Rimshots - Part 2 - Drum Set Applications

By request here is a video featuring rimshots on the drum set. It is the second part of a video I did several months ago on the subject. That video was on snare drum alone and is located here: • Rimshots -Three Differ...
Some of my snare drum solos that prominently feature rim shots can be found here:
Take It To The Rim • Take It to the Rim
Second Line • Second Line
Caliente Snare Drum • Caliente Snare Drum Video
Winter Time • Winter Time
The three types of rimshots are:
1. Normal- the drum is struck between the head and rim with the shoulder or neck of the stick.
2. Stick Shot- one stick strikes the other while it is resting on the drum in either a flat or angled position.
3. Cross-Rim Click- The stick is played on the rim while placed flat on the drum with the wrist in an up and down motion. You should play butt out whenever possible.
The main snare for the video is a Doc Sweeney Olivewood14"x 6.5" Snare
At the end of the video I play on several different snares to show you the difference in sound between types of drums. They are:
A 1960's 5.5 x 14" Ludwig Supraphonic chrome over Ludalloy snare
A 1960's 5.5 x 14" Ludwig Supraphonic chrome over brass snare
A Tama Starclassic 6.5 x 12" maple snare
A Canopus Zelkova 5 x 14" drum
A Sonor Horst Link HLD593 4x14" cast bronze drum.
The equipment I am using for this video consists of:
Doc Sweeney Stave Drums in African Olivewood
20"x 16" Bass Drum
Toms: 8"x 8", 10"x 8", 14"x 14 flloor tom"
14"x 6.5" Snare Drum
Cymbals are:
Sabian Jack DeJohnette 20" Ride
Wuhan 20" Lion Cymbal
Paiste Traditional 16" and 17" thin crashes
Sabian HH 13" Regular Hi-Hats
Sabian 12" AA Mini Hats
Heads on toms are Remo Pinstripes on toms
Bass drum is an Aquarian Power stroke 1 head.
Snare is a Aquarian coated head
Microphones are a AKG C24 stereo overhead and an Shure Beta 52 on the Bass drum

[@lawrencemurphy7542]

Another great Lesson!!! Thanks Rick

[@bradkienborts6607]

😮 fantastic

[@johndiraimo1444]

So many nuggets of advice Rick. Great playing and awesome lesson.

[@dennisstgermain442]

Learning soooooo much ..........your book is a HUGE help !!!

[@rickdior]

Great to hear, thanks Dennis

[@fredlittle8127]

Once again, excellent content. Thank you! To increase accuracy, especially in recording, I find using the butt end in matched grip style gives really solid back-beat rim shots. Since I play predominately traditional grip I do of course use the butt end for cross rim but to again get real consistency in sound I mark the butt side of the stick to replicate same sound each time. Sticks are marked for 14” SD. However, I have found when using a 12” SD, on a small rhythm kit, it was necessary to go to a stick that was about 1/2” shorter to get the sound I wanted for cross rim. Also, even though cheap, I find an Acrolite to sound good for rim shots. A bit off subject but I have never heard you mention the Dynasonic snare. Your thoughts on this drum?

[@rickdior]

Hi Fred I am not a fan of the metal Dynasonics. I owned one for many years and it was actually my first snare drum from the early 70's. I sold it a long time ago since it was not a good sounding or feeling drum in my opinion. I know lots of folks love them but I do not. Thanks for watching Rick

[@UPdan]

They used to be accents to increase dynamics as a build up. I think it’s getting overdone in today’s drumming to the point of losing dynamics within the song. Now it’s called, “ I’m just a heavy hitter”. Can someone explain why we must be heavy hitters yet have every drum, cymbal, with mics that regulate volume? Before the drummers didn’t have all the mics if any, hence the rimshot. White noise is not music.

[@rickdior]

The rock rimshot has become part of the modern sound so that many drummers only play backbeats as rimshots. This was not the case from the 50's through the 70's. In jazz and Latin music rimshots are used for color and for building intensity. A rimshot does make a snare hit almost 20 DB's louder and also adds harmonic content which cuts through the music. Another issue with loudness comes from the massive amounts of compression engineers are using in tracking mixing and mastering so that there are no longer any dynamics on recordings. That's one of the reasons I use a minimal mic setup and no compression in my videos but people sometimes complain that Its not loud enough....and there you go.

[@UPdan]

rickdior Yah.We all better get into the hearing aid business. My father has a reader now because the hearing aids no longer help.