Behind The Kit 40
The Art of Cast Cymbal Making
The modern cymbal brings life, complexity or even darkness to a composition like nothing else. From the fast and fiery splash cymbal, to booming and ominous oversized ride cymbals, each has unique characteristics and sound. But some of the best and most prestigious-sounding cymbals from brands like Zildjian and Sabian are built the same way […]
Dave Elitch on Sabian HHX Complex Cymbals
The Sabian HHX family gains a few new members with the historic launch of the Complex Series. The zZounds crew flew out to meet Sabian artist and certified ripper-behind-the-kit Dave Elitch to talk about HHX Complex cymbals. Elitch is playing a mixture of HHX Complex medium cymbals and HHX thin cymbals. Elitch has worked with […]
Steve Ferrone on Sabian HHX Complex Cymbals
In celebration of the Sabian HHX Complex launch, the zZounds crew had the privilege of experiencing Steve Ferrone behind the kit playing the Sabian HHX Complex thin series cymbals. Ferrone is a legend in the music scene, touring and recording with the likes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eric Clapton, Rick James, Chaka Khan, […]
How the 1950s and ’60s Shaped the Modern Drum Set
The 1950s and ’60s were legendary for music, and the beating heart of all the early rock ‘n’ roll, folk and pop songs from that era was the drums. Drum kits and hardware had evolved heavily before the 1950s with changes coming every few years to how artists played their sets. Still, it wasn’t until […]
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 Evolution of Drum Sets: The Early Years
Just like humans, the drum kit has evolved over the years. And just like humans, drum kits have made their biggest strides in technology and refinements in the last century. The modern drum kit has only been around for about 100 years, but humans have been drumming forever, so why have the last 100 years […]
Sabian Launches Updated, UNBOUND AAX Cymbals
Sabian’s AAX family of cymbals has been one of the most popular and widely available cymbal collections on the market since their launch in 1993. But those AAX cymbals back in ’93 were much different from the ones proudly listed in the zZounds Drum category today! During NAMM 2019 Sabian launched a new logo and […]
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 […]
Andrew Marshall Talks Drumming for Billie Eilish and His Monster Live Kit
Andrew Marshall is a working drummer who has played and produced for dozens of artists and bands. Currently he’s supplying beats and live production on Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? tour. zZounds sat down with Andrew in the depths of the United Center during their stop in Chicago to […]
