Drum Heads

(Originally written by darwin666666/translated from Audiofanzine FR) I replaced all the Remo heads of my kit with Aquarian heads, including this one. I discovered this brand with this head! I read reviews talking about how it doesn't last too long... I play drums really hard, including the bass drum, and let me tell you something: I have never played the same bass drum head for a such long time!!! I know it's very expensive but I recommend you to buy it if you play hard. The sound has a very hard attack and a fat sustain (if you don't fill the bass drum shell with a blanket!) and the head is extremely sturdy. I was used to having to customize my bass drum heads but with this one it's not necessary: just install it and you'll get a huge sound!!! One more time, it's quite expensive but it's worth its price! I installed a complete Aquarian set on my drums and I love it!

Now even though I have never owned any of the Evens Hydraulic heads, I still feel obligated to write a review on them! After my good friends drum heads got worn down, decided to lean towards the Evens Hydraulic heads. He got them on his 12, 14 and 16 inch toms. We both actually really liked everything about these heads! So instead of doing a paragraph of good, paragraph of bad, there’s just going to be the good things! First off, we really liked the look of the heads. The simplicity of the clear drum head with the “Evens” stamp really caught my eye. Very classy yet contemporary looking, I liked it a lot. It wasn’t too flashy with some dampening rings around it or anything; which brings me on to my next point; the openness of the heads. I really liked the fact that Evens achieved that “Fat” sound while not dampening the crap out of the head. Being that it is a 2-ply head with some of their oil in between the two; it has a very heavy, hard-hitting, fat sound to it. It’s great if you’re a hard hitter or even a fusion guy, these heads will produce the sounds you’ll always want to hear. After my friend owned these drum heads for close to 6 months they’re still in great condition; still producing great tones, no dents and barely any stick marks. The thing about Evens heads is that they don’t generally show too many stick marks, where some heads will have those diagonal white streaks across them. Overall, these are a perfect 10 head. They have everything from the great looks, great sound, great condition and great brand; Evens. I would recommend these drum heads to any style of drummer at any level. I’ve seen all sorts of people using these heads from pros to beginners.

– I’ve always been a clear tom drumhead kind of guy. It didn’t matter if I was in the studio or stage,. Back in 2003, I was gifted a package of Remo Coated Emperor skins, and as you can presume, they had remained untouched. Before hitting the road last March, I realized I needed new skins for my kit, but I had no time to order new clear ones. So guess what came to the road with me. You will find these on the market for a price around $13. <a href="http://www.glintonline.com">http://www.glintonline.com</a> It’s funny to say but what I really like about the Remo Emperor is exactly what I use to hate about coated skins. They produce that vintage drum sound. My appreciation for this type of skins changed drastically this past March. I was able to get a nice tom presence with a warm and soothing attack. They also endured very well through out the tour and they just made my toms sound better with time, since it made them seat better on the drum. I would not recommend playing big stages with these skins. I think they loose some of their tonal qualities and will make a less present tom sound on the overall mix. The Emperor Coated is made by two free-floating piles of 7-mil Mylar film. They are very durable. For a vintage and traditional drum sound, Remo Coated Emperor skins will do the trick. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Oh, the Remo Clear Pinstripes, these skins were on the very beginning, when I first grabbed a pair of drumsticks. Consequently, they became a permanent part of my kit for the first 7 years of my drum career. Look for the value pack, around $40 for three tom heads. Otherwise, they cost around $15 each. <a href="http://www.glintonline.com">http://www.glintonline.com</a> Besides of not currently play with them, I still love the pinstripe tonal qualities. They make my toms produce a huge, in your face sound, with a not too bright attack and a big body. I think these are also very versatile, giving you a big range for tuning. Because of its “thick” construction plus its overtone control ring, even when tuned low these skins will still sound musical and specially powerful. There are no better skins for metal drummers than the pinstripes , at least that’s my opinion. They are also sound great not only live but also in the studio. They are great skins to learn drum tuning, perfect for those beginning to drum. The Clear Pinstripe heads are made of two 7-mil Mylar film. Very durable skins. Giving a big and powerful tom presence, the Remo Clear Pinstripe has a moderate attack and a wide tuning range. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is another skin that I’ve used many times. I was lucky enough to get a package for free of them on 2003 and I still have one of them left. The Powerstroke 3 is a great head, probably one of the most known. I had this head on my kick on my band’s last tour in March. You will find this head for about $40 in the market. Look for value packs, they can save you a few bucks. <a href="http://www.glintonline.com">http://www.glintonline.com</a> The Powerstroke 3 gives a bright and punchy attack with a decent amount of resonance. The outer edge ring is the responsible for the controlled overtones quality this skin has. I usually use this head without a falam slam pad, I think, it kills a little the voice of the drum, but again, it’s a matter of taste. If you need more attack definition, the falam pad can always help. This is a single ply ambassador-weight head with an underlay ring at the outer edge of the head to subtly dampen unwanted overtones. It comes with a falam slam pad and has has a great durability. The Remo Clear Powerstroke 3 will give your kick drum a standard sound that fits with all music styles. Nice punch and controlled resonance. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I discovered the Remo Emperor X back in 2003. They were gifted to me after winning a prize with my band. I was super impressed of how huge this head could make my snare sound. You can find this skin in market for a price around $20. Definitely money well spent, since this last for a very long time. <a href="http://www.glintonline.com">http://www.glintonline.com</a> Punch, I guess that’s what best describes this head, and also the reason why I love it. This might not be the right kind of skin if you are not a hard rock heavy hitter type of drummer, but I still like how even when you play articulated drum patterns, this skin is just full of definition and power. They make any snare sound huge and because of its thick construction you can get a wet yet musical snare sound even when tuned low. The Emperor X matches really well with Remo Pinstripes on toms and Powerstroke on the kick. If you like more resonant and ringing snares, this skin is not your cup of tea. This is the thickest drum head made by Remo, two 10-mil free-floating plies of Mylar film, with a 5-mil reverse black dot, giving consistent focus warm tones. For the heavy-hitter drummer, a lot of punch, power and definition. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I'm a drummer. I'm originally from Brazil. I play in a band called Glint. One of the big characteristics of my drum set sound, it's a violent low, deep, explosive sound. The Evans EQ4 Kick Drum Batter is part of my recipe to get a super defined attack with a full and vigorous low-end kick drum sound. I've never like to stuff my kick drum with pillows, blankets or any other muffling device. I like to leave the drum to 'speak by itself'. I do understand that once in a while some damping here and there can definitely improve the sound, but there is nothing better than feel the skin vibrate freely. And the feeling I get from the EQ2 is superb. You can get this skin for a price ranging from $35 to $50 depending on size of your kick. <a href="http://www.glintonline.com">http://www.glintonline.com</a> The EQ4 gives not only the low-end drive that I love but also a clean and strong punchy attack. This skin is great for applications which require a big and live bottom from your kit. For more clean and intricate foot work go with the EQ2. The EQ4 is a 10 mil single-ply batter, with a internal control ring in its edge. EQ4 is a great option for those drummer, who like me, love very low drum tuning and very deep sound without loosing a punchy attack. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I acquired this head for free from a friend who didn't like it, but I'd imagine it would retail for around $12-14 I usually have a coated G1 on my snare, and it's definitely a head to swear by. But I was genuinely impressed when I slapped this head on my 14x5.5" Pearl Session Custom snare and cranked it up. With a head like this, who needs to play rimshots?! I'm in love with the sheer power of the sound and the nice, meaty "crack" that the head gives when you smack it in the center. The muffle ring and dry vents around the perimeter equalize the head just right, eliminating only the harsh, extraneous overtones. Ghost notes articulate wonderfully, with an even response from edge to center. Nothing! This is one of the best snare heads on the market, in my opinion. The only thing that some people might not like is that the wires of brushes can get easily caught in the dry vents. The head is made from two plies and has a muffle ring and dry vents (holes) around the perimeter. It has a very solid feel, especially when tuned high. If you want to get more out of your snare drum, buy this head! I have confidence that this head can breathe life into any snare drum!It's also a good choice for players like me who want more power without having to play stick-breaking rimshots! The bottom line: BUY IT! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Remo Pinstripes are very good drumheads overall. I put these on my toms of my first kit and have played them ever since. These heads have 2 ply thickness that controls any ringing or undesired resonance. The resulting sound removes much of the high overtones, leaving a lower deeper sound. This can be very good in a rock context where this type of sound is desired. Even outside of rock, a lot of different drummers can appreciate this quality of sound. I have used these in the studio, and they sound really amazing. The already compressed, focused sound lends itself very well to the recording setting and the final tracks pick up the tones perfectly. In live settings, the toms never sound out of tune and the response is really clear and cutting, but not overpowering. I never fully appreciate the way my own toms sounded until I heard someone else playing my kit while I was in the audience. It really made me happy that I sounded the way the other guy did, and I can attribute a lot of that to the Remo Pinstripes. To some degree, the thickness of the batter head makes it more durable. It is still susceptible to stretching and small dents, but less so when compared to other drums. These are not the best drum heads for every situation, but they served me very well for the time that I used them and I hold them to be reliable, well established, and generally all purpose drum heads. I am a fan of Remo, and I consider Pinstripes to be one of their best products. I would suggest the pinstripes to any aspiring drummer who is looking for a good deal and an upgrade to a better than stock drum head. There are more diverse drum heads available, so it is also important to play a set of Remo Pinstripes before purchase, just to get a feel and become more familiar with the sound.

Remo Ambassador drum heads are a real indistry standard. These were the first head replacements I purchased to repace the stock heads that came with my first kit, and it was an amazing improvement. To be honest, people tend to underappreciate the musical qualities of drumheads because it is so common to use excessive muffling. It also seems like drum tuning (actual tuning, notas tight as possible then muffled up) is hard to find. When ambassadors are tuned correctly, they sound amazing for almost all genres of music. These Remo heads are more resistant to dents than other Aquarian or Evans heads in my experience. Denting often only occurs through improper technique, but still the Ambassadors are durable in this way. Their coating is very rough out of the box. If using brushes on a fresh head, there is a lot of extra friction. After a few hours, this is mostly worn down and comfortable. After a few months of play, a good portion of the coating will wear off and it will be necessary to replace the head. The Remo's wear out more quickly than Evans heads, but I like the way their coating feels more. Anyways, I usually replace my snare head every few months regardless of coating wear. Like I said, these are good for all drums and all styles. The one area which you may want to consider using a different head would be on the bass drum. Ambassadors and other Remo heads are alright, but I really prefer thinker ply bass drum heads with a little more built in muffling. Of course, this depends on the port hole or interior muffling arrangement. I would recommend these heads to anyone who is looking to try a great set of heads that are as wide spread in use as they are diverse in application.

The Evans EC2 sound ring batter heads are an amazing way to step up your tom drums tone. I use them on all of my toms, a 10”,12”,14” and 16”, and these bring life out of every one of them. They are not as pricey as the Genera 2’s, but I like those just a touch better. I have bought these heads about 3 times total, after switching from Remo, and these were on my set since. I used ambassadors on my toms, and the EC2’ and G2’s are far superior in tone. Aquarian is supposed to have good heads, but I have only tried their kick heads, which are good. I went from playing all Remo to having a mishmashed set of Remo, Evans and Aquarian drum heads on 6 drums. The Evans are also much punchier and melodic than the Remo’s, in my opinion, and are much more sensitive to the stick hitting it. I have used these for about a year, and my only complaint is that the clear batter heads are not that durable, but the coated batters are an easy fix. I use those now, after being afraid that the coating would affect tone, but they are virtually the same, but more durable. The clear batter heads wore out after around 2 weeks of playing for me and the coated batter heads have already lasted me over a month, and are still living strong. The coated batter heads also stay in tune longer than the clear batter heads. These are good heads for someone who wants a warm tone, under a decent price tag. I would buy the coated batter heads as they last far longer than the clear, but that’s just if you want the most out of your money. If I had the choice, I would definitely buy these again or the infamous G2’s.

Recently, my Remo Pinstripe heads were getting to the point of replacement. After looking around and doing some researching, I concluded on the Remo Emperor Clears; I use two of them, one on the batter of my 12” tom and one on the batter of my 14” tom. Like all drum heads and even all drum oriented things, they have their pros and cons. I’ll start out with talking about the pros of the Remo Clear Emperor drum head. The very first thing that I loved about these drum heads was the look. The simplicity of the clear drum head with the Remo stamp really caught my eye. Very classy yet contemporary looking, I liked it a lot. The next thing that I really loved about these drum heads, and the most important thing of all, was the tone that these drums produced. Being that they’re two-ply they still had the “fat” aspect of heads such as the Evens Hydraulic, or even the Remo pinstripe, but without sounding muffled. I really like that I could get that nice tone out of a drum without it being cut short; these drums can breathe. The last thing that I really liked about these heads is the fact that they’re strong. Being a rock drummer, I sometimes get hitting pretty hard, so the fact that they can withstand the beating is a definite plus. As for the bad things about this head there would only really be one that I could put my finger on; that being that to get the best tone out of the drums, you need to hit HARD. So if you’re into more sensitive things you would probably be better off going onto the coated emperors. Anything along the lines of jazz would be better off with the coated. Other than that, these heads are great.