Lessons from Buena Vista Orchestra

Last night was one of the most amazing experiences I've enjoyed for a very long time. Eight months after buying the tickets, I witnessed the phenomenon that is the Buena Vista Orchestra (also known as Orquestra Buena Vista & Buena Vista Social Club).

Many of the original stars from that special night in Carnegie Hall in 1998 have since passed on, but what remains is still a testament to the skill, passion and fun of Cuban musicians, many of whom have been formative in the creation of what we now know as Latin music.

Reflecting on why they were so special, I came up with several things that set them apart from other concerts and bands I have seen (and enjoyed):

1. A sense of history - Many of these people have helped to create the music synonymous with Cuba, the platform on which today's musicians build. Age is no issue; it's a strength and a valuable commodity. Experience is something we often overlook as we clamber to be new and different; often too insecure to learn from those who've gone before.


2. A sense of value and heritage - These people are firmly connected to their music and cultural roots. It's not a problem; it's a bonus. They are not afraid of their culture, nor to share that culture and history with their audience, most of whom have little or no connection to it (apart from music). It's not about preaching; it's about showing and sharing; inviting others on board ... and judging by the response of the 2500 people at the concert, they were successful.


3. They connected with their audience - Many of us could learn a great deal from the members of Buena Vista Orchestra. They brought something that can be difficult to connect with if you're not a part of that culture ... and enabled us to connect with it. Even musicians often fail to connect with the complex rhythms, how the pieces fit together, how the melodies interweave. Others can't handle the fluidity and movement in the music, music that doesn't sit comfortably with a click track yet is devilishly tight. Yet, this wasn't a problem for the audience as these masters of their art communicated with people's hearts and souls, calling them on board to experience something new, even if they didn't understand it. They felt it, were drawn in by it and stoked the fire for more ... which they got!


4. They promoted each other - The musicians were clearly 'old school' in their playing, but that is what made it so great. There were no stars on stage; they were all stars and they created a platform for their colleagues to shine. Their playing was an expression of themselves but was for each other and the audience, not self-indulgent and about themselves ... a lesson many of us could learn.


5. They exuded joy - Music wasn't just something technical to be played; it wasn't just an exercise in playing the correct notes; being safe or cerebral. The music they played was part of them; it was their soul; their passion; something to express who they are; from their hearts. It was something to enjoy and that enjoyment spurred each other on and fired the audience. Their enthusiasm and passion was infectious, drawing others in.


6. They were themselves - As we passed the stage door after the gig (and there was no-one else around ... how rare is that?) the band emerged and were no different to how they were on stage; smiling, laughing and very willing to give time for a brief chat and sign tickets.

It took me a long time to fall asleep last night. I was full of the gig and my mind raced over and over through the tunes and why I'd enjoyed the evening so much.

Now all I need to do is apply some of what I've learnt and hopefully those I meet will benefit.

Thank you Orquestra Buena Vista. Long may you continue to inspire those who have the privilege and pleasure of witnessing your concerts (and your music).

Keeping Up Appearances

The aesthetics of a kit are not essential to its sound and performance, but they make a big difference for visual impact and even making us want to play it. If the kit looks great, we feel inspired to play!

One problem with we humans is that we have greasy fingers, even if we've not been eating burgers or fish and chips and this grease is transferred onto everything we touch. Shiny surfaces like chrome, lacquered drums and cymbals will reveal where we've been touching them better than Hercule Poirot! Our fingers also secrete acids which can make a real mess of cymbals if they etch the surface. Non-brilliant cymbals and especially Zildjian K series for some reason seem to suffer badly in this area and the marks are very difficult to remove.

So to cleaning!

DRUMS

Drum shells can be kept clean simply by using a moist cloth and wiping over the shell, taking care not to get any grit under the cloth as you will leave scratches. Proprietary cleaners such as those made for guitars (especially electric guitars which themselves have a lacquered finish) work well on lacquered drums but should be avoided on satin or matt-finish kits as they will change their finish into a shiny one!

On lacquered and plastic wrap finishes, a household wax polish can be used to great effect but always read the label as some are not recommended for use on plastics. If in doubt, find a small area that cannot be seen and try a bit. Do not leave the polish/cleaner in contact with the material for longer than say 10 seconds and always wipe off quickly. Remember, the aim is to remove the greasy fingerprints and dirt. One advantage of a wax-based polish is that it will also provide a protective layer on the drums. I have used spray-on wax polish and original furniture wax and beeswax polishes on my Yamaha natural wood finish drums for years with no problems .


CHROME

Proprietary chrome cleaners work well if there is evidence of pitting or firmly attached dirt, and can be used on drum rims, chrome hardware and stands. However, a good lint-free cloth can be used to remove most surface fingerprints and grease marks. The advantage of a cleaner is that it usually has a mild solvent or detergent base of some sort which really does remove the grease.

Once you've wiped the chrome with your cloth, plus or minus cleaner, give it a good wipe down and buff with a soft clean cloth or duster. This also works well for chrome-plated snare drums.

If there is evidence of pitting or flaking or corrosion, a small piece of steel wool can be used to remove the problem. However, always be careful to rub only in the area of corrosion as it can produce very fine scratches which are okay when limited to a small area but are much more visible over a larger area. Once the pitting or corrosion has been removed, you can use the chrome cleaner to bring up the shine. A useful product I have found for removing mild corrosion, dirt and fingerprints is T-Cut a proprietary cleaner used to restore car paintwork and chrome work. You can apply it with a damp cloth, leave it to dry to a mist and then buff it off to a brilliant shine. But beware, it also has a very fine grinding paste in the formulation so should be used with care near lacquered surfaces to avoid scratching.


CYMBALS

By far the greatest area of discussion and disagreement is the cleaning of cymbals.

My personal view is that I avoid any abrasive cleaners, even those supplied by the cymbal manufacturers themselves. My main reason is that I have found the use of warm, soapy water to do the same job as long as you dry the cymbal thoroughly after cleaning; I use a cloth followed by a warm, but not hot, hairdryer.

Wipe the damp cloth in the direction of the tone grooves i.e., around the cymbal parallel to the edge not from bell to edge. Rinse with clean warm water and then dry. This will not remove all of the finger marks which are likely to be etched into the metal and will require abrasion to remove which I am not comfortable with. When I first started playing in the 1970's I did use cymbal cleaners on non-brilliant finishes such as with A-Zildjian and found that they caused the cymbals to become more shiny, but also they seemed to become dirty and tarnished much more quickly afterwards. By using warm soapy water I have had none of these problems.


So there you have it; a few tips on how to keep your equipment looking good for maximum visual impact and for personal inspiration and motivation.

Until next time ...

Controlling Tom Resonance - Less Obvious Influences

The tuning of all drums is pretty subjective: each of us has our favourite sound (although I am always amazed at just how few drummers have any idea how to make their kit sound good ... which is a bit like a guitarist not understanding what those strange tuning pegs do at the end of their guitar neck).

However, the subject of this short entry isn't to do with choice of heads etc; it's to cover one or two other less well-known or less obvious influences on the resonance of your toms.

I'm assuming that the drums are already tuned properly in order for the following to be really noticed.

Tom Mountings: Different manufacturers have different style of mounting brackets for attaching toms to tom-holders. It is a generally accepted principle that anything protruding inside the drum will make a significant impact on the movement of soundwaves and hence, on the sound of the drum. This is why the RIMS^TM mounting system was originally developed; to increase the resonance of toms whose mounting hardware protruded into the drum. The effect was immense, with the toms sounding much bigger, deeper and overall just 'better' when the RIMS hardware was used. It's still used today as standard by a number of the top-end manufacturers. Anyway, if you have an older kit manufactured by Yamaha, or one made by Pearl or any number of generic look-alike kits from the Far East, the chances are that the tom holders protrude into your drums to one degree or another. This will have a range of effects depending on how big the hardware is and far it protrudes into the drum. The overall net effect is reduced resonance or even a stifling of resonance and a reduced quality (and even volume) of drum sound. Try mounting the drum on the holder so that it doesn't protrude inside and listen for the difference. I have to admit that on a number of Pearl kits I found it hard to notice a significant difference in sound which surprised me. However, with my Yamaha 9000 kit the effect was significant. No protrusion inside = Much better sound. If it works for you, consider either buying tom holders with shorter extension arms or shorten the arms on your existing tom holders (I never recommend the latter as the first line of attack because you can guarantee that at some stage in future you'll want a tom holder with a long arm ... which you won't have any more if you cut it!). Even with tom arms that don't protrude inside the shell, drum resonance can be influenced by length along the arm. Again, experiment to find the optimum and then put a permanent ink mark where you find the best position so that you can mount the drum in that position next time you set your kit up.

Resonant Heads: We (nearly) all change the top (batter heads) when they get worn out or sound pretty dead. However, the bottom (resonant) heads can also become 'tired' with age. We may not be hitting them directly but they do take a battering from the air movements within the drum and all the sympathetic vibrations. A tired head with reduced resonance will affect the overall sound of the drum. If your new batter heads don't sound quite as good as you remember them doing at the last change, consider replacing the resonant heads. A good 'rule-of-thumb' is to replace your resonants about once for every three changes of batter heads.

Floor Toms: Although stand-mounted larger diameter toms have replaced floor toms in some cases, there are still many drummers who prefer to have a floor tom mounted on legs. Vibrations from the skin pass to the shell and ultimately to the floor via the legs. If you want to increase the resonance of your floor to, try standing the legs on small circles (about the size of a saucer) or the high-density foam used to make exercise floor mats. This simple trick can change the sound of your floor tom dramatically. One trick used by conga players who put their drums directly on the floor is to stand them on a piece of plywood or a wooden floor tile when they're playing on a carpeted area, as this prevents damping by the carpet. If you're playing on a carpeted area, try placing a piece of plywood under your tom to reflect more of the sound. It may just work!

Hope this helps and let me know how you go on ...

Changing Drum Heads Regularly Improves Sound

When was the last time you changed your drum heads?

We sometimes get so focused on our technique and gig schedule that we forget about the sound of our drums.

Changing heads regularly will make a world of difference. The frequency with which we need to change heads will vary depending on how often we play the drums and how hard we hit them. The more regular the gigs and the harder we hit our drums means the more often we will need to change our drum heads.

Obvious, but not always obvious.

Look out for tomorrow's entry which is all about getting maximum resonance and best sound from, your toms.

Until tomorrow ...

Reducing Unwanted Snare Buzz

One of the most common problems I come across is drummers who hear a bit of sympathetic buzz from their snare when they hit a tom and panic, tightening the snare to extremes (I have recently seen a broken strainer wire through extreme tension to stop buzz).

The reality is, you will never stop snare buzz; it's a function of the drum.

We aim to produce snare drums of exquisite sensitivity ...

'... this snare drum was so sensitive you could blow on the top head and hear the snares buzz' wrote one reviewer in a drum magazine.

Well, if the gentle movement of air from our lips causes snares to buzz, won't the wall of air hitting the snare drum when we hit a tom or bass drum do the same? Yes! Of course it will.

The trick is to MINIMISE excessive buzz.

We want to achieve this with little or no interference with the natural properties of the drum; why spend hundreds of pounds/dollars on a great drum, only to choke it up? So, away with the Gaffa^TM tape and excessive tightening of the snares; away with taping the snares to the resonant (bottom) head.

The best place to start is with drum head tension.

A snare drum has two heads; top (batter) and lower (resonant). How these are tuned relative to each other, and within themselves will make a huge difference to the sound and response of the drum. We want the heads to work with each other and with the shell to produce a full resonant sound, whilst tensioning the snares to give great response without excessive buzz.

So here are a few tips that may help you to achieve this:

1. First tune the batter and resonant heads to mid-tension - excessive tensioning can cause problems with uncontrolled sympathetic snare buzz
2. Make sure both heads are evenly tensioned around the whole head using the opposites method (see here and here)
3. Make sure the batter and resonant heads are tuned to each other (a good start is the resonant about a quarter to half turn per tension bolt tighter). You will hear a nice resonant sound from the drum when these are tuned to each other (they will also be working with the shell)
4. Now check to make sure that the snare strainer wires are not bent or damaged. If the are damaged, replace the snare strainer with a good quality snare trainer (such as those made by Puresound, which are quite expensive but really do make a difference to the sound of the drum).
5. When you have obtained a good drum and snare sound with mid tuning, try adjusting the tension of the batter and resonant heads together, by the same amount and see how the re-tuning influences the amount of snare buzz when you play other drums.

This process can be slow and quite laborious at first but as you get to know your drum it will be quicker with time.

Please note that different setting-up positions can influence the sound and amount of buzz significantly. For example, if you're set up in a corner or with your back to a wall, probably the favourite location for the drummer :), the amount of reflected sound will be much greater and therefore, the amount of snare buzz will be greater. So, wherever possible, keep out of corners and aways from walls!

and now ...

A couple of hints to improve the overall sound of your snare drum

Do not over-tighten the snare basket as this can compress the hoops and distort them,putting uneven pressure across the snare head and leading to problems with tuning, muffling and the drum generally not sounding at its best

Be aware that different snares (number of strands, material, tension and alignment on the resonant head) make a big difference to the snare drum sound; some may be drier in sound, others fuller in sound, others brighter, others darker. Do your research and choose according to what you want.

...and it goes without saying that ...

Different heads (batter and resonant) influence the sound of your drum, along with the combination of heads you use!

If your snare drum sounds rubbish, check the above in the order they're presented as that will potentially save you a lot of time, effort and money.

I hope this helps. I'm always happy to hear your feedback and what works/doesn't work for you.

Please keep in touch ...

Tutors & Teachers

I come across many inspiring drummers who are self-taught. However, I come across many more who are great because they've learnt from others.

It's no big shame to admit that someone else helped us get to where we are, because whatever we do in life, someone else, whether we like it or not, has helped us there: by advice, support, assistance, direct or indirect input.

So when it comes to drumming we're no different. We may be self-taught but that cannot be in isolation. At some stage we have heard someone play, been inspired by seeing a band live, listened to music, watched television, known a friend, known the friend of a friend ... etc.

For a number of years I worked away on my own, trying to learn new rhythms, refining my style of playing, tuning my drums, even setting up my kit. I looked at photos and listened to music, even occasionally watched TV and all I did was get more confused ... because everyone seemed to do things differently.

Then I had the opportunity to get a few drum and percussion lessons ... and that revolutionised my playing. A few lessons did more for my development and knowledge than months, even years of trying to do it alone. Sure, we all want to develop our own style (hopefully!) but we can learn so much from others, and if we don't like it we don't have to take it any further ... but if we don't have anything in the first place, we can't make that decision.

I haven't always had easy access to a personal drum or percussion tutor/teacher, but the advent of DVDs has been a great help and source of inspiration. I'm not talking so much about the DVDs which are simply an excuse for a well known drummer to blind us with their skill and showcase their thing but have little educational value, I'm talking about DVDs which are made by drummers and educators who want their audience to actually learn something from what they offer. About a year-and-a-half ago I came across a drummer called Jared Falk who was starting to put together teaching DVDs and workbooks which really broke everything down into easy-to-digest pieces and used multiple angle, close-up photography with added slow motion footage so that I could really see what was happening. I would recommend that you check out their now wide (and ever-increasing) range of DVDs, play-along CDs/DVDs and workbooks which are some of the most reasonably priced products for what you get, on the market. See what you think and take a look here.

Until next time ...

Buena Vista Social Club (Orquestra Buena Vista)

I first came across the Buena Vista Orchestra when I saw an advert on Amazon for an album called Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall. And there started a musical journey which has introduced me to some truly great musicians, many of whom were living in obscurity (even within their own country) following the Castro revolution.

These musicians were not only great players, they were legends; instrumental in creating the musical fabric of Cuba and wider Latin music. The album was recorded in 1998 and by the time it was released in 2008, many of the stars who made it had died, but not before their dreams had been exceeded with many enjoying international fame, travelling and celebrity status; a fitting epitaph to those concerned. Their popularity continues and some of the remaining members still tour today in Orquestra Buena Vista ... which brings me to the title: I will see them live for the first time in 15 days.

I had the privilege of seeing Eliades Ochoa, custodian of the Buena Vista Social Club anthem, Chan Chan play live at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall earlier this year. No drummer, just a congero who also happened to play cowbells and bongos at the same time with impeccable taste and skill. Add a pianist, a guiro player, a tres/guitarist, bass player and two trumpeters and you have a blistering set-up that had even the super-conservative Brits on their feet.

Their CDs are rarely off my hi-fi or iPod. If want something to broaden your musical experience, challenge your sense of time and move you forward then I recommend that you check out Buena Vista Social Club.

Here are a few albums and DVDs that will introduce you to their music ... and introduce them to your heart!

Buena Vista Social Club CDs

Buena Vista Social Club

Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall


Buena Vista Social Club DVDs

Buena Vista Social Club [1999] [DVD]

Buena Vista Social Club [DVD] [1999]

Tuning Drums - Free PDF Download

I recently received a great little PDF file on tuning drums.

It covers drums with different numbers of lugs and the tensioning sequence. The author, Dave Atkinson, calls it a Drum Tuning Map I guess because it draws out for you how to tune your drums.

I have also read a couple of other articles recently and it seems that different people have their own particular preference for the order in which we should tension the tuning rods. WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER IS that the main objective of any tuning sequence or operation is to get the drum head tuned evenly all around. The 'opposites' method is used with thinner synthetic heads on drums (but cannot be used with thick, natural skin/rawhide conga heads as these exert so much pressure that they could distort the shell if tuned in this way ... they are tuned around the head ... see conga-tuning article on this web site).

I have recently seen a couple of really excellent DVDs on drum tuning. These are

• Drum Tuning System by Mike Michalkow
• Russ Miller - Drum Set Crash Course Tuning Edition [DVD]

Both DVDs take you step by step through tuning the different drums and show close-ups with full explanation of all techniques used. these are two different individuals who have their own sound and method (and both guys are humble enough to point out that their's is not the only way) BUT they will both give you a great resource for helping your kit sound at its best.

Anyway, here's the link to the tuning map that I promised.

Let me know how you get on ... I'm always really pleased to hear your feedback.

Until next time ...

How Drum Hoops/Rims Affect Drum Sound

With the ever increasing range of drums available, understanding what we're buying is more important than ever.

By understanding a few basics of drum design and construction we can better understand why our drums sound like they do (and how we can influence or change them if necessary).

This short article looks at the influence of the drum counterhoops or rims on drum sound.

Metal Rims

Pressed steel hoops (those which have been shaped from a ring of steel) increase the overtones and resonance of the head, leading to a bigger, more 'open' sound, producing a stronger fundamental (basic note) tone. Great for toms.

Die-Cast hoops are thick, much more rigid hoops made by casting metal (these were the mainstay of the original Premier drums). Diecast hoops reduce overtones and resonance, producing a drier (less ring) tone with more attack (top end when your stick hits the head). They work well on snare drums and where less ring and resonance is desired.

Wooden Rims

Some drum companies such as Ayotte and Yamaha make wooden hoops as an option on some of their drums. Wooden hoops are a step up in resonance from pressed steel hoops, producing a much more resonant and bigger sound overall. However, they do sit much higher on the head so the 'rim' produced is much deeper, which takes some adaptation when playing and is not everyone's preference.

Hope this helps.

Until next time ...

Replacing Drum Heads - The Basics - Preparation

Many of us replace our drum heads quite rarely, and when we do we're in a hurry to get the new heads on. However, a bit of time spent preparing the drums for their new heads will pay dividends in terms of sound and longevity.
So here are a few tips:

1. Remove the old heads and all tension rods.
2. Wipe the rims down with a clean cloth (remove any corrosion or evidence of dirt that is stuck on with a cleaner such as T-Cut (or equivalent), being careful not to damage or distort the hoop whilst you're doing this.
3. Wipe the bearing edges of the drum (top and bottom) with a clean damp cloth to remove dirt and then dry off.
4. Make sure the shell is clean and that all fluff, lint or debris is removed.
5. Check the tension rods for signs of wear and if necessary, apply a little Lug Lube^TM or petroleum jelly to the thread. This will greatly prolong their life and make tuning your drum easier.
6. Clean nut boxes and other hardware attached to the drum shell (it's a lot easier when it's been dismantled)

And there we have it. A few simple steps that will help to prevent problems later on. You can now replace your drum heads. A few suggestions can be found here.

Great Bass Drum Sound - Tuning Quick Tip

If you're trying to get a full, deep sound from your bass drum try the following:

1. Tension the back (batter) head and your front (resonant) head so that they are equally tensioned all-around
2. Tuning each head in turn: Press in the middle of the head with the palm/heel of your hand and slowly de-tune each tension bolt by about a quarter of a turn (ensure you use the opposites method as described here) until the head shows wrinkles around the edge. It is important to ensure that the tuning remains even at each tension rod so complete the de-tuning sequence even if wrinkles begin to appear before you've de-tuned every rod).
3. Once all tension rods have been de-tuned by the same amount, re-tension each bolt by one complete turn.

This should give you the deepest sound possible from your bass (kick) drum.

We all have our personal preferences and so you may need to tweak the tuning of the batter and resonant heads to your own personal taste, but this method gives you a great starting point.

Some people advise that the drum should be parallel to the floor so as to reduce pressure on the rear tension hoop and give the deepest tuning. Other exponents (e.g., Russ Miller) advocate raising the front of your bass drum slightly (by about the thickness of your hand) so that when you play the bass pedal, the beater strikes the batter head when it is in the vertical position, thereby gaining maximum pedal control.

I guess it's a case of see what suits you best. As with all things avoid extremes and be prepared to experiment with what suits YOU (not your favourite drummer!) best.

There's further information on the Waywood Music web site for general drum tuning and bass/kick drum tuning.

Until next time ...