All about the Gran Cassa

This lesson is all about the concert bass drum. I demonstrate playing techniques as well as
muffling, accessories, TOG (bass drum w/piatti) and several types of mallets.

[@ttorritto]

It's so helpful for composer, none-percussionist like me. Thank you so much!

[@KrystofDreamJourney]

Your videos are THE BEST in terms of percussion-insider education especially for composers and orchestrators like myself... Thanks so much for your insight.

[@playing_jazz]

Thanks for all the time and money you spent to make such high quality videos for us. Your videos are really wonderful and definitely expand my mind even if my only interest in orchestral music is as season ticket holder.

[@HakanAToker]

Thank you so much for this useful info! I'm going to combine what you do at 7:05 + 10:56 to mimic a two-piece traditional Turkish drum.

[@danielmads9160]

As an aspiring composer and orchestrator, I found this incredibly helpful, thank you!

[@rickdior]

Your very welcome.

[@SoFallsWichitaFalls]

Great video. Can expand on why you tune the bass drum to a paticular note. Here you say F. But what if you are in E major.

[@rickdior]

The bass drum should not necessarily be tuned to a note that is in the key. It should be low enough so that the pitch is not discernable. So F 2 to A 2 for a 36" drum.

[@cjansenATL]

Very nice. Now I'm going to mess around with my old Ludwig marching drum and see what sounds I can get. Thank you.

[@berndschumannsvideos]

Thank you! This is very helpful!

[@josephg.bradetich3064]

Thanks agian rick learnig so much

[@jeffrymason6136]

Hi Rick. Nice video. I love playing bass drum and have been playing a lot of a 2 parts as of late (i.e. pre Covid-19). Could the Lefima BD muffler be used on the resonating head to take some of the sound off? The reason I'm asking is that when I'm playing a 2 (i.e. tog), I can't get the drum to play dry enough.

[@rickdior]

Hi That Lefima muffler is a real rattler. I don't use a muffler on the other side of the bass drum because it takes time to put it on and off and during a performance that's not practical. Then if you have to play rolls or long notes you have got a problem. I wouldn't worry too much about resonance from the opposite head. You can use your other hand when possible but the ways I talk about muffling the batter head should be enough if you use a harder mallet and play closer to the center for a dryer sound. In the audience you do not hear nearly as much ring as you do if you are right on top of the drum.

[@strettoasino9006]

And 100+ years ago the modern drum kit/trap's came into being....