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Our good friend Jared Falk suggested we check out this DVD. The Drum Tuning System is a two-DVD set, that currently ships with bonus goodies. I received the bonus Drum Gear Buyers Guide. The first thing that struck me is that disc one is hecka long. Having viewed disc one in its entirety and previewed disc two, I’m impressed. Narrator Mike Michalkow takes principles and best practices, puts them together in great detail, and does so with in-depth, useful demonstration. I’ve been a performing drummer for many years, and can honestly say that I picked up some great tips from this DVD. I plan to watch it a few more times.

After starting with a simple yet useful drum maintenance section, Michalkow shows you how his proven tuning principles and best practices can be applied with a little experimentation to the get best sounds possible out of your drum kit. Disc two gets into tuning for different styles, and appropriately starts with tuning for all styles of rock. Michalkow also takes time to demonstrate his skills with different drumming styles, which will establish street cred with pretty much any drummer. I’m looking forward to the info about tuning for different styles on disc two, and will likely blurb about it once I’ve finished it.

Drum-Tuning.com states that they “will be selling this training pack for $79.97.” At the time of this review, the site was promoting a sweet offer for $47. There appears to be a solid money-back guarantee and good customer support. I called customer support, and reached an actual human (a big plus in my book). This would be a cool holiday gift for your favorite drummer. In fact, I’d recommend this DVD to any drummer, beginner or advanced.

This was actually a nice compliment to the drum kit maintenance series that we’ve started and will continue through year-end. Contact Robonzo.com with questions about any drum kit maintenance topics your interested in reading about. I’ll leave you with a great drum-solo by Drum Tuning System narrator Mike Michalkow.
~r

Today, the world of rock music and entertainment was shocked by the death of Jimi Hendrix Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell. Although saddened by the news, his death brings back great memories from my earliest days of drumming. Along with John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell was one of my earliest influences. At the time, I had no idea what fusion drumming was; and although I recognized the unmistakable jazz influence in his style, it didn’t register for me that he had in fact laid the ground work for a style that truly put the drums out in front. His stick work was as fast as could be heard on any rock record of his generation and remains among the fastest in all rock recording. Stylistically, I’ve truly not heard anyone like him since. I’m still blown every time I hear Fire and If 6 Was 9. As a young drummer, I found learning Mitchell’s chops challenging and would likely still be challenged to learn them today. Because the drums are so clear in recording quality, Axis: Bold as Love has always been my favorite Hendrix album. As I write, I’m listening to track two (Up from the Skies) from Axis: Bold as Love, a true sample of Mitchell’s jazz roots.

Mitchell had spent recent months on the Experience Hendrix tour, which was a celebration of the music and life of Jimi Hendrix. The tour recently featured Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Eric Johnson, along with many other noteworthy rock and blues guitar greats. A DVD compilation release Experience Hendrix captures the tour in what Blog Critics Magazine calls “an extremely well-crafted showcase of superb talent.” Another performance worth catching is Mitch Mitchell with the impromptu group “Dirty Mac,” formed for the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus film, in which Mitchell performs with John Lennon, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.

Although I have all the great memories, I’ll have to start scouting out DVD footage that captures Mitchell’s performances, old and new. Thanks for the memories Mitch.

~r

(From left: Mitch, Jimi & Noel)

I had a recent discussion with Ryan, owner of San Jose, California’s Lemmon Percussion about the image of a beat-up looking vintage drum set, versus the image of a beat-up looking vintage electric guitar. We agreed that a beat-up vintage guitar looks cool, because it’s been played so much and has earned its right to passage. As for the beat-up old drum set…no matter how vintage, rusted hardware, tarnished cymbals and chipped paint on wooden hoops just makes a drum set look neglected. It’s like looking at an classic car that needs some TLC and a new paint job to help it come to life.

With this in mind, I pulled out my old 1964 Ludwig Black Diamond trap set and am detailing it in preparation for an upcoming blues gig. I have begun with what would seem to be the simple task, the polishing of cymbals. I first flashed back to the nightmare of a time when I polished my cymbals for the first time—it was a nightmare. Over the years, I’ve learned some definite do’s and don’ts where cymbal polishing is concerned. These tips will save you time and frustration.

I suppose if you really want to go crazy you can use a powered buffer, but I recommend you still use the following as a guideline.

Product: You can use just about any cymbal cleaner available at music stores, but I use basic BRASSO ® brand brass cleaner, which you can pick up at any local market or drug store. It’s less expensive then cymbal cleaner and does a great job.

THE DO’S

1. Of course read the cleaning product directions
2. Suit Up! It’s going to get dirty quick. Wearing household cleaning gloves and work clothes is a must. The stuff that comes off in the cleaning process is nasty, and will make your skin smell and feel really funky.
3. Do this job outside or in the garage. Cloths used in the cleaning process will get very dirty and create a strong odor. Your work area will also get dirty, so prep a large flat work surface area and cover it with plastic, cardboard or butcher paper.
4. Apply the cleaner with a dry cloth or paper towel. Apply in small sections and with the grain of the cymbal. I reiterate, SMALL SECTIONS WITH THE GRAIN OF THE CYMBAL. I work on each section of the cymbal like it’s in pieces of a pie. This will save you time! Bigger sections are not better. You’ll spend more time having to go back over your work.
5. Keep the cleaning product wet when applying. Immediately after applied, get a clean soft cloth or paper towel and rub very hard to remove the product and tarnish. This is KEY to doing the job right – put lots of elbow grease into it!
6. Overlap your sections to avoid creating lines of demarcation
7. A second or third application is optional, but I have found in some cases it doesn’t improve the shine.

THE DON’TS

1. DO NOT LET THE PRODUCT DRY! I can’t emphasize this enough. As soon as you apply it on the pie shaped section, get a new dry cloth and start rubbing it off. This is the key to speed and ease
2. Don’t apply the product to the whole cymbal at once. The process will take a great deal longer and you’ll waste lots of time trying to get the dry product off once it has dried.
3. Don’t do this task when you are tired. It takes a lot of arm strength, and if you have a lot of cymbals it will be a lot of hard work.

Using these tips, you’re polished cymbals will make your whole kit shine. That shine is what I like to call the symbol of a shining cymbal.

G. Brandau

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