@@stephenplotnick5133 The TuneBot settings are in the Video description of this video when you click Show More. Example: "14x26 Bass Drum: @ - Resonant: 130-135 / Batter: 84-87" I used my TuneBot to tune my Silver Sparkle kit (same exact sizes) and they sound amazing now!
@@jyanks1018 i think if you watch terrys online demos,breakdowns etc you will be surprised what you can learn,,,also looks at Derricks playing,timing,even spaces between notes etc and placement of the notes is key,,bonham was a master at doing this along with all the little things he did that made a big difference to his sound and approach to his playing,,,if you watch George fludas drumming and his breakdown of bonhams fills etc etc its exactly how bonham played i dont think many people noticed on alot of the technical things bonham did in his playing,sometimes its just over looked, because not unless your listening for certain fills and you no what your listening for its easy to miss or uninterrupted whats actually been played,ive done it on a few songs and when i got back and listen to Georges take on it 99.9% of the time he is right,it even blows me away sometimes,, you can really appreciate and envy how good bonham really was,,,and dont forget when bonham started out with zeppelin he was 19 years old and only been playing for 4 years on a kit that is,, he would of had alot of practice on his snare drum he got when he was 10 give or take a year or two (correct me if im wrong)....thats why his singles,Parra diddles,and doubles were so precise....
I guess it's taken me six years to respond to your comment, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate your comment to the greatest degree! Thank you so much! The covers have been far more infrequent than I'd like to own up to, but I promise there will be more coming soon! And I'll keep giving them my best effort!
*_Ludwig, still the best sounding drums especially the older classic sets from the 60's and 70's... I think they just somehow just fluked it with this particular model because Ludwig has never quite been able to replicate that sound since messing with different woods, plies, thicknesses and dimensions... Like a lot of acoustic instrument making, it's more of an art than a science... My first set was Ludwig in 1965 which I later foolishly traded in for a set of Rodgers which I eventually ended up hating... after that, I must have tried just about every brand of drum out there as if searching for that perfect sound, which now as I reflect, was my original Ludwig's... It's just like they say, "You don't appreciate what you've got until you lose it"_*
That 16" floor Tom sounds amazing! I've never been happy with the sound of my floor toms, so I'm going to try this technique out soon. Thanks for making this vid.
Check out Pearls air suspension tips for floor tom legs. They kick some serious ass. My floor toms are really the only ones I'm completely satisfied with.
Bro... been a drummer my whole life. Both my cousin and I both learned listening to a lot of jazz artists... and Bonham. You got it spot on... nicely done.
MrMojo you have got the drumming skills, we have all seen it, heard it, and your comments sections back it up. All those years of sweating over the drums was the easy part. Now you must begin the hardest part of your Musicianship, Shameless Self-Promotion...Lights and multi-cameras, backdrops, smoke machines, stick twirling, lip sinking, flashy wardrobes, you know, the important stuff.
I like that you emphasize the tuning of the resonant heads. It seems like a lot of drummers forget that their reso heads even exist lol but they are SO IMPORTANT.
I completely agree. Tuning the resonant head really helps establish the tone and characteristics of the drum itself. It would be a shame to lose the range that the bottom head really adds to the way your drums sound.
When that full kit demo started, it took me back to me being 12 years old with my Zeppelin box sets watching concert after concert trying to tune my drums even close and not succeeding. Those drums sound absolutely THUNDEROUS. You've inspired me to retune my kit and see what comes out, thank you!
So glad to see someone else promote reso side tuning first. Any time someone needs help tuning their drums and i find one way off I pull the batter head off and tune the bottom. it make it go so much easier.
Many thanks for that video! Trivia @ 35:20 : "Dazed and Confused" has been recorded on Slingerland 22",13",16" kit. Still sounds Bonham. It was all about his touch.
UPDATE: As I built this TANK from separate Flebay purchases, targeting the '73 kit, I averaged instead, a '75 kit! Two 3-ply and 2 6-ply ! The 3-ply fell into the range Gr. Sparkle while the 6-ply was a cross between the"GS" and Vista Lite! But, these are new heads! Let me beat em up a bit, then retune!!
Seeing you go through the tuning, then hear it dry, then hear it wet really illuminated a lot of little mysteries for me. As always, thank you so much for what you are doing! :)
Great to hear from you, Billy! Man, I hope everything is well on your end! I'm glad the efforts to put this video together are still paying off nearly ten years later (🤯). All the best to you, my friend!
Spent most of my afternoon retuning the drums from scratch and used your video as a rough guide. Great sound from your kit, and my bass drum (16x22" 1990's Ludwig super classic) sounds as amazing as ever!
LedZepfilm That's awesome, man! I'm thrilled to hear it. Considering all that you do for the Led Zeppelin community, it's always a tremendous honor to get such a nice word from you. Thank you!
Thanks for posting this. To break it down and get to hear the resonant head then putting on the batter, and hearing the drum after cleared things up for me. I've struggled to tune a 16" floor tom for so long, now it sings beautifully. Thank you!!!! P.S great playing too!
Kevin Frazee That's great! I really worried for a minute that I was going to be a little overly redundant in going over every single drum the same way, but comments like yours help assure me that I was on the right track. I'd watched that Jeff Ocheltree video where he goes over Bonham's kit a million times, and while I still love it, I really wish he hadn't skipped over so much of the process of putting it together. I'm really glad to hear you have the tone you like now!
Wanted to express a great deal of gratitude to you for posting such an excellent video, I know it was very time consuming to produce but the results were worth it, Iv been a Zeppelin fan before you were born and was very impressed with your knowledge as well as your playing skills both are top notch looking forward to if you decide on it the same type video on the Vistalites.
You have made my day! It did take quite a bit of time to put together, so I really appreciate your comment. I will do a video for the Vistalites, as well. I've got a few more songs I'd like to cover first, and then I'll get to the next tuning video! Thank you so much for your comment!
That's actually an incredibly rewarding comment! I suppose if you can appeal to non-drummers, then you feel like you've accomplished something. Thanks so much for the kind comment!
It's all about the sound! If you like Zepp it's not only about the songs and technique... there's something bigger than that. Sound means textures, places, colors, depth, and now i'm sounding a little bit too hippie 😅...Jimmy himself wasn't a drummer but he knew there were other things in there: the big picture I guess.🤔
That's awesome, man! My goal is to get an updated version of this together soon with Tune Bot and Drum Dial settings to make it even easier for everyone!
That's beautiful, man! I have no doubt you're going to love them! I'm working on an updated version of this style of tuning (not that it's really changed much) that should be coming along in the next few months. Do you know when you're expected to receive your kit?
Sound guys "take the front head off our put a hole in it,it will make a better sound for the mics" lol,no kick drum sounds as good as Bonham's with the front head on.
Man! thank you - the tuning tutorial - the intensity - insight to the green gems - the triplets...... long live: 14/ 14/ 16/ 18 / 26 kick it man and respect from coastal carolina BW
awesome job, brother. i'm a bit of a Bonham purist myself so i was very happy to find this tutorial to go along with my tunebot and recently purchased set of reissued Bonham vistalites. you took all the guess work out of it for me. thank you so much for posting this tutorial! great job, you nailed it!
These sort of things normally bore me as more interested in playing than tuning but definitely something about your sound which reminds of John Bonham circa 1969 on that Scandinavian tour. Very interesting
I am a drummer, however, it drives me nuts when a drummer doesn't know how to properly tune his set. Whether you like a low or high pitch to your drums at least set your snare correctly. You need that sweet pop.
Hey, what do you mean when you say set snare correctly? You mean bottom is to tight or? Just curious what you mean. Im tuning my steel supralite to and having a doubt between 400hz and a bit lower. Thanks
This method keeps that “bow” sound (sort of pitch bend) to a minimum if not at all, which I prefer. Hate that pitch bending sound on toms. Most excellent vid!
I've watched a few vids of people claiming to show you how Bonham did it!!! I have to say I was slightly sceptical when I first started watching yours. Until!!! you said Bonham had a much higher tuning!... thats when I knew you had done your homework, and from then on, I was capitulated, I have (as have hundreds or thousands of like minded drummers have our own tried and tested methods of tuning, mine being warmer and lower as seems to be the characteristic way of todays modern drummers. I have to say I truly found your video an inspiration to change my way of tuning, I had always loved the way John Bonham got so much dynamic volume from his kit, not only because he hit with such aggression, but because he knew about tonal dynamics too, and as for the hole in the front skin of the bass drum, you're right it will make a lot of sound engineers pull their hair out. but hey!!! why compromise what you want, to what someone says is apparently correct (I've been doing sound for over 25 years, and would Never ask anyone to cut a hole in there bass drum, just because I wanted it so!) .... anyway, I digress. A very insightful video, and Thank you for sharing it :-)
Ian Ettridge I really, really appreciate it, Ian. Thank you! It's been a very rewarding experience entering into this crazy and amazing community of drummers and percussionists. The engineering part of things is an interesting beast. I've worked with sound guys that instantly knew what to do with a closed resonant head, and made it sound so ridiculously good that it nearly toppled the building. I wish I could steal their skill and experience and pass it on to all the younger sound engineers I've worked with (that are my age), that threaten to cut a port in the head, or bitch and moan about how terrible the kick drum sounds. It can be really frustrating sometimes. I know there are plenty of variables involved, but I know it's possible to get a good live sound out of a closed kick drum. I know it's preferable though, and I do use a kick drum with ported head for one of the original bands I play in (and find that the tone and attack is great with that, as well as makes the sound guy mixing everything a lot happier) Whatever serves the music best. Thank you again for commenting, Ian. I do very much appreciate it!
Tito Romao Thanks so much, Tito! I'm working on a similar video for the Ludwig Vistalite kit, as well. It probably won't be ready for another month or so while I'm out touring for the next few weeks. As soon as possible though. Thanks so much for the nice comment!
I promise I won't! It's easy to say that this would be the kit I would want to be buried/cremated with, but both my daughter and son show enough musical aptitude at a young age to want to make sure they have access to it after I'm gone. And of course, all joking aside, it would be crazy to bury or burn this kit when the legacy of Bonham's sound must continue to flourish for the rest of time!
i wanted to also mention that if you really want a vintage sound and you dont have re rings you can use the thin foam tape in a circle on the underside of the batter head .. it really gives you that tubby re ring sound.. use more foam tape for the bigger toms and less for the smaller
Thanks a million for putting the Tune-Bot settings in the description, that easily saved me 2 hours of tweaking. I just tuned up my whole kit real quick thanks to you. Cheers!
Picked up a Ludwig Speed King about 3months ago,took it apart and cleaned it...man that thing is fantastic also just got myself a Rogers swivomatic hi hat stand and it is super smooth. That kit sounds great .....keep the videos coming.
Dude had to come back to this video and tell you i tryed the tunebot settings you recommended and they sound incredible on my 2014 Black Oyster classic maple kit,Bonham sizes.Thank you for taking the time to post this video my kit kicks ass now.
Love this video!! Works great on my Vistas too! Using clear black dots batter side and clear Ambassador on reso side! Yeah,I found about 3 turns on the reso side works well!! Thanks!👍
Bonham is smiling and saying: " Nice kit mate. Looks like one I'd play. Not so bad yerself!" GREAT information. Great playing. Your style is influenced by Bonham. But you are truly musical in the way you play. You have the ear that it takes many of us so long to develop.
I really appreciate it, Rob! Your comment on the musicality of the playing in particular is really kind. That's always been a goal in how I approach the drums (in huge part because of the influence of Bonham), so your nod in that direction means a lot!
@@KickItLikeBonham I'm sharing this to my drummer friends. One of my oldest buddies played drums last night at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano CA with a bunch of old Surf Music dudes to remember Dick Dale! It was a previous show booking for Dick but for some reason he couldn't make it....! I look forward to more videos from you!
That's awesome! I actually play at the Coach House on a pretty regular basis with Led Zepagain, the Led Zeppelin tribute I play in! The show last night sounds like it was a great time!
Definitely the best drum tuning video on youtube or anywhere else as far as i can tell thanks for showing us how you tune your drums its been a great help getting the sound im after and understanding drum tuning better than all the other videos ive watched combined
Your humility shows up sincerely here , brother, when you admit to a lack of technical drum savvy. But seriously, you lay it down on the kit. Bottom Line. 'When The Levee Breaks' ? Forget it! my favorite Zep song and you nailed it. Well Done. 👍⚡
Thanks MojoRisin I have my Vistalites set up waiting on your video I want to see if I'm in the ball park as far as tuning and thanks again for being so thorough and meticulous and you explanations for why you do things is greatly appreciated.
lynsuefa My hope is to start tackling the Vistalite video in a few weeks. It'll probably take a little bit before it's uploaded. I worked on this tuning video off and on for about a month, so I'm hoping it won't take me that long. I'll let you know once I've gone into production for it. Until then, I'd highly recommend experimenting with your kit and try tuning it way up, and then slowly start bringing it back down and see if you find a spot that you like. Remember - the resonant head is super important.
Excellent tutorial on the Bonham sound..Really dig your attention to detail..Thank you for showing the whole process from attaching lugs down to the fine tuning..
Subscribed to you about a year ago, hands down this is the best drum channel on RUclips, even if you're not a Bonham nut. Which I am, just not to your extent, lol ! I followed your instruction step by step this morning, each drum was sounding killer on it's own. I look forward to hearing the kit as a whole later when I have the house to myself.
MrBabyrang I'm thrilled to hear it, man! Thank you so much for all your comments! How did the kit end up sounding together once you were able to let loose on it? :)
Just got to really play kit since tuning. So far I'm really digging it, but they're a LOT higher than the prior tuning. The drums sound great to me acoustically, but the 13" tom sound kinda weird through my Vic Firth isolated headphones while mic'd. I'm thinking the drum is just louder with the higher tuning and I'm hearing it acoustically as well as through the mics. Like you say, this tuning makes the drums "cut" through the mix. Good stuff, thanks!
MrBabyrang Awesome, man! I'm thrilled to hear it. I have a 9x13 tom that I have tuned this way as well, and once you find that sweet spot on the tuning (which I actually found to be just slightly, slightly lower than the 10x14 i.e. the note the drum plays is still higher, but the tension is just slightly less than I'd apply to the 14"), that drum sang like Sinatra...I use that 22", 13", 16" vintage Gold Sparkle kit for the original bands I play in, and it really fits in well, even for a more modern, contemporary sound.
Great Video!!! Thank you for gathering this information and explaining it in your very thorough, polite and pedagogical way! Very helpful - thanks a bunch!
Mads Møller Jacobsen And I really appreciate your nice comment! It does mean a lot. I know it may sound asinine, but I very much appreciate the 'polite' part of your comment. I want to make sure this is accessible to as many people as possible, so I try to keep as much ego out of these videos as possible. Besides, I'm already copying somebody else's style and songs. Anyways, I really appreciate it. Thank you, Mads!
a little trick I picked up over the years. Take an 8 pound kettle bell. place in the center of loose head. twist tension rods until you don't see wrinkles. Now all your heads should be in tune with each other providing maximum thump .. easiest and fastest tuning method I now of .
+barabek12 That's a good idea. I've been fortunate with most of the kits I have in that they don't seem to go out of tune all that often. Still, I've played kits that have a very difficult time staying in tune for more than a show, so Drumlock would be a great idea for that problem.
Outstanding video on every level. I'm primarily a guitar player but also engineer and write/record all of my parts. Drums were my first instrument and I love coming back to them if I end up away for a while. My favorites are Roger Taylor and Neil Peart but I've spent the last few months diving into the wonderful world of John Bonham. As an engineer, I love wide open drums and unported resonant heads. It's our jobs as engineers to capture the artist's sound and make it the best it can be. Not to have a personal preference and expect the artist to comply without really good reason(s). As always, it's in the hands of the player to make it sound great and the engineer to faithfully capture that great sound. You sound fantastic!
I tried these tune bot settings on my 1970’s premier with my tama metalworks snare. The sizes are 22x18 kick, 13x11 rack, 16x16 floor and a 14x6.5 steel snare. Even with the smaller kick and rack tom these settings sound incredible. I wasn’t sure when I tuned them, they al sounded a bit pingy... then I put one mic at the other end of my room and just... wow. I’d maybe stick one on the kick and I’d be happy with that in a mix. Clarity, projection, punch, lows just everything. Since then I hear the kit as if I’m in front of it when I play, knowing how epic it sounds, you can’t help but smile and lay into them 👍🏻😂 Cheers a bunch mate, been trying to get ‘that sound’ for the last 4 years
U2WB Thank you so much! I commend you for sticking it out through the whole thing. I felt really silly including all that I did, but I know that I'd be hanging on every twist and turn of the tension rods, too. It's such a great style of tuning! Thank the great forefathers of drumming!
rkoppenaal Aye! I've never tried a Yellow Jacket before, but I've always loved that name for a kick drum pedal. While I've gotten used to playing the Speed King, it's taken some fine tuning to get it to where I really like it. I have the springs pretty well loosened as much as possible.
Right?! Just from a practical standpoint, it's nice to get a sound you're happy with on the resonant side, and then it's just so much easier to make adjustments to the batter side (because typically, they're just more accessible to you when you're sitting behind the drums with them all set up), and it's such a good feeling when you're running and can hear the drum slide into the sweet spot of the sound you're going for. I love that experience! 😊
FINALLY someone who gets it! These really have JB's tom sound...the snare is very close as well...there are SO many horrible Bonham videos out there...thanks for getting it very close. These drums sound amazing!!!
Love my new 6 piece evolution element in silver sparkle. Drums not as big as those, but I tuned them really low. I use a Steve's fat snare ring to eliminate the snare ping.
+Robert Renee Aye! This kit is definitely my favorite amongst all the Bonham kits (and the others that I own, as well). They have such a wonderful, rich, warm tone to them; there's a lot of personality in them.
Nice tutorial man, I learned some new things I will try out soon because my kit needs new heads so thanks for making this. Wanted to point out, at least for me, it's easier to get the tensions rods evenly tuned when I mute the head. I think the physics going when you tune the head while the head is openly resonating makes it more difficult because you're causing waves across the head that reflect off the other side of the drum and come back across the head, along with the shell itself also sounding it's own tone into the mix. So I learned to mute the head I'm tuning as much as possible while tightening tension rods, you get a short note devoid of reverb. Think of it like trying to tune a guitar with reverb or chorus on it, it's unnecessarily complicating, that's why you mute all the strings on a guitar except the one you're tuning because sympathetic resonance ( great Arch Matheos album btw) from the other strings clouds what you're hearing. It's the exact same with drums, lay a hand towel or something on the head you're tuning. It's easier for the brain to process a dry note. So mute the head and then tap about an inch or so away from the tension rod just like he's doing. You'll immediately be able to tell with certainty the pitch of each tension rod and it will save you a ton of time, especially if you're tuning your tom's resonant and batter side heads to the same pitch. Killer drum kit by the way , would love to have an old 70s Ludwig kit like that. Totally jealous🤘😜🤡
Bohnam was SO unique , it amazes me that he was so young and developed such an ability and sound.
Thanks for showing us the tune bot settings for the Bonham tuning. I think you're the first person in the world to do this thank you.
Jeff Ocheltree did 10 years before this. (Bonhams drum tech) Video is here.
ruclips.net/video/kmXy-ksqlq8/видео.html
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any tunebot settings on this or the Jeff Ocheltree video.
@@stephenplotnick5133 The TuneBot settings are in the Video description of this video when you click Show More. Example: "14x26 Bass Drum: @ - Resonant: 130-135 / Batter: 84-87" I used my TuneBot to tune my Silver Sparkle kit (same exact sizes) and they sound amazing now!
@@CaseyJust Thanks Casey. I actually found it on my own shortly after my comment. Great video!
When you have unlimited cash and free drum sets from manufacturers you could do whatever you want
MMR: the drums sound beautiful!!!
bonzoleum I always hold your comments in the highest of regards, Terry. Thank you so much!
You both rock!!
You guys should team up to produce some instruction videos. Not joking.
@@jyanks1018 i think if you watch terrys online demos,breakdowns etc you will be surprised what you can learn,,,also looks at Derricks playing,timing,even spaces between notes etc and placement of the notes is key,,bonham was a master at doing this along with all the little things he did that made a big difference to his sound and approach to his playing,,,if you watch George fludas drumming and his breakdown of bonhams fills etc etc its exactly how bonham played i dont think many people noticed on alot of the technical things bonham did in his playing,sometimes its just over looked, because not unless your listening for certain fills and you no what your listening for its easy to miss or uninterrupted whats actually been played,ive done it on a few songs and when i got back and listen to Georges take on it 99.9% of the time he is right,it even blows me away sometimes,, you can really appreciate and envy how good bonham really was,,,and dont forget when bonham started out with zeppelin he was 19 years old and only been playing for 4 years on a kit that is,, he would of had alot of practice on his snare drum he got when he was 10 give or take a year or two (correct me if im wrong)....thats why his singles,Parra diddles,and doubles were so precise....
This guy has the absolute best Bonham versions of every song he tackles.
I'm totally impressed.
To mimic JB is a gift
It s much more a learning available for everyone who know how to listen
No, there's a guy from Canada who does Bonham better imo. It's ... shit i can't recall his name right now..
Bonzoleum...
I guess it's taken me six years to respond to your comment, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate your comment to the greatest degree! Thank you so much! The covers have been far more infrequent than I'd like to own up to, but I promise there will be more coming soon! And I'll keep giving them my best effort!
@@mattmarkus4868 I like the guys on this channel and Brian Tichy is a monster too.
Extremely well done. Most informative tuning vid I’ve seen to date for getting john’s sound. Thank you for all your hard work and attention to detail.
Thanks so much, M W! I'm really glad you got something out of it! That makes me happy!
Nice call out to Rival Sons and Michael Miley's drum sound. If that guy isn't channeling the spirit of Bonham, I don't know who is. Great tutorial
*_Ludwig, still the best sounding drums especially the older classic sets from the 60's and 70's... I think they just somehow just fluked it with this particular model because Ludwig has never quite been able to replicate that sound since messing with different woods, plies, thicknesses and dimensions... Like a lot of acoustic instrument making, it's more of an art than a science... My first set was Ludwig in 1965 which I later foolishly traded in for a set of Rodgers which I eventually ended up hating... after that, I must have tried just about every brand of drum out there as if searching for that perfect sound, which now as I reflect, was my original Ludwig's... It's just like they say, "You don't appreciate what you've got until you lose it"_*
Rene Dominguez j
I traded my old Ludwigs in '78 for a nice Slingerland kit...but I'd love to get that old Ludwig kit back.
Love the sound of drums. Especially the snares. Delicious. I don't own any of their drums. But I love to listening to them on any record of any band.
I have a hybrid beat up silver sparkle half silver badge it sounds mint
That 16" floor Tom sounds amazing! I've never been happy with the sound of my floor toms, so I'm going to try this technique out soon. Thanks for making this vid.
Poisonjam7 I'm really glad to hear it! I hope it turns out the way you've always hoped it would...
Check out Pearls air suspension tips for floor tom legs. They kick some serious ass. My floor toms are really the only ones I'm completely satisfied with.
Bro... been a drummer my whole life. Both my cousin and I both learned listening to a lot of jazz artists... and Bonham. You got it spot on... nicely done.
LORD DOMINUS Right on, brother! Thank you so much.
MrMojo you have got the drumming skills, we have all seen it, heard it, and your comments sections back it up. All those years of sweating over the drums was the easy part. Now you must begin the hardest part of your Musicianship, Shameless Self-Promotion...Lights and multi-cameras, backdrops, smoke machines, stick twirling, lip sinking, flashy wardrobes, you know, the important stuff.
Wow I'm blown away!!! Sound's identical to Bonzo's drums. Gotta love you Tube.
Thanks so much, Darrin! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate your comment any less.
I like that you emphasize the tuning of the resonant heads. It seems like a lot of drummers forget that their reso heads even exist lol but they are SO IMPORTANT.
I completely agree. Tuning the resonant head really helps establish the tone and characteristics of the drum itself. It would be a shame to lose the range that the bottom head really adds to the way your drums sound.
even a cheap set in a garage sound good once tuned well.
When that full kit demo started, it took me back to me being 12 years old with my Zeppelin box sets watching concert after concert trying to tune my drums even close and not succeeding. Those drums sound absolutely THUNDEROUS. You've inspired me to retune my kit and see what comes out, thank you!
Ludwigs always make a lovely sound when the tuned right and played well...
Simon-approved is A-Okay in my book! Thanks so much for the comment, man!
So glad to see someone else promote reso side tuning first. Any time someone needs help tuning their drums and i find one way off I pull the batter head off and tune the bottom. it make it go so much easier.
Many thanks for that video!
Trivia @ 35:20 : "Dazed and Confused" has been recorded on Slingerland 22",13",16" kit. Still sounds Bonham. It was all about his touch.
Indeed!
I just tried your bass drum tuning and switched the felt to the batter head and BOOM, found the sound I'm looking for! Thank you!
Pearl3Drummer That's fantastic! I'm thrilled to hear it. It took a while to put this video together, so reading your comment made it all worth it!
Great video, nice playing. The drums sound fantastic!
+Jeff Howe Thanks so much, Jeff! I really appreciate it!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I used my TuneBot to tune my 60s Silver Sparkle Ludwig kit (same exact sizes) and they sound amazing now!
I love it, Casey! I'm thrilled to hear they worked for you and that you're digging the sound!
Also, I purchased a "Tune Bot" to better dial in the tone on the ,"Green Sparkle " kit.
UPDATE: As I built this TANK from separate Flebay purchases, targeting the '73 kit, I averaged instead, a '75 kit! Two 3-ply and 2 6-ply ! The 3-ply fell into the range Gr. Sparkle while the 6-ply was a cross between the"GS" and Vista Lite! But, these are new heads! Let me beat em up a bit, then retune!!
Seeing you go through the tuning, then hear it dry, then hear it wet really illuminated a lot of little mysteries for me. As always, thank you so much for what you are doing! :)
Chuck Linville You bet, Chuck :)
I tune my 22, 16, 12, 14 drums according to this vid dude thanks so much!!! Upload some more
I'm thrilled to hear it, Kred! And you can bet that there will be more videos coming soon!
@@KickItLikeBonham nice sir ahahahah
Haven’t been over in a while , my boy’s friend bought a 71 Ludwig , and I sent him yer way . Love ya buddy
Great to hear from you, Billy! Man, I hope everything is well on your end! I'm glad the efforts to put this video together are still paying off nearly ten years later (🤯). All the best to you, my friend!
Man , Bonzo's sound it's an art . and you did it awesome , that the best i'hv ever heard.
Spent most of my afternoon retuning the drums from scratch and used your video as a rough guide. Great sound from your kit, and my bass drum (16x22" 1990's Ludwig super classic) sounds as amazing as ever!
LedZepfilm That's awesome, man! I'm thrilled to hear it. Considering all that you do for the Led Zeppelin community, it's always a tremendous honor to get such a nice word from you. Thank you!
You're very welcome! Thanks for your compliments and I'm looking forward to new videos!
DOPE SHIT BRO! I've been debating on going to larger sizes, especially 26" kicks. Brutha you just sold me!!! peace.
Without a doubt! They are a blast to play. So much fun to dig into, and they give you so much back in return! All the best in your 26" kick endeavors.
I knew years ago when I saw one of your first videos you were going to be one of premier drummers in the country, and I was 100 percent correct.
Dude! Amazing video! I'm so following this to a "T".
Glad to hear it! Thank you again for the support, Warvibe!
Thanks for posting this. To break it down and get to hear the resonant head then putting on the batter, and hearing the drum after cleared things up for me. I've struggled to tune a 16" floor tom for so long, now it sings beautifully. Thank you!!!! P.S great playing too!
Kevin Frazee That's great! I really worried for a minute that I was going to be a little overly redundant in going over every single drum the same way, but comments like yours help assure me that I was on the right track. I'd watched that Jeff Ocheltree video where he goes over Bonham's kit a million times, and while I still love it, I really wish he hadn't skipped over so much of the process of putting it together. I'm really glad to hear you have the tone you like now!
I wish every drummer would do this!
the artist Ha, ha! That would be a lot of tuning videos! :)
MrMojoRisin1967 hahahaha!!!
Yeah but then every drummer would sound like Bonham... there are lots of other cool drum sounds out there.
garycooks If you tune your drum kit you will sound like Bonham? You must be new!
No, I meant that every drumset would sound like Bonham's. You could have inferred that from what I wrote though.
you have performed a massive service to drumming humanity - thanks loads , you sound and play superbly , its the exact tone
Ha, ha! Thanks so much, Tony! You have provided me with sense of existential fulfillment today, and for that, I am grateful!
Wanted to express a great deal of gratitude to you for posting such an excellent video, I know it was very time consuming to produce but the results were worth it, Iv been a Zeppelin fan before you were born and was very impressed with your knowledge as well as your playing skills both are top notch looking forward to if you decide on it the same type video on the Vistalites.
You have made my day! It did take quite a bit of time to put together, so I really appreciate your comment. I will do a video for the Vistalites, as well. I've got a few more songs I'd like to cover first, and then I'll get to the next tuning video! Thank you so much for your comment!
I'm not even a drummer and I'm watching this, just for the information! Thanks for this video!
That's actually an incredibly rewarding comment! I suppose if you can appeal to non-drummers, then you feel like you've accomplished something. Thanks so much for the kind comment!
It's all about the sound! If you like Zepp it's not only about the songs and technique... there's something bigger than that. Sound means textures, places, colors, depth, and now i'm sounding a little bit too hippie 😅...Jimmy himself wasn't a drummer but he knew there were other things in there: the big picture I guess.🤔
ive watch this every time I switch my skins or buy drums hahaha thanks man !!
That's awesome, man! My goal is to get an updated version of this together soon with Tune Bot and Drum Dial settings to make it even easier for everyone!
Just ordered a Green Sparkle kit and Supraphonic snare. Very excited and going to use this video when tuning.
That's beautiful, man! I have no doubt you're going to love them! I'm working on an updated version of this style of tuning (not that it's really changed much) that should be coming along in the next few months. Do you know when you're expected to receive your kit?
@@KickItLikeBonham Supposed to be here tomorrow, or later this week.
Sound guys "take the front head off our put a hole in it,it will make a better sound for the mics" lol,no kick drum sounds as good as Bonham's with the front head on.
lol @ recording with the front head on.
Man!
thank you - the tuning tutorial - the intensity - insight to the green gems - the triplets......
long live: 14/ 14/ 16/ 18 / 26
kick it man and respect from coastal carolina
BW
Thanks for providing the Tune-bot settings. You wouldn’t happen to also have a Drum Dial around or to borrow? :)
awesome job, brother. i'm a bit of a Bonham purist myself so i was very happy to find this tutorial to go along with my tunebot and recently purchased set of reissued Bonham vistalites. you took all the guess work out of it for me. thank you so much for posting this tutorial! great job, you nailed it!
Hey could you possibly make a tutorial on that fill/groove on 35:15 I love it!
Sergio Romero I will. It's definitely in my plans to put together a few tutorials for particular songs. These fills will definitely be one of them :)
Awesome! Looking forward to it
These sort of things normally bore me as more interested in playing than tuning but definitely something about your sound which reminds of John Bonham circa 1969 on that Scandinavian tour.
Very interesting
misfit I'll take it, man! I'll take it! Thank you so much!
tama drum key ! i have the same one .
The sounds you get are luxurious. And spot-on.
Ha! The comments you leave are decadent and delicious. Thank you so much!
I am a drummer, however, it drives me nuts when a drummer doesn't know how to properly tune his set. Whether you like a low or high pitch to your drums at least set your snare correctly. You need that sweet pop.
Tony Marinelli A well tuned drum kit will form new islands in the pacific ocean if your play them properly...
Hey, what do you mean when you say set snare correctly? You mean bottom is to tight or? Just curious what you mean. Im tuning my steel supralite to and having a doubt between 400hz and a bit lower. Thanks
This method keeps that “bow” sound (sort of pitch bend) to a minimum if not at all, which I prefer. Hate that pitch bending sound on toms. Most excellent vid!
Go Ludwig
That's what I'm saying! Go LUDWIG!!!
@@KickItLikeBonham hell yeah
Hands down the best John Bonham tuning video I have ever seen. Great job!!!
I'm really glad you dig it! I'm working on finishing off another tuning video for the Bonham vistalite kit. That will be coming soon!
I've watched a few vids of people claiming to show you how Bonham did it!!! I have to say I was slightly sceptical when I first started watching yours. Until!!! you said Bonham had a much higher tuning!... thats when I knew you had done your homework, and from then on, I was capitulated, I have (as have hundreds or thousands of like minded drummers have our own tried and tested methods of tuning, mine being warmer and lower as seems to be the characteristic way of todays modern drummers. I have to say I truly found your video an inspiration to change my way of tuning, I had always loved the way John Bonham got so much dynamic volume from his kit, not only because he hit with such aggression, but because he knew about tonal dynamics too, and as for the hole in the front skin of the bass drum, you're right it will make a lot of sound engineers pull their hair out. but hey!!! why compromise what you want, to what someone says is apparently correct (I've been doing sound for over 25 years, and would Never ask anyone to cut a hole in there bass drum, just because I wanted it so!) .... anyway, I digress.
A very insightful video, and Thank you for sharing it :-)
Ian Ettridge I really, really appreciate it, Ian. Thank you! It's been a very rewarding experience entering into this crazy and amazing community of drummers and percussionists. The engineering part of things is an interesting beast. I've worked with sound guys that instantly knew what to do with a closed resonant head, and made it sound so ridiculously good that it nearly toppled the building. I wish I could steal their skill and experience and pass it on to all the younger sound engineers I've worked with (that are my age), that threaten to cut a port in the head, or bitch and moan about how terrible the kick drum sounds. It can be really frustrating sometimes. I know there are plenty of variables involved, but I know it's possible to get a good live sound out of a closed kick drum. I know it's preferable though, and I do use a kick drum with ported head for one of the original bands I play in (and find that the tone and attack is great with that, as well as makes the sound guy mixing everything a lot happier) Whatever serves the music best. Thank you again for commenting, Ian. I do very much appreciate it!
This is one of the best videos a drummer could possibly see!
Tito Romao Thanks so much, Tito! I'm working on a similar video for the Ludwig Vistalite kit, as well. It probably won't be ready for another month or so while I'm out touring for the next few weeks. As soon as possible though. Thanks so much for the nice comment!
+MrMojoRisin1967 thank YOU! it's a very helpful video for actually learning a good way to tune the drums!!
Derek you Bad Mo Fo! I'm saving this video for future reference. That Green Sparkle kit is the one everyone wants. Don't ever give it up!
I promise I won't! It's easy to say that this would be the kit I would want to be buried/cremated with, but both my daughter and son show enough musical aptitude at a young age to want to make sure they have access to it after I'm gone. And of course, all joking aside, it would be crazy to bury or burn this kit when the legacy of Bonham's sound must continue to flourish for the rest of time!
i wanted to also mention that if you really want a vintage sound and you dont have re rings you can use the thin foam tape in a circle on the underside of the batter head .. it really gives you that tubby re ring sound.. use more foam tape for the bigger toms and less for the smaller
Really nice job. I'm tuning my Vistalite reissue kit tomorrow with your Tunebot settings.
Sweet! That's awesome, Stan! I'm actually very close to uploading my Vistalite tuning video as well. It should be up within the next couple weeks!
Well I don't know if the vistalite tunings will be different but my kit sounded great Saturday night, although my 402 snare sounded a bit loose.
Same here on my snare drum. I had to turn it up quite a bit.
Thanks a million for putting the Tune-Bot settings in the description, that easily saved me 2 hours of tweaking. I just tuned up my whole kit real quick thanks to you. Cheers!
Picked up a Ludwig Speed King about 3months ago,took it apart and cleaned it...man that thing is fantastic also just got myself a Rogers swivomatic hi hat stand and it is super smooth. That kit sounds great .....keep the videos coming.
Dude had to come back to this video and tell you i tryed the tunebot settings you recommended and they sound incredible on my 2014 Black Oyster classic maple kit,Bonham sizes.Thank you for taking the time to post this video my kit kicks ass now.
***** Awesome, Bobby! I'm thrilled to hear it. You'll have to record a video of it. I'd love to see and hear it...
I should have a chance to record it tonight and i will send you the link.
Tuning is same as old big band drummers. John started with that...and kept it...Sounds great!
Fact! I love that Jimmy Page employed engineers and mixed Zeppelin's music in a way that really emphasized that drum sound!
Just revisited this tuning on my Bonzo kit and DAMN!!! they sound killer as i remember.
I'm always thrilled to hear it, Bobby! Thanks again, my friend!
Love this video!! Works great on my Vistas too! Using clear black dots batter side and clear Ambassador on reso side! Yeah,I found about 3 turns on the reso side works well!! Thanks!👍
Thanks for that. Just tuned up. Sounds great. Tighten bottom heads.
Bonham is smiling and saying: " Nice kit mate. Looks like one I'd play. Not so bad yerself!" GREAT information. Great playing. Your style is influenced by Bonham. But you are truly musical in the way you play. You have the ear that it takes many of us so long to develop.
I really appreciate it, Rob! Your comment on the musicality of the playing in particular is really kind. That's always been a goal in how I approach the drums (in huge part because of the influence of Bonham), so your nod in that direction means a lot!
@@KickItLikeBonham I'm sharing this to my drummer friends. One of my oldest buddies played drums last night at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano CA with a bunch of old Surf Music dudes to remember Dick Dale! It was a previous show booking for Dick but for some reason he couldn't make it....! I look forward to more videos from you!
That's awesome! I actually play at the Coach House on a pretty regular basis with Led Zepagain, the Led Zeppelin tribute I play in! The show last night sounds like it was a great time!
Damn man, you are a beast and there is no slant on that, much respect to you and thanks.
That's awesome, Chris. Thanks so much for the kind words, my friend!
OMG this is my all time Bonzo set up ive played for iver 40 years now and this is my favorite color and set and sound. Good 👍 job bro. 🎉
This is just wonderful. Watched a few times over the years. I cant get my bass drum to do what I want.
Definitely the best drum tuning video on youtube or anywhere else as far as i can tell thanks for showing us how you tune your drums its been a great help getting the sound im after and understanding drum tuning better than all the other videos ive watched combined
Your humility shows up sincerely here , brother, when you admit to a lack of technical drum savvy. But seriously, you lay it down on the kit. Bottom Line. 'When The Levee Breaks' ? Forget it! my favorite Zep song and you nailed it. Well Done. 👍⚡
Great, thanks for the video! I`ve spent much time tuning my lm400, but I think I finally tuned it the way I like it best
Outstanding! Glad to hear it!
GREAT video. You NAILED the kick drum!!! Every other Bonham tuning video I've seen gets it wrong on that drum. THANKS VERY MUCH!
Holy Shite! I was a little skeptical on your tuning technique but the proof is in the pudding. Nice Bonham triplets dude! And the tone is awesome
dude they sound amazing! you tune your drums the way i do. i always start my tuning with a resonant head, and no batter.
Great job! really helped me understand where I am going with refurbing my 1966 ludwig snare.
Thanks MojoRisin I have my Vistalites set up waiting on your video I want to see if I'm in the ball park as far as tuning and thanks again for being so thorough and meticulous and you explanations for why you do things is greatly appreciated.
lynsuefa My hope is to start tackling the Vistalite video in a few weeks. It'll probably take a little bit before it's uploaded. I worked on this tuning video off and on for about a month, so I'm hoping it won't take me that long. I'll let you know once I've gone into production for it. Until then, I'd highly recommend experimenting with your kit and try tuning it way up, and then slowly start bringing it back down and see if you find a spot that you like. Remember - the resonant head is super important.
grrrreat job. The sound is scary identical to bonhams tone.
Excellent tutorial on the Bonham sound..Really dig your attention to detail..Thank you for showing the whole process from attaching lugs down to the fine tuning..
Subscribed to you about a year ago, hands down this is the best drum channel on RUclips, even if you're not a Bonham nut. Which I am, just not to your extent, lol ! I followed your instruction step by step this morning, each drum was sounding killer on it's own. I look forward to hearing the kit as a whole later when I have the house to myself.
MrBabyrang I'm thrilled to hear it, man! Thank you so much for all your comments! How did the kit end up sounding together once you were able to let loose on it? :)
I haven't been able to let loose, I cut my hand doing some work around the house, I'll let you know in a few days :D
Just got to really play kit since tuning. So far I'm really digging it, but they're a LOT higher than the prior tuning. The drums sound great to me acoustically, but the 13" tom sound kinda weird through my Vic Firth isolated headphones while mic'd. I'm thinking the drum is just louder with the higher tuning and I'm hearing it acoustically as well as through the mics. Like you say, this tuning makes the drums "cut" through the mix. Good stuff, thanks!
Oh yeah, I love this tuning!
MrBabyrang Awesome, man! I'm thrilled to hear it. I have a 9x13 tom that I have tuned this way as well, and once you find that sweet spot on the tuning (which I actually found to be just slightly, slightly lower than the 10x14 i.e. the note the drum plays is still higher, but the tension is just slightly less than I'd apply to the 14"), that drum sang like Sinatra...I use that 22", 13", 16" vintage Gold Sparkle kit for the original bands I play in, and it really fits in well, even for a more modern, contemporary sound.
Great Video!!! Thank you for gathering this information and explaining it in your very thorough, polite and pedagogical way! Very helpful - thanks a bunch!
Mads Møller Jacobsen And I really appreciate your nice comment! It does mean a lot. I know it may sound asinine, but I very much appreciate the 'polite' part of your comment. I want to make sure this is accessible to as many people as possible, so I try to keep as much ego out of these videos as possible. Besides, I'm already copying somebody else's style and songs. Anyways, I really appreciate it. Thank you, Mads!
oh man. i wish i could afford one of these ..you make it sounds exactly bonham used to
Never stop the dream! I think there are a couple Bonham kits up on e-Bay right now...
Friggin awesome , evry aspect from Tuning to Playing!! the Sound replicated better than any I have heard.
a little trick I picked up over the years. Take an 8 pound kettle bell. place in the center of loose head. twist tension rods until you don't see wrinkles. Now all your heads should be in tune with each other providing maximum thump .. easiest and fastest tuning method I now of .
That's definitely an interesting technique! I would certainly think it would be good for breaking in new heads!
The spirit of John Bonham is alive and well...right here!
I'm thrilled you dig it, and really appreciate the kind words! Thank you so much!
Great video! After that I prefer fixating the lugs to prevent detuning. I'm personally using Drumlock
+barabek12 That's a good idea. I've been fortunate with most of the kits I have in that they don't seem to go out of tune all that often. Still, I've played kits that have a very difficult time staying in tune for more than a show, so Drumlock would be a great idea for that problem.
Outstanding video on every level. I'm primarily a guitar player but also engineer and write/record all of my parts. Drums were my first instrument and I love coming back to them if I end up away for a while. My favorites are Roger Taylor and Neil Peart but I've spent the last few months diving into the wonderful world of John Bonham. As an engineer, I love wide open drums and unported resonant heads. It's our jobs as engineers to capture the artist's sound and make it the best it can be. Not to have a personal preference and expect the artist to comply without really good reason(s). As always, it's in the hands of the player to make it sound great and the engineer to faithfully capture that great sound. You sound fantastic!
I tried these tune bot settings on my 1970’s premier with my tama metalworks snare. The sizes are 22x18 kick, 13x11 rack, 16x16 floor and a 14x6.5 steel snare.
Even with the smaller kick and rack tom these settings sound incredible. I wasn’t sure when I tuned them, they al sounded a bit pingy... then I put one mic at the other end of my room and just... wow. I’d maybe stick one on the kick and I’d be happy with that in a mix. Clarity, projection, punch, lows just everything.
Since then I hear the kit as if I’m in front of it when I play, knowing how epic it sounds, you can’t help but smile and lay into them 👍🏻😂
Cheers a bunch mate, been trying to get ‘that sound’ for the last 4 years
I'm thrilled to hear it, man! I'm really glad you're happy with the sound!
@@KickItLikeBonham Where are the Tune Bot Settings?
Where are the Tune Bot Settings?
where has this video been all my life
What a beautiful kit! I have played Ludwig my entire career.
awesome man you got that kit sounding great, my favorite JB kit and your honest take on things makes for a good watch, great job!
hitskin666 Thanks so much, my friend! It's my favorite of his kits, too! I'll keep 'em coming!
Fantastic sounding drums! Great job on the video!
Thanks for the info I'm truly happy
That you helped me with this .
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
I will post a video of my drums after tuneing them
Louis R Sounds great! I can't wait to hear them...
What an awesome video ! I watched intently and enjoyed every minute of it. Especially the playing, great playing, Dude ! And what a great looking kit.
U2WB Thank you so much! I commend you for sticking it out through the whole thing. I felt really silly including all that I did, but I know that I'd be hanging on every twist and turn of the tension rods, too. It's such a great style of tuning! Thank the great forefathers of drumming!
Thank you for this video. Helped me tremendously in tuning my zep centennial kit
My hat's off to you, I could never play a Speed King pedal I always went for the Slingerland Yellow Jacket.
rkoppenaal Aye! I've never tried a Yellow Jacket before, but I've always loved that name for a kick drum pedal. While I've gotten used to playing the Speed King, it's taken some fine tuning to get it to where I really like it. I have the springs pretty well loosened as much as possible.
I appreciate the idea of doing the resonant bass drum head first.
Right?! Just from a practical standpoint, it's nice to get a sound you're happy with on the resonant side, and then it's just so much easier to make adjustments to the batter side (because typically, they're just more accessible to you when you're sitting behind the drums with them all set up), and it's such a good feeling when you're running and can hear the drum slide into the sweet spot of the sound you're going for. I love that experience! 😊
FINALLY someone who gets it! These really have JB's tom sound...the snare is very close as well...there are SO many horrible Bonham videos out there...thanks for getting it very close. These drums sound amazing!!!
Love my new 6 piece evolution element in silver sparkle. Drums not as big as those, but I tuned them really low. I use a Steve's fat snare ring to eliminate the snare ping.
I love this video so much!! I reference this video every time I tune my zep set.
I'm always glad to hear it, my friend! I plan on doing an updated version in the not too far off future, too!
Those drums sound amazing! Micing helps, sure, but wow, what a sound!
+Robert Renee Aye! This kit is definitely my favorite amongst all the Bonham kits (and the others that I own, as well). They have such a wonderful, rich, warm tone to them; there's a lot of personality in them.
That's a beautiful set of drums.
+Tim Sutherland Thanks, Tim! Bonham had good taste :)
Those drums sound fantastic
+Fingers MaGillicuddy Right on! Thanks so much for the nice comment, Fingers!
Nice tutorial man, I learned some new things I will try out soon because my kit needs new heads so thanks for making this.
Wanted to point out, at least for me, it's easier to get the tensions rods evenly tuned when I mute the head. I think the physics going when you tune the head while the head is openly resonating makes it more difficult because you're causing waves across the head that reflect off the other side of the drum and come back across the head, along with the shell itself also sounding it's own tone into the mix.
So I learned to mute the head I'm tuning as much as possible while tightening tension rods, you get a short note devoid of reverb. Think of it like trying to tune a guitar with reverb or chorus on it, it's unnecessarily complicating, that's why you mute all the strings on a guitar except the one you're tuning because sympathetic resonance ( great Arch Matheos album btw) from the other strings clouds what you're hearing. It's the exact same with drums, lay a hand towel or something on the head you're tuning. It's easier for the brain to process a dry note. So mute the head and then tap about an inch or so away from the tension rod just like he's doing. You'll immediately be able to tell with certainty the pitch of each tension rod and it will save you a ton of time, especially if you're tuning your tom's resonant and batter side heads to the same pitch.
Killer drum kit by the way , would love to have an old 70s Ludwig kit like that. Totally jealous🤘😜🤡
The kit sounds fabulous!
David Etheridge Thanks so much, David! I really appreciate it!