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Entries in the 'Black River Music Word' Category
The History of Drum Brands
Posted on October 16th, 2009
Drums – A History of Brands
by dnb700
Whether you are a beginning drummer or an old pro you may be thinking about replacing your old drum set. But, have you decided on a specific brand?
Since there are many different drum manufacturers on the market, choosing a new drum set can be a little challenging. Here ‘s a little background and history on some of the most popular drum brands on the market today…
Yamaha
Yamaha first manufactured drums in 1968. Early Yamaha drum equipment borrowed concepts from from Ludwig drum set models. But Yamaha soon acquired a place among the top drum manufacturers and led the industry with innovative shell construction and finish techniques.
In 1993 Yamaha came out with the Yamaha Enhanced Sustain System, known as YESS, for mounting drums. YESS hardware minimizes shell to mount contact, allowing maximum drum resonance.
Additionally, the mounting hardware is attached to the shell at its nodal points where the shell ‘s vibrations are of the lowest amplitude. In 1995 the RC 9000 Yamaha drums were reintroduced, enhanced with the YESS.
In addition to making acoustic drum kits and hardware, Yamaha is also a major manufacturer of best selling electronic drums. Popular Yamaha electronic drums, in order of increasing cost, are the Yamaha DTXpress, Yamaha DTXpress Special, and Yamaha DTXreme.
Tama
Tama manufacture first focused on drum hardware, whose demand was increasing due to the rise of rock music, which required sturdy equipment for loud playing.
Tama led the industry with rugged double braced 36 inch tripods, and introduced the first boom cymbal stand in production. Tama also made the first multi-clamp hardware, letting drummers easily extend their drumsets.
In the late 70s Tama was further solidified as a brand name by the introduction of the Octobans. The Octobans are sets of six inch diameter tubes with tunable drum-heads that can produce an octave range pich.
Octobans were extensively used by Stewart Copeland, drummer of the Police, within his Tama Imperial Star drumset during the late 70s and early 80s.
DW
Drum Workshop, or DW for short, is the leading new American drum company and offers a large variety of snare drum shell materials including aluminum, copper, steel, brass, brass/maple combination, a great selection of lacquered finishes, and various types of rims.
In 1980, DW patented the chain and sprocket bass drum pedal drive system, which is the industry standard today.
The first chain and sprocket model was the 5000CX, which was followed by the addition of a stabilizing footboard on the 5000T Turbo model, and an offset sprocket for quicker action on the 5000A Accelerator. During the 1980s Drum Workshop also led the industry in manufacturing of double bass pedals based on their 5000 series.
Drum Workshop followed their accomplishment in pedal making with great success in their drum manufacturing effort. Today, DW is a leading custom drum manufacturer.
Ludwig
The Ludwig company was established in America by two German-born brothers, the older William F. and the younger Theobald Ludwig.
Working as a vaudeville drummer in Chicago in 1908, William Ludwig became dissatisfied with the clumsy foot pedals of the day. He began designing pedals capable of fast tempos and high power, and had them made out of wood by a cabinet maker. The Ludwig & Ludwig company started out by mass producing durable metal version ‘s of William ‘s pedals.
Ludwig drums were selling strong throughout the 1920s, but the invention of the talking movie, which decreased demand for live percussion, and the US market crash in 1929 severely curtailed Ludwig sales. William Ludwig then sold his company in 1929 to the GC Conn Manufacturing Co. of Elkhart, Indiana, which by now also owns Leedy drums.
Ludwig continued working under GC Conn until 1937, when he became dissatisfied and left to start a new drum manufacturing operation with his son, William F. Jr. They name their new company William F. Ludwig Drum Company.
In February of 1964, Ringo Starr appeared on the Ed Sullivan show playing a Ludwig drum set that he picked out at a central London location of the Drum City store. The words "The Beatles" were centered on the bass drum, with the Ludwig logo printed above.
This exposure gave Ludwig instant recognition and it became the number one drum manufacturer in the world until Japanese manufacturers started making major headway in the early 70s.
Pearl
Pearl drums, manufactured by the Pearl Instrument Company, are the most widely used drum kits today. Katsumi Yanagisawa, the founder of Pearl, started his company in 1946 in Tokyo Japan. He did not start out by making Pearl drums and drum kits, but music stands.
In 1966 Pearl introduced the first professional drum kit under the Pearl name, the Pearl President. Until then Pearl drums were sold under their distributors labels.
Pearl then became the first Japanese drum brand to penetrate the United States and UK. The boom in Japanese manufacturing increased the cost of production in Japan, and in 1973, Pearl moved a great deal of its manufacturing operations to Taiwan.
Today pearl drums are manufactured in the United States, Taiwan, and Japan, with a corporate headquarters in Chiba, Japan. Pearl drums are also among the most widely copied models among drum manufacturers.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the most popular drum brands on the market. There are also many others such as Gretsch, Slingerland, Sonor, and more.
Choosing a drum set is really a personal preference, and choosing one can be rather confusing. The main thing is to choose a drum set with a good reputation and one that is pleasing to your ear.
About the Author
Daniel N. Brown has been drumming since 1976, and is the author of the best-selling eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Drums and Cymbals!" Get a FREE Special Introduction to his eBook when you subscribe to his FREE "Drummer ‘s Edge" e-Letter…
http://www.dbDrumTips.com
Article Source: Content for Reprint
2009 Drum Boogie Festival
Posted on September 17th, 2009
For a great day of enjoyable percussion representing diverse genre, check out the FREE Drum Boogie Festival in Kingston, NY this Saturday, September 19!
Jazz-man Jack Dejohnette and his trio heads up a long list of performers representing jazz, rock, contemporary, Native American, American Rudimental, Balinese and much more.
Check it out!!
-Joe
Steve Smith and the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra
Posted on September 16th, 2009
Steve Smith will be performing with the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra under the direction of as part of the "Zildjian Annual Major Artist Residency".
Thursday, September 17, 2009, 8:15 p.m.
Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
Boston MA 02115 [Map]
A New Drumming Book from Dennis Johnson
Posted on August 31st, 2009
Advanced Rudimental Etudes for Snare Drum – Book/DVD– by Dennis Johnson
With this latest book, Dennis Johnson offers us an exciting and challenging compilation of rudimental drum solos.
Yes, this is, as stated, an advanced collection; but there are some only moderately difficult pieces. One piece, "The Old Timer", which is dedicated all of those over 40, is an updated variation of old time traditional rudimental drum pieces and reminiscent of “The Downfall of Paris”, “Hell on the Wabash”, “The Connecticut Half-time” and others.
Dennis champions his flams – being well representative in all his etudes – especially (and obviously) in his, “You Want Flams With That?”
It’s a testament to Dennis Johnson’s creativity to be able to compose an interesting and technically helpful drum score using primarily, flams!
I also very much like his use of 32nd note duple (or triplet 16th note) entries into his paradiddles phrases – very effective and great exercise!
Some of the solos in this book are affectionately dedicated to Dennis’s family members: his wife – “The Porcelain Doll”, his son – “Solo for David”, his dad – “Kenny Boy”, friends and even his cats – “Three’s a Crowd” and “Katula”!
Dennis Johnson has spent the last two-and-a-half decades teaching and arranging for school bands throughout the State of Alabama. He studied music at Auburn University where he performed in marching band, wind ensemble, symphonic band, jazz band and the percussion ensemble.
He marched for the DCI drum and bugle corps, The Spirit of Atlanta, under Tom Float.
Dennis is now on the threshold of a new career as a drummer for stage bands in the popular theme parks of Tennessee.
Pop into your player the DVD included with Advanced Rudimental Etudes for Snare Drum and see, hear Dennis Johnson perform the contents of the book and then know why any orchestra in the country would fortunate to have him.
Best to you Dennis on your new life in Tennessee!
See also, Dennis Johnson’s previously published, Let’s Learn to Drum – an excellent beginning snare drummers’ instructor.
-Joe
Drummers Of The Swing Jazz Era
Posted on June 7th, 2009
Rock and roll artists have a tendency to think that they invented the concept of rebellion. That before their genre came along, everything was goody-two-shoes and Miss Manners. What they forget is that the music industry has always been a place of innovation a source of social uproar. Even the waltz, when it was first introduced, was considered an outrage at first because of how close couples had to get to dance to it! Yes, rock and roll artists are just following in the industry ‘s grand tradition of scandal, a tradition that at no time has been more prevalent than in the era of swing jazz, or swing music. In its day, swing music was the ultimate revolution, a violent break from the Charleston of the previous decade. Swing music was characterized by a strong rhythmic drive and, and the bands that played it were anchored by equally strong rhythmic sections. Such sections tended to be led by drummers whose personalities were as big as their music, and a number of the jazz drummers of swing remain legends even today.
Sonny Greer (1895-1982) is best known for his work with the legendary Duke Ellington. A native of New Jersey, he eventually became Ellington ‘s first drummer in 1919 at the age of 24. Greer was not only a drummer; he also designed the instruments with the Leedy Drum Company. This job enabled him to put together a drum kit worth over $3000, the equivalent of nearly $36,000 today. This gentleman did his part to live up to the image of jazz music as a genre of debauchery. He was a heavy drinker and a pool-hall hustler and unfortunately, these qualities eventually led to a permanent estrangement between him and Ellington. He continued to work as a freelance drummer and briefly led his own band, but Greer ‘s association with Ellington marked the pinnacle of his success.
Gene Krupa (1909-1973) was known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style of drumming. He was a member of a number of bands, although the biggest name he ever played with was undoubtedly Benny Goodman. Krupa ‘s drumming is featured in the flagship of swing music, Goodman ‘s "Sing, Sing, Sing." His association with this song made him an immediate national celebrity. Although he, like Greer, had a falling out with his band leader and left the group as a result, his career did not falter. In spite of the occasional stint in jail due to possession of marijuana, Krupa continued to perform into the early 1970s.
William Henry Webb, aka Chick Webb (c.1905-1939) was a precocious child who saved up enough money from his paper route to purchase a drum set; he first played professionally at the age of 11. In addition to being a drummer, Webb was the long-time leader of his own band, which was the house band at the famous Savoy Ballroom. The Savoy often hosted "Battle of the Bands" contests, in which Webb ‘s band was pitted against the likes of the Benny Goodman and Count Basie Orchestras. The biggest name associated with Webb is Ella Fitzgerald, who he began to feature as a vocalist in 1935 when the singer was 18. After Webb ‘s early death (due to complications from a childhood bout of tuberculosis), Fitzgerald continued to lead his band for four years before leaving to focus on her solo career.
Bernard "Buddy" Rich (1917-1987) was billed as "the world ‘s greatest drummer" and was known for his power, speed, and experimentation with technique. He, like Webb, was drawn to drumming at an early age, and when he was 18 months old, he made his musical debut in vaudeville. He never received any formal drum education, and may have had more raw talent than any other drummer of his generation. During his career, he was associated with a number of famous names, including Tommy Dorsey, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for guitars, drums, keyboards, sheet music, guitar tab, and home theater audio. You can find the best marketplace at these sites for drums, jazz, swing, sheet music, guitar tabs, and home theater audio.
Article Source: Content for Reprint
Mike Johnston Building the MJ Snare
Posted on June 6th, 2009
Hi,
As a continuation of Mike’s previous discussion of his gear – especially his new signature snare drum from Shine drums – here is Mike at Shine discussing the process of manufacturing the drum.
Further, he demonstrates his personal touch given to each snare drum before being shipped to the customer.
Please check out the video:
Remember to check out mikeslesson.com for excellent on-line drum lessons
Take care,
-Joe
Throw it Down – the Movie
Posted on May 29th, 2009
Hi,
DCI fans, here are few words from Ed Maher about the new documentary film, Throw it Down:
Go deep inside the intense world of Elite Drum Corps.
This unusual feature length, (88 minutes), documentary from JEM Films is emotional, painful, funny, and soaring in its celebration of the human spirit. You don’t have to be a fan of “The Bluecoats” to catch the excitement. What price will you pay to make your dreams come true…
See It: At The Connecticut Film Festival
Thursday Night, June 4th 2009, 8:30PM
Danbury Town Hall 3rd Floor
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Downtown Danbury, Connecticut
-Joe
Louis Bellson Dies
Posted on February 16th, 2009
This last Saturday, St. Valentine’s Day, one of the world’s greatest all-time drummers died. Louis was in poor health of late after injuries from a debilitating fall. However, the exact details for the reason for his passing, as of the writing, are still not clear.
With Gene, Buddy, Cozy and Max gone, Louis was the last of the pantheon of the set-drumming gods of my youth.
There are hundreds of tributes to Louis Bellson on the web. Here is a wonderful one from Hudson Music.
-Joe
A New Place for Fife and Drum Music Chat!
Posted on January 22nd, 2009
From Charlie Terzi:
"Since 1998, Fife & Drum Music Chat has been organized as a vehicle to support the fife & drum community. Our goal is to foster information and communication about that community through an interactive chat session that takes place each Sunday at 7:00 PM ET.."
You are cordially invited to the resumption of
” Fife & Drum Music Chat”
On the new site:
FifeDrumChat.com
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Day: Sunday, Yes, Sunday A New Day
Starting on January 25, 2009
Where: FifeDrumChat.com New Site
The site is now open if you want to give it a test drive.
You can also view pictures of the CyberAncients from past musters and see the CA video from DRAM 2008. Let me know what you think.
We built this room for you!!! Please join us on Sunday at FifeDrumChat.Com.
Notes: The chat room is on a different platform. Some new features have been added and the “look” is different*** When the chats continue on Sunday, the chat room will only be open during the scheduled chat day/time (Sunday -7 PM to whatever). All other times the chat room will be closed and the “maintenance “sign will be present. The site itself will always be open. Additionally, we ask that when you sign in, please use your real name. See directions below.
See you live on January 25th !!!
Need more directions?
To get to the chat room, first go to FifeDrumChat.Com by clicking on the following or pasting it to you browser:
After you get to the site, click on the word "Chat" on the top of the page.
This will take you to the chat room. In the field titled “Name” overwrite your name in the field (put your name in the field). You are signed in!!!!
Try it out if you like.
See you on January 25 !!!
-Charlie Terzi
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