Drumskins/Heads for the Right Mood!

The composition of a drumskin (or head) significantly defines the sound and sustain of a drum. Yet, the wide variety doesn´t really make the choice easier! To start with a single-layered, medium-sized (approx. 0,25 mm) head will do. It will make an open, crispy sound with a long titillation. Double-layered versions are longer keeping, they create a higher pressure and sound shorter and fatter. The white coat of a lot of skins cushion the high overtones and allow warmer, softer stick-attacks. Special dots glued onto the middle of the skin or skin-rings at the edges induce distinctive attack-sounds. Especially on the bass drum these dots account for a modern, dry punch with an open sound that hardly needs cushioning. It´s very seldom that skins are oiled between the foils or have very small holes at the edge - both versions make an extremly dry sound. But with this wide variety the best thing to do is to test them all out!

Skins should be reared onto the drum evenly. To do so, lay the drumskin face down and then put the drum ring on top and quickly fasten the screws until they are finger-fest. If the distance between the ring and the shell is equal all around then it fits. If not, just adjust evenly and tighten the skin firmly. So that this will work out right, the tuning wrench only rotates half-way. After 2 - 3 full rotations the drum should make a deep noise. Despite all evenness please test the desired tone pitch and make sure the head is harmonious. Just tip your fingers 2 -3 cm away from from every tuning wrench and listen to hear if the tone at each screw sounds the same. If not, each wrench has to be tuned according to the tuning wrench opposite. Minimal adjustments should do to even the tone out - you just need patience!