PDP’s x7 line of drums used to be made with poplar shells, but now it’s sporting all-maple tubs—a definite sonic and cosmetic improvement. Here’s an example of one of the new kits in a sparkly Elphaba green (which isn’t an officially sanctioned PDP color designation, of course):
It wasn’t just big brother DW unveiling cool stuff at NAMM this year. PDP had a sweet duo of new snares on show as well. The details are slim at this point, but we do have the all-important drum porn below. The first snare is the Rat Rod, a 14″ x 6.5″ maple drum in a matte black lacquer finish. It also includes very stylish tube lugs. The second snare is called the Woody and features an all-maple 14″ x 6.5″ shell, maple wood hoops, and tube lugs.
Taye Drums is introducing an all-new line of drums called StudioBirch. It features (as you will have quickly deduced from the name) seven plies of 100% premium-selected birch shells. Along with its patented EFS™ shell technology that brings attack, warmth, and a full tuning range, Taye is offering three new colors in the line: Natural to Black Burst (NBB), Galaxy Ice (GI), and Autumn Red (AR).
The new release of StudioBirch also brings about new bass drum sizes that were previously special order only. You can get two different sizes of 24″ kick drums (18″ and 16″ depths) and three different 22″ kick drums (20″, 18″, and 16″ depths). Buy one of each and make Terry Bozzio jealous.
[Press Release]
Sonor is pleased to announce the immediate release and availability of the new Sonor Special Edition (known as SSE) drum kits. This collection of drum kits comes configured with new shell sizes that are currently in demand, and ship with high-quality Sonor hardware. Like Sonor’s top of the line S Classix series, the new SSE kits feature birch shells, which provide excellent resonance, producing the deep tone you should expect from a quality birch kit.
“The SSE kits feature a brand-new look for Sonor and are available in three gorgeous new finishes with black powder-coated fittings,” said Sonor product manager Larry Nelson. “These kits combine German precision engineering and manufacturing with a unique new look and new shell sizes that produce the dynamic signature sound that drummers have come to expect from Sonor.”
The kits are available in striking Black Galaxy Sparkle, Silver Galaxy Sparkle, and Blue Purple finishes with new black powder-coated fittings. The SSE Rock 20 B1 and SSE Rock 22 B1 each retail for $1,399.99, have a MAP price of $799.99, and set a new standard for features, looks, and affordability. The SSE bass drums are virgin: by not drilling a mounting hole, we have retained the tone that is lost when a substantial amount of the drum is removed. The separate mounting hardware for the toms is included. The kit includes the vibration free Total Acoustic Resonance system (T.A.R.) mounting hardware for the tom.
The SSE Rock 20 B1 configuration includes:
The SSE Rock 22 B1 includes:
Small drum sets are still the new black, and Sonor knows it. The company is introducing two new 4-piece kits designed with modern rock drummers in mind.
The Force 2007 Rock kit features 9-ply birchwood shells that deliver distinctive highs, a full midrange, and a punchy bottom end. The Force 3007 Rock kit features 9-ply maple shells for a distinctively rich and warm sound.
The kits are configured as follows:
The Force 2007 Rock kit comes with an HS 275 hardware pack—a hi-hat stand, two mini-boom cymbal stands, and a bass drum pedal. The Force 3007 Rock kit comes with an HS 475 hardware pack—a hi-hat stand, two mini-boom cymbal stands, and a bass drum pedal. Both sets also include Sonor’s vibration free Total Acoustic Resonance System (T.A.R.) mounting hardware for the tom.
But that ain’t all. Sonor is introducing two new finishes for the 2007 Rock configuration: Natural Fade and Dark Green Burst. Four new finishes for the 3007 Rock model are available as well: Smooth Brown Burst, Smooth Red Burst, Black/Red Sparkle (with black powdercoat hardware), and Orange Sparkle Fade (with black powdercoat hardware).
The wallet damage? Not too bad actually. The Force 2007 Rock set will set you back from $1,399.99 to $1,499.99 (MSRP). The Force 3007 weighs in with an MSRP of $1,799.99.
Just like with the new DW hardware we posted about earlier today, we don’t have all the details regarding these two new Drum Workshop snares, including the all-important price point. But, hey, they’re DWs: you probably can’t afford them anyway.
First up is the Super Solid snare (first image below). It’s a 14″ x 5.5″ drum that is available in a maple or red oak shell and comes outfitted in any of the numerous Collector’s series finishes. Interestingly, the shell is also available in one of three thicknesses: 3/8″, 1/2″, 3/4″.
The second drum is a stainless steel snare you can grab up in six sizes: 13″ x 4.5″, 13″ x 5.5″, 13″ x 6.5″, 14″ x 4.5, 14″ x 5.5″, and 14″ x 6.5″.
Here’s a quick peek at some new hardware DW unveiled at NAMM 2009. We don’t have any prices yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start slobbering right away. Pictures in order of appearance below:
Finally. Band geeks have now got sweet, hot cymbals to fantasize about too.
[Press Release]
The first orchestral cymbals from Sabian to be included in its premium Vault Collection of cymbals and sounds see the innovative company flex its traditional craftsmanship roots and innovative design capability with the Artisan Traditional Symphonic pairing. Created in response to calls from top percussionists for cymbals that would equal or outperform those currently employed by some of the world’s leading orchestras, the Vault Artisan Traditional Symphonic pairings are crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, feature high-density hand hammering, and are available in sizes 16″ through 20″.
“Percussionists from the famed Philadelphia Orchestra and Vienna Philharmonic were among those requesting Sabian replicate their current cymbals, the sounds of which have faded due to the wear and tear of years of use,” said Sabian director of education Nick Petrella. “They recognized Sabian’s world-leading ability to craft hand-hammered cymbals in the traditional style and worked with us to ensure our designs and the sounds they produced met or exceeded their performance criteria.”
Vault Artisan Traditional Symphonic cymbals are individually hand crafted by master Sabian artisans. They are quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
[Press Release]
Following the recent introduction of 16″ and 18″ Artisan crashes to its Vault Collection, Sabian is pleased to debut Artisan hi-hats in 13″, 14″, and 15″ sizes. Consisting of a medium top and heavy bottom, these pairings feature high-density hand hammering with a touch of innovation to deliver a dry, dark, and complex traditional tone with a touch more character and great sticking response. The 14″ pairing delivers a combination of soft, warm sticking and pedal response; the 13″ set is tighter, more defined; and the 15″ produces a bigger, deeper, slushier sound that makes it ideal for players seeking a fatter, funkier sound.
“Artisan Hats are traditional in every sense of the word, but we’ve enhanced their response with a touch of innovation,” said Sabian master product specialist Mark Love. “The result is—like the Artisan ride and crashes—a soft sticking feel and a response that is deep, dark, and funky, but with an edgy ‘bite.’ Funk, blues, jazz, and groove drummers in general will find these have great tone and feel.”
Vault Artisan Hats consist of a medium top and heavy bottom. They are hand crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, available in a natural or brilliant finish, and quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
[Press Release]
Sabian has added a crash model to its Vault Artisan range of premium, professional cymbals. The Artisan crash, a thin/extra-thin model in 16″ and 18″ sizes, was designed in the Sabian Vault to produce a dark, traditional tone enhanced with the benefit of modern projection. Featuring high-density hand hammering by Sabian master artisans and a touch of innovation, the Artisan crash offers traditional tonal darkness and complexity.
“Artisan crashes have been the single most requested Sabian model since the introduction of the Artisan ride,” noted Sabian product specialist David Williams. “The Artisan ride reminded drummers of the real value of traditional hand-hammered cymbal craftsmanship. As a result we had so many requests for similar hats and crashes that we researched early cymbal designs and then designed what we feel is a better traditional crash. This Artisan model has that soft, warm, deeply musical tone drummers have been asking for.”
Hand crafted from Sabian B20 bronze, the Artisan crash features high-density hand hammering for maximum tonal complexity. This is augmented with jumbo-peen dimpling to increase tonal quality and projection. All Artisan models are quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
Hey look, another drumming product with a logo.
[Press Release]
The Gig Shirt is a totally new shirt design for the Sabian range of SoftWear clothing. Designed to deliver high-tech performance for players onstage and off, this stylish design features a 2″ glossy gel-print Sabian logo in the center upper-chest position. Gig shirts are available exclusively in black, with a choice of black, gold, or red logo colors.
Said Sabian senior marketing manager Wayne Blanchard: “With its slim, athletic design and moisture wicking anti-microbial micro-fiber fabric, the Sabian Gig Shirt is designed to perform better than the rest. It doesn’t shrink, it doesn’t wrinkle, it is fade-resistant, packs easily, and it looks great onstage and off. Because this is a high-quality shirt with a tasteful logo design, prototypes have proven exceptionally popular with virtually everyone. For players, especially those on tour, this shirt is the ideal wash ‘n’ wear choice. It’s a shirt you can live in!”
Top players including Dave Weckl, Terry Bozzio, Seven Antonopoulos, Ray Luzier, and Jojo Mayer are already into the Gig Shirt.
The Gig Shirt is slim-cut, so many wearers find the next size up from their norm to be the most suitable.
[Press Release]
Responding to popular demand, Sabian has introduced the 21″ HHX Raw Bell Dry ride. The company’s Raw Bell Dry ride design is now available in all four primary Sabian series—the vintage-sounding AA and HH lines as well as the modern AAX and HHX lines. With its hot, simmering sound and innovative “Tone Projection” design, the HHX Raw Bell Dry ride offers consistently solid stick response and a loud bell, making this modern, dark-sounding model suitable for a full range of music—from jazz, latin, and blues to rock and beyond.
“Because it delivers consistently crisp stroke articulation wherever the drumstick lands, the Raw Bell Dry ride design is considered by many to offer the ultimate in performance versatility,” said Sabian product specialist Lorenzo Wright. “This HHX version has a large, unlathed bell and a surface heavily textured by jumbo-peen hammering. This HHX version has ‘Tone Projection,’ so its dark, simmering sound projects through the music around it. For a modern dark sound and great versatility, the Raw Bell Dry ride is the answer.”
Crafted from pure Sabian B20 bronze, the 21″ HHX Raw Bell Dry ride is quality-protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
Sabian designed its APX line to slice through high-volume guitar antics, so it’s no surprise the Solid hi-hats are welcoming a larger and decidedly louder member to the family.
[Press Release]
The latest addition to the Sabian APX series of cymbals is the 15″ Solid Hat. Designed to deliver sheer and bright sounds to cut through the raging guitars and high-powered amps of today’s loudest rock bands, the heavier APX Solid models not only make it easier to be heard but also deliver penetrating volume and cut, taking less energy to play and giving players the freedom to focus on their performance instead of playing extra hard in an effort to be heard.
“For sheer cut and power, APX Solid models are ideal because they deliver an extremely bright, tightly focused, and high-powered glassy sound that cuts through the loudest and heaviest bands,” said Sabian product specialist David Williams. “These 15″ Solid Hats deliver fast, crisp, and clear, so even the most complex strokes are heard through the music.”
APX cymbals are crafted from uni-rolled bronze, which according to Williams “is the ideal metal for tonally, tight, bright and focused sounds.” Solid Hats are also available in 13″ and 14″ sizes. APX cymbals are quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
Aside from (maybe) a rough sense of rhythm, there isn’t one goddamned thing you can learn about guitar from Rock Band. Hitting a plastic bar while mashing plastic keys obviously does exactly shit for your skills. The same can be said for Rock Band bass, and if you’re the “singer” in your Rock Band band, you’re a sad attention whore. But what about drums?
Well, let’s look at this dude. Over a million people have watched him play “Enter Sandman,” and he’s used this fame to say the game teaches some limited fundamentals on drumming. He then goes on to say that everyone has a “musical mind” and that this game releases it. Maybe I’m missing something, but when I think about what separates a musician from a Microsoft employee, it’s more than a passable electronic rendition of “Man in the Box.”
Here is a video of Mitch Mitchell, a revolutionary drummer by anyone’s estimation, demonstrating his impressive drum skills with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. A little over 120,000 people have watched this. Now here’s a video of some choad playing “Chop Suey” by System of a Down on Rock Band drums. Nearly 400,000 views. Of some random dude. Playing “Chop Suey.” On Rock Band drums.
Now I know in the world of YouTube, even more so than in other places, people love to watch total garbage. And I know that a lot of kids these days are much more into seeing Travis Barker play a Soulja Boy song than looking up Terry Bozzio, but this doesn’t make me any more optimistic about the attitude cultivated by Rock Band when it comes to musicianship.
Am I jealous that this didn’t exist when I was a teenager? Fuck no. If it did, I probably would’ve been happy enough to play fake drums over some Green Day song instead of actually learning an instrument and creating my own music. You know, the cool thing musicians do. And it’s not like you can play any song you want on Rock Band. I know they keep expanding the game to include even more Nickelback tunes, but an entire swath of amazing musicianship is being ignored so Gene Simmons can go cash another check.
The main problem, though, is that the visceral enjoyment most drummers get out of their instrument is completely neutered. Some of these YouTube stars talk about how they also play real drums and gaming is just as fun. These people are either bad drummers or their parents won’t allow them to keep living for free in the basement unless they stop being loud.
I’m not saying that the game is easy. I watched this, and it didn’t seem easy. But there’s a lot of shit that’s hard to do that doesn’t make you a better musician, and being a good musician is still harder than anything you do on this dumb game.
Now of course I’m willing to accept that I’m blowing this out of proportion and that there are still plenty of kids out there (my two-year old nephew included) who are picking up real live drums instead of this nerdy, shameful alternative. But when people start feeling as though they’re almost as good as Lars Ulrich because they can play “Master of Puppets” on the “Grand Master With Extra Jerkoff Stars” level, it’s like the fat kid who thinks a high score on Dance Dance Revolution makes him Baryshnikov.
Please rate your opinion on Rock Band drumming:
We’re sure Alu Bells have plenty of uses, but the only drummers we ever really see play them in real life are bloody big brusiers with monstrous, club-like sticks. You know, those dudes who aren’t ever satisfied with the bell sound or volume on a regular old ride cymbal. It’s fitting, then, that Sabian has added a couple of inches to the new member of its Alu line. Bigger in this case is definitely better.
[Press Release]
The popularity of its 7″ and 9″ Alu Bells has prompted Sabian to introduce the larger 11″ size. Formed from lightweight aluminum, the Alu Bell offers drummers and percussionists a highly versatile percussion piece with a soft, bright, highly musical response and lingering sustain.
“Along with the Chopper, the Alu Bell is small enough to fit anywhere in a drum or percussion setup, and because it has such a well balance of stick stroke and tone, it can be used to play rhythms or simply to add ambient accents,” commented Sabian cymbal specialist Kevin Lasky. “Its small size and light weight make it ideal for use with a cymbal stacker arm, which eliminates the need to purchase another cymbal stand.”
Crafted from lightweight aluminum, the Alu Bell is quality protected by Sabian’s two-year warranty.
