Clara first started playing percussion in school band in 2004, and has played in several bands as a multi instrumentalist ever since, specializing in guitar, synth, drums, and production. Clara’s most used gear includes her iPad Pro (5th gen), Moog Matriarch, Akai MPC One, various modular synth gear, TASCAM 414 MKII, MIJ J Mascis Jazzmaster, and 1964 Ludwig Super Classic drum kit. In addition to her fondness for cymbals and vintage synths, Clara is a local fashion icon.
How Does Drum Size Affect Tone?
Drummers, like all musicians, have certain preferences on what they play. Some drummers like bigger drums, some like smaller drums. Do you prefer deep or shallow shells? Maybe you don’t care at all, and that’s okay too. Below you’ll find the unbiased disclosure on how drum size might factor into your overall sonic signature. Diameter […]
The Women Who Pioneered Electronic Music
It’s no secret that synthesizers have been on the come up in recent years. Modular synthesis is booming like never before due to its compactness and affordability, and wishlists from virtually every retailer are filled top to bottom with synths of every variety. I find it important though to look back on how we got […]
Experimental Drumming Ideas for Beginners & Intermediate Players
One thing that made learning drums harder for me at a young age was that it felt more like homework than having fun. Below, I’ll list a few approaches to drumming that helped me to spice things up a little bit (and later, applied to my life as a drummer in bands). DJ Snare Wire […]
How Drum Heads Affect Your Tone
Drum heads: an oft-debated subject for drummers in which hard-and-fast opinions abound. Clear or coated? Single ply or double ply? Let’s dig into this debate and learn what impact drum heads have on the sound of your kit. Ply Put simply, the ply refers to how many layers of material your drum head has. More […]
Cymbal Anatomy Part 7: Effects
There is an entire world outside of your hi-hats, crash, and ride cymbals that you might be ignoring. From the brash to the subtle, using effects cymbals can add a lot of personality to your sound. With an ever-expanding product category, it would be impossible to cover it all, so here is a look into […]
A Beginner’s Guide to Tape Music (1944-1970)
From scholarly and avant-garde beginnings to ambient soundscapes of the 21st Century, there is something for virtually every listener and performer to be found in tape music. What we’re discussing here is not just a performance recorded to tape, but compositions, experiments, and live sets using tape as an instrument. The Beginning It would be […]
Cymbal Anatomy Part 6: Alloys
At the cynosure of your cymbal’s tone, the widely discussed, and wildly differentiating: alloy. The alloy is the blend of metals that makes up your cymbal and shapes its sound possibly more than any other factor. Generally speaking, most cymbals are made from any variety of copper-based alloys. I’m just going to go through some […]
Cymbal Anatomy Part 5: Cymbal Cracks
The dreaded cymbal crack is an issue that plagues drummers of all sects, and also plagues their bank accounts. This article will cover some basic dos and don’ts as general guidelines (and not a rule book). Cymbal Stand Height and Angle One of the best things I ever did for my drumming was lowering my […]
Cymbal Anatomy Part 4: Bell Size
Bells are an over-looked aural enveloper. Whether or not you’re riding them on a funk chorus, or blast-beating them straight into the abyss, this part of the cymbal really impacts your cymbal’s overall sound. Let’s look at how the size of a cymbal’s bell (or whether or not a cymbal has a bell) shapes your tone. Flat […]
