In Search of the Perfect Heads: Graduated Thickness Concept

BenOBrienSmith

Senior Member
This is a concept that I first started experimenting with in 2012 after Evans released the G14 because I could now stick to single-ply heads while covering 10, 12, and 14mil thicknesses. The results blew my mind back then and I'm still similarly pleased with how this concept works in reality. The feel, the tone, the projection- it all works beautifully.

I hosted the latest episode of Sounds Like a Drum on this particular topic and included a variety of demos within the episode if you want to give it a watch:

Cheers!
 
When you said "graduated thickness," I thought you were referring to drumheads with thicknesses varying within the head itself. Say, thin film on the periphery and thicker heads in the center. I wonder if this has ever been explored? What would happen if one had a head with Diplomat weight on the surrounds that grew progressively thicker toward the center? Hmmm . . . . I'll bet the response would be different from something like Remo CS heads.

GeeDeeEmm
 
When you said "graduated thickness," I thought you were referring to drumheads with thicknesses varying within the head itself. Say, thin film on the periphery and thicker heads in the center. I wonder if this has ever been explored? What would happen if one had a head with Diplomat weight on the surrounds that grew progressively thicker toward the center? Hmmm . . . . I'll bet the response would be different from something like Remo CS heads.

GeeDeeEmm
That's definitely an interesting idea. This would probably need to be done as laminated layers after the material is cut though, which could get expensive from a production standpoint. In the end, I think the affects would be quite similar to heads with center dots but it's still an interesting concept worth exploring.
 
This concept certainly works on guitar strings (and bass, violin, etc...) so it makes good sense for different pitched drums to have thicker heads.

On the other hand, most piano strings are the same thickness (but different lengths), so the traditional approach of same thickness, different sizes should work too...
 
I do this on my kit. G1 on racks, G14 on floors. It works well, though I’m sure full G1 or full G14 would work well too. I definitely prefer the G1 feel over the G14 which I felt a bit stiff on the floor toms.
 
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I have wanted one of the manufacturers to embrace this concept for years (and have posted about it before). I'm currently using UV1s on my 10" and 12" toms and G2s on my 16" and 18" floor toms. I originally had all G2s and the smaller toms just didn't sound as open as the floors, then I went with all UV1s and I couldn't get the tone I wanted out of the floor toms. The dual combo works great. I'm looking forward to the UV2s so I can put those on the floor toms.
 
The only thing I'm aware of are Evans EC2's that have wider insert strips as the drum head diameter increases.
 
The only thing I'm aware of are Evans EC2's that have wider insert strips as the drum head diameter increases.
Yep, that's basically scaled mass-loading via ink that's printed onto the underside of the bottom ply. The pattern sales up in width for larger sixes and the amount of ink also increases Would be cool to see something like this but maybe done with the Evans UV-cure coating technology in order to create a pattern that went from center to edge (or vice versa).
 
Ben this is a good idea I've been doing for some time with Remo products, using an Ambassador Vintage on a 13x9 rack tom down to the coated Emperor on a 16" floor tom. These are on my maple drums set up in a big band fashion.
I've learned some good points from your video series, keep up the great work !
 
I've been doing this for a while now and it works great. G1 on the 8, G12 on the 10 and 12. G2s on the floor toms.

BTW you guys do a great job with your video series. Best on the net!!!
 
I've learned some good points from your video series, keep up the great work !
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for the support. We've got lots of additional stuff coming up now (some of which will be Patreon exclusive or early release on Patreon) aside from the ongoing Tuesday tutorial series. We're hoping to be able to grow this into multiple videos per week on the YouTube channel if we ca get enough support.

I've been doing this for a while now and it works great. G1 on the 8, G12 on the 10 and 12. G2s on the floor toms.

BTW you guys do a great job with your video series. Best on the net!!!
Way cool! Thanks so much for the kind words too!
 
I supplied one of my drum kits for Stanton Moore to use at a masterclass about eight years ago. Remo shipped me a set of heads for him to use on the kit. (Yes, I got to keep the heads afterward.) He was using this concept at the time.

The high tom was a coated Ambassador batter over a clear Ambassador resonant head. The floor tom was a Coated Emperor batter over a clear Ambassador resonant head. I loved the feel, tone and how easily the kit tuned up using that head combination. I've been a believer in this concept ever since.
 

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Ben, I'm not too familiar with Evans products, which of theirs would you recommend for a rock-pop-fusion sound head combination on an birch kit 10/12/14/16 ?
 
My setup is backwards. Trying to keep my sound tight and in a controlled range. I have a thicker 2×10 mil tuned low on the 12" rack and a 2×7 mil on the 16" floor tuned high. Then 1 ply 10s on the bass and snare so they pop a little.
It is a work in progress, but i am pretty stoked with it for now.
 
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