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Did you ever try a BRAKE DRUM?


techristian

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Over 20 years ago I met a guy from the Carribean. He told me that they used BRAKE DRUMS in place of a COWBELLS in "the islands" They RING more than a cowbell. I used to mount the BRAKE DRUM by hanging it on a microphone stand much like a person would hang a hat on the end of a cane. I used it for years in my recordings. Have any of you tried this?

 

If I decide to do this again, I have a welder now, so I will WELD the brake drum to the stand. If you get drumming real loud, you can make these fall off and they can easily break a foot. Welding will eliminate the chance of falling, but also may kill the sound.

 

Dan

http://teachmedrums.com

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Hey Dan,

 

Brakedrums have long been part of the classical percussion arsenal as well. Many contemporary composers write them into the percussion score and they are no longer considered strange. Usually they are played with hammers - the kind you'd get at a hardware store. Now that's loud!!

 

If you have the space, they can also be mounted on a snare stand (to avoid broken toes.)

 

Scaffold tubes cut into short lengths also sound pretty good and take up less space

 

drummist

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)Those interested in this sort of thing might check out the work of mid-20th century California composer & music theorist Harry Partch who constructed many of his own instruments but also used various "found objects" as part of his ensemble.

The most relevant to this discussion might be what he called "cloud chamber bowls" [actually the US govenment called them that, too] which resembled the tops of water bottles but were of glass or Pyrex (or something :rolleyes: )---they were made from surplus equipment used in government nuclear experiments!

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Did you hear about the famous drummer that used SAMPLED sounds of a stick hitting a PROPANE TANK , or about the other famous drummer that used the SAMPLED SOUND of a basketball hitting the gymnasium floor?

 

I don't remember the names of the drummers, but I read about it in some magazine such as Keyboard or Electronic Musician.

 

Dan

 

http://teachmedrums.com

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5 gallon water jugs make an excellent faux-bass/conga drum; plus, if you put a hole in, they can be modulated pitch-wise as they drain.

 

My favorite personal perc tool is a can of dried rice. It's an excellent shaker/converstaion starter.

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