Dave Weckl Interview Excerpt

Dave Weckl is truly one of the most widely respected drummers in all of the drumming world.  From his early days with Chick Corea’s Elektric Band, to touring with the likes of Simon and Garfunke and Mike Sternl, to playing on numerous radio and television jingles and soundtracks, to sessions with Robert Plant, George Benson, and Peobo Bryson (and many, many more), to being a highly regarded solo artist in his own right, Dave has always been recognized as a cutting-edge innovator of his instrument.  Dave is also a consummate educator, with many instructional videos/DVDs and play-along packages to his credit, as well as on-line clinics at the Virtual Drummer School.  You can learn a lot more about Dave and his instructional products at daveweckl.com.

Can you describe your kit for us?

I have a few kits, and what I use depends on the music that’s going to be played. I've played and endorsed Yamaha drums since 1983, and I received my first Yamaha kit, a Recording Custom model, while on tour with Simon and Garfunkel.

Today, my standard kit for Fusion, Funk/Jazz-Rock situations is a 5 piece Maple Custom with a vintage finish, with an extra snare to the left. It’s composed of a 22x16” kick, 8x10”, 8x12, 12x14”, and 14x16” toms, and 5.5x14” (maple or aluminum) and 5x13” (maple) signature snares. I’ll also usually use a smaller bass drum (18x16”) for acoustic Jazz gigs, usually with fewer toms as well.  I've also helped to design cymbals for Sabian, the HHX Evolution and Legacy lines to date, and I use a wide assortment of crashes, splashes, effects cymbals and rides, again, depending on the music to be played.  I also use percussion accessories from LP, and my sticks are my signature series from Vic Firth.

What do you look for in a kit?

I look for warm, resonant, projecting shells that help me express what I am hearing in my head, with user-friendly hardware that’s stable but not too bulky or heavy.  The kit has to conform to me, not the other way around, meaning the drums and hardware have to be able to be adjusted in fine increments, and needs to stay put where it is. The kit has to feel right and sound right, and Yamaha has the build quality necessary for that to happen.  The drum seat and pedals are of utmost importance to feel good and work with the body.  Again, Yamaha fits the bill with the Flying Dragon double pedal and very comfortable and stable drum seats.

Do you bring multiple kits or snares to a session?

I try to get as much info about the session ahead of time so I don't bring unnecessary gear.  I usually end up bringing a couple different bass drums (small and big) and a couple different snares, but I bring lots of different cymbals to choose from.

Do you tailor the kit to the session?

Yes, always. It is important for me to know the style of music to be played before I get there.

How does you recording kit differ from your live kit?

It doesn’t change at all.  I use the same set up for live shows as I do in the studio.

Do you use bottom heads or a head on front of the kick drum?

I always use bottom heads on toms.  The bass drum front head type will depend on the music, and whether I want a resonant or dead bass drum sound.  For the dead sound I port the front head at about 4 o'clock with about a 4" hole.  If I play with a full front head, I usually punch small nail size holes about an inch or so in from the hoop at each lug to let some air out while still retaining the full resonant sound of the head and drum. I’ve also co-designed a muffling system for the bass drum with Remo that is part of my tuning formula for the sound of the kick drum.

What kind of heads do you use?

I use Remo heads. Generally I use Coated Ambassadors on all tops of all drums including the bass drum, and Clear Ambassadors on the bottoms of all toms.

How often do you do maintenance on your kit?

Yamaha kits don't need much maintenance, but I have a cartage/storage company that helps me with that task (Drum Paradise, LA), so I make sure that the kit is constantly in top form.

When you’re recording, what do you like in your headphone mix?

Everything has to be in the phones, including all the drums, but the exact levels will depend on the players, the music, and whether or not there is a click or sequence.

Do you tune your drums yourself or do you hire someone like the Drum Doctor to do it?

No one tunes my drums but me. Ever...

How do you go about tuning your drums then?

That, of course, depends on the music to be played. I usually start with the bottom head (toms), get it in tune with itself, then tune the top head about a minor third lower. The pitch between toms is about a 4th apart most of the time. If mics are involved, I may have to work with the pitch and tuning to accommodate the room or the PA. My main snare is usually tuned medium high in pitch, but again will depend on the music and desired sound. The bottom head is always tighter, and usually pretty tight in general. The bass drum I usually pitch very low.

Which drum do you start with?

I don't have a preference, but I usually start with the small tom and work my way down in size where the toms are concerned.

Do you tune to the resonant frequency of the drum?

Well, I’ve never understood how that could make sense for all situations, so I would say no.  I tune to the pitch and decay factor that I want.

Do you ever adjust the tuning to the song?

Sometimes, especially the snare in a pop vocal song.  I want the backbeat snare tone to be somewhat congruent with the song’s tonal center.

Do you deaden any part of your kit with Moon Gel, Deadringers, or tape?

Sometimes.  It will depend on the music and the effect I want to get. In general though, no, I don't deaden anything except maybe the kick a bit. I also designed an active muffler for the snare (with Remo), which works like a physical noise gate. It’s a felt covered plunger that clamps on to the rim, which comes slightly off the drum on impact, then comes back down on the head to muffle it.