Something weird is going on with my bass drum batter head.
- Thread starter TK-421
- Start date
Duck Tape
Platinum Member
This happened on a stage custom kit I used for band rehearsals. I think I might have solved the issue or lessened the issue by tuning it up a bit higher but I will never know the real reason why, I was using a ps3 and I’m pretty sure one of those heavy orange pearl wooden beaters with the elastic core.
TK-421
Senior Member
So I went to my studio last night to play a little and then deal with this mysterious rotating head. Since a lot of equipment-related questions kept coming up in this thread, I decided to document much of the process.
For the record, my beater shafts are not bent and not at an angle, and the beater heads are aligned flush with the drum head.
Before I took the head off, I checked the tension on every rod. 2 of them had less tension than I was expecting, but all of them were under tension. No loosey-gooseys. Then when I took the head off, the bearing edge was perfectly clean. But of course, I wiped it down anyway.
(this pic is from before I wiped it down)
The underside of the head was perfectly clean as well, with no dents or caving in, so it's still in good shape.
(sorry about the blurriness)
You can see the rubber inserts under each claw, which helps it really grip the hoop. I also wiped down all of these inserts.
(this pic is before wiping them down)
Finally, since the inner edge of the hoop (the part that goes against the head) is unfinished, it's super easy to tell the correct way to install it.
So after taking everything apart, it all seemed 100% normal. Nothing stood out as to what could be causing the head to rotate. So when I put it all back together, I tuned it up a little higher than before just to give it a little extra tension. We'll see if this helps.
Unfortunately, I prefer the slightly lower tuning from before. If after a few weeks I don't notice any rotation, I may tune it back down and see what happens.
For the record, my beater shafts are not bent and not at an angle, and the beater heads are aligned flush with the drum head.
Before I took the head off, I checked the tension on every rod. 2 of them had less tension than I was expecting, but all of them were under tension. No loosey-gooseys. Then when I took the head off, the bearing edge was perfectly clean. But of course, I wiped it down anyway.
(this pic is from before I wiped it down)
The underside of the head was perfectly clean as well, with no dents or caving in, so it's still in good shape.
(sorry about the blurriness)
You can see the rubber inserts under each claw, which helps it really grip the hoop. I also wiped down all of these inserts.
(this pic is before wiping them down)
Finally, since the inner edge of the hoop (the part that goes against the head) is unfinished, it's super easy to tell the correct way to install it.
So after taking everything apart, it all seemed 100% normal. Nothing stood out as to what could be causing the head to rotate. So when I put it all back together, I tuned it up a little higher than before just to give it a little extra tension. We'll see if this helps.
Unfortunately, I prefer the slightly lower tuning from before. If after a few weeks I don't notice any rotation, I may tune it back down and see what happens.
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TK-421
Senior Member
Where's the Thumbs Down emoji ????You could run a screw through the head and into your bearing edge.
It's just a bass drum. Bass drums don't need perfect bearing edges much
TK-421
Senior Member
Yup, the reso head is ported. Interesting theory though.
TK-421
Senior Member
I thought of that a while back. I didn't have a sharpie with me last night, but I may take one in with me next time I go into the studio.
The spurs are great and my bass drum is set up to where it's mostly parallel to the floor with just a very slight upward tilt on the reso side.Is It Really A Problem?
But let me think. It can't be the beater because it doesn't beat sideways. I'm sure the hoop rotates because the pedal rotates versus the drum. Or, more probably, the other way around -- the pedal will remain flat on the ground because you put your foot on it all the time. So you have to stop the base drum from rotating. That's what the spurs are for. Are your spurs OK and is the drum off the ground on the front side?
That's probably it, though for the life of me I can't figure out what the hardware issue is. Even after going through everything with a fine-tooth comb last night, everything seemed perfectly in order.
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calan
Silver Member
I want to take it on good faith that you have this thing adequately tensioned, because I really have no reason to believe otherwise other than that THIS IS HAPPENING.
I would just throw a different head on the thing. In the absence of a reasonable explanation otherwise, the problem points to the head. The reason why is hardly relevant, because there's likely nothing to be done for it. Just because the head looks to be in perfect condition doesn't mean that it is.
Tune it where you like it. Play it. See what happens. If it happens again, add a quarter turn. Repeat.
I'd really love to see time lapse footage of this issue in action. It's exactly the right amount of trivial and confounding for me.
Rereading your inspection:
What about your lug inserts? Is there any play in there that you could envision being a contributing factor?
I would just throw a different head on the thing. In the absence of a reasonable explanation otherwise, the problem points to the head. The reason why is hardly relevant, because there's likely nothing to be done for it. Just because the head looks to be in perfect condition doesn't mean that it is.
Tune it where you like it. Play it. See what happens. If it happens again, add a quarter turn. Repeat.
I'd really love to see time lapse footage of this issue in action. It's exactly the right amount of trivial and confounding for me.
Rereading your inspection:
What about your lug inserts? Is there any play in there that you could envision being a contributing factor?
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Supernoodle
Senior Member
That's an annoying problem! Maybe try a paper glue stick in a few spots on the bearing edge?
TK-421
Senior Member
That's not a bad idea. Since I just recentered it, I'm leaving everything alone for now. But if it starts rotating again, I'll definitely try that.
C
C. Dave Run
Guest
Okay I've got it. You need:
3 parts eye of newt
1 part wool of bat
1 part toe of frog
Blood of a virgin
Mix newt, bat, and frog in cauldron until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until newt eyes rupture. Remove from heat and strain.
Take remaining paste and marinate in virgins blood for 3 hours. Remove from blood bath and smear all over kick drum.
It will keep in the fridge for about a week before losing potency.
3 parts eye of newt
1 part wool of bat
1 part toe of frog
Blood of a virgin
Mix newt, bat, and frog in cauldron until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until newt eyes rupture. Remove from heat and strain.
Take remaining paste and marinate in virgins blood for 3 hours. Remove from blood bath and smear all over kick drum.
It will keep in the fridge for about a week before losing potency.
Al Strange
Platinum Member
Some great advice above, let us know how it goes…in the interim:
TK-421
Senior Member
TK-421
Senior Member
I agree, the head shouldn't be rotating. But it is. Or, at least it was. But hopefully not any longer.
I did have it adequately tensioned the two previous times, without any loose tension rods. And I tend to tune my bass drum batter just a little higher than JAW, so there definitely should have been enough tension to keep it in place.
As of the other night, I've tensioned it slightly higher than I had it before, so I'm hoping that fixes the issue. But as I've already mentioned, I don't like the higher tuning quite as much as before. So if it all goes well, I'll likely tune it back down and see what happens.
Or I'll just move onto Plan B, which is Dave's idea.
I-P
Silver Member
Stroman
Diamond Member
I'd be curious to know if the head alone is rotating, or if the head and hoop are rotating together. I don't know why it would have just started, but I can easily picture the claws exerting rotational force on the hoop, and the hoop spinning the head.
Like I say, though, I don't know why it would have just started.
Like I say, though, I don't know why it would have just started.
Duck Tape
Platinum Member
Yeah I'm with this guy. Since it was a ps3 that did it for me I tend to think it might be the drum head itself, maybe the extra inner ring is extra slippery or something.
Just play it, let it rotate, you're using felt beaters anyway. If it still gets destroyed it probably deserves it anyway.
FWIW those falam slam patches aren't the best anyway, they seem to take away the attack. I use the clear Evans patches, much lighter and I've never burned through one, at least not using my felt beaters.
picodon
Silver Member
I can't imagine the head rotate without the hoop. I still think it's the hoop that makes the head rotate. It's about time now to reveal the cowbell that is fixed to the hoop and that you probably hit a little hard
