Comments

• brainstrm (03 Mar 2006 17:13)

  This is not my kit but I have played it a lot . Most of the Project : Brainstorm songs were recorded using my own kit but I had this set at my house for a couple of years and used it for "Damage" , "Martian Boogie" , "Betrayal be thy Name" and a few others . There are a few more cymbals just out of the picture - it is hard to fit it all in frame 8 )

• dsstrlght (03 Mar 2006 17:43)

  cool! You play it well.

• brainstrm (03 Mar 2006 17:57)

  Thankya ! I miss having a serious kit to play everyday - it's very inspiring 8 )

• dsstrlght (04 Mar 2006 8:59)

  Proper tools are a necessity.

• brainstrm (04 Mar 2006 9:48)

  Absolutely ! This kit is all mounted to a Gibraltar rack which makes the whole drumset much more stable . The rack system helps my playing tremendously since everything is clamped in place rather than bouncing around and sliding away as conventional stands do . Another benefit of the rack is the isolation of the parts - the toms and cymbals are mounted to the rack , free of the bass drums . Hitting the bass drum doesn't vibrate the other drums the way a conventionally mounted kit does , so it is a much cleaner sounding kit overall . Last not least - this kit can be set up very fast and packed up even faster ! The rack can be set up offstage then carried onstage all at once , which saves a lot of setup time at a gig with multiple bands .
  My setup is now more similar to this kit . I went to a single Slingerland 22" bass drum with a Yamaha Flying Dragon chainless direct drive double - bass pedal , where for many years I used two 20" bass drums with matching vintage Ghost pedals . I have always preferred two bass drums but the Yamaha pedal feels every bit as good and of course the 22" kick sounds much bigger . Using the single bass drum allows more space to set everything up closer to me , even though I am still using stands rather than a rack .
  "Deepskystarlight" is the first song I did with my 22" bass drum setup which to me is the best drum sound I've gotten so far . I also did "Master Fader" "Bite the Bullet" and "Scream to the Edge" on my own kit .

• emossuck (04 Mar 2006 11:57)

  wowowowoowo a little cymbal crazy are we? xDDD awsome sound

• charlie8j (05 Mar 2006 8:46)

  sorry, haven't checked in...cool picture...

• brainstrm (07 Mar 2006 11:32)

  Thankya ! Actually I am A Lot cymbal crazy 8 ) There are a few more just out of view ! Each cymbal has its own "voice" and pitch - I use them all .
  I think it sounds better in a long run of crashes to hit a new one each time to avoid interrupting the decay , letting each one ring out . You can hear this effect in "Damage" in the ending section - note how the pitch of each cymbal stands out over the 7 crashes .
  Any drumset will sound better with quality heads and proper tuning of the drums - I have heard cheap sets sound great , and expensive sets sound terrible , all a matter of tuning . However , to me the cymbal sound makes or breaks the sound of the whole kit - it is the one area you can't skimp on . In the case of cymbals you definitely get what you pay for - there is no comparison between the cheaper stamped-metal vs. properly made hand hammered cymbals in tone or durability . My favorite is the good ol' Zildjian "A" in brilliant finish which is a highly polished traditional style cymbal . I also have a Paiste Sound Formula 18" crash that sounds really good , and my mid-line stamped and milled 18", 16", and 8" Sabian B8Pros are ok but the better Sabians are comparable to the Zildjian "A" . The Sabian B8Pros are a good alternative price-wise but higher end ones like their AA , HH , Paragon , and the Zildjian "A" are much more friendly to the ear .
  Drum tuning is very much a personal preference issue . I feel that a lot of ringing sustain from the drums clutters the mix , be that live or studio . My kit isn't totally muffled flat but isn't near as live as most drummers prefer . To me it helps get a tighter more accurate effect overall and a more crankable mix . Yes , you can fix a lot of that through EQ and "noise gating" but I think it works better to have more of the kind of sound you want in the first place rather than trying to repair it in the mix . For the bass drum , the Aquarian Super-Kick 2 batter head and Regulator front head combination makes for very good sound . Both have felt muffling rings pre-attached and the two work together to give a much bigger tone than muffling the bass drum with pillows to prevent sustained over-ring . Expensive but worth it and definitely use both - the Regulator front head is the key !
  For the toms on my kit I use Remo Pinstripe heads (top only , no bottom heads) with a muffle-ring of drumhead material cut-out from old Pinstripe heads . For years I used the deeper sounding Pinstripes on my snare drums too but have lately been using thin heads like the white coated Remo Ambassador on my 12" Tama piccolo snare for a ringing sustained sound . On my standard size 14" Yamaha and 14"x12" Ludwig parade snare , I've been using clear and white coated Ambassadors and Aquarian Double-Thins (similar to a Remo Emperor.)

• dsstrlght (07 Mar 2006 20:13)

  That's very interesting

• brainstrm (09 Mar 2006 11:40)

  Glad you think so 8 )
  Here is a cool [ link ] from the Aquarian site with descriptions of their various drumheads . a comparison chart , and links for PDF documents on tuning tips .

• brainstrm (09 Mar 2006 11:54)

  This is another good [ link ] from the Zildjian site with info on how their cymbals are made , and another [ link ] from them on setup and technique .

• brainstrm (09 Mar 2006 12:14)

  And yet another [ link ] to the Yamaha drums page ! This [ link ] is the 9410 double bass pedal I use now .

• emossuck (09 Mar 2006 18:40)

  hahhahah awsome! x)

• svar91 (02 Apr 2006 16:11)

  damn! one more cymbal than me!

• brainstrm (03 Apr 2006 5:33)

  hehehe yes there are at least 3 more just out of frame 8 ) 8 ) 8 )

• dsstrlght (13 Apr 2006 20:13)

  hey now this one is image of the day! cool!

• LastMastr (26 Apr 2006 12:38)

  YOu know what i have to say about all those damn Cymbals, That there absolutely nessacary! That is if your into metal. :D
  
  p.s. "Charlie Murphy?" ..... I kno huh??

• brainstrm (28 Apr 2006 0:16)

  Gotta have them ! I like having a big variety of cymbals - they all have a different pitch , and part of the challenge is hitting just the right one to fit the spot in the song . I use everything from a 8" splash to a big chinese cymbal similar to the Wuhan china crash [ link ] . I was glad to see Wuhan making these - mine is a very old for-real Chinese cymbal so I've always been worried about cracking it . The Wuhan looks to be made the same way , with sort of a door-knob looking shape at the bell , and would probably be a good substitute especially for the price .
  The china crash sounds more like a metal trash-can lid than a cymbal , but used as a surprise - in the proper spot of the song - is priceless . Same with the little 8" and 10" splashes - they sound more like glass breaking than a long sustained cymbal . I use those more for emphasis now and then . I rely on the larger traditional cymbals most of the time , then give the splashes and china crash an occasional whack just to get attention !
  I have been lucky about breaking cymbals - I use very heavy hickory "3S" marching band drumsticks , but I use the weight and momentum of the stick as opposed to hitting hard as possible . Even when I'm playing everyday , my drumheads don't get all dented - my guess is the bigger bead on the "3S" stick spreads the impact more , and therefore dents the heads less . I haven't broken a cymbal yet !
  I'm definitely into metal all the way , but I still try to play musically and dynamically ! My favorite drummers are guys like Vinnie Paul (Pantera / Damageplan) , Scott Travis (Judas Priest) , Neil Peart (Rush) , Matt Cameron (Soundgarden / Pearl Jam) and Jakson Spires (Blackfoot) to name a few . Watching these guys play showed me the value of playing in a more artistic way as opposed to bashing away full-volume 100% of the time ! It's much more effective to play with more control , then come from nowhere with something flashy or loud - it's more interesting to leave room for the element of surprise !

• brainstrm (28 Apr 2006 0:22)

  oh yeah and Charlie Murphy hahahaha that guy is funny ( I love the Dave Chappelle show ! ) I think in the right movie role he would be just as funny as his brother Eddie 8 )

• charlie8j (28 Apr 2006 10:33)

  @ Charlie Murphy..."Harlem Nights" !!!!

• charlie8j (01 Jun 2006 18:38)

  hey, top image !!!

• dsstrlght (05 Nov 2006 11:36)

  #3 top image today and the ML is #1, you have two of the top three today!

• rayals (10 May 2008 22:23)

  REALLY COOL

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