Seek drumming advice

[lefty320]

To all you drummers. I seek a little advice.

  I have a 5 piece astro drums set. (Astro is a cheap brand that doesn't know a crash from a ride) I got a 18 inch Pitch Black crash, A 22 inch tama ride. And 14 inch hi hats. I have 13, 14 and 16 inch toms, with Remo empereror heads. The problem being that they have a high sustain. I have studio rings on all of them, but they still ring too much. Any recomendations on some heads that have less sustain?

[AAJagerX]

Don't know all that much about them, but my drummer said he had the same prob with Remo's.  Not sure what he's using now, but it def. helped to get away from the Remo brand.

[Masherbrum]

I used Remo heads on a DW kit for the 14 years I owned it.   I'd try a different line within Remo.   

[lefty320]

Ok thanks for the advice. 

[Waffle]

We always used to stick a folded napkin / cotton balls on the head with gaff/duct tape depending on the room. It worked in a pinch.

[Spikes]

Waffle's idea works wonders, that's what I do with my Remos.

[Masherbrum]

Ok thanks for the advice. 

These are what I used and never had the "sustain" problems.

http://www.remo.com/portal/products/3/8/50/158/co_ambassador.html

[Xtrepid]

Check Attack Heads 

[lefty320]

I have a friend who has these heads: http://store.daddario.com/category/148374/Hydraulic_Glass,_Blue,_%26amp;_Black

Sound pretty good, short sustain, take a beating and they're black. 

[Gooss]

A real drummer suggested I try Evans Hydraulics on my Tama mid-line fusion kit.  I like the sound, but I'm an old guy and wish I had my Ludwig set from the '70s and like a fatter sound.

[Slade]

I routinely\weekly play in live situations.  For years I did most of what is mention in this thread (special heads, muting techniques etc.).  Assuming you have them tuned well, now I just let them ring.  The predominant frequency carries the strokes in an effective manner and in the mix I find the sound of the drum is rounder by NOT muting it.

Or I could say it this way, in muting it the depth of my notes was too thin in the overall context of the mix.  If you are playing Polkas this might be desired but in modern rock\funk bands I like the full note with those overtones.

Rock on,

Slade

[Masherbrum]

I routinely\weekly play in live situations.  For years I did most of what is mention in this thread (special heads, muting techniques etc.).  Assuming you have them tuned well, now I just let them ring.  The predominant frequency carries the strokes in an effective manner and in the mix I find the sound of the drum is rounder by NOT muting it.

Or I could say it this way, in muting it the depth of my notes was too thin in the overall context of the mix.  If you are playing Polkas this might be desired but in modern rock\funk bands I like the full note with those overtones.

Rock on,

Slade

Same here, I never muted or deadened mine.   Just kept them in tune often and enjoyed the drums. 

[lefty320]

Thanks for the input. 

[xNOVAx]

Remo double-ply Pinstripe top, clear single ply Diplomat bottom.. Get them tuned right nothing sounds better IMO and you dont need any ghetto tape or cotton balls to dampen the sound..