Dynasty Wedge: Opinions?

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

These days, retired from drum corps due to 1980s (quints at 118lbs!) back injuries back to haunt me, I play for fun in a community band that basically does parades-long parades.

We are planning to get equipment in the next year or two and were kind of interested in the Dynasty Wedge snare drum. Why?

Because it weights about 1/2 of the regular Kevlar drums. However, I've seen it in action with the Atlanta Corps Vets and have not been all that impressed with the Wedge It seems like Corps Vets has a great line, but a lot of it's playing is inaudible. The Wedge doesn't seem to be very loud at all. It also seems to be relatively murky in pitch (a Dynasty trait).

In terms of volume, the Wedge actually is even less powerful than the average 13/14 inch kevlar snare drum (mylar rules for volume, & rimshots, but not pitch or endurance of heads).

Anybody have a different experience with the Wedge (or similar?) Any insights would be greatly appreciated.?

[ironlips]

I wouldn't have described the BD sound as "mirky" but hearing is subjective. I have heard the CorpsVets and I agree that the battery sounds "different". My guess is this has more to do with tuning than the drum itself.

I think the wedge makes a lot of sense for all-age, alumni and community groups, given the weight advantage, and the tonal issues can probably be addressed. In as much as drumlines across the board are being continually challenged as to movement, it will not surprise me if some version of the wedge design soon becomes the standard throughout corps and marching band.

Any field drum will sound better with mylar. Kevlar is for body armor and helmets, in my view.

[pvt_cairns]

I sttod next to the Corpsvets in Salem Ohio while they warmed up, their line is awesome, their equiptment is garbage. Those flat tenors are horrable, they look bad from a visual standpoind, and there is virtualy no sound comming out, it just dissipates as soon as they hit the drum, there is nothing to resonate or project the sound. The snares didn't sound too bad, not exactly the sound I would have been looking for, but to each their own, it works for them, I didn't see them play in ensamble so I dunno if they were getting drown out, but they balanced well with the basses. The plus side, I didn't see them shifting or looking terrably uncomfortable after a days practice, which could be enticing, esspecially for those parades that never seem to end. I would be more inclined to use that equiptment for parade corps, or even an indoor line, just based on the comfort factor.

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

I actually saw the Reading Bucs Alumni corps and they were using the wedge. Oddly enough, their hornline was probably similar in size to the Corpsvets, but did not drown out the Wedge. Even though the brass sections were similar in size, Corpsvets do have a pit, etc. But the wedges were very audible for the Bucs Alumni.

I agree with the above poster about the Corpsvets tenors. (I also suspected the line was very good, but couldn't hear them all that well.) I have seen them once each of the past two seasons and really enjoyed their performances. The tenors, however, do not project at all-much more problematic than even wedge snares. I noticed the pitch also was fairly low. I think I'd try to crank them ala the 1980s tenor lines and cut through that way. As for the visual aspect, I thought they were kind of cool.

[Kansan]

I wouldn't have described the BD sound as "mirky" but hearing is subjective. I have heard the CorpsVets and I agree that the battery sounds "different". My guess is this has more to do with tuning than the drum itself.

I think the wedge makes a lot of sense for all-age, alumni and community groups, given the weight advantage, and the tonal issues can probably be addressed. In as much as drumlines across the board are being continually challenged as to movement, it will not surprise me if some version of the wedge design soon becomes the standard throughout corps and marching band.

Any field drum will sound better with mylar. Kevlar is for body armor and helmets, in my view.

We are going to use Mylar on our snares this next season. Our reasoning is to prevent injuries like tendonitous. :sshh:

[TAFL]

We are going to use Mylar on our snares this next season. Our reasoning is to prevent injuries like tendonitis. :sshh:

Well, that's the official explanation.... :P

There's also that I don't like playing on kevlar because it feels so odd to chops developed on mylar.

And I don't like the sound of kevlar. <**>

Watched a video on YouTube of SCV's drumline from '79--and that's the sound I hear in my head when I think of marching snares! B)

Any snare head that feels so wonky, sounds so puny, and causes tendon problems is something to avoid! No good, very bad!

TAFL

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

I know what you mean. My first year in drum corps I played a 15inch mylar tub. I can't say I enjoyed that drum, although it was super light weight. We got 14 inchers the next year and they were really sweet (I was playing quints by then). I don't mind the actual high pitched sound of kevlar, but I really miss the old powerful and high pitched rim shots. The kevlar rimshots sound like gunshots, which is ok, but I prefer mylar in that instance. I also agree that it's a completely different style of playing when you use the bounce of the kevlar vs. muscling it out on the mylar. But the nice thing about kevlar is that the heads are pretty indestructible.

[spirit7698]

I know what you mean. My first year in drum corps I played a 15inch mylar tub. I can't say I enjoyed that drum, although it was super light weight. We got 14 inchers the next year and they were really sweet (I was playing quints by then). I don't mind the actual high pitched sound of kevlar, but I really miss the old powerful and high pitched rim shots. The kevlar rimshots sound like gunshots, which is ok, but I prefer mylar in that instance. I also agree that it's a completely different style of playing when you use the bounce of the kevlar vs. muscling it out on the mylar. But the nice thing about kevlar is that the heads are pretty indestructible.

I was working at Epcot doing Tha Jammitors when that came out. Danny Raymond ( who is a Jammitor) who is pretty tight with Al Murray ; said it was made for indoor use ( wgi) hence the inaudible sounds outside....

[gbass598]

Kevlar does not cause tendon problems. Technique causes tendon problems. The key is to use the rebound to your advantage and not try to force it too much like you would on need to on a mylar head.

I actually had a high school line play all summer on mylar heads and then I gave them the Remo White Max once school started. It worked from a chop building standpoint, then they were allowed to relax once they got on a drum that did some of the work for them.

[Jim Nevermann]

My adult drumline 2nd Wind uses Dynasty's Wedge snares and 'squint' triples [you read that right: triples] exclusively. We're happy with their sound and very happy with their light weights: 11 & 17 pounds respectively. Compare those weights with conventional design snares and quints/quads/'six packs'.

See, for decades I dutifully "played the game" when marching with and/or teaching HS & college bands, as well as jr & sr corps. But now I absolutely refuse to ask adults to slowly destroy their vertebrae --especially their intervertebral discs-- just for the sake of a performing arts organization: regardless of their enthusiasm and dedication to it! So for 2nd Wind, the trade-off between projection/sound and overall physical comfort and reasonable endurance has been more than worth it. Our average age is 50+, and we're under no illusions whatsoever that we have kids' physiques anymore.

An added advantage to these lightweight drums is that we don't have to buy, set up/take down, transport & store drum stands. Don't need 'em! Likewise, the drums proper don't take up as much storage space as conventional drums, either. In all aspects of 2nd Wind, our approach is always to be rigorously practical: We refuse to be 'slaves to fashion'.

Besides... what's the fun in trying to look and sound like everyone else's drumline?

Edited January 5, 2008 by Jim Nevermann