Impact BD specs in pit

[SCVdrums]

Hey guys,

What would you suggest for that big impact BD one sees in the pits of corps? I'm looking for that extra umph!

Ideas on sizes, tunings, etc.

Thanks in advance!

Eric

[Tristan]

Bigger drums move more air, so get at least a 36" if not a 40" drum.

Tune it tighter than you would for a concert setting.

What works well for me is to take both heads off and suspend the shell by one of its eyelets and hit it with a mallet and listen to the pitch it produces, then tune the heads to that pitch.

If you don't want to do that, a good starting point is to tune both heads to the F two octaves below middle C--tap the head as if you're playing timpani for that pitch. Make sure both heads are CLEARED--that makes a huge difference.

Don't use ANY damping at all. When you hit the drum just barely off center, you should get a definite pitch about an octave below where you tuned, but it shouldn't sound great up close. Go back 30 or 40 feet and have someone else lay into it and listen to it. Generally if it sounds good up close, it sounds like a cardboard box from a distance.

If you want a deeper punch, tune the resonant head a little higher than the batter head--I've discovered D in front and F in back works pretty well.

For heads, I recommend one of the three following combinations:

Fiberskyn front, plastic back (works well with the last tuning I described) gives a very basic tonal sound

Fiberskyn front and back (works well with same pitch heads, but watch out for papery sound if heads are too loose) gives a less tonal, more articulate sound

Rennaisance front and back (works well with lower pitches) gives a very deep, rich sound

Big things to know: Tune higher than concert tuning, don't judge its sound based on what it sounds like up close--move away from the drum to listen to it.

[TenorsForWorldDomination]

Bigger drums move more air, so get at least a 36" if not a 40" drum.

Tune it tighter than you would for a concert setting.

What works well for me is to take both heads off and suspend the shell by one of its eyelets and hit it with a mallet and listen to the pitch it produces, then tune the heads to that pitch.

If you don't want to do that, a good starting point is to tune both heads to the F two octaves below middle C--tap the head as if you're playing timpani for that pitch. Make sure both heads are CLEARED--that makes a huge difference.

Don't use ANY damping at all. When you hit the drum just barely off center, you should get a definite pitch about an octave below where you tuned, but it shouldn't sound great up close. Go back 30 or 40 feet and have someone else lay into it and listen to it. Generally if it sounds good up close, it sounds like a cardboard box from a distance.

If you want a deeper punch, tune the resonant head a little higher than the batter head--I've discovered D in front and F in back works pretty well.

For heads, I recommend one of the three following combinations:

Fiberskyn front, plastic back (works well with the last tuning I described) gives a very basic tonal sound

Fiberskyn front and back (works well with same pitch heads, but watch out for papery sound if heads are too loose) gives a less tonal, more articulate sound

Rennaisance front and back (works well with lower pitches) gives a very deep, rich sound

Big things to know: Tune higher than concert tuning, don't judge its sound based on what it sounds like up close--move away from the drum to listen to it.

Great advice! We pretty well used that tuning scheme in my old corps and we easily had the best pit bass sound on the DCA field last year. It was loud, it was a low note, it sustained forever and added to the ensemble.