I'm just wondering what might be the best tenor head, in everybody's opinion, to use. Plus I'm playing snare again this year and have been thinking about going back to tenors next year, but I just don't like the sound of them and my band director is too freaking stubborn to get some new tenors. We use the old Yamaha PowerLite tenors with Remo heads(not sure exactly what kind). To me, they sound kinda bad unless they're cranked very high (only tweaked on the 1st drum and it sounded good cranked up high). I'm wanting to get a tenor sound like SCV's tenors, or something close. It doesn't have to be exact. My B.D uses muffling tape to elimate the ring from the drum, but I'm wondering if maybe he uses a bit too much and maybe THAT'S what is making them sound bad.

Maybe it's the heads we use? Or maybe the drum itself? What drum OR head would you guys recommend? Or what would you recommend me trying to get a descent sound out of them..?

Thanks,

Kova

. . . Wow. Tape to muffle a set of TENORS?! Blasphemy.

The ringing comes from not tuning the heads high enough. Tenors get a good sound when they're tuned up high. Some ringing will occur, and it's supposed to occur. You won't be getting a natural sound from a set of Tenors if you muffle it. I've never heard of this being done before. Is your BD a Percussionist?

I can understand muffling Toms on a Drumset, but Tenors are built to sound more like a set of Timbales.

What kind of heads do you have? Clear, or coated? The clear are Pinstripes, the coated are Suedes. The name of the head should be on the head itself. Personally, I prefer the Suedes.

Tune your drums up. They obviously sounded nicer when tuned higher, so. And take off the damned muffling tape. If there's too much ringing for your Band or taste, then put SOME (A 3-4 inch strip) tape, or even less, on the opposite side from where you play (Should be as far from your body as possible).

(If one instructor in particular finds this, you may correct me. You know who you are.)

Haha, thanks. And no, my BD isn't a percussionist. He only plays trumpet and sax. The heads are clear. I haven't payed much attention to them since playing snare. So I'll probably unmute them and crank on them a little bit and see if I can get them sounding good. Thanks

Ok, so it's not the drums, it's the tuning and the muffling. Your band director should really take some advice from local marching percussionists. They will all tell him that muffling a set of tenors is ridiculous and dumb. You might as well not have them. The sound you are getting from the drums is because they aren't high enough. Powerlite drums can take the pressure of Field Corps tenors...to a point. You can tune them up and make them sound good, regardless of the kind of heads, but you might have to crank them.
As far as getting SCV's sound, it's not going to happen because 1.Your tenors aren't Deep shelled Pearls, and 2. I'm almost positive you don't use a large setup at your school.
Just try taking that muffling off and crank those heads. It should work, make sure you are tuning evenly on the drums though, that could also cause some overtones and ringing.

Lol I got him to let me mess with them during 2nd period today at school. He usually doesn't let me mess with any drums, but I think it's because he doesn't wanting me tuning them when all of the drummers are around and there was only one bass drummer and myself so he let me. I took the tape off and really didn't have to touch the heads. I only had to tune the 4th drum a little bit. After I got I finished I played them a second or two and the bass drummer said they sounded great. I told my B.D to come outside and hear them real quick and he said he liked the sound. Btw, we're using Remo Pinstripe heads. I hope he'll let us get new heads soon. Our heads are pretty old and he buys us new ones when they bust so maybe I should work on busting some heads and telling him to get us some new ones haha! Lol anywho, thanks. I was thinking it was the muffling myself, and to me our tenors are sounding better. Ha, the co-captain about freaked when he saw what I had done because I was talking to him about it this morning before school and he loves the sound. So I guess they turned out well.


Thanks again,

Kova

I myself like using EVANS Blue Hydraulic heads. However, during practices and such, I tend to switch to the Pinstripes (tuned insanely high) to get more of a bounce (for double sticking and whatnot).

I'm gonna work on getting some new heads. I've been thinking about switching back to tenors for next year and am wanting to get some new heads for them and I know for a fact my BD will say that we don't need any new heads right now.. He's just a little stubborn

Should'a told us the heads were old. That's another factor. After aging, weathering, and tuning, the heads stretch, so that'll affect the sound also.

Yep, I'm probably going to talk to my BD tomorrow about getting some coated heads. I guess I'd say the newest head was put on them around two years ago, give or take a little.

Also keep in mind the size of your drums...if you're using a small set of tenors and you're trying to get that SCV sound, its impossible.

Personally I prefer Remo Emperor Suedes. They've got a great sound and they have always lasted longer then pinstripes for me.

Yes. I understand that. I've tried to urge my BD to get us a new set of quints.. But I am going to try to get some new heads. Also, I heard from a guy who was in this drumline lastyear (got kicked out..) and he said that we could buy the small tenor (the quint or the 5th drum) that will just snap on the our quads and personally I've never heard of this. I mean We're using Yamaha PowerLite tenors and if we get a "snap on quint" it probably wouldn't sound the same as the other drums.. Just to get this straight, is it possible to buy a "snap on quint"?

You mean the Spock/Gock/Splock/Shock? There'a bunch of names for it. The little 6 inch drum that goes in the middle? You can't just "snap" it on. You have to by the Yamaha Spock (with the attachment to put the spock on -- There's a couple of threads around here about installing Spocks onto drums. It's actually quite easily. Just slide it in from the side of the Bar [You'll have to remove the part that connects the 4th drum or the 3rd drum to the carrier bar]). Not just any ol' Spock.

Yeah, Spocks give a nice little 'spock' sound and are great for accents and just accentuating the music. Plus, 5 drums are better than 4. This season you'll probably have to wait to incorporate the Spock into your show until next year.

Yeah. There's no way we could one right now. Too far along in marching season for one.. Ha, and I talked to my BD about getting new tenor heads today.. Ha..... ha... WE have to buy them he said.. As in, either only myself, or myself and the assist. captain... Omg he's too stubborn -.-. He can't let a couple bucks go from the band to get new heads, yet our color guard get every-fricken-thing they want.. Such as new uniforms like.. every year, plus new flags every year and our BD takes THAT money from the band for them.. X_x. Ugh.... Anywho, thanks again.