the interplay between triplet and non-triplet rhythms. This tuning is neither original or secret, but has been used by jazz drummers for decades. While theres no standard note that the snare drum is typically tuned to, most drummers pitch their snare somewhere between E3 and B3 (the third octave is the octave below whats called middle C on the piano). r/Drums - The subreddit where drummers of all skill levels can discuss the world of percussion and share their grooves with the friendliest community on Earth. Match this with a 15-inch hi-hat, a ching ring for that groovy late-Zeppelin vibe and, of course, no Bonham kit would be complete without a cowbell. assignToVariableName: false // false if not in use Here is another interesting tidbit. device: ['desktop'], // display only on device adunit: 'drumforum_atf_300x250', These drums were always outfitted with Remo coated Emperor heads on the batter side and coated Ambassadors on the resonant side. Now play the drum without muting either head and see if the tone is clear and even. E-mail: info@superiorautomotive.com. Keystone was likely either a '68 or '69 and the first B/O drum was likely a '70. adUnits.push({ He played louder that many of his contemporaries, but he still had very well developed hand and foot technique. 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 drums are usually tuned lower than the low E on a bass guitar. Wed recommend a Ludwig LM402 Supraphonic 6.5-inch x 14-inch aluminum snare or an equivalent drum of the same size. Touch - John Bonham was fucking good dude. Combine that with large drums, his unique feel, and boom, classic rock god. The snare had an Emperor coated batter and an Ambassador (sometimes Diplomat) snare-side resonant head. Be careful to keep track of all the tension rods and claws. should i use a demo emperor coated on the bottom? The "not so secret secret" JB used was tuning his reso. Here you can see him playing that kit. Bonham also liked the sound of played-in heads: he'd only change them when he absolutely needed to. 3a, from How The West Was Won). JavaScript is disabled. 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. // END: Defining Adunits 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. But the other two options will get you close. code: 'div-gpt-ad-drumforum_mobile_footer_300x250', There are many tools on the market that can help you tune your drums. snare drum tuning with a tune bot (John Bonham sound) mike evangelista 567 subscribers Subscribe 276 Share 85K views 9 years ago a guide to help you tune your snare drum to that. Regular drum maintenance is essential to keeping your drums in tune. Tuning: Bonham tuned the batter head medium-tight while the resonant was cranked much higher, although this will require some experimentation. This kit was outfitted with Remo clear Controlled Sound heads, notable for their design featuring a black Mylar reinforcement dot in the center. Jazz drums are way more boingy and less "massive" than you expect when you sit behind the kit. He said Bonham was to have a Black Sparkle kit for the American tour that never happened. Maple, birch, oak, cherry, and mahogany are common woods used for drums. size: [[300, 250]], If your snare head has a lot of dents and is difficult to tune, swap it out for a fresh head. }); Bass guitarist Dave Pegg says that when he played with John in the group A Way of Life. This setup should allow you to get those flowing tom flurries just right. Please check the fields highlighted in red. But they sound massive and round out to the audience or room mic's. However with those clues, and some experimentation, I have come very close. size: [[728, 90]], Do you know how many drummers have asked that exact question over the years? Slow and steady, the song conveys a constant feeling of impending doom throughout, attributable to its persistent main theme and authoritative drumming. Snare Drum Ludwig Supraphonic 14" - JohnBonham.co.uk Snare Drum Throughout Bonham's career it seems he consistently played on the Ludwig Supraphonic 14inch x 6 402 snare drum on stage. On This Day 15 September | Led zeppelin, Zeppelin, John bonham. His huge sound has been immortalized on classic tracks like When the Levee Breaks, Moby Dick and Immigrant Song. Smashing his kit with such incredible power, he came to define what a rock drummer should be. Blue and Olive Badges throughout the kit. The pitch of each area should be the same if the tension is even. userType: ['guest','loggedin'], // display only on user type This drum is usually found chrome plated over a 'Ludalloy' shell. Press J to jump to the feed. 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. To my knowledge there are no photos of him with a Black Beauty so I don't believe it. We define success through achieving both yours and our Full Potential on and off the track . To try and calculate the impact of John Henry Bonham on rock drumming is to attempt the impossible. and I've never tried to copy "anyone's" particular snare sound . adunit: 'drumforum_mobile_midcontent_320x50', Thinner resonant heads are more sensitive, while thicker resonant heads are darker sounding. He got a full drum set at age fifteen, a Premier set, about the same time when I got mine although mine were Ludwig. X. The '70 came with his first green sparkle kit which he received in June of that year. I recommend Paiste 2002 if your budget allows. It should have a deep sound with a nice attack. Ludwig Silver Mirror Dot batter heads . This article was based on a tutorial from Reverb.com, which you can find on their YouTube channel here. From beginner to advanced, School of Rock has taught thousands of students how to play drums and achieve their full potential.