the secret to getting killer calf head sounds!

[Tedly Nightshade]

Mooo!

 

I know barely anyone here plays calf, but when you try them, I want you to be able to find out what it's all about.

 

And why the EarthTone coated moisture-proof heads are not such a great idea.

 

But really folks, the secret is *moisture*. Give those heads a wipe down with a damp cloth, wait a minute for the water to absorb, and you get the big burly heavy sounds that calf is all about. Too dry, and things sound all papery which can be one flavor for snare but really sucks for toms and bass drum.

 

of course papery is really cool on little mediterranean hand drums and that.

 

So I think those coated calf heads are really missing the major potential for awesome sounds. It would suck not to be able to get them a bit wet!

 

I've been playing calf for a long time, but somehow just got hip to this the other day- I was going nuts trying to get a dried out bass drum skin to behave, and muttering "goddamn papery..."

 

when the wife said, bless her soul, "why don't you get it wet?" and recalled that the best sounds and best behaved tunings were on humid days. So now in the dry heated winter house, I've been getting great sounds with the help of a wet rag- was delighted to find at a really dry hot woodheated gig the other day that giving them the once-over before heading out kept the bass drum and snare in great shape and stable tuning all through the set even after a couple hours in the dry heat.