Comparing different surdo heads

[@pbassred]

I remember seeing a picture of drum kit with 2 surdos as kick drums. I don't know about "recommend", but if you figure out a way to put side supports on it, its possible. Also unless you intend to be taking the heads off all the time you won't be able to damp it with a blanket.

[@siamak13]

Thanks a bunch. this is actually very helpful. I need new heads on my surdo and I have been undecided about what to put on. Have you tried any of the Napa heads or a mylar head with your own naugahyde stretched on it? Or have you tried the mylar head with a patch or foam taped on it?

[@DamonBreakz]

What was your favourite configuration?

[@MPGarbett75]

do you suggest ever using a surdo as a kick drum in a drum kit setup? i may want to buy a surdo, and itdbe cool if i could get more then oneu se out of it

[@pbassred]

It took an afternoon. Personally the natural head works best for me. The odd thing is that although this sounds rough with the Weatherking, I met a guy at the Sargento Pimenta event with Weatherkings on his 18 inch drum which sounded great. Go figure!

[@robertpaterson7311]

Thanks for the video. Do you tune your surdo to a frequency or do it by ear, as I can not seem to find a guide as to what the different size surdo drums are tuned too. Although I do appreciate different bands might have different ideas on what sound they want so will tune theirs higher or lower.

[@pbassred]

I tune the surdos in 4ths relative to each other. Different blocos have different idea about what pitch suits them. I tried using a tuner once but the note is so short that its difficult for a tuner to lock on. We have discussed recording the pitches we like, but phones don't reproduce low frequencies well so you would need to take head phones with you. An the end of the day, the pitch can chance with the weather in the middle of a parade and it more important that the head it tuned evenly to itself. Stress not.

[@robertpaterson7311]

Many thanks for your reply and information. I have also found that IPhone's do not hear low frequencies (similar to that of a large surdo) which would also hinder tuning apps working. Think you are right to make sure the drum is evenly tuned. Thanks. P.S. - maybe you could do a video on tuning surdos ?

[@pbassred]

Not on a surdo. I tried on a repique once and it turned it into an entirely different drum. Samba reggae players do that because it gives a dark sound and is self damping. The style I play uses a lot of hand damping to keep the timing right. Since napa heads are only mylar with a layer of naugahyde you might as well save money and do it yourself. I see drums like that with gaffa tape over the impact point. I don't know if that's for additional damping, a repair, or to save it from wearing.

[@powerinformation]

is there an option to have no resonant head?

[@pbassred]

Not really. The tensioning rods aren't mounted to the shell like a rock kit. The heads are pulled tight by rings with the rod mounted to them by lugs. Each head is the anchor for the other. There are surdos that DO have shell mounted tensioners, that you can stack inside each other for easy storage. Schools use them. I've never heard one but I am told that they sound like s**t!