Peter Erskine moves to Tama...

Mikeberk1 said:
Smart move for Tama! Most musicians and drummers I speak with tend to associate Tama with rock/heavy metal drumming, when in fact Tama makes excellent drums for all genres. Smart business move indeed!
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Thank you! Glad I'm not the only one with this observation. Everyone blathering on about their Indian/Arrow harmony of the universe nonsense...

Now that I'm an aspiring Jazz snob do I have to start taking Tama seriously because he played for Weather Report?
 
keep it simple said:
Great story Ant, & you & I both know enough behind the scenes crap on this subject to upturn a few forums in one evening. It's business folks. It's about paying the tour logistics, & maintaining a level of mutual marketing presence to suit all concerned. So long as the drums do the job, the backup is there to make life less difficult, & the marketing presence / momentum is maintained, all is good.
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exactly

here is the video I mentioned that I shot of Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duufHWM-9hU
 
markiet1966 said:
I'm guessing that's why they are targeting the likes of Erskine and Cobham, to change that perception.

Mark
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I don't understand that perception, when one of their earliest endorsers (endorsees) was Elvin Jones....late 70's....Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford soon after...

I never make a big deal about this. All these companies are making great drums and great drummers go through them all.
 
To me, this just confirms that once you take Into account player, sticks, heads there's very little difference in sound between the main brands. What differences there are, are more perceived by the drummer who both feels the response and hears the sound; whereas the ear of a listener is less discerning. Seriously, when I come across a 22, 12, 16 yamaha, tama, pearl etc. I just tweak the tuning and they basically sound the same. The most extreme sonic differences I've ever come across are stave constructed drums (bought a set) and a really old Gretsch kit.
 
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WhoIsTony? said:
exactly

here is the video I mentioned that I shot of Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duufHWM-9hU
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"This won't be posted anywhere" ;)

Captain Bash said:
The most extreme sonic differences I've ever come across are stave constructed drums (bought a set) and a really old Gretsch kit.
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& the extremes are never in the frame. They just can't be, economic reality dictates that. I'm getting to the point of losing count of players with one or more of our drums that will never see the public light of day.
 
keep it simple said:
Bo, I have come to the conclusion that I will never sell you a drum. I've already screened your ISP from our online shop. I can't stand the thought of you claiming you still sound exactly the same, even on a Guru, & then read a thread one week later where you proudly proclaim you've reverted to CB ;)
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That would MR. CB, Andy! Hahaha!

I understand you keeping me away from your drums. I'm feeling quite liberated these days and will proclaim proudly that I will play anything that strikes my fancy ;)
 
Red Menace said:
I know you're just joshin' but I actually had it in my head that Tama is a modern, rock/metal player's brand.
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For me that changed when they went from Artstar to Starclassic some time in the 90's. Starclassics don't look metal to me, at least nowhere near as metal as Artstar/Granstar did. As for sound, well, we all know any drums will do for any style. The Star line seems pretty killer.
 
Captain Bash said:
To me, this just confirms that once you take Into account player, sticks, heads there's very little difference in sound between the main brands. What differences there are, are more perceived by the drummer who both feels the response and hears the sound; whereas the ear of a listener is less discerning. Seriously, when I come across a 22, 12, 16 yamaha, tama, pearl etc. I just tweak the tuning and they basically sound the same. The most extreme sonic differences I've ever come across are stave constructed drums (bought a set) and a really old Gretsch kit.
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I'm not sure that I agree that the ear of a listener is less discerning.

Firstly, what do we mean by "listener"? Is it the guy who has the radio on in the car or is it the guy who listens to everything on a super-expensive boutique-y set up in a darkened room? In truth, it's somewhere in between, but then the listener (in a concert or listening to a recording) is hearing the drums via a layer of processing decisions.

Long before I ever considered playing drums, like many, many people I could hear that John Bonham's drums had a unique sound. That sound, as far as I can tell was part Bonham's technique and part recording technique.

Happy to be proven wrong though.
 
Tis no big deal, but I think the perception that Tama is a 'metal' brand hasnt hurt them at all, in the same way that it hasnt hurt Meinl to give off the same impression.

These perceptions are usually spawned by the players playing them, and then the kids wanting them because of said player, hence the reason why endorsements are important to a manufacturer.

That said, with the literal bevy of drum and cymbals brands out there, many sounding and looking exactly the same to the untrained ear, it makes good business sense to capitalize on these perceptions and corner that particular market.
 
It's great that they got a top jazz player like Peter. But how many jazzers out there can afford a $10,000 drumkit?
 
JustJames said:
Long before I ever considered playing drums, like many, many people I could hear that John Bonham's drums had a unique sound. That sound, as far as I can tell was part Bonham's technique and part recording technique.
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His choice of drum sizes (26" bass drum, 14" tom) played a big part of that too.
 
gutenberg said:
It's great that they got a top jazz player like Peter. But how many jazzers out there can afford a $10,000 drumkit?
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If you play the right jazz, you can afford it ;)

I had never looked at it like that. Jazz musicians by their very nature, while really talented, make the least amount of money. How do you sell those soulful jazz players used to making do with whatever they have on the idea of a 10K drumset?

I don't even have drums that match on my kit!
 
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gutenberg said:
It's great that they got a top jazz player like Peter. But how many jazzers out there can afford a $10,000 drumkit?
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Where are you seeing 10k Guten ? I come up with a List of around $8700 for the Maple or Bubinga, which would come out to more like 35% off of that ....... Around $5600.

The 4 piece Walnut Star MAP is $3999 with list of $6600.
 
Matt Bo Eder said:
Erskine is such a great player I'm glad he doesn't care who makes his drums. Although I think all great players are like this, especially the jazz guys. I must admit though, seeing him as a kid playing with Maynard Ferguson behind a set of Slingerlands made me want to play Slingerland (even though a lot of cool players were playing Slingerland at the time - he was the first I saw live on them).

Now I have to stop by the Tama booth this weekend!
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Stop press- Piano Black Pearl Reference Pure drum kit for sale.... ;0)
 
Captain Bash said:
To me, this just confirms that once you take Into account player, sticks, heads there's very little difference in sound between the main brands. What differences there are, are more perceived by the drummer who both feels the response and hears the sound; whereas the ear of a listener is less discerning. Seriously, when I come across a 22, 12, 16 yamaha, tama, pearl etc. I just tweak the tuning and they basically sound the same. The most extreme sonic differences I've ever come across are stave constructed drums (bought a set) and a really old Gretsch kit.
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Thank you - I totally agree with you. If it makes someone feel better about themselves because they paid $6000 for a set of drums - more power to you, but when the band is cranking Noone with a blindfold has ever said "The drummers using brand x drums". That just doesn't happen. Pick a color /finish you like and you're good to go.
 
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