The Royal Marines Band Service On-line Community

doug77 · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 8:48 am Post subject: Help on side drum

I play with a band in N.I. currently and we use the premier 97s which I believe are also used by the marine corps. Our dilema is that we can never seem to get that nice crisp sound you guys in the marines achieve with these.

Numerous band suppliers here have recommended hints and tips and currently we use a dampening ring on the top head but I don't believe this should be required. It also isn't helpful when marching on a breezy day as the thing constantly shoots up your arm!

I am not sure if its a drum head issue either as we have tried 2 different makes now the remo/premier and an andante parade batter but to no real avail. Our main issue seems to be that there is tingy sound if the damepening ring is not used.

Also can anyone answer the question if you play with the top sanre up or down?

Any help from the experts on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Jimbo · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:48 am Post subject:

Snares should be on all the time, I reckon by the sound of what you are saying that you are choking the snares. The best way to tune the drum is to release both snares and tighten the top and bottom skins up a bit (don't tighten the bottom too much, there should be some play in it). Now, put the bottom snare on, but loosen it off, slowly tighten it up until it is pinging crisply but not rattling and doesn't sound choked (its also worth checking the height adjustment on the bottom snare so that the whole snare sits on the skin and there are no high spots in the middle).

Now, take the bottom snare off and put the top snare on, this is a bit more tricky than the bottom one as it will need a lot of fiddling with, it should also sound crisp, but without ringing or sounding choked. Ideally you should not be able to see the top snare pushing on the top skin as this will make it hard to tune.

With both snares, a good test as to whether they are set right is to tap the drum very gently and listen to the snare, if it sounds a bit like an old spring being hit then its not right.

Its not the easiest thing to set a drum up correctly but once its done it shouldn't need too much adjusting in the future.

A word of caution, don't use kevlar type skins on these drums as they are not designed for them and will wreck the drum as the tension required is far too great for this model of drum.

Also don't try to get it to sound like an HTS - it aint gonna happen, no matter what you do. There is only one way to make a drum sound like an HTS, that's to buy an HTS.

I hope this helps, it will take a while to get the drum sounding how you want it but it's worth the fiddling.

Perseverance is the key!

Good luck

Oh, and I would ditch the damper ring!!!
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Cheers

Jim

http://www.justgiving.com/jimsdartmoorhalf - Dartmoor Vale Half Marathon for Exeter Leukaemia Fund - 18/10/09

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Hornblower · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:48 am Post subject:

OMIGOD!!!

I had no idea drums were such a hi-tech affair!!

Good answer Jimbo, and you've made me very happy that I only have 5 rotary valves to maintain!

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ITMA!

euphless · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject:

And we all thought buglers were just short hair and shiny boots.

Interesting answer.

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I have decided to live forever..... so far, so good..................

Jimbo · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject:

Wee Mac · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

The old tried and trusted method, was wait till a massed bands came along, then give it to Alan to sort out. If you didn't muck around with it too much, the drum would remain tuned until the next massed bands.
Cheers AP
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Once a Bugler, always a Turtle !!

doug77 · Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

Jimbo,

Thanks for the information. will perservere and see how i get on.

Really appreciate the help.