Single Head vs. Double Headed

**dr-funkenstein** · September 21st, 2005, 12:37 AM

anyone using single headed drums these days? anyone famous using them?
whose got thoughts on the subject. i have been experimenting with single-headed drums lately and have been having a lot of fun.

**Suspiria** · September 21st, 2005, 12:41 AM

I think the resonant head is critical to getting...you guessed it...resonance. I've always had both heads on and couldn't imagine changing this. Not sure of any "famous" cats who use a single head.

**five eight** · September 21st, 2005, 12:56 AM

The drummer in Triumph used to play single-headed toms, in fact they only had lugs for the top head. They sounded great in an arena but I doubt there'd be much nuance in the studio or a club.

I'm too much of a traditionalist (as stated in another thread) to want a radical sound like that. Kinda like Bozzio's rotos, all attack, good for him, bad for moi.

**royerin** · September 21st, 2005, 01:08 AM

Phil Collins' kit is usually single-headed. I haven't played one in years.

**dr-funkenstein** · September 21st, 2005, 01:13 AM

i had heard that stanton moore was doing some shows w/ single-headed drums.

i took off my bottom heads to get RID of the resonance for some reggea recording that i was doing. . . was going for a Sly Dunbar sound. Sounded great to my ears and opened my mind to the different scenarios in which the fat attack provided by the single head was HIGHLY preferable to a long sustain. Many engineers and sound-people commented about the "old sound" and the relative ease of miking and mixing them.

imho all things come back in vogue . . . big drums may come back in vogue and replace all the "fusion" and "fast" sizes, or maybe not. single head drums do provide tremendous attack, substantially more volume (especially w/ CS heads) and a lower fundamental pitch. sensitivity is out the window so its not for every scenario- i laugh when guys bash a 16" A thin crash with a 2b as hard as possible-THAT sounds like shit.

**troutbrooke** · September 21st, 2005, 02:14 AM

Single-headed (or concert) toms can sound amazing. Keep in mind that they 'feel' different too, and don't provide as much rebound as double-headed toms. You can get some great recording sounds too. A lot of the old Gino Vannelli stuff was recorded with single headed toms with the mics up inside. This includes Mark Craney's setup on Brother To Brother and Vinnie Colaiuta's setup on Nightwalker. Both incredible 'drum sound' records.

Let's not forget Phil Collins' amazing sound on A Trick Of The Tail too...