Question:
Dear Simon:
My name is Oscar I live in Chile, a year a go you were here on an amazing Drum Clinic, which I could not be there, but I saw it on video anyway,but it is never the same. That day you played a TAMA Superstar Custom, so here is my questions, Are this drums too different compared with your Starclassics???, Did you like the sound you took out of that drums???, I'm saving money to buy a new kit,right now I'm playing a TAMA Rockstar, so would you recommend a TAMA Superstar set??? because I can´t afford a Starclassic's kit,maybe in a couple of years when I finish Med School.
I really hope you can respond this message.
Thanks so much for your inspiring drumming.
Oscar
Simon:
Hi Oscar,
Yes - I used the Superstar kit which is manufactured in China and made of Birch. That is due to the cost of getting a Starclassic kit to Chile being prohibitive. I do prefer the Maple shells but it is interesting to play the Birch shells. They sound great but just don't have the power or the balls of the Maple drums. They are easier to tune though. The kick drums are very good.
So it's always a pleasure to play a different kit and I learn more about drums that way too.
Question:
A drum kit the size of your's, how long does it take to get it all out of it'scases and set up just how you like it (all tuned and ready to play) and
who does that ?? You or a drum roadie. And if it is a Drum Roadie, is your Drum-roadie employed by you full-time or is it a part-time job (and
if part-time would that roadie look after several other drummers) ??
Please explain !!".
Simon:
I haven't had to set my own kit up in years - unless I am setting it up in my studio or prepping a new kit somewhere in the world - which is more often the case. I have a few different drum techs because I can't afford to employ someone full time. But when I am on tour I will have one guy who will do that tour. All depends upon who is available. I think it takes an hour to set up the kit. Then another hour to mic it up and cable it and prep it ready for a soundcheck. We generally change the snare drum head and toms 2, 3 and 4 every day. Tom 5 and the Gong Drum every other day and the other drums when they need it. I actually still like to change my own heads but that is not always possible. My main drum tech, Larry Crowe, also techs for Vinnie Colaiuta and Jim Keltner.
Question:
Hey simon,
My dad bought the amsterdam dvd and I watched that and loved it, so now I have it and the cd on my ipod. I saw on the tama video that advertised for your signature kit, that you use a tuning that utilizes the whole shell, so do you use drum dials? If so, what numbers do you tune all of ur drums to? Keep up the amazing playing and thanks for your time with this question.
Simon:
I never use a drum dial or any other kind of tuning tool. It's all in the feel of the drum key for me. I use my hands a lot to stretch and feel the head and the shell when I am tuning.
Question:
Hi,
I'm actually turning an old IC Double-Pedal (and an additional Single pedal) into a Middle Pedal and I read in a forum that Simon Phillips used a special build tama middle pedal (for a short time) some years ago.
Is this true ? And if so, are there any images of this pedal (or the set) available?
regards,
Florian "flosch" Schwindling.
Simon:
Hi Florian,
You are correct. I built a pedal as a prototype out of bits I had from various pedals back in 1993. It worked - but only just. So I had Tama build one to my specifications. I designed a kit built around a centrally positioned kick drum with the prototype shells of the StarClassic series and played that kit at the 1994 NAMM show. A few years later - around 1999 I had make an Iron Cobra version which I still have - somewhere!!!
I also put together a triple bass drum set up which used the same principle but not the centre pedal. As for a photo - I will look for one.
Question:
Simon!
I'm a swedish drummer and a big fan of your drumming! The combination of your drumming and your fantastic sound makes a perfect pair!
Do you use a specific tone interval between batter head and resonant head on the toms?
I've seen Bob Gatzen recommend to tune both heads to equal pitch and that works ok. But I find it easier to get a good overall sound if I
tune the resonant head a quarter higher than the batter head (three full notes higher if you see what I mean, my english is not perfect....).
What do you prefer. You have a marvellous sound and I understand that the shells and drums have a great impact on the sound but the tuning is
always crucial isn't it?!
Best regards! / Fredric Medin
Simon:
Hi Fredric,
Well I use the same method as Bob - I tune the top and bottom head the same. I use a lot of toms so I want each drum to sustain on one note. If you lift the pitch of one of the heads the sound will move between two pitches. However it is important what type of heads you use and whether they are the same thickness. I use Remo Ambassador Clear top and bottom. If you use a heavier head on the top then it is going to resonate at a different rate and therefore the pitch will not be constant.
Having said that - it's all down to what you like to hear and getting the sound you want out of the kit.
Question:
i Simon!
Have you used the Tama Mirage acryl kit on any studio recordings?
Simon:
Hi Sturla,
Yes I have. I used them on a couple of Derek Sherinian tracks. I wanted to see how they would record.
The bass drums were great but I was disappointed with the tom toms. They sound great live but not recorded for some strange reason.
Question:
Hi Simon
First , i want to say that you're a very great drummer.
So my question is concerning the base mount toms.
I haved a Pearl kit wich a selled to buy a Starclassic Maple Drum in BRG, but Tama don't make it anymore !
I have aslo buyed a Starclassic Bubinga Elite and i want to have the toms mounted on my bassdrum, but TAMA don't want to make It.
So, what do you think, if i drill the hole myself in bassdrums? Have you make it?Is the bubinga "fragile?"
Thanx -Nicolas
Simon:
Hi Nicolas,
I have been drilling holes in drums since I was about 14 years old. Yes - the wood is brittle and you have to be careful. Make sure to use the correct drill sizes and sharp tools. Mark it carefully. I use decorators tape - it's a white paper tape. You can mark it easily too. Start off with a small drill for accuracy. You will always chip the laquer and the inside ply will split a bit too but just be careful and go slowly and it will be fine. Accuracy is the important issue.
The drums are there to work for you - not the other way around - so get to it!!!
Question:
hi simon!,
i'm wondering what kind of cymbals you are using now during yout clinics. Armand thin crashes or medium thin crashes?
Greetz,
ivo (holland)
Simon:
I am using a complete set of Armand cymbals. They are not all production as they don't make a 19" or a 17" crash or a 22" ride. They are on the thinner side however.
Question:
OK, geekie mic question:
On the Falling In Between DVD you appear to be using a small condenser mic, like a Neumann KM184, on your toms...just curious what make and model?
THX!
Simon:
Good observation! I am using Shure KSM137 condenser mics. Similar to Neumanns but I am not sure I would carry 7 x KM184s on the road. I do however use a pair on overheads when I record. Love them.
Question:
the question ... it is a simple one really but I start to struggle alot. I play Tama Rockstar. It is old set, but if I have enough time to tune it up it sounds great. The only problem is that I have a 20" kick drum and very often I have serious problems in finding a good, deep sound ot of it while playing live. When I tune it up to a tone, the drum sounds like a tom, because it is 20" and it has bad overtones, and in that situation I have to lose it very much and there is no rebounce at all...
I thought if I get a hydrolic drum head - that will help, because is thicker. But that didn't helped much. What drum head do you think can help me a bit? I know you will say - get 22" kick drum, but this will lift the hight of all my toms, my splashes, my cymbals ... it all by 3" atleast
Thanks man! I LOVE your music! Have nice day and everything best from Bulgaria!
Simon:
Well - you answered your own question really. You cannot beat the size for sound and really one must sacrifice the set up if you want that sound. I had the same issue years ago when the Tama Artstar 1 first was introduced in 1983. I was used to 22" bass drums but they only made 24" drums back then so, as I had a load of clinics to do and therefore no custom drums could be used I had to adapt my set up. I have used 24" bass drums ever since so I guess it wasn't a big problem. The onu recommendation I can make is to use a single ply head as in a Remo Clear Ambassador - that will give you the most sound out of that drum over any head on the market - but it still won't sound like a 22" or a 24"!
