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Why do we hate concert toms?

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You have to wear flared trousers and have a mullet to get max appeal...

"Always make sure your front bottom BD lugs clear the ground!"
Posted on 11 years ago
#31
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From tnsquint

Concert toms were kind of all the rage in the 70's. I believe it had to do with American's fascination with electronics. Stay with me on this. In the 60's, multi-track recording was a pretty new concept. As the technology improved engineers started seeing this as a way to gain more control over the final recording mix. Therefore, the thought was to isolate individual sounds as much as possible. This became much easier if the drummer removed the resonant head and a mic was placed inside. Then drummers, probably at the request of engineers, started really deadening their drums to remove any over-ring or sustain thus seriously cleaning up the tracks. (now that I think of it, the deadening came first). This lead to the less than fantastic drums sounds, particularly from the west coast with bands like the Eagles, the drum sounds from Tom Scholz basement that became Boston, etc. Everyone seemed enthralled with the technological dream of seriously isolated drum tracks. Concert toms were also much quicker to deal with which made them extremely attractive for music mill recording like Hal Blain and the Wrecking Crew. No one could afford to really spend a great deal of time on a drum sound and concert toms facilitated an acceptable sound quickly. At the same time, a lot of drummers seemed to like the idea of concert toms and really heavily muted toms because, let's be honest, a serious percentage of drummers do not really know how to tune drums particularly well. Having a single, really dead head makes tuning a simple and very forgiving process. Meanwhile, our friends across the pond were recording Led Zepplin, The Who, Genesis, Queen and their ilk with less emphasis on the technology and more concern for an actual drum sound and room sound. That is why, IMO, drummers have always been fascinated with the Bonham sound. That being said, both Phil Collins and Keith Moon used concert toms extensively. I have found that I still really enjoy listening to the particular drum sounds from many English acts in the 70's but cringe at much of the American recordings of the same period. As the technology continued to improve with better gates, compressors, etc. engineers began to develop a keener desire for really quality drum sounds in their own right. Guys like Steve Lillywhite helped push that along. Double headed drums came back into vogue and concert toms eventually fell out of favor. Drummers started to realize a little sustain, and some warm resonance were actually very desirable and the fact that the drum actually gives you something back is a good thing. Of course fashion tends to be cyclical and slowly but surely the lower tuning highly muffled drum sound is coming back in vogue. With it, concert toms are making a resurgence. Nothing wrong with that. They are not really my thing, but that is fine. JC, in your situation you could leave your concert toms if you want as somewhat of a vintage thing. When drummers started adding a 10" tom to their five or six piece kit, the only option was generally a concert tom as you didn't really have a double headed version. Listen to the fill leading into the last chorus of "Fat Bottom Girls" to hear that as well as a bit of Roto-Tom if I recall correctly. In that situation, the concert toms become a different type of voice. No harm there. On the other hand, making that a double headed drum changes the timbre to more or less match the rest of your kit. So that is certainly up to you. If your goal is to play long fills from the smallest to largest drum then you might prefer matching timbres. If you want something for a specific accent sound quality then a small concert tom might be great. Kind of like an Octoban, Roto-Tom or even a small timbale. By the way, does anyone know, are they called concert toms because they were originally designed as a symphonic orchestra percussion piece? I recall playing a lot of concert tom passages in college.

tnsquint Thank you, by far the best explanation I've read.

Posted on 11 years ago
#32
Posts: 3972 Threads: 180
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I don't care for them much. But, I have several. I've heard them sound terrible and I've heard them sound great. Mic placement is everything with these. That's not necessarily a good thing. A great double headed drum tensioned well and played by an artist is a wonder to behold - mic or no mic. A great concert tom tensioned well and played by an artist unmic'd will make you want to pull out your own teeth. But, take that same scenario and mic the drum correctly, add in some warmth and reverb (or whatever it is you add to these) and it sounds wonderful. In fact, it sounds amazing.

So, they have their place. I just view them differently than some. I play with them. Not much more.

Posted on 11 years ago
#33
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Gonna add some to my Ludwig Stainless steel kit ! they have a sound that I like at times !

Your drummers not much good is he!? What you need is someone that's as good as me. ! John Henry Bonham !!
Posted on 11 years ago
#34
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116
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tnsquint sums it all up nicely IMO. Glad you are leaving them as is

In the mid 70's I worked for the pearl distributor here & messed around quite a bit with the Dyna Family kits, never liked the sound of the larger size toms. During the 80's I added 10&12 concert toms to my kit (Rogers until they were stolen) and then a pair of Tama. They worked well as an addition to the kit and I had them tuned high.. I made no attempt to blend them to the 2 headed toms.

Earlier this year I bought 8&10 Slingerlands from Kev, same deal tuned high and a useful addition (accessory) to the kit. Nice for cutting rimshots with a latin tone..

Cheers

'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 11 years ago
#35
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I could probably sit here all night and name recordings that I think sounded great with concert toms.. "Kissing of Summer Lawns" by Joni Mitchell or one of my favorite albums ever "Moonmadness" by Camel with the the toms tuned up really high

Get off! Get your f**in' clothes and get off! Right now! Pull the f**in' bus over! -Buddy Rich
Posted on 11 years ago
#36
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k5xCkkQAEY[/ame]

Get off! Get your f**in' clothes and get off! Right now! Pull the f**in' bus over! -Buddy Rich
Posted on 11 years ago
#37
Posts: 6524 Threads: 37
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How much resonance and sustain do most drummers want before the next hit ? One minute, maybe two or three at the most ?

It`s a drum,.....Hit It !!

.....76/#XK9207 Phonic Sound Machine D454/D-505 snares !i
Posted on 11 years ago
#38
Posts: 5550 Threads: 576
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not if there stainless steel

April 2nd 1969 scarfed pink champagne holly wood and 65/66 downbeat snare, and , supra same year very minty kit old pies
66/67 downbeat with canister
Super 400 small round knob
1967 super classic obp





once the brass ceases to glitter, and the drum looses its luster, and the stage remains dark, all you have left is the timbre of family.
Posted on 11 years ago
#39
Posts: 6524 Threads: 37
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SS concert toms will violate some kind of city code./ordineces.

It`s a drum,.....Hit It !!

.....76/#XK9207 Phonic Sound Machine D454/D-505 snares !i
Posted on 11 years ago
#40
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