Got too much reverb on your drum track? In years past, there used to be nothing you could do about that, other than go back and re-record with closer mics or in a deader room. But sometimes, this isn’t an option. Luckily, with iZotope RX 7 you can actually de-reverb sounds, for a cleaner recording. […]
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 […]
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 […]
In Cymbal Anatomy, we’ve covered the structure of cymbals, from the bell down to the outermost lathed ring. With shape, thickness, and material (among other attributes) all making an important contribution in each cymbal’s unique sound, use this as your guide and reference to find the ideal cymbals for your kit! Hammering Those small divots […]
Art Cruz has been tearing it up behind the kit with acts like Prong and Winds of Plague for years. Recently, he has taken over for legendary drummer Chris Adler in Lamb of God, as well as for Mark Morton’s solo project. zZounds spoke with Art Cruz about drumming with legendary bands, the gear he […]
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 […]
So far, we’ve discussed attributes that affect your cymbals’ overall tone, namely its hammering and lathing. Here we’ll discuss one of the most important features that affects a cymbal’s aural envelope: thickness. The thickness of your cymbal shapes everything from strike feel to its attack, decay, sustain, and release (terms familiar to synthesists that might […]
The grooves that make the sound move: lathing. Lathing is the rarely mentioned cymbal spec you may not know about, but you’ve certainly seen. These record-like grooves allow the cymbal to resonate and send the resonant frequencies out into the world. Lathing is the process of removing surface material from the cymbal, while it is […]
Great recordings are defined by their drum sound. Think about your favorite album — can you picture that snare timbre in your head? Arctic Monkeys’ AM is a perfect example of a drum sound that truly defined an album. Tchad Blake took a high-energy group of performers and matched the mix to their personalities. I’ll admit […]