Basses and Tenors

[vferrera]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

And the tenors have one horizontal head per drum whereas the basses have 2 vertical heads, so the basses and tenors have much different timbres.

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine the basses and tenors into one set of drums, tuned chromatically, and all with 2 vertical heads? With 10-12 individuals, you could get a full 12-tone chromatic scale (for the smaller drums, one person could carry 2 or more mounted on a single carrier). You might even be able to get 1.5 to 2 full octaves.

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

Visually, it would get rid of the horizontal multi-tenors, which, frankly, do not look good on the field. This would give the battery a much cleaner look.

[TenorsForWorldDomination]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

And the tenors have one horizontal head per drum whereas the basses have 2 vertical heads, so the basses and tenors have much different timbres.

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine the basses and tenors into one set of drums, tuned chromatically, and all with 2 vertical heads? With 10-12 individuals, you could get a full 12-tone chromatic scale (for the smaller drums, one person could carry 2 or more mounted on a single carrier). You might even be able to get 1.5 to 2 full octaves.

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

Visually, it would get rid of the horizontal multi-tenors, which, frankly, do not look good on the field. This would give the battery a much cleaner look.

A lot of corps set the tuning from the bottom bass up. Then you carry on the tenors from 1st bass.

Also, I don't know what you are smoking, but a line of 4-6 multi-tenors looks ###### on the field. I cannot agree it would look better at all if you used single or two drums. Tri's looked absolutely ridiculous, and single tenors were hard to differentiate from snares.

[Kekkles]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

And the tenors have one horizontal head per drum whereas the basses have 2 vertical heads, so the basses and tenors have much different timbres.

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine the basses and tenors into one set of drums, tuned chromatically, and all with 2 vertical heads? With 10-12 individuals, you could get a full 12-tone chromatic scale (for the smaller drums, one person could carry 2 or more mounted on a single carrier). You might even be able to get 1.5 to 2 full octaves.

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

Visually, it would get rid of the horizontal multi-tenors, which, frankly, do not look good on the field. This would give the battery a much cleaner look.

rofl

[s3si1u]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

And the tenors have one horizontal head per drum whereas the basses have 2 vertical heads, so the basses and tenors have much different timbres.

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine the basses and tenors into one set of drums, tuned chromatically, and all with 2 vertical heads? With 10-12 individuals, you could get a full 12-tone chromatic scale (for the smaller drums, one person could carry 2 or more mounted on a single carrier). You might even be able to get 1.5 to 2 full octaves.

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

Visually, it would get rid of the horizontal multi-tenors, which, frankly, do not look good on the field. This would give the battery a much cleaner look.

uhmm...

tenors ftw!

[K-Swiss]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

they're usually tuned to a chord

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

yes. as much for volume as to say 'look how many tenors we have and listen to how clean they are"

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

timpani

removing and replacing tenors and basses would be the same thing as adding woodwinds and a marching synthesizer

[MJH]

One of the problems w/ a chromatic BD line is in any given key you'd have 5 drums that wouldn't even be in the scale.

I wonder if there's a way you could put a tympani-like mechanism in BDs to make them pitch variable.

As long as we're asking, how about a pitched cymbal line. It could be very interesting...

[vferrera]

One of the problems w/ a chromatic BD line is in any given key you'd have 5 drums that wouldn't even be in the scale.

that's already the case, in a sense. If my drum is tuned to C and the corps is playing a piece in C#maj, then I'm creating dissonance every time I hit the drum. In principle, I should lay out the entire piece.

I wonder if there's a way you could put a tympani-like mechanism in BDs to make them pitch variable.

That would be awesome

As long as we're asking, how about a pitched cymbal line. It could be very interesting...

tres awesome.

[JamMan]

They used to have marching timpani. Then put them in the pit.

The end.

[SkyDog]

Thought: Why not combine basses and tenors into one section?

Differences in drum construction lead to two very different timbres. Single head versus two. Felt mallets versus plastic or wood. And we want different timbres between the two sections. More on that later.

The basses and tenors are the only drums in the battery that are "tuned" to specific pitches. But it seems kind of random. Typically, you have 5 basses and each tenor has 5 drums. So that's 10 distinct pitches. How are they tuned?

Some corps tune each bass or tenor drum to a specific pitch. Some don't. Some corps even tune their snare heads to specific pitches. Even if each drum isn't tuned to a specific pitch, that doesn't mean the tuning is random. Intervals between drums are carefully tuned.

As for those of us who don't use specific pitches... The overtones from battery drums are sooo diffuse. You can discern a primary pitch, but because of the abundance of overtones, it's next to impossible to sound in or out of tune with melodic instruments.

Also, you have 5 individuals playing more or less the same part on tenors, but only one individual per part on the basses. Is it necessary to duplicate the tenor parts?

Let's ask that same question, but substitute the a brass voice: "You have 12 individuals playing more or less the same part on mellophone..." Would there be an adverse affect on balance if you reduced a horn line's mellophone section to one player?

Whether we're talking about brass or percussion, there are distinct voices in the ensemble. If you look at the breakdown of most brass lines, you'll notice there are more bodies on the higher-pitched instruments to achieve balance. The same concept applies to the different voices in the battery.

Wouldn't it make more sense to combine the basses and tenors into one set of drums, tuned chromatically, and all with 2 vertical heads? With 10-12 individuals, you could get a full 12-tone chromatic scale (for the smaller drums, one person could carry 2 or more mounted on a single carrier). You might even be able to get 1.5 to 2 full octaves.

No, it doesn't make more sense. Chromatic tuning is impractical on drums. Because drums' pitch is so unfocused, tuning to such small intervals leaves little room to discern one drum's notes from the next. (Try it with a bass line sometime.) And five tenors playing unison generates more volume than adding five higher pitches to your bass line.

Musically, this would give you the ability to play melody/harmony to complement the hornline and keyboards. Also, it would reduce the difference in timbre between the basses and tenors.

We want different timbres between sections. They allow each of the battery's three distinct voices to be heard. Because of the diffuse overtones mentioned earlier, drums with similar timbre tend to blend too much and drown out one another even if their pitches are distinct. Think of a bass drum unison for example -- does that sound like a chord to you? No, it's a big thud.

Visually, it would get rid of the horizontal multi-tenors, which, frankly, do not look good on the field. This would give the battery a much cleaner look.

[sarcasm] I don't think contras look good on the field, either. Getting rid of them would give the horn line a much cleaner look. [/sarcasm]

They're there for their sound. (But quite a few of us happen to like how they look.)

In summary: There's a good reason we don't let brass guys run the drum line.

Edited August 18, 2008 by SkyDog

[vferrera]

Good points, but:

I still think it would be better if the battery were tuned to be compatible with the brass and keyboards, even if this meant limiting the keys that can be played.

I think there should be more basses relative to tenors. Why have duplication on the tenors and not basses? If you can have 12 contras, why not 12 basses?

Visually, I like the way snares and basses look on the field. Tenors I'm not so sure. It's just a personal thing. Maybe if the drums were mounted differently so it didn't look like people were carrying a dinner table.

Just some thoughts. Try not to get bent out of shape. Percussion has evolved over the past 50 years. There's nothing sacred about the current battery configuration. Maybe it's time for a change.

For what it's worth, I've played mellophone, trumpet and G soprano and I have absolutely no problem with drummers suggesting changes in the brass line.