a link to songs with this set up

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/443543/

I have very little experience with drum gear and don't know enough about it to differentiate the junk from the good stuff. It looks like one has to order the hi hat seperately.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/447482/

Is there such a thing as a snare drum that can be activated via foot pedal like a hi hat? Is that a snare drum to the right of Walter's feet?

The drum on the left of "Spontobeat's" first picture is indeed a snare drum. He is activating it using a drummer's double foot pedal, which is usually used to play a drum set with double-bass drums. On his second picture, you can see the head of the beater that is hitting the snare drum head. What I'm not sure about is how he has it set up so that the pedal and snare don't move around (Spontobeat, if you visit this thread again, perhaps you'd be willing to share that info?)...on the bass drum there is a special fat rim that you actually can connect the foot pedal to, using a clamp that all foot pedals have.

I would recommend a trip to your local music store if you're close to a good one. A decent store that has been in business for a while will usually have some good used drum equipment that you can check out in person, and they might have a hi-hat and cymbals together for a decent price. Same as guitars, used drum stuff is way cheaper!

I hope that helps and that I didn't tell you a buncha stuff you already know...

it's easy to convert a 16 inch floor tom into a compact bass. the easiest way is to use a Pearl JG16 conversion bracket. drumwind.com sells them for $33.00. you would need an additional bracket, a Pearl I.S.S. which attaches to the drum's hoop. these are cheap also.

i prefer to use proper bass drum hoops and mount onto a cradle. the only one i know still being made is made by Danmar. to me this choice is merely a question of style. it is more costly for sure.

either choice will allow the drum to ring freely without any hardware rattle.

as for the hihat i suggest trying some out scott. the hihat stand should feel sturdy enough that it doesn't sway when you kick it aggressively. they tend to walk away from you too so you will want to get one with adjustable spikes that you can drive into a piece of carpet or something. i like the good old welcome mat. lighter weight stands are more portable for you street guys but you trade a little stability. it should operate quietly. the cheaper stuff tends to make metal upon metal noise.

the cymbals are the real issue. crucial to try some out so you get an idea of how much the weights, materials, and manufacturing techniques affect the sound. you can go to the zildjian web page and listen to samples. i prefer the K series myself but again it's a question of taste. i will say that cheap cymbals sound like crap.

you may find too that it is not as easy to get consistent tone from direct percussion devices such as these versus kicking your porchboard which delivers a much narrower range of sound. having heard walter play in SF back in the day i can vouch that he gets a great sound from his setup. takes just sitting with it and kicking it over and over to develop your touch.

I secure the snare to the wood base, with a metal tab coming off it, to the pedal fastener. I like to use what is lying around the house, and my fastener is actually a latch I had left over from securing our garage doors with locks. The wood base for the snare is from a 1940's bowling alley. My friends family own a local bowling alley, and about 5 years ago were replacing the alleys with some kind of plastic like wood substitute. The old alleys were in 6' &12' lenghts and you could have all you wanted for free. I took 2 6' sections, because the 12' were too heavy. They are solid maple. I also picked up a few 3' sections that were there. I used the wood from them, to make the snare stand. It took some trial and error to get everything to fit right, and for the pedals to hit the snare and bass at the same instant. I had a bigger piece of plywood for the snare base, but as you can see in the club picture, the stage barely accomodates me. I cut most of the plywood base off, so no one would trip ( I play this place every saturday). I am thinking of drilling a couple of big screws through the snare casing, and directly into the wood base, for a more secure fit, but it hasn't fallen off yet, so, as they say, if it aint broken, don't fix it. The snare only cost $25, so I am not worried about drilling holes in it. I have been trying to rig an interchangable brush to stick set up on the snare, but haven't figured it out right yet.

I was hoping to get a delay when I hit the bass pedal- first the bass drum would sound, and then the snare, but again, that involves fulcrums and differential concepts, that are over my head. My drummer, katherine, tells me I am backwards with my feet, and the high hat goes on the left foot, and the bass drum on the right, but I am set in my ways. I guess when you play it all by yourself, there is no right way. THanks for the interest! Walter

here is my studio set up:

I have been doing the 1 man band about 35 years, and have figured out how to get a splash or snap out of the high hat, and by not following throught on the bass drum pedal, till it stops when it hits the skins, I can get a bouncing effect, kind of like a natural delay.

You saw me Peter? Man, I wish I could see your face, then I would remember.

When I was the house band at the black cat lounge, in austin, evan johns and the h bombs played there alot. THe stage was small, so jim starboard, the drummer, would use a floor tom for a bass. It sounded great, but then you don't get to have a big, cool decorated drum head!

this one was from this summer in seattle, at gasworks park, playing the washington state blues society festival. Douglas Mckenzie, who has played with me, on and off, for 30 years, is on bass.

[This message has been edited by walter tore (edited 11-29-2005).]

walter: it was probably 1989 when i heard you doing your thing so my face has changed sonce then. you were down by pier 39 i think. i used to go to the drum jams down there. i remember being so impressed that you were playing a snare drum with your foot. still haven't seen anyone else do that. the sound was huge reverberating off the bricks. like the pic of your new bass drum head by the way.

scott: i owned a porchboard for a while but i could never dial in the exact sound i was looking for and moved back to my drums. i liked the porchboard however and found it to be a well designed and useful piece of gear.

quote:

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Originally posted by peter:
sorry if my post covered the same ground as ed's. i somehow overlooked that one.

walter: it was probably 1989 when i heard you doing your thing so my face has changed sonce then. you were down by pier 39 i think. i used to go to the drum jams down there. i remember being so impressed that you were playing a snare drum with your foot. still haven't seen anyone else do that. the sound was huge reverberating off the bricks. like the pic of your new bass drum head by the way.

scott: i owned a porchboard for a while but i could never dial in the exact sound i was looking for and moved back to my drums. i liked the porchboard however and found it to be a well designed and useful piece of gear.

funny you should ask about my new record. it was produced by corey harris who plays and sings on a few tracks (funny thing is that he also played the percussion on the only 2 tracks that feature it.) has just gone to the duplicator so it should be available quite soon. no djs on this one though we did play together on a short tour right after the session.

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How can I hear your music Peter? I hate to be honest , but in 1989, I was living and playing in Austin, Texas. I wonder who that 1 man band was? Do you remember TT Fingers? He had no hand on the left arm, and only a thumb and index finger on the right. He was a big guy, who played slide guitar and sounded like a howling wolf type. He played the streets of SF for years. I got to be good friends with him, when my band was based out of Brussels. Sadly he was(I wonder if he is still alive)a hopless alcoholic. A talent that never clicked. He couldn't handle mainstream life. Walter

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Stomp-Box-get-a-kick-drum-sound-at-the-tap-of-a-foot_W0QQitemZ7370661774QQcategoryZ622QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The website is a little outdated, but you can get a general idea of what I am going for:

A Portable Foot-Played Acoustic Drum Kit!

www.farmerfootdrums.com