Comments on: How Do I Sound Like John Bonham?

By: DAnte

DAnte — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:26:20 +0000

I saw the same Ochltree youtube. Was hard to believe tuning was ‘way up’ as he says. I think the big diff, as article says is the Bonham 26 inch kick, and thin ply no-hole heads. World of difference on kick drums… a larger drum tune dtight still has deep sound. Another blog I read (drum professor?), showed how the ‘real deal’ in the drum sound is all by tuning in the res head…batter is mostly for feel…and energy output (oh the physics!)

By: JB and Alex fan

JB and Alex fan — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:53:51 +0000

kev: I get the confusion. Been playing 25 years, no lessons, learned to tune my drums to my satisfaction only in the last 2 years. It’s like physics. The head absorbs energy on the strike, then releases that energy as it resonates. A tighter head can store more energy, thus releasing more. As this blog says, low frequencies take a lot of energy, so while strange to think about, a tighter head actually projects more low frequency, to a point. Remember, practicing alone removes the mix, so you hear the high freqs, but in the mix, the lows will make their presence felt by robbing power from the freqs around it. It’s frustrating, but keep trying. I tune the res a third or fifth higher than batter on all drums but snare. That’s closer for some muting. No tape, no muffles on anything but bass. And have someone else play your set while your across the room, or the band is playing also to hear the mix yourself, good luck!

By: kev

kev — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:01:21 +0000

Still quite puzzled though. The more Zeppelin I listen to the more I’m convinced he has it tuned low as you have said, it’s just that the fella in the YT video is really annoying me because he’s worked with Bonham and sounds so convincing!

By: JB and Alex fan

JB and Alex fan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:27:25 +0000

Follow up, I moved my set yesterday from facing across a room 10 ft wide, to the end, now facing along a 30 ft room. The bass drum and floor toms in particular, are much more resonant and “complete” sounding with the longer space. I use a white CS on the BD with a remo mufl ring on the batter and a 3″ strip of felt on the res, with a 3″ hole near the rim left over from rock club days. Coated CS reverse dot went on the snare last week. Love it!

By: JB and Alex fan

JB and Alex fan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:44:52 +0000

@kev I saw that youtube video, I think, with Jeff Ochltree playing the green sparkle kit, right? I tried what he said. The high tuning on the BD works to add resonance and size, but giving the long, low frequencies a chance to develop and project the low sound your looking for. On the snare, I’ve got a good sound with high tuning, batter head slightly lower than res. side. It took a lot of trial and error, but I’m really happy with my sound right now. Good luck. Remember, if it sounds good to you, it sounds good!

By: kev

kev — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:44:45 +0000

Hey, good article. I have been trying to get this sort of sound for a while. I have had the best results from very low tuning as you have said, and I have a Ludwig Black Beauty snare… However I watched a very confusing youtube video where he totally contradicts everything here, and he claims to have worked with Bonham and is playing his kit. See it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaFVUlV0rvI – he talks about tuning the snare “way up” – but when he hits it, it doesn’t sound like it has been.

By: DAnte

DAnte — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:08:39 +0000

Great article. Its true, so many are damping out their drums, losing all the beauty in their resonance. Too bad to see pillows/tape on peoples drums…just tune ‘em! Bonhams less truly is more too.

By: JB and Alex fan

JB and Alex fan — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:58:29 +0000

Any insight on Bonzo’s snare sound? My challenge is that my ‘72 Supra is 5.5″, not 6.5″. I heard about 72 strand snares and open tuning, but mine doesn’t seem sensitive enough, though it speaks well at varying dynamics. I love it to death. It’s pretty tight, heads close in tuning, 32 strand, coated Ambassador beater, rimshots more often than not. Nice article, thanks for it! KK