some tuning happiness for a 24x14 cocktail!

[multiperc]

Thought I would share some good news -

My 24x14 cocktail drum is in a good place right now, tuning-wise. It's a maple drum I built, functioning as kick and tom. I have a clear pinstripe on bottom with click pad, small amount of additional weatherstripping inside at batter edge, and coated Evans G2 on top. bottom is tuned to lowest discernible pitch and lug-locked, top head tuned higher at a pitch which resonates with bottom (but still floor-tommy).

What's cool about this arrangement is that when I pull the beater off, I get a very full, toneful sound (not thumpy at all). Or if I dig the beater in, get a thump with timpani-like ring from the top head. Additionally holding the beater into the head and playing the top head gives a new range of sounds, and with more pressure from the beater, a slight pitch shift coming off the top head. Lots of cool variations on this with brushes too.

Tossing a 2-inch circle of felt on the top head tightens up the sound, dampening some overtones - from the kick, the sound is a shorter duration, and when playing the top as a tom, there's a more focused sound, since less ring. I'm also finding coolness placing various shell/shaker percussion directly on the top head for a dusty, more ethnic sound from the kick.

It helps that I have a side snare and small mounted tom (and some cyms, perc) so I can get these variations from the main drum and still have other surfaces to work with.

Pleased with where this is at....at least for now!

[SRT80]

Cocktail kits are fun. I'm kickin' myself for sellin' my first one. But I'm in the process of buildin' another from scratch. Well, my drum guy is buildin' it, I'm just gatherin' all parts.

Would love to see a pic of your setup.

Steve

[multiperc]

From the gallery a few years ago -

http://www.cocktaildrum.com/gallery2/ma ... alNumber=1

main drum, tom, one of a couple different side snares, and hardware remain the same, but I change up cymbals and percussion as needed, and heads too as described in the thread.

[jmettam]

Hey Multiperc,

Great news! Just curious, does your main drum have a built in snare? If so, try leaving the bottom head as is and cranking the top head as high as it can go. I think you would get a really nice piccolo snare sound!

- John

[multiperc]

Hi John
No, no built in snare - maybe someday I'll take the classic cocktail drum plunge! I know you do this and get amazing results.
For me for now, the main drum is still a kick and floor tommy top; and I mount a popcorn snare and small tom on it.

[mangorockfish]

I've always liked this kit. It really looks kool.

[Baker]

Thought I would share some good news -

Additionally holding the beater into the head and playing the top head gives a new range of sounds, and with more pressure from the beater, a slight pitch shift coming off the top head. Lots of cool variations on this with brushes too.

I was just playing around with this last night. The more pressure on the kick pedal, the higher the tom tone goes. Try it with mallets. the sounds you can create are awesome!